Subaru Forester Owners Forum banner

Hey guys - UK

9K views 134 replies 16 participants last post by  TMX 
#1 ·
Hi all,

Sorry to probably be another one of those guys, but I'm sort of fishing for info really.

I test drove a Forester at a garage the other day and really enjoyed it, but it was above price range at the moment, so it was more for scoping them out than anything else.

I'm interested in becoming a Forester owner, but I don't really know if there are any typical gremlins I should be looking out for? or better or worse models? Auto manual? I know about a few other cars and some typical problems, Fords struggle with DMF's etc, Auto BMW X5's have "gearboxs' for life" that have a tendency to die at 90k miles (or at least you've got an "any minute now" from then on) etc etc, but no idea on Foresters.. I'm also struggling to find many Foresters for sale in the UK, of course there are a few, but most other makes seem to have pages and pages, but not too many Foresters, is that because people keep hold of them? or do they vaporise after a certain amount of time? :grin2:

Found a manual 2.5XT 55reg for £3.5k, it has got 110k miles on the clock... not sure if that's decent or no..

I'm just keen to get some knowledge really, at the moment I'm totally blind.

Thanks guys - hope to join up for real in the future :)
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Hi Kevin, thanks for the welcome.

It's quite strange to search gumtree/autotrader etc here in the UK and find 'not that many' for sale. I put parameters of make/model, any distance and £5500 (no other parameters) and there are only 52 for sale....

Change that for BMW, Ford, or even another Japanese car Nissan and you'd be lucky to be constrained to 520! Do you have an Auto or a manual?
 
#4 ·
Welcome to the forum from another UK member.

Once people get a Turbo forester, they generally keep them as it's pretty tough to find a suitable replacement....... Forester STIs are even worse, just ask Stiggy (A member who keeps promising to sell for the last 3 years)

There are a few "problems" with the 2.5 turbo engine but nothing that will leave you stranded at the side of the road (When was the last time you saw a Forester broken down on the side of the road? ;) )
The rear suspension is Self Levelling with mechanisms inside the shock. They can sag with age and genuine replancements are very expensive. So it is very common to replace the rear shocks and springs with non self levelling type for around £300 from memory in parts and you're good for life.

The driver's side window motors can seize up from rust..... Throw another motor in or unseize your original and you're good.

The 2.5 litre engine can blow head gaskets - This seems to happen from 100K miles onwards. Once you've done that repair, you're usually good for a while then. The engine can generally be driven as long as you monitor and top up the oil and coolant.

The radiator can crack between the plastiic and aluminum welds. This seems to happen around 100K miles or 10 years. Once replaced, again you're good - If you don't and the engine overheats, you'll be looking at potential head gasket problems

Nothing else really springs to mind off the top of my head - My sunroof motor mechanism isn't 100% so the glass doesn't retract properly but to fix involves removing the headlining and it just doesn't bother me enough yet.

Subaru mpg prices were very honest and the 25mpg combined quoted is pretty realistic - Mine is averaging 26.2mpg over the very many years I've had her for.

I personally change my timing belts out at around 50K miles ish and life is good. Changing the sparkplugs is not a simple job like most 4 cylinder engines.

Edit - There is a ton of aftermarket support for parts, so you're not stuck going to the Subaru dealer. Lots of parts are common with the Impreza and since those tend to find ditches and trees more than Foresters, there's lots of parts available from breakers around.

Have you tried running an insurance quote on a 2.5XT yet ? They are generally very fairly priced compared to the Impreza turbo. I don't think I've paid more than 400 since ever owning the car, including modifications.
 
#16 ·
Have you tried running an insurance quote on a 2.5XT yet ? They are generally very fairly priced compared to the Impreza turbo. I don't think I've paid more than 400 since ever owning the car, including modifications.
insurance pahaaa I pay much more !
 
#8 ·
Hi everyone, thanks for the info, really helpful stuff, gotta say if we go down the forester route this will definitely be a great place to peruse.

As for insurance I did a cheeky quick compare the market very loosely and it came.out with approx £315, obviously I didn't include a pending claim against me which is supposedly going to be rejected due to insurance fraud (not sure if I have to mention that in the future!!)

