# 1998 Subaru Forester on the fritz

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-forester-on-the-fritz/54346>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** subaru, forester\
**Created:** [August 29, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-forester-on-the-fritz/54346 "2010-08-29T18:02:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![magpiesage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@magpiesage](https://community.cartalk.com/u/magpiesage)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-forester-on-the-fritz/54346/1 "2010-08-29T18:02:48Z")

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My 1998 Subaru Forester has 111 K and the head gasket is blown out. i think i also need new rotors which are warped. the according to KBB is in fair/good condition and is worth probably only about 3 grand. I haven’t had a car payment in 5 years and love it. The mechanic who seems reliable and was referred by a friend gave me an estimate for the head gasket for approx 1500 dollars. i haven’t gotten a price on the rotors yet.  
  
  
  
 Would it be better to fix my old car that is not worth very much? OR cut my losses and buy a new car??? HELP!

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**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-forester-on-the-fritz/54346/2 "2010-08-29T18:24:43Z")

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If you like the car and no coolant got in the antifreeze, I would keep it and save the payments. Also, you save on insurance. New rotors and brake pads are cheap. They are routine mtc.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1998-subaru-forester-on-the-fritz/54346/3 "2010-08-29T19:09:00Z")

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“If you like the car and no coolant got in the antifreeze…”

I believe that he meant to say that if no coolant got into the motor oil, the engine is still likely to be in decent shape.

Take a very careful look at the dipstick. If the oil looks like a chocolate milkshake, that indicates coolant/water contamination of the motor oil, and that the engine’s days are numbered.