Richb77 Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Hi All. Yes i am a noob here...And a complete noob to Subarus (except when i drove a mates Brand new Impreza STi in 2008 and fell in love with it). I am contemplating switching my current commuter (due to a recent change in job and extended commute now) from a Supercharged Cooper S to an oilburner. I saw a 2012 Forester Diesel over the weekend and ignoring its inflated price, i was really taken with it. I have read peoples comments on the diesel unit and mentioning reliability woes and troubles but cant find specifics. How is the diesel boxer for reliability? I know no car is impervious but if it eats oil filters for example, i can live with it. If it lunches turbos and bearings for example....Ill take a walk :) Cheers for the heads up and pointers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stants Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Hello & welcome the early ones my09 weren't the best, problems occurred with dpf's, glow plug seizures, and the odd snapped crank here and there. The newer ones seem to have revised this though Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 2012 still iffy, injector learning and dpf issues still persist, issue as well is a lot of subaru specialist don't have answers for lot of the issues (myself included) . I wouldn't waste my money on any modern dpf diesel, dpf is ridiculous waste of resources and reduces engine efficiency & in long term makes it use more fuel , It all a con for emission figures and nothing else unfortunately and one that if look into through an engineers perspective actually is far worse for planets pollution situation :-/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb77 Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 I agree that DPF is a complete load of kaka. However. When i commute 130 miles a day at my own cost i need a diesel (or deeper pockets) and nothing made in the last 5 or 6 years doesnt have DPF. So i am stuck with it :(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 old id gold, I would buy pre dpf diesel. Not a lot of benefit in going newer diesels and anything under 2014 is risky era on the boxer diesel . They super pricey when get problems, your sort of mileage would probably be good to dpf but software issues with injector relearning and some component issues makes them a bit of a gamble . You could be good for few years and really enjoy it or end up with 500 and £1000 bill after bill within first year if unlucky. Would have buy very wisely, do huge amount of research from previous dealers that handled the car, very thorough extended test drive and not go too cheap or will be buying problems for sure . I've had a few in and early heater plug issue not biggest concern as fixable, dpf, injector learning and awful dmf clutches are the other problems, clutch expensive but resolvable, dpf and injector learning issues not really got cures as so much of it linked to the software mapping and actual design of dpf which can't legally remove unfortunately . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb77 Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 34 minutes ago, Mr B said: old id gold, I would buy pre dpf diesel. Not a lot of benefit in going newer diesels and anything under 2014 is risky era on the boxer diesel . They super pricey when get problems, your sort of mileage would probably be good to dpf but software issues with injector relearning and some component issues makes them a bit of a gamble . You could be good for few years and really enjoy it or end up with 500 and £1000 bill after bill within first year if unlucky. Would have buy very wisely, do huge amount of research from previous dealers that handled the car, very thorough extended test drive and not go too cheap or will be buying problems for sure . I've had a few in and early heater plug issue not biggest concern as fixable, dpf, injector learning and awful dmf clutches are the other problems, clutch expensive but resolvable, dpf and injector learning issues not really got cures as so much of it linked to the software mapping and actual design of dpf which can't legally remove unfortunately . Jesus. Your putting me off! But thats all good advise and taken aboard. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I'm just giving you the reality, if you get a bad one it will be ballache and serious big bills, Subaru themselves don't want admit any issues thus help you get is limited and not warranty covered unless get lucky . I got a lot of customers who keen on the diesel, I won't buy them for customer resale as simply don't want hassle and bad rep that they could give, we currently have one for personal use and loan car basically for our own personal learning . It a 50/50 gamble on the pre 2014 stuff and even the post 2014 not proven itself fully . It is a complex diesel and boxer layout makes it more complex plus subaru had no diesel background work from so it a lot of high tech and tricky emission control in a short learning curve :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb77 Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Ha! I dont want you to think i am anything other than grateful for the words of advise...Its what i asked for! Its not putting me off to be honest. No car is full proof...I owned an Audi A4 B5 3.0tdi quattro a couple of years ago. Everyone