Mine, fully affiliated. Way more information can be found here, but the basics are:
2008 Forester, 167k, manual trans
Leather interior, heated seats, sunroof, cruise, etc etc
New head gaskets/timing belt/rear main seal/plugs/coolant/any other minor seals that looked suspect. I did all the mechanical work on it - I'll leave it up to you if that goes in the pro or con column for the car.
Craigslist Ad Here
Some minor scrapes and dings, but in good general condition. If I were to keep it I'd probably do a minor suspension overhaul, but I'll leave that to the next owner. Would make a great rallycross car, or a bad weather daily. It can stay in the driveway a while if needed, but I'd like to get it out of here.
5k to GRM.
Buyer fell through, so it's back on Craigslist with a new higher price.
Local shop took a look at it and quoted him 3k+ for new shocks all around (original to the car), a slightly seeping axle seal (probably worth doing if you're pulling all the suspension off, but otherwise not a big deal), rear brakes in the near future and some small things that I've already taken care of like a radiator cap and upper radiator hose. Nothing critical, especially for this crowd.
Still 5k for GRM.
This is a great deal in todays market.
Also, this is the reason I refuse to let anyone take a car I'm selling (say sub $5k) to a mechanic for a PPI. It always ends in the situation you describe. The mechanic always finds thousands in things that may or may not actually need fixed. You then look like an a-hole. It's a used car. Test drive it and take it or leave it.
Yeah, it's annoying but what can you do. One of the service writers at the shop expressed some interest, so it may actually turn into a sale!
Absolutely a great deal, I'm on the wrong side of the country and even I've been thinking about it.
Not the most thrilling vehicle to do a cross country fly and drive, but I'd have no concerns about making it home!
