Hey Scotty!
Hope all is well and you are doing great! I am considering two vehicles for purchase and I wanted to hear your advice.
- Option 1: 2008 Scion xB with 116,500 miles (5 Speed Manual) $5,500
- Option 2 2010 Subaru Forester with 89,680 miles (5 Speed Manual) $6,300
Both are private party vehicles and the prices are negotiable.
I live in Chicago and while AWD isn't an absolute must, it would be nice to have. The Scion has new brakes, tires, as well as suspension parts replaced in addition to the serpentine belt. The only concern I have is regarding the issue with oil burning in this Toyota Engine.
The Subaru owner said he replaced the timing belt not long ago, but I am unaware of other maintenance done previously other than oil changes and tire rotations.
My mechanic said he will check out both cars if I want.
Any thoughts or suggestions on which one I should go with?
I would not consider the Forester unless there is documentation that the head gaskets have been replaced. However, if the Scion has the 2AZ-FE engine you don't want that one either due to the oil burning problem. This may well be a situation where the answer is "none of the above".
Sound Advice. I did also find a 2009 Subaru Forester and the Timing Belt, Head Gaskets, and other maintenance have been completed for $7250. It is a private seller as well but it also has an automatic transmission which I know isn't as reliable as the 5-speed manual version...
If the Scion u are looking at has the 2.4L 4 cylinder and the Forester has an engine that's burning oil or the head gasket is on its way out, I would buy neither. If the Scion had anything else other than the 2.4, go ahead and buy the Scion. If the Subaru was all good engine-wise and everything else is good, it can be a decent car since it's a manual and AWD is their strong suit. If you really want AWD and the extra practicality, buy the Forester, otherwise, go with the Scion.
Personally, I prefer the Forester for where I live (Toronto, Canada), but the Scion being a Toyota product can still be good if it doesn't have the 2.4 engine.
The Scion does have the 2.4 liter engine.
The second Subaru Forester has the timing belt, water pump and head gaskets replaced but it is an automatic. It has been serviced every 30,000 miles though with new fluids. What are your thoughts?
How many miles? It's a 4-speed "4EAT" automatic transmission built by Subaru but based on a 1980s Jatco design. Subarus with this transmission have a reputation for poor fuel economy. I'd be wary of it, especially if the car has over 100,000 miles on it.
It has 134,000 miles
Just get the Scion. I have the same engine, it's fine. Like Scotty says, "oil is cheap." Much better than the Subaru issues in my opinion.
