Subaru forester

Drillman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Are they any good?

We don't see a vast amount of them round here due to a sketchy dealer network. All the landed gentry round here seem to use them as daily transport.

We're just toying with the idea of swapping the wife's focus for a used one.
 

roscoe erf

Member
Livestock Farmer
Are they any good?

We don't see a vast amount of them round here due to a sketchy dealer network. All the landed gentry round here seem to use them as daily transport.

We're just toying with the idea of swapping the wife's focus for a used one.
Yes they are good only issue I know off personally being a boxer engine on the. Diesel is the room to work on them especially the heater plugs
 

Timbo

Member
Location
Gods County
Petrol engines thirsty, even more so with the CVT box. 2.5 petrol's prone to piston slap and HG failure.

Diesel not nearly as frugal as it should be (30mpg), but reliable and easily the best option.
 

Lincs Lass

Member
Location
north lincs
If the Forester petrol uses the same block as an Impreza then the only problem was a crank seal that went on mine and for some reason ,it didnt like damp weather ,had a right game getting it to fire up sometimes
 

hobbsy

Member
Have a year old Forester diesel auto, it's fab, tows a horse box, has good traction, perfect on the school run good visibility and turns in 38mpg in normal use just over 42 on longer runs if I use cruise control.
 

RayG

New Member
Location
Wales
We had a Subaru Legacy estate 2 litre petrol. Lovely car, the only car we have had and sold and I missed it after. Bit too thirsty for us but smooth reliable and comfortable. HiLo range box, towed well. One year we were all snowed in down the valley and had a party to get too, drove up there in it and the only three cars there were Subarus, everybody else had to walk it. Quite easy to drive faster than you think as it is so capable on the lanes. Keep an eye on the speedo if you do get one, a friend of ours collected 6 points in the first year he had his Imprezza, after that he slowed down.
 

JWL

Member
Location
Hereford
I too had a Legacy estate though mine was a 2.2, one of the few cars I regretted selling but the other half made me trade it in for a Discovery when a holiday trip round Scotland was looming and the old girl had a lot of miles on the clock. Apart from an odd oil change and a new crank sensor it never had a spanner laid on it for around 4 years being the daily driver, towing a horse trailer and a (I'm washing my mouth out with soap and water) caravan. The thing that cheesed me off more than anything was not seeing the clock hit 200K, it was only 80 miles short when we took it in! I've had some fairly trouble free motoring with the couple of Subaru pick ups I've had as well, I wouldn't hesitate in having another one if one came up at the right money (y)
 

capfits

Member
I have a 2010 diesel forester with 85k on it, went through mot today no bother.
Good things first. Plenty of space in cabin for 4 a bitty tighter for 5. Big boot. A proper spare wheel. 50+mpg on long motorway dual carriageway runs, 43 average pottering around.
Goes up hills no bother, great in snow. Plenty of clearance.
Poor. It ain't aswell appointed internally as some. Parts are dear compared to Ford or VAG. DPF has driven we bonkers at times though they seemed to have got on top of it. Drives well enough but until you get used to how it is actually gripping can feel a bit unsettled on twisty stuff.
Would I buy another one?
Yes if I was sure of the DPF issues being overcome.
 

Bobthebuilder

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
northumberland
gaffer has 1 with the boxer diesel engine and 6 speed manual box, very nice to drive surprisingly sharp, comfy to drive but have noticed since it's had 4 new tyres on recently it feels a bit spongy on the corners, loads of room inside
 

Wellytrack

Member
Just because they are a similar size to a Vitara, RAV4 or CRV people make the mistake thinking they are much the same, they most definitely are not.

Once rust kills mine I'll be having another.
 

Drillman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Just because they are a similar size to a Vitara, RAV4 or CRV people make the mistake thinking they are much the same, they most definitely are not.

Once rust kills mine I'll be having another.
Is rust still a problem with subaru. My old pickup rotted out at less than 10years old.
 

Wellytrack

Member
Is rust still a problem with subaru. My old pickup rotted out at less than 10years old.


Not really, so far as I'm aware they have a 12 year anti corrosion warranty on top of a 5 year 100000 mile and three years on paintwork.
They are very well sealed and protected.

I'd reckon they are probably better now than ever, and I would expect one to last 20 years - mine is 16 years old now, I'll get a few more years but it spent a good few of them exposed to sea air, nothing structural or panelled is corroded, nooks and crannies hard to hose are getting scabby looking but not terminal.
Mechanically wise it's great, flawless infact, despite its 200k plus, doesn't use oil or coolant, never fails to start and just as importantly every single electrical switch and function works, and there is many.

For comparison in reference to rust I seen a 2011 focus on ramps getting a M.O.T wash a while back and was shocked at the state of it, rust everywhere, seen a 07 Fiesta with the back axle rusted completely through too.
 
Had a 3 litre Leggy for good few years. Most competent car I ever had. On the right road it was a weapon. 25mpg but never got board of a flat 6 howl.

The later diesel engines are better, early ones prone to snapping the crank!

Use the right oil in them and service on the dot. Best ask best boots to use as the continentals my car came on were hopeless in the wet.

Imprezas and older Scoobs were let traditionally let down by the cabin, well equipped but a bit naff generally, Subaru have upped their game a lot since then, now easily a match for any Ford or usual mass market fodder.

Only a Scoob owner could testify to this, but there is a bit of Fuji heavy industries magic in every one. I think the designers must have some snowy Japanese mountain road in mind because I have driven a lot of cars and I can tell you that even the most bog standard non-blown 2.0 Scoob Impreza from 1996 on bald tyres can take you around a snowy corner with all the grace of a Russian figure skater no matter what, it's just in their DNA.

The Diesel boxer is a lovely unit, turbine like and seems a weird one as it likes the revs which peculiar for a modern diesel. Can be remapped and a new intercooler can unleash a few more of the all important Torques.

New CVT auto has paddles to aid the sporting driver. Interior on most has been revamped now, leather, heated seats, automatic climate control and sat nav built in on a lot of them.

Only downside with Subaru cars is that parts prices can be expensive as there are few outlets for non-genuine parts- Ford, GM and VAG parts are churned out by the bucketload by countless companies.
 
gaffer has 1 with the boxer diesel engine and 6 speed manual box, very nice to drive surprisingly sharp, comfy to drive but have noticed since it's had 4 new tyres on recently it feels a bit spongy on the corners, loads of room inside

Not all tyres suit them. You need to ask on a Scoob forum about which tyres suit. I had Toyos on mine and the grip and feel were unreal. Downside was lower tyre life.
 
@Drillman - If I was replacing a car (focus) and only needed a car - as opposed to a 'SUV' type vehicle - I would consider a legacy instead of Forrester.

I recently had an extended test drive in a diesel legacy and loved it. Budget didn't quite stretch this time (bought Mrs TSS a superb Saab Sportwagon instead) but would definitely consider next time,

TSS
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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