Used 2013 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
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2013 Subaru Forester, flower dropping its petals.
Bill in NE Ohio, 04/15/2018
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
49 of 50 people found this review helpful
Purchased new in Fall of 2012. Was looking for a car that checked quite a few boxes, AWD, good fuel economy, mid size, roof rack, trailer hitch etc. The Forester met quite a varied list, some of them quite well, some not. This review comes after almost 6 years of heavy use (168K as of this writing). First, the good; pretty good mileage all things considered, exactly 1 mpg less that the dash readout- I keep a detailed spreadsheet of fuel and mileage costs for my business. It's glued to the road like nothing I've driven. It did everything I asked it to, hauled extension ladders and trailers etc. Now the bad: Oil consumption. How does a quart every 1K sound? Don't let anyone tell you that's normal. My car had reached 100K when the consumption test notice came. I got an $80 check for extra oil, laughable. I spare the details here, but you'd benefit yourself to google Subaru/Oil Consumption, it's a defect they're well aware of. Noisy as hell, more cabin noise than a Jeep Wrangler (top up), passengers often comment on the noise. I added Dynamat soundproofing material throughout with little success- it took away noise outside but did nothing for road/chassis noise. The materials used match the price, average at best; most easily scratched paint of any car I've ever had, carpet hard to clean, the laminated leather seating won't age gracefully like a vintage 60's car, this stuff will split and delaminate where thin but that is probably true of most contemporary cars. So, would I buy another? No. It served me well but I hung on to it a bit too long and I'm now replacing parts at an increasing alarming rate. I usually do my own work so I'm not spending as much as someone who would pay a mechanic, but I've done wheel bearings twice (very difficult due to corrosion here in the NE, garages may charge $300-$400 for one alone), just put in my second set of front transaxles and fixed numerous lesser items, but the oil consumption is the real big deal. Word is getting out about it and it will damage the Subaru brand and reputation for years to come. Be very, very wary of the oil consumption issues for the model you are buying, do your research. Another reason for my answer of no on buying another is that I never really loved this car. I'm a car guy, I've had foreign and domestic, cargo vans, vintage American steel and European sports cars, from Jeeps to Triumphs, I just never felt connected to this car, it was like a rental, getting the job done but always aware that I made a bunch of compromises to be practical. As a car guy, being practical is a jagged pill to swallow! Although they have successfully marketed the cars as long lasting, it's not all blue skies for Subaru owners.
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Trashy Tranny
Bob Carroll, 09/11/2016
updated 03/27/2017
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
41 of 43 people found this review helpful
My 2013 Subaru seemed wonderful at first. The first problem I noticed was large oil consumption. It is using approx 1 quart of oil every 1300 miles. The dealer has been doing oil checks but nothing happens. The car now has 36,000 miles and the transmission has leaked fluid all over my driveway and the neighboring roads. I have owned a 2002 forester previously and this car was rarely a problem. Someone crashed into its rear at a rather high rate of speed with my entire family in it. No one was hurt! This is why I bought the 2013 Forester. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to think my latest purchase is a lemon. I am worried that the oil consumption is going to destroy my catalytic converter ($2,000) and I fear being stranded with another transmission leak. Needless to say I am very disappointed in this purchase. I will wait to see what Subaru does about these huge problems and let everyone know how it goes. It has been two months since Subaru repaired the transmission fluid lines. Unfortunately, another leak developed. This leak occurred in the radiator. The Forester cools the fluid by running it through the radiator. This is where the leak occurred the 2nd time. I fear that the transmission may have been damaged but I will see. I'm certain that a 3rd problem would qualify this car in the Lemon Law category.
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Short people need NOT beware..
C, 12/15/2015
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I'm 4 ft 9" , yes you read that right lol. This car is awesome for someone who loves the great outdoors and also need an everyday car. The seats lift up manually on the passenger and drivers seats. The steering wheel is very nice, seats are very comfortable. The inside is spacious, and the auto headlights are very handy. My only regret is how much the dog hair shows on my black seats! Brakes work fantastic, the value is really good. The stereo is basic but still nice. The ride is decently smooth, and the interior noise could also be better, but again overall this car is awesome. I got the 2013 once my 99' forester died and I would absolutely purchase it again!
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Great Value
reddog19, 03/14/2013
updated 09/15/2016
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful
This is our first Subaru. We sold our 2000 Honda CRV, which we loved, and thought the Forester provided the best value among the competition. Initially our best gas mileage was about 22 during a half hour commute, but after our first oil change it rose to 24.5 on the commuting run which is more acceptable. There are no blind spots with this vehicle and it drives great. The AWD is as good, if not better, than my Silverado truck. It scales my steep driveway covered with 4" of snow and ice with ease, something the CRV had trouble doing. It is a nice looking car that we hope will serve us as well as the CRV. The base vehicle with alloy wheel package is a great value compared to the others
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Oil Burner Fixed by Subaru
B. Addison, 02/18/2016
updated 05/06/2016
2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
41 of 46 people found this review helpful
Bought a 2013 Forester new for my daughter. It consumed oil right from the start. Presently has 55,000 miles and uses one quart every 1300 miles. Will be taking it to dealer for their assessment. Assuming they give me a runaround, will probably trade it in. Wonder how many other Subarus out there have a similar problem. So watch out . Will update this if they make it right. Update: 5/4/2016 Dealer did not give me a runaround. Dealer suggested a 1200 mile oil consumption test. They measured 1.5 quarts used in 1200 miles. This qualified for new short-block which the dealer installed. No cost to me. Currently we are doing our own mileage test to see if the new short-block made any difference. She now has about 600 miles on the new block and I will update this post when we get more miles. The dealership in this case has been extremely helpful and I give Subaru credit for standing behind this problem. Hopefully the short-block solves the problem. Update: 5/5/2016 Good news. I got a chance to check the oil level on my daughter's car. Since the new short block was installed she has driven 1800 miles. The oil level on the dipstick has gone down 1/4 of an inch from where I first measured it. If this rate of consumption holds, I will consider that the problem has been solved. At this rate she should not have to add oil between oil changes at 4000 miles. And if this rate of consumption holds, my faith in Subaru will have been restored and I would consider buying another one.
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