Mr B

Indeed proper versatile wagon, Handling can be improved with stiffer springs and rear shocks/anti-roll bar. easy cars live with and make daily life and bad winter a breeze ...

If it original paint and A1 leave it, the factory fluro-carbon clear coats on the metallics are never matched in durability even by best after market paint products or sprayers .

Shame to break that just for HG issue ...

6 weeks is nothing, just start it and let it idle and warm a little before driving .

If this an SF model it not really that bad besides time consuming. get yourself a plastic trim removal tool set and a metal v tipped screwdriver style clip/prybar if not got anything already and get stuck in Airbags are no real hassle, just extra plugs disconnect but nothing worry about a no chance of going off or anything. Bulk of dash comes off in one piece then dash tube bar can be disconnected fully core side and loosened the other to give easy removal working space, it just a lot of clips and screws so have a few small containers so can group them to particular areas for easier assembly . Areas to start is steering wheel removal and clocks, centre console, glovebox and small trim. If give model year I will link you factory service manual diagrams which will help locate fitting points clips and general part overlay etc .

Yeh it tricky one, you hardly ever need one but when not got one will be that one time you need it .

swing gate can look tidy if done well and only thing needs trimming is bumper but can do it without even that but wouldn't look so neat, if don't travel far then not major concern just have couple cans puncture repair and good foot pump. if use roof rack then tyre will sit on roof or can go in boot upright with ratchet strap retaining it .

best option is a swing gate for the tyre that goes through bumper and mounts off rear bar of the tow hitch. Will be custom fabrication effort but not overly hard, use 2 taper needle bearings so the swing arm is play free and smooth to use . other option is cans of tyre puncture repair or spare on roof-rack if MPG not a concern ...

Yeh auto is okay, but I not greatest fan of 4EAT on turbo engine, AWD is completely different principle on them too using a hydraulic clutch to control drive to rear diff . For auto likers it fine but for manual likers it not the best transition compared to later type auto boxes . Probably is part of reason less interest but with that mileage and if proper clean it will soon go, always tend find low mileage and cleaner ones are auto boxes lol .

sensible price if a nice one, would of been interested myself if a manual . good luck with sale .

could look at raising the skoda 60mm with custom springs from springcoil or I think weitek done rubber spacers for vw/skoda ! Doubt get anymore than 60mm though.

Later models with revised crank is best (done at least 2 crank revisions), they also have benefit of better component and software revisions. Injector relearning is a mode the ecu goes into to check relative injector function and calibrate itself. Injectors are coded from factory and when replaced this code has be entered into ecu so it knows base values of new injector . DPF is bit of hit and miss issue, driving type plays big roll but so does subaru software versions. Ideally dpf's should be strippable so easily manually cleaned at service times, regen and chemical cleaning is not great for environment or owners wallet . Back pressure from dpf reduces engine efficiency massively and costs owner a fortune over life of vehicle. Removing it not option as ilegal and mot failure ... If buy diesel forester just try buy latest model can and test drive it at least twice for prolonged varried drives (make sure clutch feels nice) and try check previous service issues via dealers etc. Later models and latest software mixed with high mileage use tends give little issue but if a short tripper or not doing high enough anual mileage reap financial recovery then diesel is big expense .

ICP and esubaru are useful at times and handy for saving cost and getting odd parts fast . Lot of the basic parts are pretty easy source via good local motorfactors or online motorfactors. eBay motorfactor sellers have some parts cheaper than we can get on trade accounts and decent brand quality parts too . We actually invested about 6K in stocked parts from large factor specialists and esubaru as enables us give lower quotes but maintain quality parts thus get the work and no hassles of cheaper part range, plus it far easier and faster for us have parts at hand as can do lot of jobs almost instantly without hassle of part delivery downtime/wrong parts supplied etc . Lot of subaru parts can be found at sensible cost whether oem or pattern part, always worth stepping back and researching all options before jump into big expense . Enoy another year of reasonably cheap and trouble free motoring I hope, good luck with the old oil burner :-)

Hope you enjoy the new forester and get a great subaru experience from it ... good luck and have fun getting some mud on it lol .

Well all depends which ones and how many. Generally not common see that many bushes bad on a 2008 fozzy unless on stupid mileage or doing lot of time on dirt tracks, farm drives etc. Generally 2 or 4 bushings would be quite low cost (if don't go main dealers), Blueprint & firstline cover few of the bushes, oem bushes can be had online from likes of esubaru or ICP at lowish costs, droplinks etc covered by huge range of makes, Blueprint, Meyle being 2 good options . If not even been added as MOT advisory I would assume the tester just being overly verbal on it, maybe just had a training update on it lol .

