1999 Forester: What to Expect?

[Catherine Jefferson]

My husband and I just bought a new (to us) 1999 Subaru Forester.
This is my fourth Subaru; I've been driving Subarus since shortly
after college. (For well over 20 years.)

Prior to buying it, I had a Suby Specialties in Monrovia, CA,
check the vehicle out. It had suspiciously low mileage for a
1999 -- just under 45K. (You read that right.) The Carfax was
clean, though, and the vehicle had apparently been part of a
corporate fleet for its first seven years and was not driven
much. Steve (the owner of Suby Specialties) also warned me about
the first-generation DOHC engines used on 1998 and early 1999
Foresters, which he said have severe problems with blown head
gaskets, and checked to be sure that this Forester had the
second-generation SOHC motor instead.

Other than the rear wheel ball bearing issue, does anyone here
know of anything I should be looking out for with this car? It
handles beautifully, is a joy to drive.

Thanks!

 

[nobody >]

My husband and I just bought a new (to us) 1999 Subaru Forester.
This is my fourth Subaru; I've been driving Subarus since shortly
after college. (For well over 20 years.)

Prior to buying it, I had a Suby Specialties in Monrovia, CA,
check the vehicle out. It had suspiciously low mileage for a
1999 -- just under 45K. (You read that right.) The Carfax was
clean, though, and the vehicle had apparently been part of a
corporate fleet for its first seven years and was not driven
much. Steve (the owner of Suby Specialties) also warned me about
the first-generation DOHC engines used on 1998 and early 1999
Foresters, which he said have severe problems with blown head
gaskets, and checked to be sure that this Forester had the
second-generation SOHC motor instead.

Other than the rear wheel ball bearing issue, does anyone here
know of anything I should be looking out for with this car? It
handles beautifully, is a joy to drive.

Thanks!

Hello Catherine! I'm another NANAE poster who owns a 2000 Outback.

You already got most of the information on the headgasket issues. The
SOHC also has problems. You may want to have Suby Specialties or a
dealer check the VIN against the recall list. I lucked out when one
gasket went away last summer, and the extended warranty covered it all
(other than the cam belt that I had them put in while it was apart). It
was hard to believe that Subaru would honor that on a car pushing 8
years old with 98K miles at the time.

 

[Catherine Jefferson]

Hello Catherine! I'm another NANAE poster who owns a 2000 Outback.

You already got most of the information on the headgasket issues. The
SOHC also has problems. You may want to have Suby Specialties or a
dealer check the VIN against the recall list. I lucked out when one
gasket went away last summer, and the extended warranty covered it all
(other than the cam belt that I had them put in while it was apart). It
was hard to believe that Subaru would honor that on a car pushing 8
years old with 98K miles at the time.

Been done. No recalls open on that vehicle. Suby Specialties is on the
ball, and that's definitely something we both wanted to know.