Thoughts.advice please

[Sigood]

Hello to all !

I am hopefully going to be a Forester owner in the not very distant future. I just dont know which one yet .

I now live in Cerntral Europe and currently have an Octavia Scout 2008 (uk reg). We live down a steepish track. The Scout is just not doing it all the time with the snow that's been down since early December. ESP on or off it dosen't like slippery compressed snow or anything too deep. Not that impressed with this Haldex system.

A local friend of ours has a 2009 Forester. Its the newer shape than the 2007 ive been looking at but with the 2.5XT engine or whatever they call it here. I haven't seen this shape with this engine for sale in uk apart from one Jap import. He swears by his and the AWD system. I had a look at few snow and rolling road simulation demos on YOUTUBE. I do get why the system works and much better than other so called AWD suvs.

They go for a lot more over here and the Pound to Euro dosen't help.So i am coming over this weekend on a cheapy flight to look at a 2007 2.5xt Auto with low mileage and visit friends and family of course.

Yesterday a very low mileage 2006 2.0 x caught my eye. The thing that attracts me apart from the low mileage and its condition is the low ratio facility. I have a heavy caravan that i would like to pull up the track (in the summer months obviously). I have a VW T5 to tow but wanted to save the clutch on it.I understand the 2.0 is rated at only 1500kg for towing. 

Would  this struggle getting a 1700kg caravan up the hill ? Do these engines also have the secondary air pump and valves ?  If they don't it could be a decider. 

If i go for the 2.5 xt, I have made enquiries and have quotes for deleting it off the ECU before i drive it back home. I don't know how many independent Subaru specialist are around where i live or how good they are if any. Or should i just wait to the valves get stuck ? then have it done ?

The vehicle has had the SLS replaced with something else so thats a bonus. The owner said the Cruise not working but no lights up. Maybe nothing but a little bit concerned it could be something else involved.

I would most likely get it LPG converted over here as slightly cheaper and dont have that much time in UK to get it sorted.. Anyone done high mileage on a 2,5xt with LPG conversion. I know these engines have soft valve seats as with most Jap engines apparently.

I did have a Rav4  mk 1 once and converted that with a Prinns system which worked fine for the next 30k miles or so before i sold it. So not too frightened of it but would be a shame to ruin a good low mileage engine with LPG conversion. 

I may have talked myself out of the 2.0 already as i would prefer the Auto box {so would wife} I know there are fors and against manual /auto but starting on a snowy hill if have to stop must be an advantage with auto rather than having to slip the clutch. Have i been miss informed that these manual clutches are quite weak too ? 

I scan read through 28 pages of previous posts on here last night plus other non UK forums to get an idea of things. 

I was edging towards a Freelander or a Sante Fe but it would make a nice change to have a petrol again and hopefully less problematic.

I have to get a Subaru of some sort as already bought a set of used Subaru alloys off eBay to put winter tyres on. They're sitting in the hallway of me mums house as we speak ; )

I really do think these Foresters are a wolf in sheep clothing. I haven't really seen a bad word against them. 

Any views or advice most welcome. 

 

 

 

[Mr B]

Old is gold, the SF foresters are way better and less trouble than any newer ones .

I pulled tree stumps with my old SF and towed around 2T in low box in tracks yards and fields (SF has lower geared low range than SG onwards), 20yrs old and everything works and never any bother .

If you want no bother and easier parts/repair go SF or SG, the 2.0 NA engines can do over 200K if had sensible servicing .

Auto normally easier find in tidy condition and low miles, most manuals been used pretty hard by at least one owner .

I would avoid 2.5 and xt if you want easy no hassle subaru legendary reliability.

Check for corrosion on rear arches and subframes (look at front subframes too) and sagging rear ends, struts and springs can be replaced with kyb non SLS setup (parts around £200-£300) .

Is a nice looking auto 2.0 SF 2002 on eBay .For sure be a few SG and SH around 2005-2008 if look, don't rush it or you will buy trouble .

