Mr B

Have used Strongflex before for front rear trailing arm bush and front wishbone front bushses and they seem as good as any other known brand. They use to be quite cheap via eBay or direct off site but prices gone up with brand recognition I guess and global hassles adds a cost ...

modern vehicle lighting is becoming a problem from too bright to multi function of one light so you loose side/dip function when indicating and unusual position/volume of lighting that seems fall out of general lighting legislation and certainly falls outside of good common sense . Very poor design/engineering that likely going create quite a few accidents . That modern garbage though, nothing but expense and problems .

Don't believe too much of what you get told via youtube or facebook lol . Still can get these and original subaru part 20174AA020 not expensive https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283764755433 https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/product/floating-bush-rear-sus-bed-20174aa020/ https://www.amayama.com/en/part/subaru/20174aa020 Other options are polyurethane bushes but they will be more cost than OEM . https://www.strongflex.eu/en/polyurethane-bushes-subaru-legacy-ii-outback-i-bd-bg-bk-1994-1999/1821-271801b-rear-crossmember-bush-5902553552584.html Just be sure your subframe proper solid, if good I would paint it with zinc rich epoxy then some tough ox or you could do a black wax coating like dinitrol products (if wax based coating most of it need doing after basic fitting steps or too messy handle) I done a few with Dinitrol ML then Black waxoyl or Dinitrol 4941 black wax and if done with some thought and care it can look like new, have a low cost and long term rust control with easy topup maintenance if needed .

Quite a few available but not direct in UK You could look at getting one fabricated but unless you got access to cheap materials and fabricator friend it will cost more . https://www.offroadmanni.eu/Skid-plate-for-Subaru-Forester-SF-2-mm-steel-engine https://get-primitive.com/product/armor-skidplates-and-protection/front-skidplates/front-skidplate-1998-2002-forester/

Perhaps look at the clutch hill hold to see it interfering with clutch movement. Hopefully adjustment/lubrication can resolve issue. be wise do visual checks rather than ignore it .

have a look here https://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Forester/ 2001 eu manual is good earlier is mainly usdm manuals but will still have some relevant info drop links (do fit forester as same as impreza) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284493914332 ICP will do genuine bushes in a kit or partial kits and they not silly money, will do bolt hardware also. They will have after market options too. you could akso look at polyurathane 80ShA from likes of strongflex

You can't really strip these master door switches, best option is good used unless can get fair price on new . Can you do picture from side of plug so can see some wire colours, also a pic of switch assembly bottom and top so can see what models might have same part. Basically the wiring for up is same as down, all that changes is the polarity, if the scenario for up is it moves a bit then cuts out every time you try the up switch it generally the switch and we done a few of them like this when had bad motors that been replaced . JDM model wiring can differ so wiring diagrams may not be exactly same plug pin layout or colours . You can power motor directly to see it can go up and no mechanical issues with track or motor . You can go to link below for online service manual which might possibly help. Choose: Forester 2006/ Click: Wiring Diagram Look for Power Window System and you should see some diagrams for RHD https://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Forester/2006/

Quite a common issue, window motors go bad from water ingress as water collects in the cast cup body of motor housing (removing motor housing and drilling drain holes helps this issue) As the motors deteriorate they demand more current which damages the switch contacts and causes symptoms you seeing as under load the voltage drop of damaged switch trips the breaker . Another tip source cheaper motors is rears are same as fronts but opposite sides: rear driverside fit front passenger & rear passenger fits front driver (do need clock plastic drain bung to correct orientation and possibly swap cable tails if fussy (on plugs with weather connectors) .

Assuming we talking about Sigma alarm . If you got one working remote and/or working pin code just pick up a tidy decent used fob off eBay, swap the fob board to your key fob and program it to your car alarm module . Some instructions can be found in this post: M30 user manual with full details is attached as pdf . m30.pdf

+1 on OEM thermostats only, all we use as aftermarket can be nothing but problems from our experience . Was the coolant system a muddy mess when pulled the thermostat ? If you unlucky you got bigger issues than thermostat/ water pump (water pump failure pretty much unheard of but you can check the weep hole to see if pump seal leaking) . Best way forward here is system/rad flush, refill and run then do a coolant pressure test see system holding pressure, chemical or exhaust gas tester can be used if no other problems get found to see if got combustion gasses entering coolant system (head gasket failure)

Sounds/symptoms you mention sound likely be centre diff issue, this can sound like a central rear noise & has potential come and go if it control duty effecting type of fault .

Price from amayyama (sourced from Japan stock) is also around the 400 mark so your garage doing proper fair prices . I had 3 rears and some front frames from breakers that pretty good and price was 200 which includes all arms brackets and bolts which saved some additional parts/hardware cost. We clean and coat decent used ones with dinitrol (adds to cost but looks nice and should outlast the next major part failure) Pick best parts out of original and the donor and add in any other suspension parts/hardware if needed . Indeed should be better coated from factory, 2008 onwards is worse than earlier models, front and rear subframes super common on 2009 onwards . We done a front subframe on a 7 year old one, shocking really when I own 3 2000 & 1999 foresters all with original subframes and suspension arms Quite sad but that the reality of modern cars, they garbage ...

