Forester purchase
Discussion
Early stages but I'll be looking for a workhorse, up to £6k workhorse with the following criteria.
Petrol, 5 door, reasonable ground clearance, dogs, cope with tracks, tough, 4-5k per annum, home maintenance, reasonable running costs, comfort more important than cosmetics.
Am I on the right track? Are the autos OK? Any major pitfalls? Anything else I should consider? Ability more important than 4wd
Petrol, 5 door, reasonable ground clearance, dogs, cope with tracks, tough, 4-5k per annum, home maintenance, reasonable running costs, comfort more important than cosmetics.
Am I on the right track? Are the autos OK? Any major pitfalls? Anything else I should consider? Ability more important than 4wd
I had a 55 plate XT 2.5 and it was constantly going wrong. Started in the first week of ownership with a new fuse box due to corrosion and ended 4 years later with a blown motor. Had 2 secondary air pump failures, secondary air valve failures, 3 headlight ballasts blow, seals in both headlights failed, abs pump failed and lots of corrosion fixed. It was quick but way too quick for the brakes and suspension. Ride quality was not great with lots of NVH. The whole car felt cheap. Don't buy one thinking your getting a tall WRX because it's nothing like one unless you get an FSTI. Oh and the auto box spoils any remaining chance of a fun drive!
I have a 2006 Forester 2.0 n/A which I look after myself. Before I had a Legacy n/A. I love the forester; comfy, nippy enough for me (post 2005 has dohc with more horses), strong, decent off road.
Super useful size. Not massive but lots of boot space arc.
Legacy was also great although slower and bigger.
Both have been very reliable and easy to work on. Also, loads of online info on subs as owners tend to be hands-on and loads of crossover between models so e.g. impreza wheel bearing replacement same as forester etc.
Don't know about newer foresters.
Super useful size. Not massive but lots of boot space arc.
Legacy was also great although slower and bigger.
Both have been very reliable and easy to work on. Also, loads of online info on subs as owners tend to be hands-on and loads of crossover between models so e.g. impreza wheel bearing replacement same as forester etc.
Don't know about newer foresters.
You’d get a JDM Cross Sports for that kind of money. Proper 2 litre Turbo, so none of the 2.5s problems and only £260 a year road tax.
Find one that’s not been here long and it’ll be rust free too.
I imported one for £6.5k - 50k miles, manual, 220 bhp, 1/2 leather heated seats. A little softer than a WRX, but much better than the UK models.
Always a few on eBay, so worth a look.
Find one that’s not been here long and it’ll be rust free too.
I imported one for £6.5k - 50k miles, manual, 220 bhp, 1/2 leather heated seats. A little softer than a WRX, but much better than the UK models.
Always a few on eBay, so worth a look.
I have had an 07 plate 2.5 XT for the past two years.
It isn't a luxo-barge; but it is practical and quick-ish.
Contrary to the doom and gloom above, it has not gone bork-tastically wrong: it has been far more reliable than the E61 530D it replaced. In about 20k miles I've replaced, in addition to tyres, the cam belt and the rear shockers (I replaced the expensive and dead self-levelling ones with normal ones).
It isn't a luxo-barge; but it is practical and quick-ish.
Contrary to the doom and gloom above, it has not gone bork-tastically wrong: it has been far more reliable than the E61 530D it replaced. In about 20k miles I've replaced, in addition to tyres, the cam belt and the rear shockers (I replaced the expensive and dead self-levelling ones with normal ones).
I forgot about the rear shocks, the self levelling failed so they were replaced with Pedders units which bolted straight in. Also the exhaust rusted through which is no big deal if you can get a replacement but local exhaust places could not source one so we had to get one custom made.
Just in case you think I'm a Subaru hater, I have an 05 WRX wagon which is my pride and joy but has it's own issues!
Just in case you think I'm a Subaru hater, I have an 05 WRX wagon which is my pride and joy but has it's own issues!
or push the boat out a bit more and by a forester sti , the only failure i can think of in 185,000 miles was a drivers window door motor welded for 5£ , plus a boost solenoid 20£ the biggest issue was the engine a rebuild half way through its life but i don’t regret that as over all a fantastic very quick car , and the cost of an engine re build over 12 years of ownership and all those miles covered well worth it , went like a stabbed rat and still got 35mpg on a long run, for grunt and drive ability the 2.5 is the better engine as has a lot more torque but does have its weakness the 2 litre less prone to failure , the jdm route is a good route
I ran a 2007 Forester from new for about 10 years and 100,000 with the N/A 2.5 engine and manual box. Only major requirement was new AC gibbons after about 6/7 years. Otherwise routine servicing.
A friend has the bigger-bodied 2008 with the same engine but auto box and whilst no ball of fire has also been relatively trouble free.
