[matt167]

Just picked up this 2001 Subaru Forester. It has the basic 2.5L EJ251 that was so common in the '00-'04 cars ( and was in producion in 1998 ).. I took a leap of a chance on it but got it cheap enough that if anything was majorly wrong I could afford to fix or part it and recover money.. But it looks like the chance paid off.. It had a violent shimmy which turned out to be wheel balance and it needs a rear wheel bearing..

It has 219k miles so it's got about 100k more in it with the engine/ trans it has and it's a 5spd, so it's pretty fun to drive with the Forester's 4.44 ratio

I paid, approx $400 more for this than a set of snow tires for my Fusion. It does need tires, but there $60 each and not over $200 each

 

[Austen]

Congrats!! Those Subarus are great in the snow.

I like how it's a manual! Cool!!

Thanks for sharing the exciting news with us and be sure to keep us updated. :thThumbsU

 

[Mike X485]

That will be a great winter vehicle, congrats and enjoy it!!:fing32:

 

[matt167]

Thanks. I used to hate the Foresters because I thought they were bigger but they are really just a lifted Impreza with a taller roofline.. It doesn't handle like my girlfriends '04 WRX, but it's not bad. It feels pretty powerful tho with the low gears

 

[steddy]

Looks to be in pretty good shape, too.
Who cares if you hate it? As long as it drives and runs good, and most of the major features such as the heater and doors work, it's just fine because it was cheap. I drive an Audi wagon I hate the looks of, but it was cheap. Many other of my cars through college and early working life had the same reason for purchase. Next cars will likely be the same way, too. Maybe one day I'll have a tight sports car, but not for a while. Newer cars (5 years old and newer) don't tend to be a good investment... They WILL lose value unless you get a smoking good deal.

 

[matt167]

Oh its growing on me.. I never realized they were on an Impreza chassis so I never paid much attention to them, but everything that fits an Impreza of the same year, fits the forester.. I generally dislike suv vehicles but its really not one

 

[crawler]

I have an '11 legacy. I got a set of snow tires for it last year, I was driving around stuck 4x4's. I've been in snow 2" higher than the bottom of the door, no sweat.

I bought it for mileage and long distance weather driving. I loved my truck, figured I would never drive the car around town. I only bought it because it was true awd, a manual, and the price was right, I wasn't really into the car.

My truck has sat so long the battery has gone dead several times...I love that car.

As a matter of fact, the Titan has been hooked to the fifth wheel since Labor Day...hasn't moved.

 

[MrGiggles]

The only major problem with those is that their head gaskets like to leak. It normally starts as an external leak, and worsens from there.

They are really easy to work on though.

 

[matt167]

Yup. Head gaskets and timing belts are the 2 major money items.. This has a head weeping oil but its not blown yet. I have a spare short block tho actually.. I had a 99 legacy sus that I put a motor in, so I have some parts and all the special tools. If the gaskets blow, ill short lock it with the Lower mile short block and put a new clutch in it too.. You can pull engines with removing 10 bolts and 3 connectors. They are stupid easy to do a swap on

 

[matt167]

Just put in a new used hatch latch.. The hatch has been seized open since I've had it. I ziptied it closed till I got a latch out of the junkyard... Found a latch in a 1998 Forester which is same body as mine, pulled it and cut/ broke it out of the pins for the handle and lock because I didn't know how they worked..

Well, Subaru made them easy to work on. the lock actuator from the key lock just unclips and swings out of the way so that the rod just comes out. The handle rod, you just put a screwdriver behind the plastic retainer and it pops out.. Replacement was about 10 mins including removing the interior panels

 

[Austen]

Good deal!