Opinions on the Subaru Forester

[AngoXC]

Background;
Last week, driving to pick up a sibling from Sound Relief, my car was struck by a drunk moron who decided to take a corner sideways in his ute. The end result is that my 1990 Nissan Pulsar is no more. (Had I been going any faster (50 in a 60 zone ), I would probably be in hospital)

Anyways;
Being without a car, even for a week, has definatly taken its toll on me having to ride everywhere and rely on melbournes abysmal public transport system. As such, the hunt for a new car has begun.

To my suprise, a number of older (circa '98) Subaru Foresters appear to come into my price range ($10,000). It appears to tick all the boxes in my mind...safe, economical, solid and reliable and I know they have a really good reputation.

So, to any Forester drivers, what are they like to drive? I keep hearing that Subarus are rather expensive, service wise. What does a typical service entail price wise.

Are the any reputable websites/forums as such for Subaru users which might have some good insights into the vehicle?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Ivan]

Are the any reputable websites/forums as such for Subaru users which might have some good insights into the vehicle?

www.gtrydaz.com

www.ozliberty.com

I am Ivan on both of them. I love Forresters.

 

[Nerf Herder]

50 in a 60 zone

That about sums up my experiences with Subby drivers in general ... so you should be right

Volvo of the new millennium.

Would have thought several bazillion farkers would have answered you by now ... given Foz's seem to be one of the more popular mtb'er vehicles ... aside from WRXs, Hiluxs and Rodeos.

Have a chat with thepig (jase) although he has a newer model Foz ... Good luck with the search

 

[Angry Atheist]

If the thing has been owned by a boy racer, then forget it.

You'd be better off getting a car which wont ever act as a penis extension.

BMW Series 6 is quite nice if you can afford it new!

 

[NH_]

boy racers dont go for foresters, they go for stuff that looks alot gayer

i learnt to drive in my mums forester, nice car, still drive it occasionally when my cars out of action, comfortable, easy to drive, economic, all round nice

 

[24alpha]

Have a chat to V10 on here, had one, and has had a lot to do with Suby's over the years.
Personally, I know alot of people that own one, try for the GT versions. Remember: Only Subaru owners know!

 

[Breaka]

Drive my brothers '98 model somtimes. As far as acceleration and power goes I reckon it's a pig and the boxa engine makes it sound alot like a generator motor. Not sure how economical it is though. Small motor powering all fours generally = poor fuel economy.

All that aside it handles rather well and feels quite safe. Fairly large boot and the ability to fold down rear seats means you can throw plenty of shit in the back. It's a subi so that means plenty of compartments etc which can quite in handy. I reckon they are a much better option than say a falcadore wagon. I'd be looking into an GT also.

 

[AngoXC]

Cheers for the replies guys!

As a <25 y/o, Im in that bracket which makes a turbo-charged vehicle a rather expensive predicament, insurance-wise. But looking around, the GT/XT seems to be one of the preferable options. In all honesty though, that isnt really what Im after. The basic Forester sounds perfect but Im a little hesitant in regards to servicing costs...hence the creation of this thread ha.

 

[fairy1]

If you can service your bike you can service your car. Whay are people afraid of working on their own cars? A manual is half the price of one service, and all the supposed free checks that the dealers do is a lad of crap.
Manual Subies are a bit weak in the drivetrain region, there is a known drama with the output shaft in the Gbox, a guy at work just spent 3k fixing this problem and replacing a worn out clutch after 3.5yrs(XT bought 2nd hand so it may have been flogged).
They are a nice solid car but they are not a real 4wd, so as long as you drive it for what it was designed for you shouldn't have many dramas, nowhere near as many as a 2nd hand VW anyways.

 

[Staunch]

My family has had one for 12, almost 13 years now.
It's brilliant, maybe not as cared for as it should be but it holds up extremly well and I would definitly recommend one.

 

[GOD12A]

Heya ANGO!!

Foresters are nice cars. Id rather a wagon (hence why i drive a liberty wagz), but the forester is a similar platform.
As for servicing, they arent that bad. If the car is more than a couple of years old, i wouldnt goto suby for anything. Like every other manufacturer they will rip you blind on servicing. Just use a reputable mechanic. The only thing that makes a suby (boxer) engine harder or more expensive to service is the timing belt. Its a pain in the ass!! BUUUUT, its something that gets changed around every 100,000km mark, so its only due for major services, and even then, it might add an extra hour or two TOPS for labour (usually charged at $70-80). As for parts, i havent noticed any unusually high prices from Suby (unlike VW/Audi etc!!)

