To: Boplicity who wrote (7149 ) 4/16/2002 10:34:39 AM From: im a survivor Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 13815 <<We want to buy a small 4x4 for the kids>> My wife had a BMW...being that she climbed, we looked into a more practical vehicle....she didnt want anything big, but wanted something with 4 wheel drive, safe, good for climbing and everyday driving, priced right, good ratings and etc.....we looked at everything.....got her the Subaru Forrester, and I can not say nicer things about it....it has the best safety rating, all the time 4 wheel drive...and I tell you, we go thru thick mud and go zipping by all these bigger, badder 4 wheel drive vehicles...just zip right by them and laugh....she handles so well in the mud and even in deep snow....drives up a hill in a foot of snow like the snow wasnt even there...all these 4 wheel drive exploreres are spinning and cant get up the hill....we zip by at a nice speed like the snow was not even there.......5 star safety rating, excellent price, especially considering all the bells and whistles.....heated seats, and mirrors.....come out in 15 degree weather and hit the button ( both front seats have seperate hi/lo heat settings )and that sucker is hot in a heartbeat....lots of storage...and I mean ltst for a smaller all wheel drive suv......it has the side opposed boxer engine, like the porches has....gets about 180 horsepower out of it's 4 cylinders, but I tell you, it is quick....I have a 550hp custom built firebird, so I know about speed.....those 180 horses really make the firrester a very quick off the line car as well as good performance at higher speeds......great engine.....faster then most 6 cylinder cars.....has some special patented wheel design which allows her to turn like a forklift....she gets about 22mpg in the city and much better on the hwy.....so far she ( and she drives hard, always has....) put 80,000 miles on it, and all we have had to do is oil changes and regular old maintenance which isnt much with those suckers.....the price is great......back seats fold both ways front and back, so folks in back can recline flat and sleep, or you can fold forward for more cargo space......lots of neat little bells and whistles as well....anyway, I cannot say enough about the vehicle...I would recommend it highly....and the good thing is....they dont make that many....you never see them in the newspaper used, and if you do, they sell very quickly and they hold their value very nicely because of that.......great vehicle.....go test drive one.....only problem is their cloth interior is ugly as hell, so you almost have to go with leather......awesome vehicle...I highly recommend.....