I noticed my wife's '08 Forester takes a different oil filter than my
'03's.  I wonder if they are smaller?  I change mine but have not
touched hers or bought one for her car.

I ask today because when I went to change the oil in the '03, the dealer
had put on a smaller filter that I could not remove with the clasping
type wrench I use or even a Sear's rubberized strap wrench. The oil plug
had also been put on by Hercules because it took a pipe extension on the
socket wrench to get it off.

I had pulled the plug, drained the oil and replaced plug with new washer
and when I could not remove filter, added new oil and called dealer's
service manager.  He said they only used Subaru parts but I had changed
oil before and my wrench fit any filter they had used before.  He was
kind enough to remove his filter and put mine on gratis.  That's why I'm
wondering if new '08 filter is smaller.

I was tempted to title this post "Ten miles between oil changes."  I
said he could put mine back but service record says they used new oil.

BTW, I really like the looks of the '09 Forester.

Frank