Goodluck mate, Subys are nice cars

Mark!!
PS: Doesnt matter what passenger car ya lookin at, always try to get the biggest engine capacity available Better for resale and you can never say to yourself "shoulda got the 2.5L instead"!!

 

[Extreme Hucker]

I got a 98 GX Forry. Last service was about $150 for a basic service plus all oils and filters. They are seriously a great car, super good to drive, but not powerful enough for me so im going up to the GT. But stick to the GX for a while because Insurance with the turbos is stupid high!

 

[AngoXC]

Cheeers guysss!!!

If you can service your bike you can service your car. Whay are people afraid of working on their own cars? A manual is half the price of one service, and all the supposed free checks that the dealers do is a lad of crap.
Manual Subies are a bit weak in the drivetrain region, there is a known drama with the output shaft in the Gbox, a guy at work just spent 3k fixing this problem and replacing a worn out clutch after 3.5yrs(XT bought 2nd hand so it may have been flogged).
They are a nice solid car but they are not a real 4wd, so as long as you drive it for what it was designed for you shouldn't have many dramas, nowhere near as many as a 2nd hand VW anyways.

Traditionally, a car is an asset ,and fucking it up can be a little more expensive then a bicycle, which, in the eyes of most, is mearly a piece of sporting equipment
Servicing both requires some mechanical know how and I do not deny the lack of that in me Im not ashamed of that...heck, I would rather take it to a 'professional' to get my hubcaps fitted knowing it was going to be done properly (little extreme, but you get my drift)...

Thanks again for the insight though. I had an idea that the g-box might be a weak point...

Dealer checks...do you mean RACV? I thought they held a bit of merit...


In the price bracket, there really arnt any 2.5Ls available, short of a vehicle that has seen a few k's...but Ill keep looking

 

[slip]

Traditionally, a car is an asset ,

Gearboxes are usually alright in a normally driven non turbo car. Automatics...yeah - but you get that with most cars.

Traditionally, a car is a liability. It costs you money in many ways and usually depreciates in value constantly. It is only an asset if it makes money for you (Taxi, Limo, resell for profit after all costs considered etc).

They are not the cheapest choice in most cases. Oh and boy racers do buy Foresters. There are so many around lowered, big wheels, stickers, stereos , custom plates etc. They were considered very cool by certain groups a few years ago.

Get it checked out by independent mechanic who knows Subys. It's worth paying the $$ for.

 

[nizai]

In the price bracket, there really arnt any 2.5Ls available, short of a vehicle that has seen a few k's...but Ill keep looking

Ive got an 03 2.5x and I dig it, even if the ride isnt as plush as id like, I understand its a bit of a tradeoff when it comes to a softroader.

Anyway, drive a hard deal at the car yards mate, they are DESPERATE at the moment and throw them a ridiculous offer, see where it gets you.

N

 

[BM Epic]

Hey Ango,
I suggest very strongly getting one, absolute screamer of a car that has very few inherent problems, about the only problem you may have is getting one that hasn't been thrashed by a harry hotter, steer away from modified ones, they go hard enough standard, also dont need chains at the snowfields, up here subaru sponsor Perisher, which means no chains for there range of AWD'S.
Vey well specced cars that will give a good life, also there are millions to choose from!
Good Luck Mate
T

 

[gudstarf]

Have a chat to V10 on here, had one, and has had a lot to do with Suby's over the years.
Personally, I know alot of people that own one, try for the GT versions. Remember: Only Subaru owners know!

totally agreed, my00 gt manual *drools* fun as hell car to drive

 

[frostbite]

Cheeers guysss!!!




Traditionally, a car is an asset ,and fucking it up can be a little more expensive then a bicycle, which, in the eyes of most, is mearly a piece of sporting equipment
Servicing both requires some mechanical know how and I do not deny the lack of that in me Im not ashamed of that...heck, I would rather take it to a 'professional' to get my hubcaps fitted knowing it was going to be done properly (little extreme, but you get my drift)...

