Don Logan

Thanks. What's it likely to be worth if sold as spares or repair?

My 2005 2.0xt got cooked. I'm trying to talk myself into not scrapping it but am having a hard time weighing up my options. What are my options for getting this fixed? A Subaru independent near me quoted £2400 to source a used engine and transfer the short block over to mine, resusing my cylinder heads, including supply of a new radiator and ancillaries. I then saw that ICP do an EJ207 short block for £1900. Genuine Suabru manufactured part. What kind of labour hours would I be looking at for a Subaru independent to install this, using my existing cylinder heads, plus fitting the ancillaries? I suppose this would be quicker than stripping a donor enginer for the short block and installing that, plus my heads? I don't know why he quoted for only using the block off the donor engine and not just swapping the entire engine over, but I'll query this. As said, I'm trying to justfiy keeping the <non rusty, otherwise good condition> car, but am not willing to risk 2400 quid on putting a used engine in it and it &#33;Removed&#33; itself and me being back to square one, only this time minus £2400. If an EJ207 short block can be put in it for somewhere near a similar price then I'd be happier going that route. Also, what would a non rusty Forester with a cooked engine fetch as scrap value? I could well just not get it fixed, maybe get 500 for the scrap value and potentially have £3k towards a new car, the it's not a straightforward decision. Any advice appreciated...

Thanks for the advice. I fitted the KYB struts and heavy duty springs, along with the 215/65 a/t tyres. The 20mm strut spacers turned up but I haven't fitted them yet due to the fact that I think I'll need trailing arm spacers as the rear wheels are already sitting a lot further forwards in the arches, with the tyres not far from the fronts of the arches. I think another 20mm lift by fitting the strut spacers would make this a lot worse, with the likelihood of rubbing on a big flex. Any idea what size trailing arm spacers I'd need in order to return the axle to its original (or at least better) position if lifting by 20mm?

Thanks. Is there anywhere you know of that sells the blank key with blank transponder, etc.? I'm assuming I could buy a blank, get it cut at a locksmith and then program it to the car using the keypad, or does it not work like that? The only suggestions I've seen so far involve sending my only key away in the post and I'm not too keen on that idea...

I got a key cut today (key only, no fob) thinking that I'd be able to use the keypad to override the immobiliser and drive using this new key if ever I lost the proper key, which I only have one of). Turns out that I can put the code in the keypad and then use the newly cut key to start the car, but the engine then cuts out after a few seconds. This doesn't happen with the proper key (with fob), even if I let the immobiliser arm after 30 seconds of getting in and then use the code instead of the key button to start the car. Is this the immobiliser initially being overridden with the code and then once the car is started, the alarm system looking for the fob and not finding it and switching off the fuel pump? I'd have thought that the keypad was a substitute for the fob in this instance but it appears not. What's the point in having the keypad if not for starting the car if your fob stops working? Is it only for programming the auto arm, sensor disagreement, etc.? Is there anyway of using a fobless key with the car (2006 Forester)? And why does no &#33;Removed&#33; auto locksmith copy Subaru keys?! Best I can find is someone in London and another in Scotland. I tried loads of local auto locksmith but no one can do Subaru keys. I'm going away in the car next week and didn't really want to have to send the key off in the post... Would it be possible to buy a blank key with fob and then get it cut and also program the fob to the car using the code? Thanks

Hi, following the other thread about changing my rear SLS and the very helpful answers from Mr. B, I thought I'd ask separately about A/T tyres and see if anyone had any recommendations. Likely to be Toyo Open Country A/T Plus or Yokohama Geolandar, £310 and £350 respectively, fitted, so wondered whether anyone had any opinions on these or any other recommendations? And tyre size- Car is currently on the standard 215/60/16s and I'll be going up a tyre size along with fitting 20mm strut spacers all round. I've been looking at 215/65/16's but am wondering if going to 225/60/16 or 215/70/16 would be any better. Intended use is mainly road stuff but some greenlaning too, hence the A/Ts. Would the 225 width cause any issues with rubbing on full lock? Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Ok, great thanks for that, I'll get some new shoes for it then. Any recommendations for a particular tyre, good for on and off road? I've had all terrains and mud tyres on 4wds in the past but didn't know whether there was a downside to fitting A/Ts on a Forester that spends most of its life on the tarmac. I did see these, which at £248 for four Toyos looked very reasonable: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-Toyo-Open-Country-A-T-Plus-Road-Off-Road-Tyres-215-65-16-215-65-16-98H-/312893056783

