Subaru Forester

[PacificEd]

I see all the time people who own XJ's also like Subaru's. I figured I'd see what the general consensus is on them.

My Olds is becoming an endless pit of repairs. It has so many quirks and little issues plus general maintenance that needs to be done that I'm thinking I need to move on.

I was looking at a 2001 Subaru Forester L. Seems to be a nice looking little ride. I hear a lot of positives about them. One major plus for me, is like , they have a enthusiast forum to help diagnose and fix them, unlike my Olds.

The only major issue I found is with the early models, they seem to have head gasket issues if not properly maintained.

Here are the basics: 2.5L Series II, auto transmission, AWD, Forester L (base model). Body is in great shape along with the interior.

Any thoughts on the Forester or any part of the drivetrain that could be a pain?

 

[FlexdXJ]

Not a bad car, Be way nicer than driving a locked Jeep on Ice. I personally would go with an Impreza but the Forester has a ton of room.

 

[Mr.Shrek]

Impreza get's my vote also.

 

[bigalpha]

I had a 97 Impreza Outback Sport. I wish I never got rid of it.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you have to have 4 tires of the same size or else you'll grind up the AWD system. Other than that, I'll throw in a hearty "hell yes" for one.

Look for a Forester XT - they are super baller.

 

[rysam]

I had an 03 outback, apart from the head gaskets at 70k and overall lack of oomph (2.5l) it was a very nice car. I like the 04 Tacoma that replaced it more though.

Im going to be looking at a WRX for the wifey soon.

 

[Milford Cubicle II]

Their ad campaigns drive me absolutely nuts. Just like the people who buy them for their liberal hippie granola-douche aura and claim that they're better than any other car ever made ever, just like how they themselves think that they're a notch above everyone else as well because they're so "enlightened" and progressive unlike other SUV owners who are just mouth breathing rednecks :smsoap:

Fun trivia for the day:

Subaru's are required to have at least two bumper stickers. One of which must be a "coexist" sticker or an Obama sticker.

:doh:

 

[PacificEd]

Their ad campaigns drive me absolutely nuts. Just like the people who buy them for their liberal hippie granola-douche aura and claim that they're better than any other car ever made ever, just like how they themselves think that they're a notch above everyone else as well because they're so "enlightened" and progressive unlike other SUV owners who are just mouth breathing rednecks :smsoap:

Fun trivia for the day:

Subaru's are required to have at least two bumper stickers. One of which must be a "coexist" sticker or an Obama sticker.

:doh:

Trust me I'm not in the group you describe. I'm just looking for a vehicle that I can fit it, fix myself, has an enthusiast following to help fix and maintain it and help newbs like me. Their ad campaigns drove me nuts too. Here is the deal, I don't give a crap about that stuff. I need a dependable car to drive.

I like that they sit a tad higher, have lots of glass, AWD is a plus since I commute 84 miles a day no matter what the weather, seems to have lots of cargo room, gets between 19 to 27 mpg (most people report very good mileage from the 2.5L), my family will all fit, and this one is priced in my range.

I did find out the Forester has 219,000 miles which is higher than I was hoping. Looking at the car, interior and exterior, you would think it has far less on it....more like 150,000. So it looks like somebody took pretty good care of it.

 

[043500]

I've had 2 of them and a WRX. SUbaru builds a great car that often goes overlooked for a honda or toyota.

If you want to talk safety...the hummer as you can see was towed away. My friend drove his daughter's subie home.

 

[Milford Cubicle II]

Trust me I'm not in the group you describe. I'm just looking for a vehicle that I can fit it, fix myself, has an enthusiast following to help fix and maintain it and help newbs like me. Their ad campaigns drove me nuts too. Here is the deal, I don't give a crap about that stuff. I need a dependable car to drive.

I like that they sit a tad higher, have lots of glass, AWD is a plus since I commute 84 miles a day no matter what the weather, seems to have lots of cargo room, gets between 19 to 27 mpg (most people report very good mileage from the 2.5L), my family will all fit, and this one is priced in my range.

I did find out the Forester has 219,000 miles which is higher than I was hoping. Looking at the car, interior and exterior, you would think it has far less on it....more like 150,000. So it looks like somebody took pretty good care of it.

Ok, well as far as the actual car goes I think you're good to go lol. My friend bought a forester wrapped in camo. He said that it out wheeled his MJ on 35's. He's was kidding though... I think :shocked:

 

[bigalpha]

I wheeled my Subie alongside a buddy of mine in a Land Rover. That was interesting.

 

[katuah]

I really like my Forester, good ga$ mileage compared to the XJ, good traction, and still hauls a ton of stuff. I hear the mid-2000's had some kind of recall on the auto tranny, a friend had hers replaced twice (covered!) so check to be sure the one you look at either had that taken care of or is not under the recall. I think Carfax will tell that? The newer models have a slight "issue" of the windshield being at just the wrong angle to deflect gravels properly. And of course there is the issue of the AWD and tire sizes - I had to order a used tire off ebay when I got an unpatchable hole in one of an only-slightly worn set. If you have a shaver thats not an issue, but how many garages do? All in all, I'd still buy one again, unless I were rich enough to get a 4-door Rubi and deck it out. :-D

 

[js_customs]

Yeah the auto trannies arent the greatest, they can develop what's called torque bind. It's usually really noticeable when making sharp turns or driving in parking lots (at least from my experience). That being said, my trans has been doing it for roughly 30k and it hasnt blown up yet . They're great cars, I daily drive a 2000 Legacy 2.5/auto, it drives pretty well, although it's painfully slow with the auto/2.5.

 

[bigalpha]

Even then, you can "cure" it by driving in sharp circles in loose gravel.

Also, I think the most common cause of torque bind is improperly sized tires. Could be wrong on that, though.