They’re tough cars if serviced properly. I’m now on my sixth Subaru.
A friend has the bigger-bodied 2008 with the same engine but auto box and whilst no ball of fire has also been relatively trouble free.
They’re tough cars if serviced properly. I’m now on my sixth Subaru.
R12many said:
I had a 55 plate XT 2.5 and it was constantly going wrong. Started in the first week of ownership with a new fuse box due to corrosion and ended 4 years later with a blown motor. Had 2 secondary air pump failures, secondary air valve failures, 3 headlight ballasts blow, seals in both headlights failed, abs pump failed and lots of corrosion fixed. It was quick but way too quick for the brakes and suspension. Ride quality was not great with lots of NVH. The whole car felt cheap. Don't buy one thinking your getting a tall WRX because it's nothing like one unless you get an FSTI. Oh and the auto box spoils any remaining chance of a fun drive!
I ran a 55 plate 2.5 XT from new for 6 years and 70,000. It was a fantastic car, no problems at all until the head gaskets went.It was very quick, Evo tested one at 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, or 5.3 with the Prodrive Pack from memory. I used to average 180 miles per tank so not cheap on fuel.
The HID headlights on mine were sealed units.
I thought it handled well for what it was. No problems with brakes either.
It wasnt an STi Imprezza certainly, but close to my classic Impreza i had previously (as a company car).
rossub said:
Hmmm that can't be right. The tank is 60L, so that's about 13-14 mpg.
Driving to speed limits, with the odd brisk over-take and I'm averaging 27-28 mpg. The same as I managed in a WRX PPP.
It is right, consistently 180 miles. As I said, I tended to drive it hard. I never ran the tank out, so wouldnt have put 60l in. From memory it worked out as about 21mpg. Driving to speed limits, with the odd brisk over-take and I'm averaging 27-28 mpg. The same as I managed in a WRX PPP.
Roughly the same as I got from the classic Imprezza, which in turn started out at 17mpg when new and for the first 10k miles.
The 2 STi’s i had were about the same overall, even though one was modified (just over 400bhp).
You must give em death lol.
Our 07 Forester with PPP used to average about 27-28 about 300 miles per tank, not hanging around. From new to about 120k miles. As far as I recall we only had to replace a headlight in all that time.
My classic averages around 20mpg on a trip out but is pushing over 500bhp. Taking it easy I can get nearly 30 from it
Our 07 Forester with PPP used to average about 27-28 about 300 miles per tank, not hanging around. From new to about 120k miles. As far as I recall we only had to replace a headlight in all that time.
My classic averages around 20mpg on a trip out but is pushing over 500bhp. Taking it easy I can get nearly 30 from it
OP you are describing a Forester. Ideal for 4-5k a year and it's interesting too.
You could get a Passat estate but dull dull dull.
I've got a 08 plate (last of 03-07) 160bhp non turbo. It's great but I've calculated that I did 16.000miles last year! So it's going soon sadly. 59,000miles but I'm too far from you.
Back on topic. Great cars and if ground clearance is not a biggie you could also consider the Legacy.
You could get a Passat estate but dull dull dull.
I've got a 08 plate (last of 03-07) 160bhp non turbo. It's great but I've calculated that I did 16.000miles last year! So it's going soon sadly. 59,000miles but I'm too far from you.
Back on topic. Great cars and if ground clearance is not a biggie you could also consider the Legacy.
RB Will said:
You must give em death lol.
Our 07 Forester with PPP used to average about 27-28 about 300 miles per tank, not hanging around. From new to about 120k miles. As far as I recall we only had to replace a headlight in all that time.
My classic averages around 20mpg on a trip out but is pushing over 500bhp. Taking it easy I can get nearly 30 from it
I agree that seems excessive. .Our 07 Forester with PPP used to average about 27-28 about 300 miles per tank, not hanging around. From new to about 120k miles. As far as I recall we only had to replace a headlight in all that time.
My classic averages around 20mpg on a trip out but is pushing over 500bhp. Taking it easy I can get nearly 30 from it
Both my STurbo and XTen Foresters did about 270-300 per tank. in comparison to my 330bhp Classic and 400bhp Newage imprezas that struggled to get 200miles.
Are the 2.5s really that bad? The mrs wants a forrester similar to the OP and the 2.5s do seem good value, someone we know who sold them for 20+ years said they're brilliant and take one over the 2.0 if you can yet so many uk threads seem to reference the 2.5 in ominous tones.
Would be a well cared for example fwiw, I gather the engines don't wear neglect well.
Would be a well cared for example fwiw, I gather the engines don't wear neglect well.
so it's off to PX. Gassing Station | Subaru | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff