Thinking of 3rd generation Forester?

[Stevo F]

I'm thinking of getting a used Forester and offloading my 2014 Impreza to possibly a family member(not thrilled with the CVT, but don't want a stick due to my commute- also would like something that sits higher). I kind of prefer driving my old Legacy with a 4EAT to the CVT. I really like the look of the 3rd gen Forester and prefer some of the older technology.

 

What are problems common with Foresters in this generation? I know the later EJ engines still have headgasket failure- is it an external coolant or oil leak (vs. internal like the EJ25D engines)?

 

Are there any other things to watch for? Looking at a few online, most were just at or over 100K miles so I imagine virtually none of them have had a timing belt replacement, so that would be in order.

 

Anything else to watch for? (I'm mainly a 2nd generation Legacy person as well as the newer Impreza).