I am no mechanic, just a simple high school science teacher. I helped purchased this car for my young adult daughter for commuting to her first f/t job after graduating from graduate school. Unfortunately we did not reallize oil consumption issue etc... She has pumped thousands into this car (2011 Subaru Forester X Limited, with 138,813 miles) since she got it in July 2023 from Sam Wali of Culpeper MotorCars for $8500, and we helped pay half. She made sure she got routine oil changes. By Dec 2023 -she paid $2689 for a catalytic converter, Dec 2023-$995 valve cover gasket leaking oil/ mid pipe flex leaking; August 2025-$1334 new brakes. In Feb 2026 she was quoted needing a timing cover and the exhaust pipe (exhaust converter #2, center pipe)...which would be $4142. In hindsight, we should have bought from a dealership.
In March, in route to work her car was smoking and nearly inoperable along Georgetown Pike in Virginia...at 5:30am in the morning. Definitely, not great! We were able to get to her and later that day to the car to the local mechanic and they said that once this car shuts off, it will not start anymore without another engine. So far, it has been sitting around as a paper weight for fear that if she drives somewhere, she would be stuck. Her car has now 172,435miles. We are looking for a used Subaru Forester 2019 with relatively low mileage. A friend recommended we sale it as a "mechanic special" on Facebook Marketplace. The car is a great looking car, its just the engine that has ruined her transportation. It has been a nightmare to say the least.
Question: Would a later model engine be compatible for her car? What would it cost and where would we find one?
Concerned Mom
In March, in route to work her car was smoking and nearly inoperable along Georgetown Pike in Virginia...at 5:30am in the morning. Definitely, not great! We were able to get to her and later that day to the car to the local mechanic and they said that once this car shuts off, it will not start anymore without another engine. So far, it has been sitting around as a paper weight for fear that if she drives somewhere, she would be stuck. Her car has now 172,435miles. We are looking for a used Subaru Forester 2019 with relatively low mileage. A friend recommended we sale it as a "mechanic special" on Facebook Marketplace. The car is a great looking car, its just the engine that has ruined her transportation. It has been a nightmare to say the least.
Question: Would a later model engine be compatible for her car? What would it cost and where would we find one?
Concerned Mom