I was told to go and get something more practical
So I did, a Subaru Foreter 2.5XT with all the bells and whistles inc. a forged engine, running at the moment at about 265BHP so no slouch that's for sure more details to follow.......
Just thought I'd share this with you to get the juices flowing, it's certanly guzzels plenty of the stuff But then my annual milage is piffaling so it's not much to worry about there. I'll update this thread with the very comprehensive history and substantial upgrades it's recieved soon.

Very nice!!

Sounds like you got a Great Car. So nearly bought one of these before Coupe.

I can see the appeal, that's very Q!

Is it much heavier than the equivalent Subaru of the age?

No, with a WRX saloon 2.5 Impreza weighing in at about 1425kg, and my Forester at about 1460kg there's not much in it. It probably weighs less now, as it no longer has the heavy self levelling suspension set up fitted as standard. Plus it has 5 good seats and a good practical load space. Volume of air weighs very little

Nice choice sir. Better than a Mazda ;-)

Now that comment will stir up the nest! But hey, isn't that what forums are all about? Personal opinions?
The Forester certainly weighs less, 1460kg v 1616kg for the Mazda.

P.S. Thanks Davie + others

I like it , very nice .

Agreed, beats the Bongo hands down

Right, chew on this lot, I hope it doesn't give you indigestion

Subaru Forester 2.5 XT

75,000 miles
Full Subaru service history – oil changed every 6 months regardless of milage, all the development work and upgrades by Cross Roads Garage in Tredington, Warwickshire, (multiple award winning Subaru dealer).
Black Obsidian mica paint - only ever hand washed with Autoglym products
Black leather interior, heated front seats
Satellite navigation
Moonroof (extra large sunroof – double the norm)
Cruise control
Stainless steel cargo bumper cover
Bluetooth Subaru/Delphi handsfree kit

Spec includes:
2007 Development Prodrive Performance Pack, 0 – 62mph of 5.5 seconds, 260bhp, and 370nm torque. Prodrive P1 WRC 18” wheels, Whiteline ARB’s front and back, with Whiteline “Gold” drop links. Prodrive front stone deflectors, Goodridge braided metal front brake hoses, upgraded Ferodo friction material, performance foam air filter and roof spoiler. Prodrive driving lamps, rear track spacers (2.5mm per wheel = 5mm in total).

2010 Development:
After much talking with the guys at Crossroads, we came up with this specification and in September 2010 we remodeled the car again:- Prodrive (Alcon) 330mm Grooved discs with 4 pot callipers (front brakes). Prodrive GT1 18” wheels, AST lowered fast road adjustable coilover suspension, Whiteline rear arms, upgraded rear friction material and silver painted rear callipers, removable tow bar (never used), rear window tints, aero blade wipers, body mopped & polished and a full Auotglym Lifeshine treatment.
The car has had a full new clutch at 52,000 miles, a new battery last year, new rear wheel bearings at around 60,000 miles and full under body anti corrosion treatments by the book.

2012 Development:
Engine professionally rebuilt in May 2012, by API (a leading Subaru specialist), featuring Super Tech forged pistons, ACL race main bearings, improved flow head gaskets, ARP 11mm cylinder head studs, modified oil pump and new cam belt and radiator.

Extras Supplied with sale of vehicle
Supplied with roof bars and an additional set of 18” Prodrive P1-WRC rims.
The car is taxed until the end of March 2013, MOT expires 22nd September 2013 and is sitting on brand new full set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyres, a full set of spare bulbs for continental travel and a full set of fuses just in case! A set of Whiteline “Gold” front drop links, some spare oil from the engine re-build Co. A spare set of wipers and spare number plates.


So what d'you think then?

very nice mate,do like that

It's been loved and had some £££ spent on it, great find! It looks like a hard as nails hearse to me, you could convert it and market it to die-hard Scooby fans for 'the last warble' (TM)

Hmmmm, now that's an idea
I've always been a bit of an entrepeneur, that idea might just work
Limited royalties apply Pinin
You're not the first to comment upon it's likeness to a hearse, I think I prefer, "Private Ambulance" do I get some lights & sirens then?
I think I'd need some good straps though

There are certainly some bargains out there at the moment. Cars like these aren't loved given the fuel consumption and road tax. Impressive spec and great for the winter!

Yeah, I think we'll gloss over the MPG! Just after a set of winter tyres for the spare set of 18" P1 WRC Rims, then nothing will stop me
We live on a hill, so snow, is snow joke

Very smart, I like these!

Well Ross,

It certain is wolf in sheep's clothing (or something similar!). It is a practical sleeper I just hope I recognise it when we're both on the A24 and I'll make a point of not chasing you!!, there probably isn't enough road space at those speeds between the two 60 mph camaras?

400+bhp next year? Still keeping the coupe?