Cv boots can be issue coming off if poor size match and don't have proper lips, only ones we use are adl or solidace as they fit just like oem. We use nylon zip ties on inner boots, must be proper nylon not the plastic **** and larger width strap so strong. Mainly go with them as quick easy light and don't rot. Cambelt is pretty easy if take time and take rad with fans out as one unit as gibes loads of room and all easy see. Crank pulley bolt witho ut impact gun can be removed with car in 4th gear whith wheels on ground or someone stomping brakes or use old belt trick looped on alternater and crank (yoitube likely habe that) . Would wait for better weather as no fun in rain and increases problems working in unfavorable conditions . Least alarm sorted, M30 easier and xheaper than early sf subaru remotes .

Hope its a good one and gives you a trouble free introduction to subaru, 2.5 XT always a risk between egr and head gasket issues but hopefully low mileage and quality service history will pay you back for few years no hassle motoring. Have fun ...

MPT1340 remote would be 2 button (one lock, one unlock) if you got single button have you actually got a M30 alarm installed ? upload pic of remote ... Cambelt is pretty easy, I did write a guide in thread on here but youtube video has loads to give you idea on how proceed. Is super easy car do cambelts on to be honest as boxer layout works well here Best tips is pull rad out with fans attached & mark old belt tooth to pulley's with marker pen and transfer to new belt as makes it impossible go wrong if do well. couple bulldog clips are super useful fitting new belt unless have 4 arms . Buy quility cambelt kit such as ADL blueprint or Dayco, waterpump best inspected for play, bearing roughness and seal integrity and if do replace use quality japanese pump or you throwing better part in bin (Subaru waterpumps are superb quality and can do over 150K easily) Other thing inspect is the crank oil seal as these common leak and as only £7 for genuine seal they worth doing as only another 15 minutes work when cambelt off . driveshaft boots super easy on subaru, just loosen drive nut and be sure shaft free in hub then punch out drive pin, remove wheel, pull 2 bolts from strut (mark position of top bolt as it camber adjustment bolt) The shaft can be pulled out of hub while still attached to lower arm. strip and clean on bench and refit. Buy good boots such as ADL or SolidAce as fit like oem and last way way longer than cheaper brand stuff.

Shut all the door/bonnet and let alarm finish squeeling if will ! If siren does stop try cycling alarm couple times via the remotes and see if works on them ! Also check battery voltage is over 12.4V Trouble with pin code is if someones changed it subaru recorded one won't work read manual for info on entering pin code as quite fussy on how done. easy enough reset pin or add remotes as long as got one remote that works alarm . M30.doc

Rusty rear flange on those cats are pretty much the norm. what we do is cut flange off and use a clamp pipe on remaining pipe tail or if good enough can weld on new flange . Seems it an XT you would be best getting mid and rear box made up by a local decent powerflow centre perhaps, they could design centre pipe slip right on cat remaining tail if rest of it good and solid and tweak cat shields to suite new joint . not great options for ones with same flange angle and most used not lot better or wise buy .

http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Forester/2004/

^ Good idea fully write current motor off first. You'll find one in UK if phone around specialist breakers, not overly cheap used unless get lucky in a local breakers first . If buy from USA, buy oem motor not the dorman brand parts as they junk ... Is couple subaru parts sellers on ebay so find and message them on motor pricing, also call importcarparts and see if they can do it and the cost . Not often for parts fails but unfortunately not super cheap when do . Seems able do labour yourself if you can get decent price new unit go for it as job jobbed and won't be revisiting it . good luck ...

motor is forester specific, to make it worse 05 onward is slightly different, whether can be retrofitted I don't know as never tried. We either source used from good breakers or specialist subaru breakers or get new, don't do many to be honest and part of reason no pattern parts cover it for europe . Worth a look on eBay for 02 to 05 foresters breaking .

Exact details of crank but no start will help diagnosis, example, if cranking and absolute no firing it probably sensor issue . checking spark on cop pack would be good . can't see it being something that going fix itself or type of fuel in use . If you can here fuel pump priming when key turned on then it should run few seconds or splutter on that line pressure even if pump didn't run when cranking so if no firing cop not getting signals as ecu probably getting poor data on a sensor. very common for specific temp condition trigger sensor component fault . You can review sensors using service manual data but better diagnosis needs oscilloscope and possibly fault be more persistent which could even give a fault code to help point probable area start checks .

Euro4 ecu needs SSM2 for best data reading and resetting, freessm (run on notebook) and obd cable with iso support will read most data. Later Euro 5/6 has extended OBD2 support which better and manual reset procedure for oil dilution reset .