Mr B

I've only ever replaced handful of window switches, mainly deteriorated wiring & motor from all ones i;ve done over the years. Different climate of Oz could be reason of switch issue & is quite possible you guys are operating the switches around 3 times as many cycles in the same vehicle life span due to the nice weather Oz has.

Switches are not that bad & indeed as bitman has said can be opened for cleaning/inspection As you say you can here clicking when button pressed I expect fault could be motor or wiring, the wiring feed into the door can fail as flexing every time door opened/closed. Bit of investigation & checking voltage feed to motor when operating switch will help track area of fault.

Best option really, rebuilding starters is a bit hit & miss really. Some faults/wear are easily resolved & some not, for price of used or recon with decent warranty it hard to justify doing major rebuild work on them really.

Fan relays are switched via ECU. I would check heater matrix not blocked or partially blocked as this make circulation very poor, also I would suggest only ADL or genuine Subaru thermostats as many other run of the mill brand thermostats don't work well on the Subaru. My guess is still a blockage in the system & some more flushing may be needed ... Take it the temp gauge on dash seems report the facts correctly !?

Well I use our shop exhaust gas tester so you don't really want buy one of those as super expensive. Either take it to local garage & get them sniff over rad filler & see if can conclude anything or buy a chemical test kit but test kit may not work well if can't run car very long. Still sounds very much like an airlock though but to be honest they are not normally much bother to refill & I can not recall having any major airlock issues on any I dealt with.

Would be surprised if pump the issue, only have pumping issue if blade corroded badly or clogged with sludge & not a normal problem on Subarus. Could be lucky & the draining & refilling helps move an airlock should that be the problem. Other thing check is the thermostat fitted correct way round/up ... if all checks out & still playing up could be time put a gas analyser over rad cap or get a chemical test kit to check for combustion gases in the cooling system ... As said above does not sound like normal HG issues so rule out airlocks & basic cooling faults first.

Deffo sounds like airlock, you need leave interior heater on full hot so can circulate whole system. If thermostat old it may be worth getting new one for refitting. When I refil as soon rad almost full I start car then top up as needed & squeeze top rad hose to help shift air, also increasing revs for short duration helps pump force water better & perhaps move an airlock (back off throttle slow or chucks some water out rad filer) Some condensation from exhaust is normal until car run for some duration to clear moisture in exhaust & be full running temps.

I would phone (company number in listing) and confirm parts via your reg number, also assume if you use 'add to cart' on ebay for both those bushes you will only pay one postal fee ...

FRONT-RIGHT-WISHBONE-ARM-REAR-BUSH http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Forester-2-0i-TURBO-1999-2007-FRONT-RIGHT-WISHBONE-ARM-REAR-BUSH-x1-/200824608138?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Cars+Year%3A2003|Model%3AForester&hash=item2ec214558a#shpCntId FRONT-LEFT-WISHBONE-ARM-REAR-BUSH http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Forester-2-0i-TURBO-1999-2007-FRONT-LEFT-WISHBONE-ARM-REAR-BUSH-x1-/200903868974?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Cars+Year%3A2003|Model%3AForester&hash=item2ec6cdc22e We get these from our local motor factors, maybe from FirstLine brand but sure had SolidAce boxed ones before.

Should come off quite easily just be sure handbrake fully off. Rear brakes can wear fast due to Electronic Brake Force Distribution system but I would also expect the skirt was using the brake a lot, some manual drivers find autos a bit out of control so use left foot braking a bit too much, have seen some incredible amount of brake damage due to this.

You probably best sticking with OEM type sourced from ADL Blueprint or SolidAce parts. Poly-bushes are good for performances factors of reducing flex thus keeping geometry precise & giving driver more feedback. Small downside can be extra vibrations being transferred to the cabin. If you have a source for cheap poly-bushes & prefer to fit them then do so. If not a sporty driver & prefer cost of standard bushes then go with them as unless changing most to poly-bushes you will have little to gain ...

T rated does open up a few more winter options & perhaps some other good all seasons like the Hankook Optimo 4S. You should be able find something for your requirements and around the £75 price range which keeps the cost for a full set reasonable. Changing tyre size is classed as a modification, dropping one step in speed rating is normally not a big deal but I would get a written letter or email to state you informed them of the fact as a belts & braces precaution.

Local motor factors for likes of filters, water pump & timing belt kit from likes of ADL Blueprint. Oils, leads, plugs can be found online probably cheaper & with wider range of quality & performance rating as required. Just buy wisely, especially Timing kits & water pumps as no point throwing original quality pump in bin & bolting on a cheap European monkey metal pattern part. A lot of large motor factors list on eBay so can be good if not getting trade prices locally or if local motor factors not too helpful.

