Subaru Foresters
Discussion
Any buying tips for cheap Foresters around the 2-3k mark, i'm still looking for something cheap that is more practical than the A4 and despite looking at C Class estates, Mondeos etc trying to find something with decent performance and reasonable MPG that isn't being sold by a trader with a mobile number only is proving difficult.
The forester is about the right size, the 2.0 NA might be a little under powered, the 2.0T seems to be the one to go or and the 2.5 is mostly in the high tax band. ideally i'd like to get around 27/28 mpg around town which is pretty much what the A4 (2.0TFSi multitronic) does covering 5 miles each way to work. Really i should just go for the 2.0 NA as there are more about and seem to be looked after better, the 2.5 might be a little thirsty and the air pump issue is off putting on a 2k car.
I did start off looking at CRV's but the Mk2 facelift tends to be around 4k with not very much performance, I've found a nice C230 that actually has heated seats but is £535 to tax a year which I don't want.
The forester is about the right size, the 2.0 NA might be a little under powered, the 2.0T seems to be the one to go or and the 2.5 is mostly in the high tax band. ideally i'd like to get around 27/28 mpg around town which is pretty much what the A4 (2.0TFSi multitronic) does covering 5 miles each way to work. Really i should just go for the 2.0 NA as there are more about and seem to be looked after better, the 2.5 might be a little thirsty and the air pump issue is off putting on a 2k car.
I did start off looking at CRV's but the Mk2 facelift tends to be around 4k with not very much performance, I've found a nice C230 that actually has heated seats but is £535 to tax a year which I don't want.
i had a 2002 forester 2.0 normally aspirated a few years ago. it was a nice drive - would average just over 30 mpg (my use was predominantly out of town) very handy for all manner of tasks, performance was adequate
you might also want to have a look for legacy/outbacks, generally smoother and more comfortable than the forester, and just a bit longer so more space for junk on tip runs I had a 3.0 outback, it managed about 26mpg over 70k miles (in town low 20's)
both very reliable, no major issues
also consider Rav4, pretty capable and reliable too
you might also want to have a look for legacy/outbacks, generally smoother and more comfortable than the forester, and just a bit longer so more space for junk on tip runs I had a 3.0 outback, it managed about 26mpg over 70k miles (in town low 20's)
both very reliable, no major issues
also consider Rav4, pretty capable and reliable too
RAV4's are just out of budget as ideally i would want the Mk3, Legacy is a bit too big, i'd go for one but then i'd also consider the Saab 9-5 or E Class .... it gets left at the train station and the spaces are not that big, also the wife will be driving it on a daily basis and she doesn't really want anything bigger than the A4 - the forester is pretty much the same length at 4400mm
My brother has a 2007 XTEN, Mum has a 2008 XT auto and we are on our 2nd 3litre Outback (2006).
Neither Outback has ever failed on anything - service items only in 10 years of quite hard use. Very comfortable, very capable and quite quick too. Never been stuck, even in muddy fields (almost!) and they tow really well - 2 ton capacity. Highly recommended...but juicy 23mpg locally and never more than 30mpg. £500ish tax.
The Foresters have also been good. The manual had a clutch at 90,000 miles and the secondary air pumps and valves failed on both cars. One had the system blanked and coded out and the other had the bits replaced. Cheaper to bin them as the pump is howling again 6 years on. Rear dampers failed on Mum's at less than 50,000 miles. Also full fat tax and also quite juicy, but excellent.
Friends have a 2 litre turbo. 180,000 miles and still reliable. Occassional misfire never traced, but clears with a declutch and blip. Never let them down.
I'd recommend a pre 06 plate (cheaper tax) 3 litre Legacy or Outback, without hesitation. The Legacy is often cheaper, for no good reason - basically they are the same car, just a bit lower ride height and less plastic trim outside. The H6 is a marvellous motor and required very little attention, other than oil changes - chain driven cams.
Neither Outback has ever failed on anything - service items only in 10 years of quite hard use. Very comfortable, very capable and quite quick too. Never been stuck, even in muddy fields (almost!) and they tow really well - 2 ton capacity. Highly recommended...but juicy 23mpg locally and never more than 30mpg. £500ish tax.
The Foresters have also been good. The manual had a clutch at 90,000 miles and the secondary air pumps and valves failed on both cars. One had the system blanked and coded out and the other had the bits replaced. Cheaper to bin them as the pump is howling again 6 years on. Rear dampers failed on Mum's at less than 50,000 miles. Also full fat tax and also quite juicy, but excellent.
Friends have a 2 litre turbo. 180,000 miles and still reliable. Occassional misfire never traced, but clears with a declutch and blip. Never let them down.
I'd recommend a pre 06 plate (cheaper tax) 3 litre Legacy or Outback, without hesitation. The Legacy is often cheaper, for no good reason - basically they are the same car, just a bit lower ride height and less plastic trim outside. The H6 is a marvellous motor and required very little attention, other than oil changes - chain driven cams.
My mu has had a 2005 Outback 2.5 with an antique 4-speed slushbox for years and it returns little more than 26 mpg in mnixed driving. I suspect the manual would be better, but if you're looking at autos, bearing in mind what others have said here about real world mpg of the 3.0, that'd be the one to pick.
Had I known the real world economy would be so poor for the flat 4, I'd have recommended my mum just plump for the creamy 6; so much more power, and an extra cog in the 'box.
Other than that, it's been a fabulous old workhorse. Hers is SE trim, so came well appointed, and the only expense was the exhaust, which rotted away. A neighbour had a similar vintage Legacy and their exhaust also disintegrated. The neighbours had theirs replaced with an OEM exhaust, but my dad figured that that'd be just as fallible and so opted for a custom made stainless steel job. The upside is it cost the same amount and has a bonkers-long warranty. Oh, and it also sounds pretty beastly, too
Worth inspecting the exhaust if you look at one, though.
Had I known the real world economy would be so poor for the flat 4, I'd have recommended my mum just plump for the creamy 6; so much more power, and an extra cog in the 'box.
Other than that, it's been a fabulous old workhorse. Hers is SE trim, so came well appointed, and the only expense was the exhaust, which rotted away. A neighbour had a similar vintage Legacy and their exhaust also disintegrated. The neighbours had theirs replaced with an OEM exhaust, but my dad figured that that'd be just as fallible and so opted for a custom made stainless steel job. The upside is it cost the same amount and has a bonkers-long warranty. Oh, and it also sounds pretty beastly, too
Worth inspecting the exhaust if you look at one, though.
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