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dun and bradstreet scam text black hawk dog food bad reviews zodiac cx20 robotic pool cleaner review slim right shakes do they work rufus and coco litter reject shop smith and nobel air fryer fisher and paykel wa8560g1 reviewSubaru Forester S3 (2008-2012) has been discontinued. See all Subaru Australia Midsize / Medium SUVs.
Subaru Forester S3 (2008-2012)
PierreShellharbour NSW
- 16 reviews
S Edition for the money
Picked up a nice S Edition Foz last month. It's had some extras put into it, such as bigger intercooler, cold air intake, brembo brakes, full stainless system, upgraded coilover suspension, heavy duty front and rear sway bars and a host of other things, and it runs hard, sounds great and steers beautifully on the road. I sold a beautiful 370Z and bought this and have not regretted it in the least. In fact, the Foz is much more fun to drive, much better handling and has room for tons more things. I've pretty much driven sport's cars and nothing...Read more
else for the past 10 years, but now I've driven a Foz, I won't be buying another sport's car. They have tons of character and the S edition has plenty of poke. The seats aren't what you would call super comfy, but nor are they that bad. Air con works very well, Inbuilt satnav is nothing special No USB port 'field of vision is outstanding Stereo is good without being brilliant. My only gripe is the automatic; even though its a five speed and from a wrx, it saps a lot of the engine's performance. A six speed manual would really bring this car to life, but the S edition only comes in semi auto. Such is life. Would I reocommend a Forester? You bet! Great fun and loads of character.Purchased in August 2021 for $22,000.00.
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Kangaroo3dHunter Region, NSW
- 7 reviews
- 12 likes
$170 diagnosis fee after Takata Air Bag Recall
AirBag Recall Time: 29/09/2018
AirBag signal displayed on the instrument panel in May 2022
Airbag signal disappeared on the day 31/05/2019 when sent to 174 High Street Maitland NSW 2320
Airbag signal appeared again from 15/06/2019
I called the customer service on 21/06/2019, [name removed] gave me a quote "$170 for diagnosing the issue" and "more for fixing the issue"
I called 130 550 994 and [name removed] serviced me. [name removed] also suggested me writing an email to [email protected].
Subaru Official reply: if the airbag warning issued proved to not relating to the airbag recall, the dialog and fixing fee apply still.
My arguments are: (1) how to prove that if no airbag recall installed, the airbag warning will be on? ...Read more
(2) how to trust another review comments from the Subaru Service Centre? If you have similar issue about the airbag warning, please show your details here. So we could present our complaints to NSW Fair Trading.Purchased in July 2021.
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levinSydney, NSW
- 5 reviews
- Verified purchase
Reliable and maintainable family car
Bought it when it was 7 years old.
We used it for our family and it is always reliable.
We drove it across states, went to the snowy mountain. Never had a problem.
Purchased in December 2021.
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TaffyDubbo
- 9 reviews
- 2 likes
- Verified purchase
Best in its class
After owning a 2002 sf5 gt forester it was time for something bigger. Kids were starting to feel abit cramped. Luckily along comes the SH . Size wise it is as amazing with plenty of room for 5 adults. But after having a gt and being able to boost down the highway I needed an xt. With the 2.5l turbo out of a wrx (gt had a WRX motor with different heads and turbo) wow was I surprised when I put my foot down. Plant of power. A car that makes you smile everytime you get in. Was lucky to get the premium edition so full leather. Sun roof and sat navigation. For only $10000 with moderate is on the clock if this is the size car your after take one for a drive. I promise you wont be disappointed
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Doesn't live up to the hype!
Bought a Forester XS Premium new, and after 10 years of ownership (and 130,000kms) it has cost me far more in repairs than my old SAAB that I have owned for 20 years!! The Forester has been used every day since new, mostly around the city with the occasional country drive, and serviced religiously according to the service manual.
Apart from the frustrations of having to shift down to 3rd on any long steep hill, the car drives reasonably well, but replacing the bushes at 80,000kms, the timing belt at 110,000kms and now the head gasket, and ...Read more
recent problems with a dodgy air-conditioning unit, I'm not about to go back to Subaru for my next new car. A little on line research and talking to local mechanics has revealed that Subaru are well aware that head gasket issues are a recurring problem in the Forester, and at $3,500 to replace, a cost that is hard to swallow. So disappointed, as one of the key reasons I bought the Forester was the supposed build quality reputation, but clearly that is all marketing hype. I need to get rid of this vehicle before the next problem rears its ugly head, and a Subaru Forester will definitely NOT be on my shopping list for a new SUV in the next couple of months!Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
KatMelbourne
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
Perfect car
I brought this car in 2014 and i have been in love with it ever since. its a very fun and reliable car to drive. it is the perfect size and is very stable on the road in all road and weather conditions. I mostly use the car to commute to and from work in the city but have also been very happy using to to go on road trips up the coast in the summer months. I find this car to be very reliable and fuel efficient and would recommend a Subaru Forester to anyone :)
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SamMelbourne
- 5 reviews
Fantastic all rounder car
This is my 3rd subaru forester. I originally purchased an old SF5 as a rounaround car and fell in love with it. Since then I've upgraded to a SG9 and now a SH9 because I can't fault them.
