Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Subaru Forester Opinions

I have a need to "upgrade" my 94 Nissan Altima commuter and have found a really cheap but clean 2000 Subaru Forester S Awd with 5 spd locally ($1500). I haven't driven or had a chance to look under the hood of the Subaru but plan to today on the way home. My only reservations so far is that it has 230k miles, which is a lot but there's a lot of Subarus on the road with much higher mileage. No service records available so that's a negative.

I know they're prone to head gasket issues, but other than that aren't they pretty bulletproof? This isn't a long tern car, just something to put another 40-50k miles on and in a couple years replace with a newer truck. I drive about 70 miles round trip and this is a second vehicle for me.

We have owned 2 foresters and 1 outback over the past many years. We just ordered a 2015 base model and paid 21,600 and we expect 200,000 miles out of her. The last one was a new 2012 and we sold her with 80k on it for 4k less that we paid new after 4 years. Best car on the market for soon conditions. If you live in town than any old car will do but if you live in the sticks go with a Forester

I just bought our 4th forester. Great cars IMHO. But at about 150,000 you will need to replace wheel bearings and timing belt if not already done. At about 180,000 the catalytic convertor will burn out. At about 200,000 the head gasket will go if not already replaced. But at 200,000 miles I think I got my money's worth on the prior foresters.

There seem to be dozens of Foresters here in the NM mountains, though there are even more Jeeps in various forms. They must be okay to be so popular.

My wife, who is from Japan, was saying the other day that she likes the looks and size of Foresters.

Wife owns a 2012 , 85000 miles , in the shop once cause she didn't tighten the gas cap down enough.. So it made the engine lite come on ! Sunroof model alum wheels heated seats 25500.00 out the door in Feb o12...(it is or will be in the furture a Forester or a rave4 of same vintage if we had to do it again ). Don't forget your NRA sticker for the rear glass !

I'm over 6' and 300 and I get in and out with ease and look Thur the center on the windshield... That's saying something..

Do they come with a free dental dam?




Travis

I have pulled some out of sand and mud, when yuppies on a geocache mission over estimated the off road ability of the Forester.

Subarus with automatics have different (inferior) AWD setup than those with sticks. An automatic subaru is basically front wheel drive - the only way the rear gets any torque is through a fast-acting clutch which locks up when the fronts turn faster than the rears. By then you've spun and it's too late.

The manual has an actual torque-biasing center differential.

All 2.5 subaru engines of that vintage will need head gaskets at some point.

We had a '98 forester manual while living in Anchorage - sold it for more than we paid, but we did elect to do the head gaskets at the same time as a timing belt swap.

Ive pulled Jeep CJs out of mud holes with a toyo corolla cuz the redneck wannabees were to lazy stupid to drive around. I think these same guys are now internet xpurts on 4wh forums.

SIL brought a new Forester about ten years ago, it is still going strong and they beat it up prety good just getting into and out of their property.

Are you saying the new models don't have "Sierra Club" etched in the glass anymore? (I do wish they made them with pedals for the passengers also. I hate spending so much time tempting cross traffic in the intersections. )

BFD, I've had the same/similar experience with 3 Subarus.

Well I drove it. The engine was clean, heads looked like they had a wrench on them so I'd bet the HG have been done at some point. There were some new vacuum hoses and plug wires looked new so some maintenance has been done.

The main faults I found were it needs an alignment, possibly front rotors and it will need new tires within 10k miles. Overall it's probably worth the asking price of $1500 but I'm just leary about daily driving something with 230k miles 70+ miles per day. I did like the roominess and smoothness of the 2.5L boxer engine.

With apologies to the New England states, Colorado has surely become the Subaru capitol of the solar system........

They have a reputation of being very reliable cars,that includes from mechanic shops that do general repair on all makes/models.

And yes, find out if the head gaskets have been replaced--at that mileage I suspect they have been because the gaskets generally go out around 150k.

Casey

I drive the same car, a 2000 Forester 5sp, every day. About 400 miles a week. Mine had 190+K when I bought it.

Head gaskets were done at some point, not sure when. Timing belt as well. Probably about due for another!

Only issue I've had is the front wheel bearing. They are pricey (for a little wheel bearing) and must be press fit. I did the CV joint/axel at the same time. Took about an hour not counting dropping it at a shop to be press fit.

They are decent little cars that can do a lot. I like mine.

I have pulled Jeeps, Fords, Chevys and others out of mud and sand as well, with my old 4Runner.

What is your point? I hardly believe you pulled anything out of mud with a Corolla though.

I bet if you drive a Subaru nobody will notice how gay your 270 is.

I dont own a 270, sold it off years ago (a Tikka at that). If I buy the Subaru does that make me only half gay?

Lots of miles on this one but it's cheap and clean. I'll probably pass considering I put 20k on a vehicle in a year.

If the head gaskets have been done, you would be a fool not to buy this car.

Yes it's a lezbaru. But, WTH cares? Buy it cheap and run it into the ground. Says the guy that drives 60k+ miles on per year.