1998 Subaru Forester S review from North America
"For the rainy roads of the NW, great traction; questionable reliability"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Major issue: Head gasket blew at 130,000 miles.
Minor issues: Oil seals; Subaru just cannot seem to make them stop leaking after seemingly few miles on the engine.
Certain electronic components stopped functioning. For example the master switch for the power windows, also the clock.
Gas mileage is a disappointment. I previously had a Isuzu Trooper and before that several Volov's and BMW's. The Forester roughly gets the same mileage per gallon as the Volvo, meaning not all that much better than the Trooper.
General comments?
They are hard to beat on a slippery surface. I've been on hard snow packed roads, or occasionally even ice and felt the car handled amazingly well. On a slippery surface, nothing I've owned has handled this well.
Recommended reviews
| 1998 - Forester LX 2.5L 4-cylinder Boxer Solid, reliable, functional car with excellent bad-weather traction and all-around handling. |
|
| Repairs are a nightmare, but I love the car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 80000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 143000 miles |
| Previous car | Volvo 244 |
| Date of Entry | 23rd March, 2005 |