2024 04 10

313109 km

• Tie rod ends.

2024 04 11

313350 km

• Wheel alignment.

2024 09 06

321058 km

• Engine oil change (Castrol Edge LL 5W30),
• Air filter replacement,
• Cabin air filter replacement,
• Rear brake pad installation kit,
• Rear brake discs,
• Rear brake pads.

2024 10 07

322133 km

• Rear suspension springs (KYB RC6431),
• Rear shock absorbers (KYB 334344, KYB 334345),
• Rear shock absorber mounting kit,
• Rear longitudinal control arm bushing,
• Right front window regulator motor.

I made this – “Hype Distribution System”. Maybe someone will spot them out in the wild.

There’s something pleasing about stickers, almost like graffiti, acting as a barometer of a city’s vibe. I really do like them both.

The Forester also got some attention. After 320,000 km, the SLS shocks were put aside and replaced with a new set of KYB — shocks, springs, strut mounts, and covers. And that’s when things started to snowball. While I was at it, I also did the rear brake discs and pads, pressed in new bushings for the rear control arm, and since I was going all in, I even replaced the driver’s window motor, as it was on its last legs. And that’s not all; I took a look under the car and noticed that the engine mount crossmembers need replacing as well. I have sourced them already and they are waiting to be fitted.

Last year, the Impreza got a dedicated STI strut brace. It looks really nice, and I think that’s the most important thing. Whether it actually makes a difference is another matter. Anyway, here are before/after shots:

An up shot from the change of the strut bars is that I ended up with a slightly worn-out bar, which was just perfect for Forester:

On Saturday, with the temperature nearly at 25°C, Forek finally got its summer tires. Back in February, during the MOT, the mechanic mentioned that the tie rod ends were slowly wearing out, so Tomek and I decided to replace them. Surprisingly, it went pretty smoothly; the locknut bolts cooperated without much persuasion.

Sometimes we wander around northwestern Poland, usually by bikes. A few months ago, I noticed a large, unused railway siding in the middle of the forest. I thought to myself: “This is a place worth remembering when the white stuff starts falling from the sky”. Some time passed, the stars aligned perfectly: Forester, Tomek, I, and the snow found ourselves in the right place at the right time. Here’s the result of a good few minutes with AT locked in 1st gear, starting from virgin powder, to this:

2023 09 25

305969 km

• Engine oil change (Castrol Edge LL 5W30),
• Fuel filter replacement,
• Air filter replacement,
• Cabin air filter replacement,
• Spark plug replacement (NGK Iridium).

After all those Impreza Rust Diaries, it’s finally Forester’s turn for some love. This week, it’s time for an oil change, and since the mileage is steadily increasing, the spark plugs were also due for replacement, as per the book.

For the record, at 305969km:

A wee anniversary.

Rumour has it that I was once a forester myself, but whether that’s true or not, we’ll never know – nonetheless, it gives some clue as to why a Forester. Moving on, we all know that the pre-facelift SG models are the most beautiful, and that the 2C6 (Green mica/Gray mat) is the best color for them*.

And why this particular one? I searched for a long time and tried to be reasonable, as one does when buying a car that could walk into a pub and legally ask for a pint. The Swiss gentleman diligently collected stamps from his local dealership, changed the oil when needed, and in general, it was clear he liked his Forester. The seller even went out of his way to provide many underside photos (I encourage you to browse listings on the web – it’s rare to see this), so I thought: I have to go and at least check it out.

I once drove a USDM Hawk, though that story is for another day; a bit sad and a bit happy. But what’s important is the boost gauge that was in that Impreza: Lamco. In my opinion, it doesn’t really match the Hawk with its beautiful crimson-red Feng-shui, but I remember thinking: “Hm, in the Forester, that would look really good.” I kept it at the back of my mind thinking about it from time to time, and when, a few months later, a similar one showed up on eBay, I clicked on “Buy it now” without much hesitation. The installation is very simple and well-described at blingstorm.

Yes, but probably not today, though maybe?

My mild OCD made itself known when I noticed that not all the indicators were properly illuminated. I embarked on a crusade in emerald green. It turned out that all the issues could be solved with three types of bulbs:

• W5W for the gauges - larger ones
• R5/T5 for the gauges - smaller ones
• T3 for the buttons

A pleasant surprise was that the problem with the infamous rubber caps that change the backlighting color is perfectly solved with colored bulbs. Two evenings later, the Forester looked like a Christmas tree:

The Forester arrived in the land of the Vistula River with a highly advanced car audio system. Unfortunately, the level of sophistication was negatively correlated with the car’s age. And so, the CD changer module integrated with the Clarion navigation system (which must have been a futuristic device some 20 years ago) was replaced with a modest storage compartment, and the radio was upgraded with a Bluetooth dongle. That was the best 50 PLN I’ve ever spent, without a moment’s hesitation. It was completely plug-and-play with the factory unit, powered via quick-connects from the cigarette lighter wires, and with the AUX option added to the radio settings, the driving experience improved tremendously. The only thing I regret a bit is not trusting Chinese technology enough to buy the version without a microphone.

Yes, at the beginning, there was the Forester. If I had to describe this car in one sentence: “A perfect car (except for all its flaws).” After nearly 2 years and 40,000 km together, I still can’t get over how good it is. If I ever manage to find the golden rod bearing that allows me to fulfill three wishes (take that, Aladdin), one of them will be for a time travel. To Basel, the year will be 2002, the roads will once again be ruled by the like of Octavia MK1, Golf MK4, and I, for the first time in my life, will have a “2” in front of my age, and I shall walk into the Emil Frey showroom. And there, the Subaru Forester 2.0 XT 4AT — what a car!

2022 02 16

276131 km

• Engine oil change (Castrol Edge LL 5W30),
• Fuel filter replacement,
• Air filter replacement,
• Cabin air filter replacement,
• Transmission oil change (ATF Dexron 3),
• Transmission oil filter replacement,
• Front and rear differential oil change (Motul 75W90),
• Timing belt kit replacement with water pump,
• Repair of threads on timing belt rollers and tensioner using Helicoil (3x),
• Timing belt shaft limiter,
• Timing belt seal replacement,
• Right valve cover gasket seal replacement,
• Replacement of steering rack bushings,
• Replacement of turbocharger actuator hoses connector,
• Front Lambda Oxygen sensor replacement.

2022 03 18

277752 km