I may regret this when I'm doing an engine rebuild, but I picked up the 2007 Forester with 208K miles that had been sitting at 411 Carline for the last month for around $2K. It's rough, but was the right color, options (premium trim), pretty rust free, and most importantly was a manual. Since it's her first car, I'm not even sure it will survive long enough to need that rebuild. Spent the weekend changing most of the fluids and doing general maintenance. Rear diff leak turned out to be a finger tight fill plug. The less than happy brakes was Permatex ceramic lube (the purple stuff) on the slide pin bushings, cleaned and regreased with Sil-Glyde, all better now. Need to buy a new drain plug for the transmission since the PO removed it with a air chisel instead of a T70 socket. Nother better than a car that needs work to teach your kids how it's done.
Best part is it's a manual...keeps all the hands busy and off the cell phone. And being a Subaru might keep some of the guys away from her since they might assume she is lesbian. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
That's awesome that you're doing that! I still have a while before I'll be worrying about vehicles for my kids but I remember buying a 13 year old Cavalier for $300 and spray-painting racing stripes on it when I was in high school
Nice. You are smarter than 95% of people on here and skipped the turbo. Haha You shouldn't be too scared of major engine failure but the head gaskets are a definite problem with those NA EJ25's until you put a MLS gasket in. Do you know if the HG has been done or when the timing belt/water pump was done?
Supposedly the head gasket and clutch were done "recently" (10K?, 50K?, 100K?). I see Felpro on the gasket tabs, so they were definitely done at some point. I plan on doing the timing belt and water pump here shortly just for piece of mind. Here's some quick photos in sub-optimal lighting. Looks really good from about 20 feet away Rear bumper is the roughest, needs a little rattle can respray love. Also have the wheel caps off currently so I can repaint them.
Your intentions are honorable with getting this car as safe as possible. I was the same. The hardest part for me was keeping hands of the cosmetics...because they all will bump into something, sometime and than you cry. Of course after the kid is deemed to be unhurt...come on now.
For sale? Pics? My daughter and wife already want to Plasti Dip it chameleon purple. Something like this (minus the stance) If she can go a couple of months without major damage, maybe. Neighbor kid is on her second Civic (totaled the first) and the new one is already looking worse for wear.
I'll go dig them out and evaluate their condition and snap a pic or two. I believe they have blizzaks on them with a season or two left on them.