[Sigood]

Thanks for advice, Dosent look too bad if its that blue one on eBay. Perhaps i will  give that a look over if i can. Wasnt intending to go that far back on age and the mileage that goes with it but it would save me a few quid and less worry about further costs. Only thing is i probably wouldnt get it LPG converted at that mileage but that saves me another £1500  ! Wouldnt be doing more than 10k a year anyway. If its a car i could tinker with myself even better. Plenty of parts around for these then ? 

[Mr B]

Plenty parts around for these used and new, very cheap and built that well one that had sensible servicing got a potential lifespan of 25 to 30yrs .

corrosion gets them in end so be sure rear turrets and subframe are all pretty solid ( bit of wax oil spray on these puts years of extra life on them)

120k is nothing on these. out of choice I would always buy a tidy SF over any later models.

Wouldn't bother with lpg for under 10K a year .

The blue one on eBay does need rear struts and springs as see it sagging a bit, I would want 200 or 300 off that price and wouldn't want AA cover as it useless.
May want even less off as expect tyres crap (i like matching sets on AWD cars and something half decent) and no idea on history/cambelt. cambelt easy diy if half competent and read guides on here, we charge max of 380 for cambelt and oem idlers etc fitted .

MOT history not bad on it either, no mention of corrosion but it needs proper visual and physical checks/inspection before parting with cash, if was more local to me I probably looked at it for resale or adding to the fleet as always got people wanting proper tidy late SF models with All Weather Pack although most not want Auto .

Plenty more SG autos about if look, good SF models bit harder find and most people don't sell late winter . You get more niggles with SG's though, window motors, boot handle, flimsy interior, thinner steel in some body structure areas, later models with more emission control hassle etc

[Fozster]

Plus one on the SF - mine is a 2001 with 267,000 on it, still pulls like a train, no rattles or squeaks and still has the original head gaskets in place!

[Sigood]

wow thats some mileage.! Im now trawling the internet on the SF. 

I have seen how these Foresters cut through the snow which drew me to them initially. So if the SF is just as good as the SG in the snow it makes sense to try and source a good SF.

The Scout failed again this morning on the school run,Snow had drifted a bit at top of track and that was it. Wasnt that deep either. Had to dig it out and put snow socks on for rest of way. Our friend came down with his Forester to take kids to school. He drove into drift and reversed ! back out. .

I'm with you on tyres Mr B. Id rather buy a car with worn tyres so I can choose my own choice new set to put on. Ive lined up some Nokian winter tyres for the Forester when i get it.

Havent researched which tyres for the remaining 7 months of year yet. 

If i end up with one with few bits need doing it could be a project to get it sorted as long as it dosen't get silly and i can source parts here ok and not having to pay postage from UK.

[Mr B]

Plenty parts in europe/east europe .

If you did get that SF you could get the struts and springs while here and possibly basic bits like cambelt and some service items .

I can give you parts numbers and links for most of it .

I never had issue with SF or SG in snow or muddy tracks, with proper decent snow tyres they amazingly good and hence why so popular in russia canada and alaska . you can mod the SF auto solenoid clutch pack with a switch so it like a diff lock function which handy trick at times .

Just be sure buy a decent one, they should run sweet/smooth and no real oil leaks, any doubt don't buy until doubts confirmed .

The blue SF also don't have the usual sigma alarm which good as that one less thing play up and it just has factory transponder immobiliser and remote locking .

[Sigood]

Yeah im sure there is plenty over here .Just a language barrier for me and the wife wouldnt necessarily know the translation for a technical part. It can be very frustrating at times.

My own fault for not learning the language better. I prefer to spend me money in UK anyway.

I wouldnt mind those part numbers if i get one that still has original suspension. Plus the other bits.

I see an SG on Autotrader 2006 2,0 xe manual 70k miles !  Needs a new clutch. Only £2200. Up in Holfirth though so unlikely to travel up just to view and potential of finding out he needs more than just a clutch.( Ill be staying with family in Kent)