They can handle soft off-road and quite comfortable on the highways too. Lots of legroom in front and back even with child seat.
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Gone_to_the_beachSydney
- 5 reviews
One of the most comfortable drives
Very comfortable car to drive - visibility, headroom, legroom all great. A little too responsive sometimes and expected the AWD to feel more capable but it struggles up our steep drive. Good clearance for dirt road drives though. All round very pleased with this car and felt we got the best choice.
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Emily
- 3 reviews
Love it.
Great car. Managed to take my 2008 forester on the beach, it went well for an AWD! Big interior, lovely style and quite cheap for uptake. Very good car and glad I invested in it!
The best part is how the car drives in wet weather! Never slides, and is very safe. Lots of air bags too.
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ShaynoMelbourne
- 2 reviews
Best car I've owned
Our Forester has been a great family car. The all-wheel drive makes it feel safe and sure on any surface - especially in the wet and the dirt. It's perfect for camping and touring - 12 volt in the boot and integrated roof rails are a few features that stand out. It has a killer sub-woofer under the passenger seat which was a big surprise when I bought it. Much easier to park and manoeuvre in the city than bigger SUVs!
Has been very reliable - I've driven it from 95,000 - 129,000 kms and have had no mechanical costs apart from the usual brakes,...Read more
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russy1Blayney
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
a brilliant motor vehicle
A brilliant car purchased it in October 2015 with 169,000 km on the clock and now has nearly 250,000 km on the clock. Only non maintenance item that has needed to be replaced is the clutch at 210,000 km and it was the original clutch that was replaced. I have found servicing to be very reasonable since owning it and managed to have the timing belt done for less than $800 just recently. Mind you i am not using the dealer for servicing as you don't get the same service as you would from an independent mechanic
1 comment
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Blanche R.Perth
- 8 reviews
- 9 likes
Love the Forester
Fantastic city and country car - we regularly take it camping. Havent tried it properly off road but is very comfortable on unsealed roads. Love the pilot seat, easy handling and steering. Lots of legroom in the back, even for tall family members. Very solid build and feel compared to some of the new SUVs available.
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FranJCanberra
Completely let down
We loved our 2000 Forrester so much that we didnt even consider another brand (or dealership) when it was time for a new car. This was the only car we've ever bought brand new. And we got a lemon. We were told the incredibly high oil consumption was "in spec" but I've never had to replace oil between 6 monthly services before. In desperation, after 4 years of poor performance, my father took the car to his mechanic of 30 years to get a second opinion. He identified a crack in the engine timer. The dealership indicated our extended warranty was ...Read more
now void because we had gone to another mechanic! After a battle they agreed to replace the engine timer as a show of good will, but we had to pay $2K to get the a/c working again. Now the car has consumed over 15L of oil in the 6 months since the engine timer was replaced and the a/c still isn't working properly. The size and comfort of the Forrester, plus the off road performance, remain perfect for our family. Did we just get the lemon or were these problems typical of this model? Not sure, but either way we'll never own a Subaru again!Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
LenSydney
- 5 reviews
- 1 like
Awesome Car
This is a great car that has slowly existed the wagon market and entered the SUV market. It's gotten larger but just as reliable as before. It's a great family car and has plenty of storage space for when you need to move stuff. It's very versatile and is good value for money
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geoffSydney, NSW
- 3 reviews
- 1 like
A car for all seasons.
Slightly miffed that they didn't have an auto on hand, but this car pulls like a tractor. Awesome torque, very good fuel economy, and traction control in mud and snow. A bit disappointed with the false floor over the spare wheel; nothing but gravity keeps it closed. Over bumps and humps my extra equipment tends to jump about. I gave up dealer servicing due to apparent extreme costs of filters. Would certainly purchase another one.
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NickLake Marmal
- 4 reviews
- 4 likes
Very reliable.vehicle
My introduction to cruise control which was lucky because I always found that I was travelling about twenty k's faster than I should because the forester drove so well. Minimal wind noise at speed the car handled really well and there was always power under the peddle when passing on the highway. In the three years I owned and it was already two years old it needed no extra work or parts outside normal servicing.
