Mr B

Yeh the turbo a joy unless do mpg calcs 🙂 Coming up to time of year you really start loving a Forester . I'll post links to front arm bushes and balljoint, know which ones they are as common failure due to crappy design on later models (earlier design of rear bush way better) pic just so we 110% .

yeh don't scrap the oem arms, worth keeping or selling . If you need bush part numbers PM ne pic of arm as a rule of thumb just about all arm bushes, lower ball joint and drop links front and rear are around £20 mark each . japanpart and NTY do patern arms (I don't use them unless oem arms damaged , choice of bushes is huge from firstline, adl, febi bilstein, delphi, febest, japanparts, fai, moog, 555, etc etc .

No doesn't sound right to me. You can get pattern arms (about 60 to 100quid) Best always keeping quality original arm if clean and fit new bushes (front and rear bush press fitment) Febi Bilstein do the bushes at around £22 for front control arm rear bush With bushes got be fussy on brands, Febi Bilstein, Febest pretty good products with good lifespan . Bushes be around £50 per arm and I could fit bushes to both arms in hour and a half so that around £220 , if needed drop link or ball joints as extras that pretty cheap . I would need see car be specific or at least pics to confirm part numbers but doubt you need spend much more than £420 do all that work Subaru suspension parts are cheap as most bushes cross at least 3 models and quite a few good brands do the parts . Main issue is many mechanics don't know the cars or part options well thus you pay for their lack of experience .

hope you get some proper nasty weather try them out . I been pretty impressed and they fairly sensible cost for quality you getting weatherproof seems a great match to foresters, outbacks and xv's for more rural/mixed use UK users .

^ yes the modern diesel is useless for annual mileage under 15K in my opinion . If you want reliable and proper built buy a 20yr old subaru , I own 4 of them and they 100% hassle free .

You can get them off ebay seller with 8% off when buy 4 and got another 20% off until 26th with PLENTIFUL code https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TYRE-Nokian-Weatherproof-SUV-215-65-R16-102H-XL-BSW-M-S/123906485221 We buy some tyre sets this way and some general parts off couple parts sellers as prices can be silly cheap .

Lamp unit bargain posted, made job easy and no big expense . Yes Subaru pretty easy work on, Fasteners and wiring connectors way better than Euro cars in general . Screw heads are JIS, while phillips fits JIS screwdrivers do fit better and reduce cam-out in tough scenarios . vessel do some nice screwdrivers

V rating is standard manufacturer rating on your model. Technically no issue using H or even T if selecting a more special winter or off road type tyre that limited on speed ratings or has massive price difference One thing you will have to do is declare this with your insurer. I would advise contacting insurer prior to buying just see they got no issues or fees . (you need some proof from insurers that you declared this either via post or email, phone confirmation it noted on records not always enough if did happen have legal issue in a claim scenario) I have nokian weatherproof on 2 of my foresters and both see use in farm fields and tracks and do pretty well in sensible mud situations. They very good balance of what can cope with, anything going have issues in proper muddy situation besides all out mud tyres. Never been stuck in snow, ice or mud but I do play safe side on the mud side of things . The Nokian Weatherproofs are pretty fantastic tyre at very reasonable pricing . Only you know exact conditions you drive in so take your own knowledge and preferences into account .. Hope you have good and safe winter experience with your Fozzy ...

A lot of owners will of had hassle, they had huge issues with these and got at least 2 firmware updates and huge amount of TSB's on the issues . You want press the dealers hep you out on this as spending 1.5K on a 3yr old car known issue is waste of money and even more so if replacement part is not revised . unfortunatly most of the newer cars are junk .

I have broken key extractor tools, either make something yourself (google it) or buy them off ebay perhaps getting them out door looks generally pretty easy and done in under 30 minute (many times just few minutes) or maybe hour if real tricky one. New key normally can be cut from 2 broken halves, we had this done a few times no bother, recovering key and cutting key should be half or less of subaru estimate .

Are the tyres any good or budget brand chineseium rubber ? How old are they (check the date code on tyre wall) Seems it only happen in wet tyre issue seems most likely thus good thing check first along with basic suspension visual checks. I've driven a few cars such as evo's gtr's with poor tyres and it frightening as normally they above average handling vehicles. Cause in most cases either junk chinese tyres or tyre compounds gone rock hard as so old . The forester is pretty good handling and suspension pretty durable besides rear sls struts that sag with age (that effects handling but not to your degree) As it a serious safety issue to you and others make proper effort get to bottom of it .

pad it with stainless steel wool before scr3wing/tacking it in position . is common issue on subaru exhausts . if i spell scr3wing correctly this happens !Removed! . just crazy ...

^ either resting foot on clutch at times or doing lot of reverse trailer manoeuvres perhaps, even people who say reverse park a car on an incline and doing it daily for years going take lot of life from clutch over someone with easy private drive newer subaru clutches don't last as well as older ones in general. low mileage generally not a good thing, sensible mileage is what you want. Short journeys and b roads are hard on any car, you imagine how much use a starter motor clutch, transmission and steering gets in 500 miles of town run around miles over couple months vs a day on motorway . Lot of low mileage cars also have pretty minimal services with several years and no oil change and not lot of money put into them as they don't use it much so don't invest much .

yes it best used over left idle for months, also ideal empty and refill oil and refrigerant around 4 or 5yr time span . Keep digging at it, I had few times when one after the other would be complete let down and time waste . Used car market has got worse, especially dealers stock . look on things like gumtree, I had few gems off my local area gumtree listings . Karma reward you eventually ....

