Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
What do we think about early 2000s Subaru Foresters?
Subies are super common in the PNW. Not sure about CA mountain towns.
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Common, parts are affordable (compared to a Porsche - ha!) and they are absolutely
everywhere. Good practical cars. I bought one for my Mom, one for our daughter, and a couple of others have passed through the hands. When our son was going to school in Eugene, he borrowed his sisters and it was the carpool vehicle when there was snow and ice on the roads. WATCH HEAD GASKETS. Except for these, these are really good reliable cars. Even with the head gaskets, they warn you well before they dope out completely. Test drive should include a long grade. If it heats up, good chance the gasket is starting to go. If the PO says they just put a brand new radiator, thermostat and water pump in it - the head gasket is probably bad...
Our daughter's currently has 270,000 miles on it. The gaskets were done about 4 years ago. Consider the gaskets a large maintenance item. Do them every 100,000 along with the timing belt assembly. Do that and they will drive after you and I are long dead. Stick with the SOHC engines. The DOHC was 98 or so and then they switched over. If you ever have to replace the engine there are far many donor SOHC than DOHC cars.
Oh...and Redding, Ashland, Reno, Carson City, etc., all easy places to get subarus repaired. You can go to a dealer, but there are plenty of private shops that work on these. We've never sent one to a dealer. Remember we are in Medford, so if your child's car breaks down here - CALL US! No way in hell we're leaving your kid stranded!
angela