Hope to see it soon,
Chris

Well I've already managed to pick an STI sized under bonnet intercooler, but I'd like to keep it pretty standard and sensible just make it breath easier. The standard turbos are good for 300bhp, it has a Prodive ECU & back box. I'd like to get a better exhaust for it. A full Miltek system with race cat is over a grand, so that will have to wait Maybe a Longlife cat back to back box system might be the ticket? But I think 300bhp would be a more realistic target. It is after all my 2nd car So does that answer the Coupe keep question?

smart!

Not driven it much lately got the headlights out to re-firb them as they were just starting to cloud over in places. Plus added silver indictor bulbs, Osram Nighbreakers in and new side lights as they were badly smoked internally (see front on pic) all of which is a light out job! also grill out, ohh and not forgetting the headlight trim too! I've also mocked up the front grill without chrome just to see if it looks meaner
Thanks for all the positive comments, I'm chuffed too

Looks a very good and unique example Ross - another like from me

And from me - good work.

Lights re-installed, 100 mile round trip to Alton and back in the pitch black of night, OOhhh, what good light these Foresters have, dip beam excellent, Thanks Mr.Osram Main beam, it's like daylight with those Prodrive Hella driving lights OMG Watch out Audi & Merc drivers! Time to get my own back
The grill looks better in black and the side lights are now a pale shade of white I'm unsure whether to leave the grill fins grey? As I plan to highlight the front and rear scuttles on the bumpers in a metal shade of silver or wrap them. I'm undecided, so opinions please

I quite like the chrome!

I'm installing a set of projector HID's into my 54 plate WRX estate, easy to do with yours too.

Duffy, I'd seen the projector kit on the Forester Forum, is that the US one? The cost was a bit ouch! I'd be interested to know how you get on with your installation.
I'll post pics of the mocked up front and rear soon. I've done the front with temp duck tape and I think it looks better in black but that's just me I need to clean the car to mock up the front and rear scuttles, so that's a waste of time at the moment. Osrams have got to come out one of them has become unwelded (lamp from holder) Also I don't like the light spread from them, They're bright but a bit dazzeling for oncoming vehicles. I'll get a set of my fave Phillips Extremes they are a much tighter pattern and wont fall apart!
Winter tyres on this weekend is the priority, Goodyear Winter 4D's - Bring on the snow!!!

Did it on Sunday, really easy, especially splitting the lamps, it's a blob eye so I de-tangoed it as well.

The lights are awesome, they are bi-xenon and pop up and down with main beam.

Same kit as this, albeit bought second hand on fleabay (unused however)
Didn't connect the angel eyes. they don't do it for me. Excellent beam pattern also!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-HID-Bi-Xen...=item3369899a28

SOTW

I really like this car Pondman - very nice indeed! Update perhaps?

OK just for you Phil, oh and anybody else who's interested

So after much agonising over an annoying misfire, new MAF, no change, new Lambda, no change, new upgaraded spark plugs, no change, alternative coil packs, no change. I finally resorted to a concentrated injector cleaner which temporarily improved things. So one set of low mileage injectors later (Ebay) and a postal trip to Mr Injector (I can thoroughly recomend his service ) I had 4 sparkly 440cc injectors now flowing at 515cc. I don't know how that happened? But maybe JDM Yellow top injectors flow more than UK spec yellow top injectors, don't know, don't care! they just sorted the misfire, well at least they did after I'd releaved the hydraulic fuel lock from one of the cylinders after the fuel rail had drained into it

I then spent the best part of a weekend mopping the car getting it to a pretty good standard then sealing the paintwork. I never wanted a black car, and now I know why

Next it was a full fluid change, both gearbox and rear diff Gulf Racing 75w 90 then engine oil Gulf Racing 10w 40 and of course all associated filters, actually I used a late RX7 oil filter as they are ment to be better than the Forester spec. ones

Oh, have I previously mentioned the Milltek Turbo back 3" exhaust to the Prodrive back box I'd had fitted early in my tenure? anyway, it's got that too! Plus I needed to get what they call the "up pipe" changed from the factory one which has a restrictive cat in it. Believe it or not, the Forester exhaust has 3 catalytic converters in it and 2 lambda sensors! what a faf! anyway it now only has 1 Milltek race cat in it now. And boy it breathes a whole lot better now.

After all that work it was about as far as I could go, so last week I travelled up to Tractive Solutions in Melton Mowbray for two days work (nice pies by the way) for the final bit of attention.
ECU mapping, further breathing improvements and a geometry setup. They fitted a good 2nd hand Forester STi TMIC + associated pipes and diverter/re-circ valve. Solid Whiteline front drop links and an amazing geometry set up that has me grinning from ear to ear each time I push into a corner. They then took the car out for the best part of half a day sorting the ECU map out. and Oh boy what a job they've done! Even on just the standard turbo, it just pulls all the way from 1500 to 5000rpm, ok, so it runs out of puff there, but belive me you've done what you need to do by the time you have got to that number and if you haven't then it was the wrong move in the first place! if you get my meaning

Suffice to say it's a real hoot to drive now, by god it's quick for a fairly standard set-up, the problem is that I have to keep taking the long-quick way home