You need check feed of oil through pipe to turbo & the oil pressure at the feed pipe outlet if no blockages or pipe/fitting damage found. Return loose ! leaking !? any irregularities need looking into as even a TD04 is pricey when on 4th unit. General engine oil pressure check would be good & fitting quality oil filter & recheck if readings low. Most common issue is clogged gauze on banjo fitting for oil feed so check that if applicable to your exact model.

For Forester you should get decent set of rubber for £315 & even a little under £300 is possible pending on your exact criteria & luck on any deals at time of purchase. Don't think that bad really in this day & age plus as the Fozzies are good on tyre wear so makes it less frequent billing :-)

I would do a rotate & keep going till near 2mm on rears & then get all 4 renewed. Should work well as will have new boots before weather gets bleak. I was in similar situation to you but ended with 2mm on lowest 2 & 4mm on best, my situation was made sweeter by the spare being a perished mess so best of old at 4-5mm replaced that so spare is now sensibly good. If replace whole set you should be able wear matched set down quite evenly with bit of effort on rotation & assuming tracking & suspension are in good order. I find Foresters & AWD Subarus in general very good on tyre wear & get long life from my tyres so i'm happy to sacrifice a bit of tread on a tyre or 2 to keep the whole set brand/model & wear matched, your reward is better fuel economy, better tyre performance & vehicle handling plus less risk of odd hassles caused by mixed tyres. Your subaru manual will have a guide on tyre rotation & permitted wear variation so worth reviewing before making up your mind.

Worth checking with insurance company to see they ok on it, T is 118mph & one rating lower than OE H 130mph rating. Did see them when wanted some for mine but as local tyre shop had the Toyos on shelf from failed deal I decided try them as our run around pug HDI been good on the Toyos plus price was favourable. That Hankook is quite a nice tyre but no idea why they didn't do an H rating ! Really not keen on mixed tyres on 4wd such as Subarus, prefer set fitted as 4, better safety & better for transmission too. If you have 2 tyres very good it maybe worth rotating & using a little longer & also reviewing spare status as if that an old wrinkly, one of the better tyres will go as a spare.

Think they do the size but speed rating T

With that sort of annual mileage you need better than Nankang, Have a look at Hankook Optimo 4S as another you may want review !

Confusing indeed. What sort of driving are you doing & what sort of annual mileage. I'm not the biggest Falken fan myself but they are not too bad & expect you could get LA/AT around £70 fitted. Nankang 607 can be had £50 a tyre unfitted so with a cheap tyre fitter they are a cheap way reboot the Forester. Yokahama Geolanders are good for the price if need a more A/T tyre. I have a set of Toyo open country all season M+S on one of my foresters mainly as set of 4 fitted was £284 & Toyos on our 205 diesel pug been great in all use & wear. Toyo OC's been fine to date (wet winter, muddy back roads, towing, bit of motorway) though ratings worse than Nankang it is a tyre I could recommend without loosing sleep especially if get price same or better than mine. Hard call really, Nankang is a bit of a Marmite type affair & will be all love or all hate but wear is not going be the best so if doing high mileage spending on a better range tyre could be best. I too am surprised at the good ratings on the Nankang !

Exact models please, diesel/petrol etc, also what usage ? towing as example ! Have seen very little clutch issues in general, dual mass flywheels can be a problem. driving style can be a problem. When inspected what is failing in clutch assembly & what symptoms do you get !?

that particular model Nankang is not too bad for budget price & you can buy worse. Probably wouldn't buy them myself but have driven the odd forester with them without issue & owners seemed happy enough. For prices you have quoted above I would be inclined to go with the Falkens if price has some play in the decision, if not then the Michelins could be a good deal pending on exact model you getting at £85. Would imagine Michelins would last very well on a Forester & good set of branded boots keeps resale value bit higher too.

TD04 turbos are fussy on on oil supply & even minor reduction can cause bearing failure. Check oil pressure with manual gauge just to rule it out & thoroughly check oil feed & drain on turbo, check banjo bolt on oil feed for mesh filter & if has one clean or remove it, clean & test flow of all pipes. If unusual debris is found do further inspection. I would do thorough engine flush & good oil/filter as final step once main cause found (probably blocked gauze filter in banjo bolt if yours has one)

rear control arm bushes are easily removed without much hassle & either come with complete alloy bracket or need pressing into old one once off vehicle. Doing both drop links would be good idea and not expensive but I would leave lower ball joint & front control arm bush if they are in good order. Link below should help for tech details: http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Forester/2004/2004%20Service%20Manual%20EU.pdf

If you bought kit with new pulleys & tensioner then use them. I always do the job with complete kit as reduces risk of failure of these components shortly after new belt fitted & causing belt jump or break ...