Ok, well I dived straight in and went for the 20mm spacers front and rear. I don't reckon they'll turn up from Russia prior to me leaving for the continent next week, so will likely just fit the new rear struts and springs end of next week if they haven't turned up by then and just fit the spacers when I get back. Just wondering- could I get away with going up a tyre size before fitting the lift? I could do with new rear tyres prior to going away and I didn't want to have to fork out for two standard tyres temporarily just to change them for the next size up once the 20mm spacers are fitted. I'd imagine though that this might cause issues with rubbing on the fronts at least. If this is the case, then mental as it sounds- would it be feasible to fit the larger tyres to the back, leaving the front ones standard until the lift's fitted? I don't know whether the AWD system would like the differing diameters- I know this would be the case across an axle, but am unsure whether or not the front and back are linked to allow this or not. Cheers for the help!

Ok, nice one. Any reason not to go 20mm both front and rear as opposed to 20mm rear/10mm front? I'm not that fussed on it if it means replacing other parts too, or if cv angles are adversely affected, etc. so happy to stick to 20R/10F if so. Thanks

Great, thanks for that. I checked with my insurer today and they said that the suspension mod and going up a tyre size wouldn't affect the cost of the policy. Mr. B- I need to order these spacers- do you know of anywhere more local than Russia that does decent ones? I ask as I'm going away in the car from the middle of next month and the ones you suggested apparently take up to three weeks to arrive in the post. No worries if not, I'll just take a chance and if they don't arrive in time then will just leave the height as standard for now. Thanks again

Mr B, that's great. Really helpful- thanks very much. Ill go for this KYB setup then over the Pedders. Do you know if there's anywhere closer to buy some decent lift blocks, as the Russian ones have a fairly long delivery time and I need to get this all fitted within the next couple of weeks. Are there any issues with CV angles, brake lines, etc. with a 20mm rear/10mm front lift? Do you know if the heavy duty springs would be too firm when not loaded up? The car will be used for a fair bit of camping (family of four) with loaded roof box, etc. so conversley, would the standard springs be too soft once all loaded up? 90% of the car's use will be dropping kids off to school so won't be loaded up apart from camping trips. Dont want a harsh ride if the softer springs would still suffice when loaded up... There were a couple of instances on that post you linked where they were saying that these parts wouldn't fit an XT, was that just the 2.5? I take it the above parts for the 2.0 XT SG fine? Also, I have 16 inch rims. I noticed your post suggested 215/70/15. Which tyres would be worth going up to considering this? Is it just 215/70/16, or does it not work like that? Thanks again

Hi, the SLS on my SG is sagging and in need of replacement. I have a quote for Pedders Easyfit struts at £345 supplied and delivered. How does that sound in terms of value and does anyone have any experience with this replacement? I read on here also that the KYB rear struts and springs are a good alternative and are cheaper than the Pedders but the post was about six years old so I'm not sure if the pricing was still current. Does anyone know part numbers for these or have a supplier to try? Also- I wouldn't mind a modest lift, say 10-15mm over standard ride height if possible. There are some greenlanes near me and having owned proper offroaders before, would like perhaps to help the off road ability of the Forester a little if possible. The guy that quoted me for the Pedders said he could supply the stuts with a raised spring that would bring the rear up around 25-30mm, but I guess then I'd have to do the fronts as well. Is there any issue with lifting an SG a bit in terms of CV joint angles, brake lines being stretched etc.? I'll probably just go for the standard height at the rear and leave it at that but was just thinking that if I need to change the rears anyway then it wouldn't hurt to go a little higher. Thanks

