Loaded question: how many years/miles is a Forester good for?

My wife's 2000 (bought new) has about 70k on it, and has been correctly maintained. Nothing's wrong, and it runs perfectly. She loves it.

After an oil change yesterday (not at the dealer), the tech said something like this: "Just on the basis of years, you should replace this car. It's just not reliable or safe any more."

Does gray hair, blue coveralls, and a goodwrenchy appearance equal credibility?

Well?

Reply to
Lonnie
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I have a 2005 Legacy purchased in November, 2004 with 90k+ miles. It has been maintained and also runs well.

My intentions are to keep the Legacy for 8-10 more years. I see no reason to replace it due to mileage alone. These days I'd expect any car to last at least 100k and closer to 200k for a Subaru.

It may equal old ideas and set in his ways.

My opinion based on my experience. YMMV.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

What's obvious is that the so-called tech never bothered to mention any specifics, like bad brakes, rusted floor panels, blowby in the engine, or just WHAT made the vehicle unsafe or unreliable. So you really think an oil jockey at a lube shop knows anything more than how to remove (and hopefully reinstall) the oil plug and where the oil goes in?

Reply to
VanguardLH

I've had three Foresters, a '98, '03 and '08 and have a good feel for model years and see a lot of old Foresters on the road.

I lost the '98 with only 35,000 miles on it due to a head on collision. Forester was totaled but functioned just as it should in the ads and protected me. Woman that ran into me had to be hospitalized.

Now driving '03 with only 50 k, at 40 k had a head gasket problem which only normally happens well after 100 k and even though out of warranty, Subaru refunded 1/3 of the cost of repair. Love this car and no thought of selling.

Wife has the '08 with only about 35 k and loves it.

My attitude is to only get a new car when cost of repair exceeds book value since no matter what, that is all insurance will pay if you have an accident.

Let me also tell you something I know for a fact, my Subaru dealer makes more money selling used Subarus than he does new ones but your repairman did not have any skin in that game.

Reply to
Frank

The guy is obviously an idiot, or sells cars or has some referral deal with a car sales yard. Either way I wouldn't take the car back for servicing by him again - it's likely he's conning customers in other ways too, e.g. "repairs" that aren't actually needed.

Obviously a car built in 2000 doesn't have all the very latest safety designs and features, but there's nothing wrong with a 12 year old car with 70K on it these days. My car, not a Forrester or even a Subaru, is approaching 20 years old (16 of which it has been mine) and 200K and still going perfectly well, and there are plenty of much older cars around.

Reply to
Your Name2

The guy may have had in mind fast rising potential for head gasket problems, as well as the fact that newer cars always have better safety features (more air bags, traction control etc.).

So generally speaking, he is correct about chances of serious problems arising, and especially if he knows you better, and you are a person that is pro-active, and can afford such pro-activity.

I tend to sell cars only when they start developing problems. The cost is that I am taking more chances.

Basia

Reply to
abjjkst

Any well-designed and well-maintained vehicle should be good for as many miles as you wish to put on it if you aren't in a heavy-corrosion area. The limit is what you are willing to pay to obtain the "well-maintained" part. As time goes on wear-and-tear is going to start taking out more and more expensive parts but if they are kept up I can't see any reason that 250k should be anything out of the ordinary. I put 125k on my last Miata in 15 years and that was not a heavily-constructed vehicle by any stretch of the imagination but the engine and drivetrain had never been opened and showed no signs of wear and might have easily hit 200k before the expensive work might have hit me. Beyond normal oil and filter changes the only real repairs involved a new plastic rear window, two new batteries, a new clutch, and new brake pads up front were about it. Oh, and lots and lots of tire. But that was more a matter of soft grippy tires and aggressive driving.

Reply to
John McGaw

My wife and I have a 2002 Forester purchased used with about with 8k miles on it. We are now at 230k, and I see no reason to question its ability to go to 300k. It still sports its original exhaust system.

It has had head gaskets replaced (200k), and front CV axles replaced as well (boots began to leak grease). Other than that, no problems to speak of for a 10 year old car.

This vehicle goes through Wisconsin winters too. No rust to speak of.

Not if that is the extent of advice given.

Duane

Reply to
TheSeeker

Many years ago, I had 3 cars and was going on a hunting trip. I took the oldest car leaving the newer ones with wife and kid since I did not want them to have any problems.

When I got home (no cell phones or phone at camp) new car was in garage with hood up and a broken belt and second car in service station with broken timing chain. Neighbor was returning with my wife and groceries.

Reply to
Frank

It's not just cars. The sheer number of "product recall" notices that apepar in the local newspaper would seem to indicate that there is a general lack of care and quality control in most industries these days ... companies simply shovel stuff out the door as fast as they can, with little real testing or checking, and sometimes with rather absurd promises.

Reply to
Your Name

I think it is getting better and my story was about US cars in the '80's.

Japanese quality, I believe is still better. When I bought my first Japanese car, a Mazda, a tow truck driver was pointing out cars in his lot towed in for repair and commented he did not get any Japanese cars that were still under warranty but had American cars as little as 6 months old.

US car makers would give you a warranty and just fix the car for free while Japanese car makers would make cars that would not break down in the warranty period. With my 3 Foresters, I only had one warranty repair, a torn boot on the '98. There was one recall on the '03 and '08, something to do with corrosion finish which was OK on both.

Reply to
Frank

Impressive.

Did you have the auto transmission pan ever dropped (if it is an automatic?) for cleaning the magnet and the screen that is there?

I have a 2000 Impreza L coupe with 90k miles and am wondering whether I should drop the pan. I change auto transmission fluid every 20k (severe service).

It is supposed to be a nasty job, as there is no gasket - the pan is sealed with RTV. It is hard to remove, then needs to be very carefully cleaned before reinstalling otherwise it WILL leak.

Several years ago dealer told me to postpone this service untill at least 100k, they've had good experience at that interval.

I am questioning whether I should do it at all (?). I would be doing it myself.

Basia

Reply to
abjjkst

It is an automatic.

We had it in at the dealer at 200k for head gasket replacement, timing belt= and fluids, but I doubt they dropped the tranny pan.

Duane

Reply to
TheSeeker

lt and fluids, but I doubt they dropped the tranny pan.

I haven't heard or seen dropping-the-pan on anyone's list of regular service. It is just a thing that can be done, but it is a pain- cleaning the pan and tranny surfaces of old RTV, then waiting a very long time so that old fluid stops dripping completely, as any wet surface will likely prevent new RTV from sealing properly. Then the over-torquing issue- the bolts are rather delicate, meant for RTV, people have had them break very easily.

Those who have done it say the screen in there is almost always clean, and the magnet is big, so it can do its job for a very very long time. Apparently, no need to hurry with doing this service, if at all.

Basia

Reply to
abjjkst

Depends on how well you pay him (and probably how much beer you buy him). ;-)

Reply to
Your Name

We have a couple of 2003 Foresters both at about 175,000 miles (E251 motors). One manual + one auto. Going good as ever in daily use on back country (50% unsealed) roads. Only service apart from strictly-adhered-to routine maintenance has been rocker cover seals. The dreaded head gasket issue hasn't appeared although my mechanic says there is evidence of minor oil seepage on the auto's head. It's not dripping so haven't worried about it. Their reliability has saved us heaps on budgeted maintenance over several years so even a gasket repair at this late stage is not going to be a worry. We plan on quitting them at 250,000 miles. That's what the last two did also with no major service issues.

Reply to
5wethers

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