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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
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Well, gosh, Jeff, you're the first person ever to have posted inaccurate information on these boards ... JUST KIDDING!
Seriously, forum members provide a wealth of information and we appreciate every bit of it.
tidester, host
Here is my situation... I'm looking for a second car and most likely to finish this deal and want to know if it might be worth it.... A 2001 subaru forester...with 87K for $4000. This is for my daughter who is a new driver and drives like about 5000-7000 miles a year. If this car comes along well for couple years or three years i will be happy... Considering these factors would you subaru owners agree if this is a good buy or not. KDD, NADA and edmunds price it like 7000 - 9000 but this guy says he is selling cheaper because he wants to close the deal fast.
Pl advise and thanks a lot to you all.
Sam
If the car you're looking at is in good condition and has been well maintained, some of the known issues (clutch, headgasket and wheel bearings) have likely already been addressed. These don't seem to be recurring problems if repaired properly. $4,000.00 seems like a great price for a well maintained 2001 with that amount of mileage. I would definitely have it checked out by a mechanic beforehand, and be certain to advise him of these problem areas so he can check them extra carefully.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
Len
Now I'm not looking for sympathy here, or even a masochistic humiliation, but a poll on trusting the light:
The manual says the light comes on at 2.3 gal remaining, (13.6 used). In my '03 Forester that was pretty accurate (in summer, maybe closer to 14.0 in winter). And after 4 fill-ups, the 06 XT has been much the same.
So to last night: The light came on as I was driving home, at 275 miles. With a screeching child in the back, I ignored it, thinking that at ~20mpg, I could easily get home and to work today, and I'd fill up at lunchtime, along with several other errands needing to be run. The trip-meter was 301 when I got to work today. Well, I got halfway between work and the gas station. Between the jerrycan and the subsequent fill-up, I only put in 15.5 gallons. The pump cut off immediately a second time after I tried to top it off beyond the automatic cut-off, so the tank was FULL.
The crux of this post is two questions for your collective knowledge:
1) At what point does your fuel warning light come on? Maybe I just need to recalibrate my safety zone with this new car... and
2) Does the fuel pump run dry at a half gallon?
Experience is those mistakes we don't make again.
Sigh,
Bob
I travelled extensively last year, about 8000 miles in the Forester. The 01 also has a real spare tire.
Doug
Samantha
I've run out with my Miata, same situation, luckily I could actually SEE the gas station. A good samaritan helped me push it in, and left before I could thank him.
Wherever you are, I was about to hand you a $20, buddy! Good Karma to you!
Normally, I'd rate Subaru > Hyundai, but you're talking 4 years' difference in age. Plus the wheel bearings and gaskets were resolved a little later, 2002 or so.
Get an 02-03 Forester used, sure, but I would not get a vehicle 4 years older and expect it to be better.
-juice
During the first few tanks of gas, fillup consistently took about 14 to 14.2 gallons. When warm weather came, fill-ups took less gas, about 13.5 gallons more or less. I suspect temperature is a factor (this is in Pennsylvania).
I'll have to check again now that the cold weather is back. I wouldn't be surprised if the magic number is back up to 14 gallons or so again.
For peace of mind (and to satisfy your OCD quotient) you may want to do the same calibration. Fill up 5 or 6 times when the light comes on and average the number of gallons. Then you can figure out your own comfort factor. Mine is 40 miles to go after the light comes on before I absolutely have to pull over and fill up.
"Does the fuel pump run dry at a half gallon?" Since you're already off to a good start, we'll let you research that topic for us!
-juice
pert
At 26K I replaced the squealing Yokohama’s with Bridgestone Turanza LS-Hs and that made all the difference. They’re pricey, but I highly recommend them. The engine is developing Subaru’s infamous piston slap on what passes for cold mornings here in the Desert Southwest, but I recently had the oil analyzed and there was no indication of higher wear because of it so I’m not worried. I recently switched to Havoline 10w/30 and started using Lube Control LC20 additive and that has quieted the motor down in the mornings.
The car even nicely survived a couple of mishaps. The first was when my wife accidentally backed into a neighbor’s car. No damage to the neighbor’s car, but our rear bumper was pushed in. Although I was pleased to discover it would have only cost $220 to replace the entire rear bumper, I rented a heat gun from Home Depot for $13 and was able to pop the dent out myself. Thank god for the plain black bumpers. And then after two days of hard driving with a 4-year-old, a cat and a dying goldfish while moving from Utah to AZ, my wife pulled in under the carport our new house but forgot my mountain bike was on top of the car. (She’s normally an excellent driver, really!). No damage to the bike or the Yakima rack, but the front crossbar peeled right off leaving a couple of deep scratches on the roof. Some touch up paint and a new crossbar and it’s ready to go again.