said the engines and gearboxes where bulletproof...No it wasnt. The gearbox was AWFUL but supposedly (even according to Audi) the better one available! I also (years ago) had a Volvo C70 T5. Again supposedly bullet proof and i had nothing but trouble. Both low mileage well documented cars. One thing i do like in Germany is if i buy from a dealer (doesnt have to be franchised) MINIMUM warranty (which covers EVERYTHING but servicing and tyres) is 12 months. Its law...certainly in Hesse (Well thats what the trader told me when i bought my Mini and gave me 24 month all inclusive warranty). At 1000+Km a week i will find out how good/bad the car is fast. I like your suggestion about an extended test drive. I may try and wangle a day or at the least a few hours. Thanks for being honest and clear. Its the best kind of advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 ^ Not really wanting put you off but just want you going into it eyes wide open and taking extra care on ones you view. Ignore anything traders/sellers tell you and use common sense and own suspicions and anything not perfect just move on. You need look and drive a few to actually gain knowledge base of good/bad right/faulty and judge value accurately . Extended test drive is a must on these, they need b road and traffic and bit of dual carriageway too, if can't get a days test it going be a case of long test drive and perhaps return next day for another drive and sealing the deal if all good. Other thing can do is get someone read the ecu data and see status of soot levels, regen count and oil dilution as this can show possible ongoing problems . Your annual mileage makes it worth a go, people under 18Kmls a year are better off with a petrol as cheaper in long term. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb77 Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 I assume that reading the codes is more complex than a standard code reader can manage? I have an Autel reader that will erase errors (and probably more). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 Euro4 ecu needs SSM2 for best data reading and resetting, freessm (run on notebook) and obd cable with iso support will read most data. Later Euro 5/6 has extended OBD2 support which better and manual reset procedure for oil dilution reset . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W444AJD Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 just to give a different view on this...A colleague in my work has been running boxer diesels for the past 6 years. He had a 59 plate outback, then a 12 plate forester and now has a 14 plate forester. He does about 20,000 miles a year and has never had any engine or dpf issues. Although he only keeps them for a couple years so in the long run couldnt say. Just to let you know, it's not all doom and gloom! But in general I am now off diesels with DPFs - I had an A3 1.9 TDie with DPF and it got all clogged up and needed £800 replacement. I was doing decent miles too, so it wasnt all stop start trips. Petrol cars are cheaper to buy and insure so dont get too fixed on getting better mpg... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richb77 Posted January 27, 2017 Author Share Posted January 27, 2017 Good point about petrol being cheaper to buy. Road tax here in Germany is calculated on fuel type (Diesel is more expensive because of the emissions) and CC. I had a 3.0TDI Audi and the tax was €430 a year! That being said the cost of a litre of diesel here is roughly 30c a litre less than petrol (E10 at that!) coupled with extra mileage means in my calcs diesel (for me) is the best way. Good to hear all sides. I am still not worried. DPF is a HUGE white elephant...But when they are law...What can you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Go for a Fozzie STI but take off your diving boots before driving - 30+ mpg on a run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcothio Posted January 27, 2017 Share Posted January 27, 2017 Driving 80m a day with a 2012 XV, no issues whatsoever Sent from my iphone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dontmind Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Hey, I own a Subaru Forester 2.0diesel 147hp from 2012 with 248000 km on it. I bought it new. I had absolutely no problems with the engine. The only thing that I had to replace were the two front drive shafts and the clutch assembly. Clicking noise when turning wheels and accelerating. Also u rubber tube, that goes to the intercooler, once blowed out. Easy to replace. And I recently got a signal on the dash, because one of the glow-plugs is defect. The engine still runs perfectly and silent. And it fires right up. On 3 old glow-plugs during winter time! Fuel consumption is 6.4 liter / 100km. (I'm not kidding) No oil consumption what so ever. To my opinion a very good engine. Especially the boxer configuration makes it extra durable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Collings Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 I got an 63 plate forester it's done nearly 100000 miles and my ideal speed at moment is around 1000 rpm even if I had been driving four an hour But if I turn off the blower switch on the dashboard the ideal speed will drop to around 750 rpm What could be doing this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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