Looking for a second 4×4 estate car for Mrs DD. She won’t do a huge mileage in it so we can cope with 25-30mpg. It needs to tough and reliable and transport muddy dogs. Bikes will go on roof if need be. I guess the 2.0 boxer (non-turbo) is reliable if serviced. £3.5k looks to buy you a reasonable 2001-2003 model with about 70k miles. Any horror stories before we take the plunge? Guess we could look at Impreza (not WRX) as well but prefer a bit more space. Most Forresters looks to have had a hard life compared to Legacy’s…..

I loved mine, put well over 100k on it over 7 years (also the longest I have ever owed a car). The only reason I sold it was because we needed something to put kids, bikes and everything else in

Cheers J. Anything I need to look out for? Never had a flat four before. We’ll get it serviced locally or I’ll do it myself if I can be bothered. Are parts mega expensive?

Good cars but cost a fortune to fix if they go wrong, I used to work with a company called Scoobybits had a few of them in, I’d have one over an Impreza as a daily driver just look after it and buy sensibly. i once did an engine rebuild for one after they neglected to change tho oil the bil came in at 3.5k!!!!!

as long as you keep up with the servicing they will run forever, the biggest problem I had with it was the exhaust – they seem to be made of cheese, was forever welding it up again. Never found the parts too expensive, certainly nothing like what Mazda charge me

Used to sound great when I pushed it hard – which was most of the time, did have a habit of driving it like I stole it!

Just make sure its servicing has been kept up to date, and the rest should be all good

We had a 2.5 Legacy, It was well built and handled well. Fuel economy was dreadful. At about 150k the viscous coupling in the transfer box failed, giving a horrible vibration on full lock like four failed CV joints.

Local indy specialist I bought it from faffed around and said he couldnt replicate the problem. About to give up, Hora suggested a Scooby specialist in Hebden Bridge who supplied a used coupling and told me how to go about replacing it. A couple of hours and I had it fitted. Mechanically they are great to work on.

The only other issue I had was with the exhaust. The 2.5 has a different set up from the 2.0, and costs £££s more.

Don’t underestimate the fuel costs even for local pootling.

sourcing a quiet stainless exhaust isn’t too hard and will last a lot longer, will be cheaper in the long run if you hang on to it for a few years.

Surely you can get a post 2003 model one for 3.5k these days? Very nice cars. Interesting comment above ref. exhausts – mine is over 100k and on its original.

The only tricky bit about servicing is access to the spark plugs (at least it is on my 2004 2.0). They are a pain to get access to, requiring removal of a few peripheral items (fuse box, air filter box etc…)

Otherwise they’re nice to work on – mechanically simple and the electrics are relatively simple – i.e. they don’t need an umbilical to a computer when replacing brake pads and the like.

Ah, fuel. Woeful for short journey urban driving, like low 20’s. Long motorway runs get over 35.

I had a 2001 model with a 2.0l petrol engine a few years back. Horrible on fuel economy but I loved it. Felt solid, ad in if was ever going to be in a crash, that’s the car to do it in.

It had very good handling, even in the heavy snow and ice we had a few years back. Running cost wise, I needed a new rear caliper as the boot failed and it wad heavy on pads due to its weight.

Aye the bloke in Hebden knows his parts well. Good/honest bloke.

Why not an Impreza? Unless you buy a Mondeo you wont get a massive amount of difference in 5dr Subaru’s. BTW once you get Subaru’s you love em. 8)

also check the tax cost

or a Freelander? same kinda mould and costs

Currently looking at changing my scoob. Came across the legacy specbbut rare as the proverbial rocking horse shit!

Curiously anyone have experiance of changing rear bushes – at a guess all of them …

I test drove a couple of cheap 2.5 n/a before xmas sittingat 120and135k on clock.

Both had a bad knock over bumps/ pot holes from the rear end like a bush or bushes had gone.

Shame one almost had me hook line sinker – 2,5gt – all toys and full leather, asked about service history, had in the last 10k a new gear box , clutch , head gasket and stainlesa exhaust and the owner ” fancied a change” – sounds like hg repacement hasnt worked to me.

What about an Audi A6 Quattro 2.7 loads of space and 2002/3 models should be around your budget.

They are a brilliant car, had two of them and would have another, one was NA, the other a 2.2 turbo with some mods.
Never had any big bills as did most of the work myself but in the 18 months I had them nothing scary happened.
The interiors are pretty boring (brown for the older one, it was actually brown) and seats in most models are pretty flat and useless (like most audi seats etc).

They hold their value very very well, so if you get a good one you can have it for 1-2 years with no real drop in value, compared to just about any other equivalent car they are ‘cheap’ to own. Insurance is needlessly high, they sound ace, but even the quad cam turbo isn’t exactly quick quick as its a weighty car (bit like the 2.7TTv6 you get in older A6 estates, 250bhp, but 250 tonnes as well).

Just wish the H6 diesel monster was out years earlier than it was, as that is probably the best one to have, goes well, drives well, holds value ridiculously well, amazing reliability, (mostlY) good dealers though some parts are a bit slow turning up and sound ace.

My brother owned at ~98 twin turbo (285hp version) auto model. Awesome car for fun and practicality but it lunched it’s own gearbox (£1200) and had piston slap at 90K miles. Not sure how much I would want to push it beyond those miles!

If you are anywhere near Aberdeen I am selling my 2004 3.0R model, which I think is a newer shape than the 2001. It will also be cheaper than £3.5K. Electric everything, seats, sunroof etc and gets about 25mpg.

🙁 enmac – this makes me sad – i bought an effin poxhall frontera in aberdeen before xmas through necessity(of a sound mechanicaled car) rather than want 🙁

Had an 06 Forester since new and it’s been great, would buy another Subaru.

I’ve got a 2002 2.0L na legacy estate. Great car and a worthy replacement for my beloved Hilux. I can get one bike in the back whole, or two sat on their handlebars with the wheels off – room is tight and an impreza wouldn’t have the height for this.

The car feels great, very solid, very predictable and can be driven fairly fast. Mine is LPG too, which makes it a bit cheaper to run, but the lpg lacks a bit of ooomph for proper driving and my set up needs looked at as it can be a bit spluttery on full throttle. As a petrol car it is very very thirsty. I’d imagine single figure MPG might be possible if driven with enthusiasm. Despite that, I’m currently diverting all my mental energy towards figuring out how I can afford a twin turbo gtb.

I had the old boxy Forrester and it was okay on a farm but poor handling, poor fuel economy and a surprisingly small boot

. Good laugh leaving it in crawler gear, standing on the drivers seat with the head out the huge sunroof, steering with one foot and shooting rabbits with the air rifle. The rabbits seem to totally ignore the car so you can get nice and close

Had an outback, years ago loved it, fuel economy was mince.
Had gasket went and rebuild was v expensive.

wanted to buy another but got BMW 3touring instead, mistake.

Jimjam, i have a 51 plate wrx impreza wagon and i can get bikes upright in the bootwith the wheels off and leaning against the seat bqcks. There is a knack to getting them in but there is plenty space. The wagon has roof rails too so i have a roof mounted rack for when the bikes are filthy!
My wrx will do 32mpg on a steady run and 28 half urban driving and half long run. Mid/low 20’s when just urban driving. Not bad economy for a 4wd performance car. I doubt i’d have a legacy if it had worse performance and worse economy!

Had one as a pool car at couple at work years back, & it got run nearly out of oil – took 4.5 litre to top it up, still ran for another 20,000 miles before it finally gave up the ghost