I tend to insure with Adrian Flux more often than not.. I don't drive anything particularly modded (vivaro van and a Ford focus lol), but they have always been competitive.
 
#9 ·
So it seems like they're a pretty good gem to get hold of. Autotrader owner reviews seem pretty good as well. I'd probably prefer an auto (or at least i know the wife would!). I know a manual would be quicker, but I've owned manuals for my driving life, so might be nice to have a break..
 
#10 ·
That’s good, from a few perspectives:
The XT manual on autotrader appears to be gone already (not surprised at that price)
There are a lot more autos than manuals available.
Autos are slower sellers, so you can take your time going to look.

Just one other thing worth mentioning - if you are bothered about how much vehicle tax you pay, best to avoid XTs registered after 23rd March 2006. The rate for those is £540. Prior years are around £315.

Happy hunting.
 
#12 ·
If you want a post 2006 [facelift] model, it is possible. There is a very narrow window though - some were sold in late 2005 (mine is November) so there is roughly a 4 month window until March 23. The extra grunt if the later model may suit the auto better.
 
#13 ·
Sorry, I meant pre (I even double thought to make sure I was writing the correct blooming word). Haha

I think the 2.5 I mentioned above is actually an early 2006 model so still in the lower tax bracket, but I prob do prefer the PRE 06 models... doh
 
#15 ·
The Facelift Forester (MY06+) has different and arguably more complicated emissions equipment compared to a Pre-Facelift (-MY05)

Pre Facelift has 3 catalytic convertors. The one between the exhaust manifold and the turbo can be deleted and a "de-cat Up Pipe" pipe fitted in place with no need to remap the car. People generally delete this one as if the cat material breaks up, it's going straight to your turbo and then your engine's intake - not good. I fitted a De-Cat Up pipe with no remap and no ill effect - The turbo spools up very slightly faster but not hugely noticable, it is more preventative maintenance than anything

The Facelift doesn't have a catted up pipe, instead if has a Secondary Air Injection system which, if you have problems with and need to remove, generally does require a remap so you don't have any engine warning lights showing.

Remapping isn't a big deal generally but I have no idea how it works in regards to automatics as they have a second transmission ecu too.....
 
#18 ·
Welcome to the forum.

Pretty much everything to say has been covered above. The same rules of thumb apply to Foresters as almost all other models; apart from the standard used car checks:-

Ensure that maintenance has been carried out and is documented in the service history. Look after them, and they'll look after you, and all that.
Take it for a test drive to make double sure. Usually Subarus are quite vocal in their faults and you'll be able to tell whilst driving that something isn't right.
Do not allow the seller to pre-warm up the engine before you arrive to view it.
Blue tinted smoke from the exhaust is a sign of turbo issues, either present or imminent. Whitish/clear smoke that dispels after a minute or so is fine.

If you're really unsure or unfamiliar with Subarus, perhaps let us know what part of Blighty you're from; a member local to you would possibly be kind enough to go with you to a viewing, or show you round their own car so you can learn what to look out for.

Before that, have a look around the technical area of the forum - I've learnt a lot about Foresters that way, and I haven't taken delivery of mine yet.

L
 
#19 ·
Welcome to the forum.
Hey there,

Thanks for the additional info!

Are you getting a new forester? It's mad how few older ones there are for sale.. there are a few awesome looking JDM(?) ones for sale in Wales, but they're above my price range at the moment, they're about £7k, but generally I've found so few... even when I crank the search budget up to £9.5k just for a look at anything that's near by there seems to be few. Some brand newish ones around the closer to 20k mark...

I guess one will just pop up one day... worrying thing is everyone else is probably waiting for it too hahaha.
 
#21 ·
It took me about 5-6 months to find my one. I was very picky though and had to be a 2.5 XT MY05 or MY06 with the cheaper tax. I ruled out the MY04 2.5 XT models as I wanted the steering wheel audio controls

I sold a 2.5XT Facelift on a 55 plate a couple years back with under 80K miles on from memory with a remap and stainless exhaust for £5K, throwing in a spare set of wheels with it if that helps with price guiding.
It had just had all belts, plugs and fluids change too.
I don't think the price of Foresters has risen from that too much, but I don't think the price has fallen too much further either......