Hi, I got in my (2005, SG) Forester today, went to press the button on the key as usual after turning it in the ignition and nothing happened. I got out, tried to lock/unlock using the key button and nothing happened. I went and replaced the battery in the key (only have one key, no spare), but this didn't fix it. I went and got the paperwork for the immobiliser, which showed the 4 digit pin. When I put the first digit of the pin into the keypad, the LED flashed a lot as if it didn't like each number I put in. I tried putting the pin in with the key turned in the ignition, still nothing. I also tried putting the pin in with the key out of the ignition- this time the LED flashed once each time i put the number in (like it says it should in the immobiliser instructions) but the car still wouldn't start. I can't see what i'm doing wrong and can't imagine anyone having changed the code, though it is a possibility. Any advice on what to try here? It's infuriating that the pin won't work in the keypad- am i doing this right? Is there any way of testing what's going on with the key? Edit: The car locked and unlocked with the key in the door lock, but the alarm didn't activate at any point. Thanks

Thanks for all the advice. I picked up a 2005 XT 2.0 auto this week. When viewing I spent a lot of time underneath with a screwdriver poking and prodding for ages checking for rust and couldn't find anything of note. It's a fairly leggy one with 130k miles, hopefully the FSH helps negate the mileage a bit though. I'm going to replace the cam belt (now due), waterpump, thermostat and coolant. I was also going to do the auto transmission fluid and oil to both diffs. Is there anything else that may want replacing by now as a good preventative measure? I have receipts for recent engine oil/filter replacement and the spark plugs were done at 80k- whats the frequency on these? Radiator looks good but I might get the pipes replaced when the cam belt, water pump and thermostat are done. The rear doesn't appear to sag- does anyone know what the hub to wheel arch measurement should be as standard?

Yes, i've got two on the shortlist that aren't too far from me; one that i've already seen and just need to go back to look more closely for corrosion. I just need to know the main problem areas for this, so far it looks like rear subframe, strut turrets and wheel arches along with general areas such as exhaust, etc. Both are low milers with FSH so i'll see how i get on. Thanks

I went and looked at one the other day which didn't appear to have any rot. Stuck it up on ramps and layed underneath with a torch giving it a good go over. It looks ok, with 85k miles and fsh and the bloke said he'd take £2k for it. I looked at images and videos showing corrosion problems with Foresters and with Subarus in general, which seemed to indicate that it really is a widespread problem and people were showing rust in areas that I don't think I checked when I went to view this one. I'm going to go back for another look, is it just wheel arches, subframes, and strut mounts (or whatever the part that suspension bolts into is called)? The Indy I spoke to said you've really got to stick your right hand up next to the rear springs to feel for any rust and you can't always see it. Thinking about it, the only area where I noticed any rust was a tiny little spot on the front wheel arch, on the external painted surface, with wheel arches is it just a case of looking at the external area around the wheel or can I get in behind some trim somehwere to look at the internal side? And do arches tend to be easy enough to fix? There's no mention of corrosion anywhere on the MOT history, so can that be taken as much of a positive? And how's £2k for this car if it's in as good nick as it appears to be? As, mentioned, prices are all over the place, even privately. Sorry for all the vague questions but I've got no idea about costs to repair body work and don't want to end up with a big bill after buying and i'm &#33;Removed&#33; obsessive when looking into buying a car.... Thanks!

So, turns out the car is actually a 2008. With 140,000 miles on it. And he wants £3750 for it once it's had the used engine (with unknown mileage) fitted. The search continues....