A while back there were a series of posts about whether the non-turbo Foresters had enough power. I should have chirped in then, but our 5-speed at least has plenty enough power to get into and out of trouble – even loaded and driving steep mountain roads. It may require shifting down and letting the engine rev, but the juice is always there. I know it’s nowhere even close to the turbo, but the non-turbo can more than hold its own. My parents recently purchased a 05 Forester X with the automatic. They regularly drive from 7,500 feet in elevation down to 2,500 and back again and have no complaints either about power even though they came from a more powerful Jeep.
Our only complaint: We wish the backseat were wider. It’s a very tight fit for two adults and a child’s booster seat. We can make everyone fit, but it’s tight! All in all, we’re very happy with our Forester. Bigger, faster, prettier RAV4s and Mazadas be damned.
What is that all about? How is it to be submitted? To whom is it to be submitted? What is to be sent? How should it be sent? How long to hear back? What is it designed to tell one? What should/could be concluded and not concluded about the results that are returned?
Thanks!
What happened with your roof, is it fixed and how?
Tim
There's a lab, Blackstone, that for about $20 will analyze the oil for contaminants, water, gas, antifreeze, metals, etc. They'll also do the same for ATF fluid, or even diff oil if you want them to.
Google Blackstone labs and take a look at their website, they have sample reports that you can view. I send out the oil from both cars 2x per year. Since I do my own oil changes every 3k, the money I save is enough that the analysis is basically free.
If you're not quite that OCD about it, just a sample every now and then will give you a statistical profile paired against every other of the same type engine they've analyzed.
The biggest thing I've gotten from it is that no matter what oil I've tried, if I put in a 10w-30 by the time it comes out 3k later, it has the viscosity of a 5w-30. A few people on the board have mentioned that this is due to the H4 being especially tough on oil shear.
Sorry for the length, but for $20 or so, it might be something you want to try.
HTH
Larry
Called the dealer back and he said he had made a mistake. It was 5w 30.
Do all of the dealers use the synthetic blend or if I go to another dealer will I have to specify this blend?
I would like to think that there is some consistancy. And can a full synthetic or non synthetic be added to the blend?
Examine one of the clips in your hand and see where the screw startrs to expand the end. When you're reinserting it, you want the screw pulled back so that the end isn't being flared.
I've found if out hold the screw back about 1/8 - 1/4 inch when pushing in the pin it will normally go in without much trouble.
Definitely gets easier with practice. I'm still using all the same clips after at least 10 oil changes.
HTH
Larry
thanks for the help! Tried your recommendation and it worked.
Alan
I have found that they need replacing after about 7 oil changes. Right now I am going down the road missing about 3 of the 7 screws. Some would say that they had already known that was the case
John
-Frank
Jim
Emailed Steve with my problem and was advised it was systematic.........
So now its back............THANKS!
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Thanks!
Almost?!?! You're a more patient person than I Charlie Brown
-Frank
Len
http://www.scanguage.com/
Personally, I have the obd-2.com scanner. :shades:
-Brian
-juice
Wondering if you found out about any warrenties for the steering roll connector for your 98 Forester. I just had this go out. They just replaced the connector, not the airbag (so I'm wondering if all you needed was the roll connector). That alone, including parts and labor, was $600 (still painful).
ekirshner
The drive system on my 2001 Forester S did its thing, but the real revelation was how fantastic the relatively new Goodrich Traction T/A H's performed through the whole range of storm conditions (deep snow, hardpack, slush...)
To my amazement, I didn't miss the snow tires at all.
Another question I have is if anyone know if Subaru is going to be launching the 2.0X model of the Forrester in North America anytime soon? I know in Sweden it's made the model quite a bit more popular since it's more affordable.
After getting stuck twice in the parking lot yesterday and while trying to get out of my own driveway I'm on the end of the line with my Mustang. I might wait to next season but research has begun Right now the forester is in the lead but I'd like to be able to be 100%
-juice
Funny thing is the passenger compartment is high class, with heated leather seats and enough real wood on the steering wheel to make a Jaguar blush.
-juice
Which brings us to the question, "How do you know when a jaguar is blushing?"