As Mr Row said, if you state where you are in the country, I'm sure a local member may be happy to assist in a viewing of a potential purchase etc.
 
#22 ·
I'm in Devon, border of Cornwall. I'm happy to travel to see a potential.

Does anyone know how the size varies (if at all) from say, MY05 ish to the 2010+ (ish) models?

Need to get the wife into one for final approval and I know a few trade places round here have some more modern ones..
 
#25 ·
The SH models (2009 on) are four inches wider, which could be critical in your area! Early diesels are best avoided, and even later ones can give problems if not regularly used on longer and faster trips to clean the particulate filter. I had a 2011 diesel which was fine, but wanted to go back to auto. The SJ diesel auto was not much more economical than the petrol auto, so I went for that.
 
#23 ·
Oh, one thing I just thought of: what do you Forester owners consider as high mileage for a petrol? I'm a bit diesely at the moment and as mentioned before I'm limited in Subaru knowledge..

I know that things are never straightforward in the sense that a highly serviced 100k+ might last just as long as a never serviced 70k car etc... but generally speaking..?
 
#27 ·
Thanks again, yeh, definitely want to stay away from the diesels, had EGR trouble with the focus and I'm not using it enough to get the benefits of a diesel, but I've been I've been on the darkside for so long I'm still in that 100k mindset.

I'll get researching when I get a moment. Thankyou
 
#29 ·
To be honest, they both look decent and thankfully both leather as the basic cloth trim is very basic, with plastic parts that split.

The silver one looks very tidy, low miles and someone cared enough to put the rubber corners on (thankfully they come off as well :lol: ). Red one is very tidy for the miles and is rare, being a facelift at the lower tax bracket. Big difference in price though.

If it were me and they were both in the same condition underneath, I would go with the later one, as you would have a couple of grand spare for any issues and upgrades. You need a close look at both though and I suspect the silver one is better underneath (just a gut feel).
 
#31 ·
That red one could be nice but I'd have a few questions for the seller like: What has it been towing ?
What happened to the rear cup holders and the back of the front passenger's seat.
I don't believe the Facelifts had traction control until 2007 from memory - The 55 plate facelift I had once certainly didn't have it from memory.
The Driver's side headlight looks to have some sunlight fading that naturally happens over time where as the passenger side looks almost brand new with no fading, so I would be looking for crash damage too...

Silver one looks nice but a bit over priced in my opinion unless there's extras being thrown in that aren't obvious..(Iron clad warranty for example valid at your local Subaru Dealer?) Comes with 2 keys which is a nice bonus but still hard to justify vs the price of the newer red one.....
Shame no under bonnet pics.

Since both are trade sales, you could have a fresh MOT thrown in as part of any deal.......
 
#32 ·
Prodrift in Edenbridge kent will export you a low millage rust free example for around 5k or torque gt will provide the same service.

After buying an import myself I would never ever buy another Japanese car that had spent all its life in the uk . Have a look at Prodrifts ebay showroom and you will see what quality cars can be procured .
 
#33 ·
Thanks for the replies guy, ok will check out the website. 5k is a bit tight atm, as I have a focus to shift which is worth more than it will sell for (but dear wife doesn't like it...)

The silver forester has sold already...

As for the headlights on the red one, I was looking through the MOT history, seems there was a fault with the near side one, water ingress then failing dipped beam etc... but we'll spotted!

It looks in good nick, but I think the original owners may have done the minimum for MOTs. But it has got service history. Haven't had a moment to contact the guy yet.
 
#35 ·
So, still on the hunt... an awesome one slipped through my fingers 😞

I was wondering about servicing costs? Mate of mine made a comment about the spark plugs being a real nightmare to get to and foresters being financially painful with servicing... Not sure if he has any authority to back his comments... but figured you guys would definitely know 🙂

Thanks in advance..
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top