Does this car have extra issues or not?

[2c2t]

Yesterday I test drove a 2003 Subaru Forester 2.5X (168,000 miles, 1-owner) that I want to like alot. It looks and drives great, and yet I'm worried that there might be more than the usual expensive repairs lurking in its near future.

 

Before the test drive I was able to contact the previous owners. They said they had kept it well maintained but I would need a new timing belt since they had never replaced the original. They traded it in because they preferred to deal with a new car than with the check engine light that had appeared on the Forester. The dealer told them they waited too long to replace the O2 sensor and that had made the catalytic converter go bad. They traded it for a new KIA early this year (2011) and they've been wondering if they made the right choice ever since. They thought they might look up the current dealer and buy it back themselves. They assumed the dealer they traded it to and who put it up for sale had replaced the catalytic converter since he "obviously" couldn't have sold it with the check engine light glowing. The KIA dealer ended up selling it at auction to the dealer who now has it for sale (4-6 months after the original trade-in). The current dealer replaced the valve cover gaskets two weeks ago.

 

I drove it for 40 miles at highway speed on a 90+ degree day. it did great. After shutting it down for 30-40 minutes waiting for a mechanic friend to show up, we could find no evidence that the O2 sensor or the catalytic converter had been recently replaced. The entire exhaust system looked OK but there was enough rust that it might still be the original. No other signs of problems under the car. When we checked under the hood, all seemed fine except -- the coolant recovery jug was bone dry. Looking down through the radiator fill hole there were traces of green coolant in visible ridges of the core but no standing coolant could be seen. And yet, the temperature gauge during the drive had risen about a third of the way up the scale and stayed there. It did so again on the return trip to the dealership.

 

So, should I be concerned that the check engine light is waiting to come on again and that O2 sensor and/or the catalytic converter is still a problem? (The check engine light does display with all the other warning lights at start-up.) And what's with the engine running cool even though there's no visible coolant in the system? Our paranoia makes us wonder if the head gaskets are allowing a slow leak of coolant into the cylinders where it is vaporizing and blowing out through the exhaust -- although there's no obvious white smoke or antifreeze smell. There are also no signs of external coolant leaks around the head gaskets or elsewhere.

 

The dealer was willing to lower the price $400 to allow for replacing the timing belt, but he had no explanations or additional discounts to offer for the converter or coolant confusions.

 

What do you think? Thanks.

[heartless]

The dealer told them they waited too long to replace the O2 sensor and that had made the catalytic converter go bad.

this is utter nonsense cats dont "go bad" they burn excess hydrocarbons in the exhaust - the only way they are going to "go bad" is if they get clogged - if it was clogged, the car would not "do great" on the test drive. in fact, you would have a hard time even getting it to run at all.

 

if i was going to be concerned about anything it would be the missing coolant...an exhaust test (ie: emissions test) should be able to tell you if what you suspect is actually happening.

 

honestly, i dont know much about the 2.5's so i have no advice to offer there.

[The Dude]

You are really on borrowed time with the timimg belt, it was due at 105,000 miles along with a valve adjustment. Clearly, the previous owner considered scheduled maintenance to be optional. Did this car get regular oil changes? Was the coolant and AT fluid replaced on schedule? Where the tires rotated every 7,500 miles?

 

It makes you wonder doesn't it? A well maintained high mileage Subaru is one thing, one that was ignored most of its life is another. Can you do your own wrenching if this thing turns out to be a horror show? Ignoring a flashing CEL is not something you generally look for in a previous owner.

 

 

 

You don't mention the asking price.

Edited August 4, 2011 by The Dude

[ocei77]

Using a scan tool will show stored codes if battery has not been disconnected for a long time.

Let dealer scan while you are there to see if any codes show.

Tire rotation is an issue, since the PO didn't do the regular preventative maintenance. Are the tires on vehicle of same type? Even wear?

If the price is too good to pass up.

Go straight from the dealer to your mechanic to do the t belt and valve adjust.

Then the usuals. Coolant flush, oil change, plug change, transmission oil change, Differential oil change and a thorough check of the brake system.

 

caveat emptor

 

O.

[nipper]

Yesterday I test drove a 2003 Subaru Forester 2.5X (168,000 miles, 1-owner) that I want to like alot. It looks and drives great, and yet I'm worried that there might be more than the usual expensive repairs lurking in its near future.

 

Before the test drive I was able to contact the previous owners. They said they had kept it well maintained but I would need a new timing belt since they had never replaced the original. They traded it in because they preferred to deal with a new car than with the check engine light that had appeared on the Forester. The dealer told them they waited too long to replace the O2 sensor and that had made the catalytic converter go bad. They traded it for a new KIA early this year (2011) and they've been wondering if they made the right choice ever since. They thought they might look up the current dealer and buy it back themselves. They assumed the dealer they traded it to and who put it up for sale had replaced the catalytic converter since he "obviously" couldn't have sold it with the check engine light glowing. The KIA dealer ended up selling it at auction to the dealer who now has it for sale (4-6 months after the original trade-in). The current dealer replaced the valve cover gaskets two weeks ago.

 

I drove it for 40 miles at highway speed on a 90+ degree day. it did great. After shutting it down for 30-40 minutes waiting for a mechanic friend to show up, we could find no evidence that the O2 sensor or the catalytic converter had been recently replaced. The entire exhaust system looked OK but there was enough rust that it might still be the original. No other signs of problems under the car. When we checked under the hood, all seemed fine except -- the coolant recovery jug was bone dry. Looking down through the radiator fill hole there were traces of green coolant in visible ridges of the core but no standing coolant could be seen. And yet, the temperature gauge during the drive had risen about a third of the way up the scale and stayed there. It did so again on the return trip to the dealership.

 

So, should I be concerned that the check engine light is waiting to come on again and that O2 sensor and/or the catalytic converter is still a problem? (The check engine light does display with all the other warning lights at start-up.) And what's with the engine running cool even though there's no visible coolant in the system? Our paranoia makes us wonder if the head gaskets are allowing a slow leak of coolant into the cylinders where it is vaporizing and blowing out through the exhaust -- although there's no obvious white smoke or antifreeze smell. There are also no signs of external coolant leaks around the head gaskets or elsewhere.

 

The dealer was willing to lower the price $400 to allow for replacing the timing belt, but he had no explanations or additional discounts to offer for the converter or coolant confusions.

 

What do you think? Thanks.

 

 

For the record "cats gone bad" can mean anything depending upon ones definition.

 

Now

 

The timing belt issue is a FIX IT NOW before you even pick it up if you buy it. The Cat issue is most likely a bad O2 sensor. This is about the right mileage to need one.

 

I do not like it. The car was not well maintaned. They may think fluid changes cover it. If it was well maintained the TB would have been done ages ago.

 

Things don't sound right, find another car.