It all about what markets well and potentially makes more easy money . reality and common sense takes the back bench, transmission fluids are big one for being left too long. Oils need changing, even if not dirty the viscosity is changing from constant shearing of the oil film . I seen oem gearbox oils look thin as 5w30 as never been changed in decade and reason i'm looking at them is generally transmission noise lol , one earlier decent oil service and these transmission probably still been as quiet as day came out factory. Other big concern these days is replacement parts/service item quality, even the oem stuff has dropped quality massively so you got do some homework or have first hand experience be sure your parts/service items are worthy & not worse than what replacing .

Best bet is pretty clean used, fair few of these diesel foresters in salvage thanks to diesel engine failures, downside is subframes fairly hard find tidy Part number is probably 20152SC024 , try a dealer or specialist such as import car parts or amayama . you likely won't get change out of £600 for new subframe and any other fitting hardware do the job right .

If you had to a stub of new pipe could be welded onto to silencer (clean up and weld to the original weld bead as gives fair bit of material to work the weld puddle . The stub pipe be made length best suited to get to fairly solid piece of original pipe and either sized to slip over original pipe or use a joiner . Hard tell how sensible a solution that would be without actually visually seeing/inspecting it, I done repair to cat sections and silencers before when you can judge will get 3 or 4 more years from it with ease and it generally an hours labour plus small cost of some generic exhaust materials/fittings . Wise money would likely be longer term solution such as a local custom exhaust shop such as a powerflow dealer making up new sections as deemed necessary .

does diagram and part numbers below help . Basically any SG Forester (2.0X, XT etc) with same bumper design will be same parts

Well done, good minimal effort/cost fix is always a nice ending 🙂 If you don't know your 4 digit pin code I would recommend setting a new easy remember 4 digit pin using instructions for programming new pin found at very end of the pdf document .

Sounds likely bad contact/battery, bad button or bad board . Good news is easy program yourself as long as have a least 1 working remote or known 4 digit code for keypad . (if you don't know the 4 digit pin you can set a new one when have a working remote) Highly recommend having 4 digit pin set up as can save huge amount of hassle, time and money ... If your remote is bad you can either pick up a used one and swap board to your key or try a postal repair service for yours . Instructions attached . m30.pdf

It is possible, a very good example Forester SF or SG pre face lift all weather would come in that budget, parts are cheap and they easy work on . SF and SG pre face lift cover years 1998 to 2005, early vehicle far far better made, SF being way better than SG . Main thing will be avoiding rust, rear sub frames, inner arches turrets and inner end sill areas, If you willing have an automatic you likely find clean one easier as lot of the less used examples tend be auto box . The early ones are super reliable,never had a failure or engine light on 3 in my family in 17 years of daily use . Avoid diesel models as in your price range they will be garbage, you could look at petrol SH models but I don't buy them myself as don't like the component quality & suspension design after SG models . Newer you go the more problems & repair cost you will get . The old ones had the number 1 reliability jd powers award several years running for a good reason, they where built proper .

go 15 years older and you get 10 times the quality/durability/reliability at tenth of the cost . Newer vehicles (subaru included) are expensive to maintain short life garbage . This opinion comes from 32 years of repairing vehicles and running an automotive repair business ...

Parts cost seems about right for Sachs in 2020 . After 4 years & 25K most warranty would be out if did have something better. Sachs is the cheaper end option for these diesel foresters. Clutches can be problems on these partially as diesel power output harsh on the DMF . Only brands we use due to needing good quality is LUK or Aisin, we normally use LUK. these parts pretty much double your parts cost . I would use this experience as education and be more fussy on parts that get used and to get warranty terms in writing on jobs like this .

This seller does them (Heated and wide view versions available) https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_ssn=car-parts-market&store_name=carpartsmarket&_oac=1&_trksid=p4429486.m3561.l170197 If you in a jam for saturday MOT just get best size match glass from a local parts factor (avoid halfords and ECP whenever possible) and fit that with some double sided foam pads just to get through MOT then fit proper specific model one after MOT .

don't expect to be driving any newer car for 20 years as most uneconomical repair in less than 15 years . I not biggest believer in 1 owner cars being that special, scenario is that 1 owner can get tight on expenditure in later years of ownership while a second owner would of injected more money . Also looks like that eBay seller flips cars . It likely need new front discs and pads pretty soon and possibly some suspension work . Check front and rear subframes for corrosion ( front is serious known issue, tap/poke test as visual looking is not good enough ) Subaru diesel engine is not always that great and has some well known issues . Not trying put you off, more a case of making you judge the car in a well thought out way. What you got realise is newer car you get the lower the component quality and lifespan is and more expensive and frequent the repairs .

Glad to see the info on rear suspension was useful. Can't go far wrong with the KYB parts, shocks are made in Japan which good thing ... You could put that NS strut and springs on eBay at fair price as someone in need of proper cheap fix likely find it on that platform . I have done used strut replacements but generally only if customer supplies used parts or agreeable to no warranty on part failure , with the self levelling struts being such a known failure part once well aged and clocked up some miles i'm reluctant to use them and prefer new KYB as the cost is very reasonable, end result in ride height/damping good & I can be sure car won't be back with same original issue .

I would recommend KYB excel G shocks and matching heavy duty springs . You can get the KYB shocks for abot £60 each if hunt around on likes of eBay and use a coupon. If getting fussy on ride height and load it heavy or tow you could contact springcoil in UK who can make high quality custom springs to increase height, spring rate or to a progressive spring rate design . The looseness or floaty feel you getting is probably due to failing standard self levelling as it tends create a dead travel range when the height hydrualics/valving not working correctly .