Thanks again for the insight though. I had an idea that the g-box might be a weak point...

Dealer checks...do you mean RACV? I thought they held a bit of merit...


In the price bracket, there really arnt any 2.5Ls available, short of a vehicle that has seen a few k's...but Ill keep looking

Thought I'd throw in my opinion - everyone should learn how to do basic servicing on their car.

It really IS easier than people make it out to be. Seeing it done it in person de-mystifies the whole mechanic experience. You go to a dealership and see a lot of shiny tools, big lifts and air tools and suddenly it seems like to do anything on a car you need these, and lots of training to boot.
In reality, my dads tool box (which I use probably more than he does these days) consists of hand tools only. There are a few specialised tools but most commonly used are the spanners, sockets and rachets. Doesnt sound like much, but I changed the motor and transmission (on two separate occasions) in my old mazda with pretty much only these and a hired engine hoist.

Lack of mechanical know how isnt really that bad. I went from knowing SFA to doing the afore mentioned engine swap in the course of a year or so.
Every day service tasks are simple as hell - doing something like changing the oil will cost you an hour tops plus <$50 for oil and filter. Beats the hell out of paying a mechanic $100 to do it while he holds on to the car for a day.

Things like plugs and leads, air filter, fuel filter are even easier to do, and the risk of fucking it up is extremely low. Literally plug straight in. Easier than adjusting the gearing on your bike.
Brake pads/bleeding brake lines are both easy to do too and can save you fair bit of cash if you do it yourself.

Best way to learn all this stuff is to get a mate who knows how to do it to show you once then you can do it yourself whenever you need to later. Get a service manual and use it as reference. They are well worth it.

But uh, back on topic:
Foresters are sweet

 

[dh damo]

www.ozfoz.com.au

Good site, and lots of info on there if you want to dump you'r forry and put it in 18's.

 

[Pebble]

Thought I'd throw in my opinion - everyone should learn how to do basic servicing on their car.

It really IS easier than people make it out to be. Seeing it done it in person de-mystifies the whole mechanic experience. You go to a dealership and see a lot of shiny tools, big lifts and air tools and suddenly it seems like to do anything on a car you need these, and lots of training to boot.
In reality, my dads tool box (which I use probably more than he does these days) consists of hand tools only. There are a few specialised tools but most commonly used are the spanners, sockets and rachets. Doesnt sound like much, but I changed the motor and transmission (on two separate occasions) in my old mazda with pretty much only these and a hired engine hoist.

Lack of mechanical know how isnt really that bad. I went from knowing SFA to doing the afore mentioned engine swap in the course of a year or so.
Every day service tasks are simple as hell - doing something like changing the oil will cost you an hour tops plus <$50 for oil and filter. Beats the hell out of paying a mechanic $100 to do it while he holds on to the car for a day.

Things like plugs and leads, air filter, fuel filter are even easier to do, and the risk of fucking it up is extremely low. Literally plug straight in. Easier than adjusting the gearing on your bike.
Brake pads/bleeding brake lines are both easy to do too and can save you fair bit of cash if you do it yourself.

Best way to learn all this stuff is to get a mate who knows how to do it to show you once then you can do it yourself whenever you need to later. Get a service manual and use it as reference. They are well worth it.

But uh, back on topic:
Foresters are sweet

Although I have the luxury of having a husband who does the servicing (my job is the bikes, his is the cars) I would certainly do it myself as well. And buying a manual is great investment. The only time we pay for servicing is if he can't be bothered or doesn't have the time to do the CV joints and stuff like that (or installing suspension etc etc).

With any new car the cost is significant if you have to take it to a dealer. Since you're buying a used and older model you probably don't have to worry that much. Even these days the Subi dealer said that pretty much as long as whoever you took it to serviced it to spec (recommended oils - weights etc) then the warranty would still stand. So things aren't as bad as they were before.

We had the new model Forester XS for a while, it drove nicely but was a pain to clean all the time, we traded it in for a '04 Hilux dual cab, much better for us (used to big 4x4's). But if you're used to a regular car as it is I reckon the Forester would probably be great for you.
Ha ha, if I was to get a regular car I'd probably be tempted by a Mini, maybe one of the oldie ones not the new flashy jobs.