Update- I've looked at a couple of Outbacks, one in exceptional nick but very overpriced and owner would only knock a couple of hundred off, and one that I got down to £3.6k but needs new sunroof glass and aircon isn't working. The sunroof is about £150 delivered and the AC could well just be a regas (as says the dealer, but if that's so then i'm sure he'd have had it regassed before putting it up for sale- he isn't willing to do this though, so is probably a more expensive fix than a simple regas, though could easily be a relay or other simple fix). Anyway, due to the rarity of the 3.0's, I can't be arsed with spending my weekends driving around the country, looking at the few examples that I can find. Which brings me onto the more easily found Forester... I called a Subaru indy today to ask about servicing costs on Outbacks and after chatting for a while was told that he has a clean 2006 XT 2.5 with a knackered engine (in good nick otherwise). He has a spare 2.5 lump that he's going to be putting into it and said he'd give me first refusal on it once complete. Will include cam belt change, new mot, service, etc. I'm a bit put off after doing an MOT check online that the car is at 138k miles and the engine, although i'm told is in good condition, is of an unknown mileage. Also, regardless of donor engine condition, a 138k car is always going to be at least a 138k car to any future buyer, so by the time I may be finished with it will be hard to sell. Also, am i right that being post 2005, it will be in the £500+ per annum tax bracket? I'm kind of of a mind to rather be buying one from a Subaru specialist (seemed a very genuine bloke, gave me a ton of buying advice for about 20 mins regarding the Outback, long before i'd even mentioned being interested in Foresters as well, but think also that the engine is a bit of unknown quantity, and being the 2.5, could pop the head gasket any time after driving it away. I suppose it comes down to price, which he said he'd work out and let me know tomorrow, once he's seen what they generally go for online. Any advice here? Thanks

Is that to 2008 inclusive, as in a 2008 on a 57 plate (Outback), the one with SI drive?

Hi, Just a thought, but how much more reliable pre-2006 are we talking? Including post-2005 models on the searches brings up a lot more results but I've been ignoring these until now. What tends to be the issue/s post- 2005? Is the build quality that much lessened to the extent of not bothering to consider one? Thanks

Great, thanks. What's the general thought on Jap imports of these? I'm aware of possibly higher insurance costs, harder to sell, no way of verifying history/mileage, etc. but I had a 15yr old imported Hilux Surf for 8 years and nothing whatsoever needed fixing in that time, insurance cost was miniscule and I sold it for the same price I bought it for. There were no downsides whatsoever for me regarding it being an import. The Jap Subarus that I see on eBay are typically of a very low mileage and are said to be rust free (apparently because they don't salt roads much/at all in Japan)- Can these things be clocked? I with the odometer being digital Prices tend to be higher than for UK equivalents, but i'd have thought that's probably for the above reasons, compounded by the higher specs generally available in Japan.

Thanks. I looked at a clean one in what appeared to be very good condition earlier today. It's up for £4.3k with a dealer, fsh, 82k miles. I looked over it for about 40 mins, removed engine cover, checked for oil leaks, condition of all fluids, squeaks, rattles, suspension and bushes, etc. I couldn't fault it, though I'll admit I didn't look at anything above what I'd check on any general pre purchase inspection. Took it for a test drive and everything was quiet, smooth, etc. Not actually as quick as I'd have imagined, but then quick isn't the appeal. There was a bit of corrosion underneath but I'd imagine that most are like this at 15 years old. I'm going to offer £3.5k, subject to another inspection and test drive and if he doesn't take it then I'll continue the search. I do have a 2.0 XT forester to look at, private sale, same mileage/history, etc. which is over £1.5k cheaper, so I guess this is an indication of what you can pay for these things private vs trade, albeit a different model of Subaru. Thanks again for the help!

Thanks again for the useful info. Prices for the 3.0 Outback are all over the place- as low as £1800 and up to £4200 for a 2005 with under 100k on the clock. Would £3.5k for a decent one from a dealer with RAC warranty (assuming it's worth the paper it's written on) be around the right price? It's hard to find relaible pricing online as there aren't that many about. And also, is there anything essential to check apart from what you already mentioned, or anything that could be used to get the price down? Cheers again.

Thanks for that, great info and it looks like i could be saving some money as i'd have otherwise just gone for the newest of whatever model I decided on. Looking on Autotrader, pre-2006 3.0 Outbacks seem to be pretty rare and the ones that are on there aren't a great deal cheaper than £5k: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertising-location=at_cars&price-to=5500&postcode=bn28ff&body-type=Estate&sort=distance&fuel-type=Petrol&guid=0c7a06af-8498-4222-a556-42e94875c348&model=OUTBACK&page=1&radius=1500&make=SUBARU&year-to=2005&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New There are a few more Foresters available and one of each nearby to me so i'll have a look at both. Can either/both of these be remapped easily and safely enough to achieve a bit more grunt? I had been hoping the Forester 2.5 Xt would be the sturdiest of them all as I do like the sound of the 6 second 0-60 times... Thanks again.