To be honest I thought Subaru's were toy cars especially the WRX'rs until I actually bought one. I was looking for a second hand S...Read more
UV and it was the best value for money on Cars.com.au. This model MY2009 is the last with a dual transfer case which for those who don't know means you can manually put it into low gearing suitable for off road. Round town it was a delight to drive. Very sad to get rid of my Forester but I needed a ute. One of the best SUV's out there both in terms of performance and style.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
KiwigirlPerth
- 10 reviews
Good on Pick up
I find the car handles well even in the wet, has very little road noise.
the interior is stream lined and comfortable, the glove box could be a little bigger. Would be good if it could have a usb port in the back
Also for the reserving camera a beep noise would also be useful.
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EileenForrestMelbourne
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
amazing vehicle
One of the most reliable vehicles, i have always owned a subaru the performance of the vehicle and reliability of the car is next to none. Petrol and maintenance on this vehicle is 10/10 for a turbo engine the fuel holds it value, luxury at its finest. If you are considering any vehicle that you dont need to spend thousands on and it will last forever this is the car for you
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Kathryn ByrneSydney, NSW
- 8 reviews
Subaru = reliable, poweful 4 cyl
We purchased our Subaru Forester AWD, brand new, back in 2011 - it was our THIRD Subaru Forester (the other two being company-owned cars) and we have every intention of purchasing another one in a couple of years. We honestly believe that it is the best recreational AWD on the road ... totally reliable, quiet engine, comfortable roomy interior and is one of the most powerful Big 4cyl vehicles on the road ... can go from 0 to 70 kph in seconds! I absolutely LOVE Subaru and even though it doesn't have the clearance required for serious 4WDrivin...Read more
g on roads such as the Canning Stock Route or through the bull dust on the Cape York Peninsular, we have taken our Subaru on countless outback dirt roads (such as the Darling River Run, the Birdsville Track and up through Tibooburra, Wombeyan Caves road and from Sydney to Perth detouring on dozens of bouncy dirt roads along the way) without a hitch! We get our Subaru serviced every six months and have not had a single thing go wrong with it in six years! I thoroughly recommend this car for 4WD enthusiasts - especially women who find the larger 4WD sedans (like the Nissan Patrol) too big and cumbersome. The only negative I can say about Subaru is that it only takes Premium Unleaded which can be pretty expensive to fill (often around $70+ to fill the car) but, at least, it gets good mileage if the car is regularly maintained.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
jammmmes
- 4 reviews
My car
The car drives well and is generally reliable. The electronics are excellent, including reverse camera and satnav, as well as aux input. Fuel economy sits around 9L / 100km for city driving. The only issue is consumption of engine oil, which requires a top-up of about 1L every 1500 kms, which is unfortunate.
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Questions & Answers
Sophie M.asked
Hey.
Im looking into buying a 2010 Subaru Forester MY10 2.0D 6 Speed Manual Wagon. It has 285,000 kms on the clock though. Turbo diesel model. Has anyone had any issues with this model? Or has one with similar kms'? Has a lot of km's and thats my only con to the car really! Just trying to see if its worth it or not.
4 answers
That’s a lot of kms and turbos can be expensive to repair and replace. Unless u get the car for next to nothing I wouldnt buy it, it’s a big risk
Also I would suggest that such high KMS would mean the engine would be very old and tired and towards the end of its life, car had probably been thrashed.Definitely worth paying a bit more and get one with lower KMS AND NON TURBO! I wouldn’t pay more than $1000 for it
If highway kms and well serviced, (and the DPF could be a pain on these ( Diesel particulate filter))and if a low price could be plenty of life left. Diesel buyers are typically not hoons, tend to look after their cars, generally. I have seen cars with 200,000 kms that were in incredible condition. Get a independent mechanical inspection, peruse Forester owner forums, then decide.
Holly21asked
Hi
I am considering buying a 2012 XT. Does anyone have this model and has 3 child booster seats in the back row? I currently have a 2013 Kia Rondo, but feel let down by many things. It claims you can fit 3 across no worries, which I guess is true. However with booster seats, there is very little room to plug in the seatbelts. I have to do it (and it hurts my hand every time) for my girls as they can't do it on their own. My eldest kept accidentally unbuckling the middle booster seat because she cannot see the buckles when she reaches in.
Can anyone help?
1 answer
Hi,
I don't know as i've never tried it but I do know there is quite a lot of leg room and space in the rear seating area which is why we bought this model as we had teenage boys. The only way to be sure is to measure the amount of space three booster seats take up and take a tape measure with you when you look at one to compare if it is big enough. Good luck.
bowlerkeith15asked
Dose anyone know where I can get a new (recon) motor for my 2008 SH Subaru.and how much.I live in country NSW.
No answers
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russy1
I still have this car. Just reached 300,000 km and still going strong