Ask the Mechanic
SHOULD I BUY EXIGA OR SUBARU FORESTER?
I would like to buy a car but cannot decide between the 2008 Exiga and Forester. Can you compare them in terms of fuel efficiency, safety, stability and service costs? Jessica
Hello Jessica, the two 2008 Subaru models, Exiga and Forester, may be estate wagons but have different design concepts. The Exiga is a midsize multipurpose people mover while the Forester is a crossover sports utility vehicle. The Exiga, a minivan, offers more passenger space and comfort while the Forester is a family outdoor or recreational vehicle. It is also more spacious and comfortable because it is longer, wider and higher than the Forester (LxWxH mm: 4740x1775x1660 vs 4485x1735x1590).
The Exiga carries seven passengers with ample view and headroom due to its theatre style seating layout, under the optional panoramic glass. The Forester on the other hand carries five passengers and the rear seating space is a little confined. The Exiga’s trunk space is bigger than the Forester’s load space (490L vs 450L), although both cargo spaces can be increased by folding the rear seats.
The Exiga offers two engine sizes; the 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre, the 2.0 litre has non-turbo and turbo variants. The Forester offers the 2.5 litre turbo. The two-turbo charged engines offer a good balance of power (221Hp /265Hp) and reasonable fuel economy (12.5km/L and 11.9KM/L), while the Exiga’s non-turbo charged 2.0 litre engine tends to be sluggish with no fuel economy benefit. This is because it carries a heavy car and performs in the higher, fuel thirstier engine revolution band.
The 2.0 litre and 2.5 litre turbo charged engines fuel economy and performance can be improved if you use the Subaru recommended higher octane 95 premium petrol (Shell V-Power) and drive sensibly. The two Subarus are safe cars to drive with high international safety rating and both offer frontal airbags and side curtain airbags with door fitted impact protection. The Exiga goes a notch further with lumbar airbags.
Ride and handling for both cars is impressive, thanks to their low slung flat engines, which improve centre of gravity. The Exiga’s bigger people mover profile makes it feel more settled on the highway. The Forester’s sporty design makes it agile and nimble yet firm as you manoeuver the high speed corners.
Steering responsiveness is good for both cars. Both Exiga and Forester cars are reliable and affordable. They cost almost as much as newer 2008 Toyotas to run and maintain. However, you need to be keen on timely service with the correct reputable fluids, oils and filters. The CVT gearboxes are optional but require special CVT oil or else the gearbox will be damaged.
These Subaru engines are known to suffer from water pump, thermostat and oil pressure switch failure if you neglect timely coolant and engine oil service, like any other car model. A pre-purchase technical inspection of the car you want to buy is recommended to ensure its engine is not damaged, has genuine mileage and no concealment of major accident repair.
CAN I SWAP MY CAR’S ENGINE?
Hello Paul, I recently bought a Corona T191 2.0. Is it possible for me to change the engine to a smaller 1.5 engine? What is the actual difference by litres in the consumption of a 2.0and 1.5 litre engine?
-Mulondo
Hello Mulondo, it is possible to replace the 2.0 litre petrol engine with a smaller 1.5 litre engine. However, the cost might be prohibitive since there are several other components you need to replace besides the engine. These include the gearbox, engine wire harness, engine computer, instrument cluster, engine mountings and possibly some of the final drive components such as the drive shafts.
The difference in fuel economy statistics is about four kilometres per litre. The 1.5 litre engine will give you a fuel economy of 19 km/litre on the highway while the 2.0 litre engine will give you 14.9 km/litre. However, the 1.5 litre engine has less power (93hp) and tends to be sluggish compared to the 2.0 litre’s 126hp. On the highway you struggle to overtake, should you need to.
WHY IS MY COROLLA VIBRATING?
Hello Paul, I have a 2001 Toyota Corolla which tends to vibrate when idling. My mechanic fixed new engine mountings in the hope that it will stop vibrating but it hasn’t. What could be the problem?
Derrick
Hello Derrick, your 2001 Toyota Corolla is experiencing reduced engine performance and power. It is easy to misdiagnose the cause of a vibrating sensation in a car as damaged engine mountings, which cause a similar sensation. That is why the new engine mountings have not resolved the problem.
Reduced car engine performance is usually caused by one or two of the following; reduced fuel pressure, restricted air intake system, dirty or faulty throttle potentiometer, blocked or damaged catalytic convertor or bad engine management sensors. Fuel pressure is reduced when you have a weak fuel pump, restricted or clogged fuel filter and dirty fuel injectors. An inspection of the fuel system to ensure that important components such as the fuel pump and injectors work well. A replacement of the long life fuel filter will improve fuel system cleanliness, fuel pressure and engine performance. This will reduce the vibration during idling.
A restricted air intake system and dirty or faulty throttle potentiometer can reduce engine performance and power. A clogged air cleaner element, leaking or loose air intake pipe will reduce metered air required to achieve ample burning of fuel during combustion. A dirty or faulty throttle potentiometer will not allow adequate mixture of fuel and air. This reduces engine performance.
Replacing the air filter on time will resolve air intake cleanliness. A blocked or damaged catalytic convertor will restrict exhaust emission flow while the engine management computer will detune the engine. Faulty engine management oxygen and air flow sensors will also cause engine detuning if they are faulty. A computer diagnosis will help confirm all this.
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