[thazlett]

Hello! i'm tom. I'm 22 and i live in the UK, i'm really looking forward to being part of this community!:biggrin: I have found this site to be a good source of information

i'm also buying a new car next week. I'v set my sites on a forester(of course!) and have done for the last 2-3 months now, specifically the 2003-2005 model.

I have a number of issues however.

Now, 1 thing I have been thinking about is getting the XT or the X, but i have decided on the X (for the dual range gearbox and cheaper insurance!).

I have just received an inheritance of about £60k:woohoo:. £20k of it I plan on keeping for myself and the rest save for a house deposit or whatever. I don't really want to spend 20k on a forester, though at that price it would be a brand new one.
I'm looking to spend about £7k maximum. Autotrader have a number of foresters for sale so getting hold of one is not an issue.
Now a lot of the foresters on autotrader have a lot of mileage on them like 100k, i realize at 105k the timing needs doing, but other then that, is this kind of mileage ok with these things? so long of it's been looked after of course. I just want to know if i can get a forester with 100k without worrying about the fact I just bought a problem car for alot of money. Im really not keen on spending too much... Iv even found 1 for £2800 with 103k on it 2003 model... not sure about that 1.


Another small thing, which models have the heated front windscreen? I've noticed some of them have this and others don't!

I was also looking into an LPG conversion, not sure if it worth the price of the conversion though. Some people here have gone LPG and seem to love it though!

Looking forward to owning one!, maybe more snow will come my way after i get it and i can test it!


thank you in advance! Any advice would be great appreciated!:biggrin:

 

[adc]

Welcome to the forum from Pa. (USA)
As a word of advice..there is an international forum that might have been better for this particular question bc the vehicles in the U.S. and elsewhere. No big deal though.

 

[2.5x_sleeper]

Welcome to the forum from Oregon! :biggrin:

Good luck on your Forester shopping! I can't give you much in the way of advice, since our models are different. I would suggest spending a bit more for an XT if you have any desire for the additional power. :wink:

Bobby...

My MODding Journal

 

[thazlett]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I didn't realize this was mainly a US site. And i did notice you guys seem to have the 2.5 and we have the 2.0.

Trust me I have been looking at a turbo :biggrin: but i just cant justify spending the extra for the insurance, we get shafted here in the UK for just about anything.
I have seen a couple of posts here "To turbo or not to turbo" and "no you don't need a turbo for that, but still, you need a turbo" which made me giggle.

Are there many people from the UK on this forum?

 

[ddavidv]

Quite a few UK people on here, they just hide in the shadows.

I would not spend any of your inheritance on a depreciating asset (vehicle). Buy what you could afford prior to the windfall. Higher mileage on these generally doesn't matter but you'll want maintenance records and be cautious of head gasket leaks on anything prior to 2003 (and they do still occasionally show up on newer ones).

 

[thazlett]

yeah I've heard about the HG issues on the older ones. But i plan on an 04 model at the moment, unless it gets sold. I would post a link but i cant just yet on my account here.

As for the "depreciating asset", that's why i'm not so keen to spend to much. I shall keep looking. I did menton in my first post i found a cheap one with 103k on it with Partial service history. I have asked for some details on how partial it was and they say it was serviced at 60k. So that didn't really answer my question. Not sure if it's worth the gamble on that 1.
But hey if it works then its a good find, but if not then I spend the extra to get it fixed and it will have cost the same as some of the others for sale. Big gamble.

 

[Duderotomy]

Welcome to the forum from Niagara Falls!
Best of luck finding that Forester

 

[Catlover]

Hi! I am thinking about replacing my '03 Highlander with a Forester. I took a2.5X Limited for a short test drive last night ('10). What I want on one is heated seats, dual climate controls, cloth seats (leather ok but not a big deal to me), and the ability to recirculate the air (we don't like diesel fumes). A strange list I know. OK the one I drove didn't have the dual climate controls and I didn't see the button to recirculate the inside air. Do some of the models have it and others don't? In order to get these features am I looking at the top of the line and $$ models? I don't need turbo based on what I;ve read so far. Also, what is the quality of the tires? I have had Michelins put on the Highlander and like that brand. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[thazlett]

Well i found a nice 2003 XT , silver going to grab it tomorrow morning. I shall post pictures when i get it. :woohoo:

Yes i relented... the turbo was to much for me to ignore! By the sound of it i think i made the right choice though.

 

[thazlett]

Well here is my new forester!

I absolutely love it. I love the way it drives, not to mention the power (i had a 1.4 peugeot 306 before)


I'm so glad I chose the fozzie. :biggrin:
78k Miles, full subaru history. 1 owner from new.