I've been glancing at locals and came across a 99' Forester with 140k miles with heated seats and mirrors, auto and cloth. Anything particularly goofy with that year? Obvious stuff like timing belt and head gaskets, I'm aware of. Anything else I'd need to be concerned with off the bat?

1999 is one year only for a few things, and it's a good thing. 1999 uses a MAF instead of a MAP sensor. It does not use an air assist injector system which is really good. Beyond that it's pretty much the same as 2000-2002 mechanically. Heated seats and mirrors usually means cold weather package and that would come on an "S" model meaning disc brakes and viscous rear diff

I've got a 2000 that I picked up with a blown motor (turns out they don't run great on no oil). Put a reman'd engine in it and now use it as my daily driver. I love it. The glass headlight lenses are nice, as they are still clear. 140k you'll want to make sure it's had timing belt, plugs, and other basic maint stuff.

It also has the Phase II SOHC engine instead of the DOHC that has internal head gasket leaks

99's have two very specific issues to mostly that year only, fortunately they both have easy fixes:

1. the speedometer/odometer will fail.  repair solder joint or swap in another cluster

2. delayed engagement into drive - this is the one time where an additive is a great solution - Auto Trans-X is a nearly 100% success rate option to avoid repair.  change ATF and add that.  repeat in 2-3 years if necessary. 

 

those early fosters often need rear wheel bearings as well. 

 

other than that - yes it's your standard EJ vehicle - EJ engine, EJ trans, suspension, brakes, et.al.

1999 "S" would NOT have the VLSD rear diff.  Only 2000+ models got that.

 

Also, the clocks have a bad soldier joint that often needs to be repaired.  Many how-to articles on that.

Edited August 23, 20178 yr by carfreak85