main parts of system pretty reliable. Do get leaks at some of joints, sometimes things been made worse by leaving system empty rather than fixing it quick then more damage can occur . Dealers don't like spending money, air can get expensive and diagnosis done right costs and they see it as dead money and doubt it something they can do in-house unless bigger concern . Sounds like usual miss advertised pricey junk and quite a trip 😕

mainly car manufacturer pressures but you may want go little higher pending on season and specific use . https://www.nokiantyres.com/innovation/facts-about-tyres/tyre-inflation-pressures/

Whats the ash level . what the pressure readings like . IF can't see anything obvious via ssm do a quick look via generic obd at history or pending codes . The dpf light flashes for error of only 4 reasons ...

coil packs breaking down and movement stresses finished couple of them off them off , visually check them for cracks (fairly common) Many times I had cop's or coil pack or ht leads failing after r&r doing other jobs and they failing on test run . customers never understand as they worked before 😕

yeh would expect see another 20mm on kyb springs and struts paired but you can loose 5 to 10mm pending how take measure and fuel tank level and any boot load will all vary it . Is very straight forward job, good access, even turret top nuts easy quick access via lifting just top trim . assume you knock will be drop links, very common, they cheap and easy, about 25 to£35 a pair for something decent like meyle hd 555 japan or mapco hps range may need cut them off and if you got a 115mm grinder and decent cutting disc it quicker than messing around with messy nut, slice down into nut just over 1/4 diameter and tap nut off with chisel .

assume you looking at power a/t hold switch .

Forester is a good all rounder at potentially low costs . I was under impression actual tow weight not exact legal figure but just easier have insurance and prosecution if police pull you or you in an accident and you above the guideline figures . I think the higher hp engines got higher limits as match the gradient pull off tests but I no expert in towing requirements so you need do some due diligence on that get the facts . XT auto SG's are cheap considering budget you got so you be able pick best market go offer plus have plenty left for good service, decent tyres, minor fixes/extras etc and still be quids in .

Yes so do I, the earlier SF forester was best built era, 2002 to 2006 SG also fairly good but bit more plastic fantastic . I think earlier SF sport or turbo also might be 1800kg but you need confirm that as fact . you lose the low range on turbo . earlier SF ones quite hard find tidy and solid as 20yr old awd station wagons get proper used at some point . I have found more tidy Sport SF forester and XT SG foresters as lot of them tend stay more as family run around rather than a farm runaround . Best clean older foresters have pretty much always been automatics, not sure if you wanting an auto but it does up your chances . Prices are pretty low on these for what they are and general basic parts cheap, easy sourced and more private sales which good .

In over 30 years trade experience I found used car dealers are some of biggest !Removed! I ever come across in a professional business . Ideally you don't want build up any real relationship, I got no interest in any warranty even when buying for customers as I know it pretty much a waste of time and my best approach is always stick to initial plans on what you accept as faults and be prepared put odd minor niggles right yourself . Even my nearest subaru dealer has pushed some junk used and repairs they done and shortcuts awful (I see the work as many turn up in my shop with the new owners and tales of frustration and lies and some sloppy work from fitted poorly to plain parts missing ) I've driven several hundred miles view cars for customers and myself to be shocked at what seeing within 30 seconds and only go after contacting dealers/private owners first, I always state I trade and ask questions on body condition/repair (I know they know a sprayed panel/accident repair as well as i do), interior and engine/gearbox along with confirming owner and service history and I been lied to almost every time . Immaculate order no signs of repair = collision repair to very poor standard and alignment still out 1 owner = 5 owners . engine/transmission good = bottom end knocks and synco issues . Main thing is staying calm and realising this pretty normal if you want proper tidy used car . Subarus like forester legacy and outback get used hard and some abused so fair bit of scruff around and most dealers interest is markup thus scruff with cheap as possible tlc = max profit . Pretty much all my best cars are found private or big dealer trade in and dealer selling back to trade as mileage/age not what they want trade themselves (warranty and finance not possible) . Just don't feel rushed or forced take a car you not happy with, only way I compromise is if price that cheap the faults can be over looked or resolved and have a bargain . If you not happy with car first viewing it only going bug you more if got see it every day 🙂 stay calm and keep looking . good luck .... My main trick these days reduce wasted time when viewing not local is get good images or walk around video and between looking at images closely and vibes on seller from conversion only go if absolute no initial suspect doubts, Anything more local worth you going just build up knowledge and get better at evaluating vehicles condition. the more you see and test drive the better you are at rating the final car you buy and getting accustom to dealer nonsense .

Due to fact you can see overspray under arch also possibly indicates work quite fresh as generally light overspray soon worn off or covered by dirt build up pretty quickly . Every time I view a car with panel repairs it makes me laugh how a dealer will say pretty normal have paint repairs then become expert on picking out the panels yet when I ask this question before physically viewing they not experts and always state looks likely all original 🙂

when you can see how poor the paint finish is on a internet picture it a pretty cheap cheesy repair . Main issue is you don't really know why it done thus it a risk and the price really not reflecting body work state . Your main issues will be future paint issues of cracking peeling oxidising, slight rust if edges not finished well (they not stripped trim to spray properly) I would be looking at panel fit and tyre wear, and steering behaviour on a test drive, lot of cars won't be recorded for smaller prangs with no other party involved as if don't go via insurance and take to small bodyshop it not going be recorded . I wouldn't pay much for example like that, main thing you got do when buying a used car is not give in to haste, keep calm and keep looking or be sure anything less than perfect is bargain price and you prepared except it or get it sorted as needed . From my experience the biggest piles of junk and biggest prices ever seen always been via dealers and man do they lie and waste your time . Decent panel spraying is expensive and none of it matches factory paint for durability so reflect on that before parting with your hard earned .