Used 2005 Subaru Forester Wagon Consumer Reviews
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My third Subaru and disappointed
Brent, 10/23/2017
2005 Subaru Forester XS L.L.Bean Edition AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I purchased a 2005 Subaru Forester L.L. Bean with 69,000 miles on it. Thought I was getting my dream car and was my third Subaru. If you google Subaru problems my car has had every single one of them. A few of the major problems are as follows. Was on long weekend road trip with the family and one of the spark plugs blew out of the cylinder striping the threads. Spent our road trip at a cheap hotel in the winter while the car was being repaired. Since then the check engine light is on and the cruise control light blinks. Took it to a Subaru dealer who was rather uninterested in offering options other than rebuilding the motor. Last week the head gaskets blew, still don't have a repair estimate on them. I've always been a Subaru guy but that feeling is fading. I will say though that I live in a northern state and have never been stuck in the snow while driving my Subaru
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2005 Subaru Forester 2.5 XS
99excell, 08/18/2006
2005 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
Bought this new 22 months ago and have approximately 43,000 miles on it. I have had absolutely no problems with this vehicle, which is more than I can say for the new domestic models I have bought over the last thirty years. I average about 27.5 MPG and my annual maintenance costs run about $300. I service it regularly with Mobile 1 synthetic motor oil and have all other maintenance performed by the dealer. I take comfort in the knowledge that it is one of the safest and most reliable vehicles out there and fully expect to replace it, someday, with another one.
160k miles and still going strong
160kmiles, 11/30/2010
2005 Subaru Forester X AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
Bought this specifically for long distance commuting on the highway and it's been a great car, 110k miles before I had anything break on it. Great highway mpg 25-26.
Handles horrid driving conditions like a breeze!
Lu, 12/21/2017
2005 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I got a great deal on my '05 Forester, only 3,000. I purchased it with 93k miles. I am the second owner of the vehicle. The previous owner was an older lady who probably was unaware of the issues with the car as it appeared very little work was done on it. I had to have quite a number of things done to get it to drive okay, the largest being the entire AWD system and breaking system redone. From there I had done some basic PM to make it a smoother ride (timing belt change, new winter tires, new muffler, ect.) After much work it now drives beautifully. This is the first car i've ever owned with no maintenance lights on! It's 100% worth the money though, no nasty car payments or fleases. HOW DOES IT HANDLE RURAL NEW ENGLAND WEATHER? Beautifully! So far with this vehicle I have driven through 10 inches of fresh snowfall on an unplowed horridly maintained back road, through pot-hole-filled unmaintained dirt roads in the White Mountains, down very steep inclines, and through post-flood debris. It only has about 8" of clearance which I was concerned with at first but it seems that amount is just enough to avoid scraping by. Other reviews say the highway noise is loud, and yes, yes it is. But if you live rural like me you don't care about that! Also, the heated seats are fantastic to have when it's 4 degrees out. Another important thing to mention is that i am 5 feet tall and 82lbs. If you are little like me you wont have any issue seeing over the dash. However if you are very tall i'd look for another car.
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2005 Forester
Bryan, 04/05/2005
2005 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon w/Moonroof (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have had the ability to side-by-side compare a new CR-V against my new Forester because my mother-in-law bought a Honda two months before I bought the Subaru. She drove my Subaru a half dozen times & wishes she had got the Subaru in hindsight! She does love the fact tha ther Honda CR-V is known for excellent reliability. My opinion in comparison - both cars are practical and fun to drive. I feel the Subaru has a bit better finish and a more solid feel to it. The spare belongs in the car, Honda. I'm partial to the aesthetic of the Subaru, but that too is subjective. Handling is another matter though, no subjective opinion here - the Subaru just handles better. Both need better MPG!
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