Yep, lived in Wooler, deepest darkest Northumberland 😄 probably spend the first 4 years up to the door handles in mud.
Previous owner loved the car and have receipts for thousands (including rustproofing) but he was fighting a losing battle. Some of the bills he had from the main dealers (£900 for rear hubs, rotors and backplates) I imagine were so high because they were just a ball of rust and not possible to replace components just the whole shebang.
A shame he was also stiffed for several hundreds replacing front discs and pads to cure a reported "front end graunching", which I have subsequenlty found to be the sliders and one piston rusted solid. Why dont dealers dig deeper? Without exception every single car I have ever bought with the prized "FULL SERVICE HISTORY" has had seized braking components. Not just stiiff, but seized absoltely solid, and that includes posh stuff like Astons and Jags. I do my own maintenance for this very reason.
To be fair to Subaru...Volvo brake calipers are rusty seize prone !Removed! as well, probably the most obvious component on them that is patently cheap and nasty.
The fuel, I don't expect miracles, most of my long termers have struggled to break 30mpg even on a run, but sailing so close to 20 is a squeeker on a daily. Worst I ever had was a 2005 V70R (the 300hp one) which did 19, all day, every day. Most peopel look at me like I need sectioning, but running older cars and DIYing maintenance evens out.
LPG, if the car was rot free I would think about it; maybe I should get a JDM and do that? But that would send a 2003 up towards 10 grand, can you imagine the battle with insurers if it was ever wiped out?