Used 2002 Subaru Forester Wagon Consumer Reviews
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Best small SUV out there
Amandrew in MI, 10/01/2007
2002 Subaru Forester S AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Bought new Nov. 2001, 100K miles as of today. Pros: I'm 6'4" and fit fine, but barely; 25-27 mpg in mixed city/hwy; replaced clutch at 90K miles, which is pretty good; AWD is awesome; have driven in my grandma's sandy-soiled Michigan pasture off-road in all 4 seasons without getting stuck! Cons: auto-dimming mirror failed at 20K miles but was not covered under warranty, not worth $250 to replace; check engine light has come on 4 times between 30K and 100K - vacuum hose, emission control module, air/fuel sensor, and a 4th problem to be found at shop this week. None expensive, but none under warranty.
Bulletproof
kaye132, 11/02/2005
2002 Subaru Forester L AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
My first Subaru, I am pleased with this little used car used mostly for commuting in the city. The quality and reliability on a car with over 100,000 miles is impressive for what I paid. My wife and kids use this car constantly and although we have 5 vehicles, this is the one constantly in use. It feels safe and solid especially in mean city driving.
Very Disappointed Subaru Owner
pps, 03/14/2002
2002 Subaru Forester L AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have owned several Subarus over the past 20 years and have been happy with all of then until I bought the Forester. From the research I read I felt it was well worth buying. I own a 2000 model and put alot of mileage on it. After it hit 50,000 it began to go downhill, I had to replace both rear hub bearings and Subaru would only reimburse the parts cost and not the labor charge. I have had problems with the brakes and the cables and spark plugs have worn out quickly, the fan makes noise and the locking anti theft system does not work properly. In addition, Needless to say this is the last Subaru I will ever buy.
I'm a walking Subaru advertisement
Single mom, 04/07/2007
2002 Subaru Forester S AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Purchased new 2002. Not a single day's problem. No recalls, reasonable insurance premium, great gas mileage, normal maintenance. Handles like a car. Quick response, great power when needed. Comfortable, roomy, reliable, lots of standard features. I still own it and feel safe with my teenagers driving it, esp. in winter snow and rain. Excellent safety rating. Far exceeded my expectations for a compact SUV. Cargo room with seats down is a blessing! It's going to take a lot to get me away from purchasing a new model. Over 35 years, this has been the BEST car I have ever owned. Cup holder placement has been improved.
Subaru? Never before, never again
Richard, 11/17/2015
2002 Subaru Forester S AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
27 of 35 people found this review helpful
I used to hear that Subarus were some of the most well built and reliable cars on the road. I believed that hype and bought this car three months ago because I wanted a wagon and the reliability that were both so easy to find with Subarus. I saw this S model being advertised for a great price and test drove it. It felt solid, but had a few issues that I figured were not deal breakers and would be easy, cheap fixes. The things I noticed and what I thought: A loud hum coming from the rear - wheel bearing, which I could get done for around $250 Central locking did not work - blown fuse Clock did not work - blown fuse Cruise control did not work - blown fuse, disconnected vacuum hose With that in mind, I paid what would be a slightly discounted price and I drove it home. I started to check fuses left, right and centre and found all to be in tact. After a day or so, I fixed the clock, which turned out to be a bad solder on the clock's circuit board. The central locking turned out to be an issue with the module located under the dashboard and could not be repaired. I ended up fixing it eventually by installing an aftermarket module and wiring it in with the factory actuators. I've thus far been unable to get the lock switches on the doors to function with the aftermarket system. The cruise control still does not work. It either has a bad module or a bad vacuum system, both of which would cost more than the car is worth to replace. After a few days of ownership I tackled the wheel bearing and it did come in under $250, which was pleasing, but it took two days to do because of stubborn bolts. But my pleasure ended moments after driving the car a few miles. I realised I had a blown exhaust system, the sound of which was hidden by the noisy wheel bearing. After fixing the blown exhaust I noticed yet another sound, a thumping at speeds above 25mph. This turned out to be bad front axles. I went ahead and changed the axles and the front wheel bearings. After replacing the axles I noticed a strange vibration at idle. Research told me that this was typical of Subarus if aftermarket axles were used instead of original Subaru parts. I was warned that they would be toast in a few weeks and I would have to replace them yet again. Here I am, about a month later and I'm again starting to hear the thumping I heard before. I'm also hearing a whine as I accelerate and I simply have no clue where that is coming from. I've since learnt that ALL the problems I have been seeing are inherent. I have totally had it with this vehicle and Subaru will never, ever get me as another customer. I hate to even see the name Subaru now and I feel so sorry for the hundreds of thousands of poor saps that are being duped into buying these garbage cars. It is absolutely the worst car I have ever owned. The online Subaru community is inept and ignorant. The owner's and workshop manuals are incomplete and recondite. The latter has gross errors in it, such as wiring diagrams that do not have the same colour wires as exist in the car. The online parts portal at Subaru's website is also lacking, often not showing some very basic parts. Sickening, is how I would describe this experience. I've spent more on repairs in three months than what I paid for the car. I'll be working tirelessly to get rid of this thing once and for all, and when I do I will never return to this brand.
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