Tell me about Subarus - esp. Foresters

[Touring5]

I'm in the infant stages of looking for a used SUV/wagon. I've always heard good things about Subaru and have picked up a few tidbits here and there. I like the drive of a wagon, but need more usable interior space than what a car can provide. My BMW touring is great, except when it comes to winter driving. I'm looking at about $1K for some cheap wheels and good snows, which is a bit much on a soon to be 13 year old bimmer (the low ground clearance is also concerning in winter).

I've heard about some gasket issues on some Subaru engines, but don't know what years/vehicles were affected. These cars are supposed to be pretty long lived and reliable, so anything near 100K miles is nothing to be too nervous about?

I've located a 2005 Forester in my area that has a 5 speed MT (I've only had AT for the last 7 years and I miss it so much) with 167K on the odometer. Anything specific to be alert to on this model/year? Similarly are there models/years to avoid or prefer?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rand]

If they dont have the maintence history you might want to check into when the timing belts were done and the headgasket.

also you might want to widen your search to outbacks also.
they are similar but look slightly more carlike and abit bigger.

The 2011 forester is smaller than my 2009 elantra touring wagon.
I'm pretty sure 2005 is even smaller and I'm not sure what year but some years had the struts intruding into the cargo area.. for even less room.

Subaru's are great cars but you might want to go sit in one before deciding because they arent really.. big cars if you need to haul cargo.

 

[gathermewool]

EJ25 (2.5L) engines in the late 90s and early 2000s had issues with defective headgaskets. By defective, I mean that they were all but guaranteed to leak or blow at around 150,000 miles. The corrective action from Suburu was to add a coolant additive as a sort of bandaid for the head gasket. I was lucky enough to find a '97 Legacy with the EJ25 that had recently had it's head gasket replaced. Unfortunately, the gasket was replaced after it had blown and the engine overheated. I had to take the word of the previous owner that the heads were sent out to a reputable machine shop and checked for warpage. I bought it at 176k and gave it to my sister with around 210k. It's still going, though much more beat up now... haha

If you're looking for an early 2000's Subaru, then try finding one with an EJ22, which did not suffer from the same head gasket issues. I'm not sure whether Foresters of that vintage were offered with a 2.2L, but I'm pretty sure the outback wagons were.

If you're patient, you might find a gem of a deal, in that it'll have just over 100k and all maintenance for that mileage has been completed: timing belt, water pump, hoses, tires, belts, etc. You may pay more up front, but a maintained Subaru at 100k miles is almost as good as new.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Our neighbor has an Outback Wagon. I'm unsure of the model year, but it's from the 2nd generation (2000-2004). The two engine choices for this generation were the 2.5L H4 and the 3.0L H6 (the 1st generation, 1995-1999, had the 2.2L H4 as an engine option). They love it and want to trade it on a new Outback in a few years.

I must say, I like it also. It's conservatively-style, seems to be pretty reliable, and is reasonbly efficient.

 

[Touring5]

Thanks for the info so far.

Since I'm just in the beginning search phase, any and all info is helpful. As for the vehicle size, I had a '90 camry wagon that was satisfactory. In a wagon or small SUV there is always a time when you need more room, but it's a compromise. The BMW, being a 5-er, has fairly good room length and width wise, but height is a bit restricted due to the (optional) slide out floor. I didn't realize the Outback was larger - it seemed smaller to me but I never actually had occasion to compare them.

The info about the head gaskets was quite informative (I only remembered vague details from reading here in the past). After some searches it appears that this vehicle would have the EJ25, but be affected by the "second phase" issues (mostly external coolant leakage as opposed to internal on the earlier "phase I" engines.) This is an issue I'd just as soon avoid.

 

[TomYoung]

Subarus are fantastic for the purposes you describe, but getting something solid and reliable for $1k might be a challenge.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I think he was looking at $1,000 for snows for his BMW, not as a budget for a different car.

 

[ethangsmith]

I work in a Subaru dealership in the parts department so I am privy to all the info Subaru publishes. Here is what I have learned about the Foresters:

There is a difference between blown head gaskets and leaking head gaskets. Blown head gaskets usually occur on the dual-cam 2.5L. Leaking head gaskets happen on ALL 2.5L engines. By leaking, I mean the seep oil and coolant out between the block and head and eventually start dumping it out. Even the 2006 and newer cars are starting to have issues. Most get to 75K miles without issues, but after that is when you're in the danger zone. Generally cars that have had replacements done (CORRECTLY) will go an awful long time before there are gasket issues again. One thing that helps is to avoid ALL aftermarket coolants. They contain minerals and chemicals that will rot the Subaru head gaskets. Use ONLY Subaru coolant and your head gaskets will last thousands of miles longer. The Cooling System Conditioner that Subaru provides is just a bottle of "stop leak" and actually contributes to overheating and engine failure. We do not sell it unless a customer demands it. DO NOT use it!
Another issue is "AWD bind." This usually plagues automatic-equipped vehicles so this isn't something that you should be concerned about, but it's worth the mention. What it is is the drivelines, when turning a tight corner, will no longer synchronize and you tires will "scrub" (grind) on the pavement as you turn. Replacement, depending on the transmission and year, could involve replacement of the AWD clutch packs, viscous coupling, AWD solenoid, rear transmission case, and/or valve body. Worst case scenario is replacement of the transmission.

So that's the bad. The good:

It's safe.
It's reliable.
It's good on gas.
It's comfortable.
It's got excellent resale value.
Parts should almost always be available.

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

That's some great info above. My experience was with driving my brother's 07 Forester. He has since replaced it (at about 100k). We take a road trip together once or twice a year. Although I drive a Mustang GT, I loved driving his Forester. Great seating position and comfort for me (I'm only 5'8"). The car felt comfortable to me the first time I drove it. Sporty handling for an SUV and great confidence when the weather gets bad. Power seemed sufficient for that type of vehicle with good mileage.

 

[Thermo1223]

Turbo cars NEVER have or had any headgasket problems from what I've heard & read over the years.

The turbo cars with a manual are fun but not to great in fuel economy.