A few jobs to sort with the new to me Forester,

The timing belt was changed at 45K miles but there's no mention of a further change in the service history - now at nearly 106K miles. 

The drivers door check strap isn't working so the door swings back if I don't keep hold of it.  

One HID bulb has a blue tint and the other doesn't so I guess that might be annoying to other drivers

Other than that the car is all working and lovely to drive 🙂 

Sorted the xenon bulbs - now both 6000K ones but I dropped a protective cap down into a hole above the fog lamp - sounded like it was never going to stop lol.... so I need to recover that somehow.

Booked in for timing belt change along with new idlers and water pump for £360, does that sound a decent price?  

That’s not too bad a price I think. It’s actually not a hard job to do yourself as long as you get a cam lock tool. 

Thanks Fozster - limited to what I can do now but thanks 🙂  

Water pump just needs inspection really and if was needing replacing be sure it either oem or top quality japan parts like aisin .
The standard original pumps are that high quality that even at 100K perfect order and better than standard quality pattern parts (we see oem pump at 150K and fine but this sort of mileage best replacing)

All idlers best replaced (normally all less than perfect) but again oem japan sourced ONLY (cheap from ICP) tensioner needs inspection/replacing, if not oem to start with it best replaced, I like the dayco or blueprint belts.
No need cam lock tool, 2 bull dog clips is all that needed and dayco belt has oem style alignment lines on belt making super simple install ...
 

Hard say price good or bad as depends on parts used, I will not use any kits as most do not have mainland japan oem bearings or decent water pumps (gates bad one for this)
We charge 395 for belt, all idlers, tensioners oem japan, aisin/blueprint pump, coolant and dayco belt .

Thanks for this excellent info Mr B 🙂 

I'll make sure OEM parts are fitted , good to know about the water pump longevity too .... cheers

  

Get them from ICP yourself and give parts to garage .

whether get pump is entirely up to you, for standard road car waste of money if oem pump in perfect order, We normally like doing tensioner but give owners choice on that if passes inspection and they wanting keep cost sensible .

using anything other than japan mainland oem manufacturer bearing parts on important job like this makes the service pointless imo, quality issues in after market parts currently is appalling and half the struggle of doing a good job without hassles is from experience of parts/brands .

Yes I'll do that Mr B,  thanks for the advice.

   

Getting there now ...got the cam belt changed along with idlers and tensioner (thanks again Mr B)

Four Michelin Latitude Cross tyres now fitted (10% off with Black Circles) - the fronts were down to the markers and the rears were cracked between the treads plus the fronts were totally different tyres to the rear ones.

Found the headlight cap that I dropped into the depths of the engine bay.

Had a disaster with the top hose - someone had fitted one that was far too long and was eventually cut into by the fan blade 17 miles from home.... now sorted

Bought some used Forester letters on e bay to stick on the tailgate...been cleaning them up to stick on tomorrow..... I like doing the tiny stuff lol.

🙂    

 

 

   

    

Sounds good, decent quality matching tyres a good move on awd, amount of people make a fuss about needing awd yet happy with junk types overwhelms me, absolute nightmare get some customers buy good tyres even when wife and kids using car daily :-S

Sounds like you happy ...

Yep very happy with the Forester Mr B,

its everything that I need in a car - runs lovely on the Michelins,  what a difference they've made.

 

 

Had my first experience with the alarm last night ...doors unlocked ok with the fob but the alarm went off when I pressed the start button, both remote fobs have new batteries but neither would turn it off..... had to keep my nerve with the curtains twitching along the street - eventually found the pin number and the keypad accepted it . Looks like I have a bit of reading to do about the alarm system 🙂  

 

Hi Brack.

Question re alarm, is this type of alarm standard on all foresters, and where do you locate the pin,? Is the pad control on the radio or computer thing? Sorry not familiar to subarus as of yet finding my feet 

Hi Disco - I'll message you with the keypad location - yours is probably the same Sigma system but not sure.

If you look in the folder that the owners manual comes in ... there should be another instruction booklet about the alarm system, your pin number should be in there, mine is on two shiny stickers.