1999 Subaru Forester S Turbo
Discussion
Afternoon all. It's been many moons since I last posted here, mainly due to nothing interesting going on in my car world. Thankfully, due to the upcoming departure of my Mini Cooper I've had a chance to go back to something a little more interesting (to me at least).
I hadn't planned to swap until the Mini left me sometime at the end of May, but when the advert for this one appeared I was left with cold sweats and sleepless (totally normal of course). So, with nary a second thought, I departed on the Saturday morning for the horsey world of Tunbridge Wells to see if the aforementioned Japanese tractor lived upto its advert pictures. Lo and behold, it was probably in even better condition than I expected. I happily returned home after plonking down a deposit, badgered the father for a lift and we were back off to Tunbridge Wells to collect my new steed.
I've had it around 3 months or so now and it's not been without issue, but the good bits first. It is essentially a one owner car, being with the previous owner for the last 16 yeas and some 113,000 miles. I say 'essentially' a one owner car, as she bought it at only six months old, with only 6800 miles on it (according to the original bill of sale I have with it) leading me to believe it was either a Subaru car or a demo of some sort?
The history folder with it was as about as complete as you'd like; every single invoice and MOT from the entire time it was with the previous owner, all dealer serviced and including some eye watering bills. It was also serviced, without fail each year on nearly the day it was originally purchased.
So, to the issues. In spite of having what seemed to be a well looked after life, it spent almost four years (2011-2015) doing almost zero miles, some years it barely covered 400 miles, yet it was still undergoing routine oil and filter changes on the same day each year.. In 2015 it seems to have been recomissioned of sorts, recieving a new battery and refurbished wheels and covering its most miles in four years at a whopping 1500.
So the last few months have basically been spent getting it back to a working vehicle, problem issues have been, check engine light (knock sensor), seized front brakes and warped pads (too much time sat) and more niggly bits like a dead head unit, blown speaker, etc... things you'd expect to find in a coming on 20 year old car that lived a working but loved life and then was left to rest for too long.
I've recently acquired a Prodrive ECU and back box which in spite of sounding most lovely and adding some extra pep to the old tractor, has also made short work of what was left of the almost dead clutch. I'm now waiting for the 22nd of this months when it shall be having a new clutch and flywheel along with a cam belt, hopefully leaving me finally able to enjoy it!
Needless to say, I've missed actually having a car of somewhat interest and something I can have as a rolling project. The Mini was always a capable and reliable car, but it left me stone cold, I've never loved it. With this Foz, even in the couple months I've had it, I already feel more for it than I did in any of my 3 years with the Mini!
If you made it this far, well done, let's have a few pictures shall we.
Cheerio.
I hadn't planned to swap until the Mini left me sometime at the end of May, but when the advert for this one appeared I was left with cold sweats and sleepless (totally normal of course). So, with nary a second thought, I departed on the Saturday morning for the horsey world of Tunbridge Wells to see if the aforementioned Japanese tractor lived upto its advert pictures. Lo and behold, it was probably in even better condition than I expected. I happily returned home after plonking down a deposit, badgered the father for a lift and we were back off to Tunbridge Wells to collect my new steed.
I've had it around 3 months or so now and it's not been without issue, but the good bits first. It is essentially a one owner car, being with the previous owner for the last 16 yeas and some 113,000 miles. I say 'essentially' a one owner car, as she bought it at only six months old, with only 6800 miles on it (according to the original bill of sale I have with it) leading me to believe it was either a Subaru car or a demo of some sort?
The history folder with it was as about as complete as you'd like; every single invoice and MOT from the entire time it was with the previous owner, all dealer serviced and including some eye watering bills. It was also serviced, without fail each year on nearly the day it was originally purchased.
So, to the issues. In spite of having what seemed to be a well looked after life, it spent almost four years (2011-2015) doing almost zero miles, some years it barely covered 400 miles, yet it was still undergoing routine oil and filter changes on the same day each year.. In 2015 it seems to have been recomissioned of sorts, recieving a new battery and refurbished wheels and covering its most miles in four years at a whopping 1500.
So the last few months have basically been spent getting it back to a working vehicle, problem issues have been, check engine light (knock sensor), seized front brakes and warped pads (too much time sat) and more niggly bits like a dead head unit, blown speaker, etc... things you'd expect to find in a coming on 20 year old car that lived a working but loved life and then was left to rest for too long.
I've recently acquired a Prodrive ECU and back box which in spite of sounding most lovely and adding some extra pep to the old tractor, has also made short work of what was left of the almost dead clutch. I'm now waiting for the 22nd of this months when it shall be having a new clutch and flywheel along with a cam belt, hopefully leaving me finally able to enjoy it!
Needless to say, I've missed actually having a car of somewhat interest and something I can have as a rolling project. The Mini was always a capable and reliable car, but it left me stone cold, I've never loved it. With this Foz, even in the couple months I've had it, I already feel more for it than I did in any of my 3 years with the Mini!
If you made it this far, well done, let's have a few pictures shall we.
Cheerio.
Set me back a princely £1500. To drive? Not quite as I expected; well dampened, light on its feet and generally a pleasant place to be. Mine has the optional 'elephant's arse grey' leather interior which does the job.
I'll get a much better idea once clutch is sorted and I can put any power down without rev slipping into infinity!
I suppose the old adage of 'an Impreza on stilts' probably gives a fair impression. All the go, with none of the show
I'll get a much better idea once clutch is sorted and I can put any power down without rev slipping into infinity!
I suppose the old adage of 'an Impreza on stilts' probably gives a fair impression. All the go, with none of the show
From what I've read the PPP kit for this era consisted of the ECU (plug and play!), back box, centre pipe and a revised intercooler Y pipe, resulting in somewhere near 200bhp (around 194 or so?) with a similar 25/30 lb/ft torque increase. I'm told, along with the supporting mods that it's the easiest way to get a quick power boost on this age Forester, though I believe the Prodrive ECUs aren't the easiest thing to come across.
I think they're about as niche as they come. They've always been on my radar as I've always been a fan of Subaru and things that are a little oddball, but I've been surprised by a few people who I considered 'car people' that didn't even know the Forester existed!
Even from new the market for them must have been quite small. Half the reason I jumped on this one was because of the condition, soon backed up by the extensive history. Most ads I'd seen for them over the last year or so consisted of cars that were either abused farm vehicles, or ones that were comically overpriced with moon miles.
Even from new the market for them must have been quite small. Half the reason I jumped on this one was because of the condition, soon backed up by the extensive history. Most ads I'd seen for them over the last year or so consisted of cars that were either abused farm vehicles, or ones that were comically overpriced with moon miles.
Edited by Codd on Sunday 10th April 00:03
I had one of these for about three years, ugly as sin (IMO) but a great car to own and drive.
Mine had 130k on it when we parted company. I'd still be happily running it now if I hadn't gone for the upgrade to a Cayman, there was nothing else below that level that would have tempted me to change.
Mine had 130k on it when we parted company. I'd still be happily running it now if I hadn't gone for the upgrade to a Cayman, there was nothing else below that level that would have tempted me to change.
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