By Randy Wades
The Subaru Forester has been a trusted nameplate in the compact SUV segment since its inception in 1997. With its combination of practicality, reliability, and versatility, it has won the hearts of millions of customers worldwide and stands out as one of the most sought-after models in the used car market. Now, in 2023, many late-model Subarus are tired and committed to the life of a daily driver or beater car.
Such is the tale for this 2006 Subaru Forester, affectionately known as ‘Beatrice’. After rolling off the lot in 2006 and spending 203k miles shuttling the husband of a Massachusetts Author around, this little Forester fell into the hands of our head writer, Nathan Bagster.
For over a year now, Bagster has been tinkering away at the Subaru, making small improvements with general maintenance and proper car care. “When I first got her, there was a pretty bad misfire. I went ahead and did my usual new car tune-up job - change the oil, replace the air filter, check the plugs, that sort of thing. I wasn’t the least bit surprised when I found two burnt-out plugs, one of which was missing the diode. Hence, misfire.”
Bagster went on to describe some of the other basic maintenance he had performed, including draining and replacing the burnt transmission fluid, checking the differentials, replacing the tires, etc. “For the most part, the car was in reasonable shape, especially having sat in the previous owner’s driveway for a year.”
When asked how he came about the car, Bagster mentioned that it was a simple stroke of luck. “I had been going to these virtual writers meetings for a little while. I mentioned that I was looking for a car and one of the folks there just happened to be trying to get rid of her late husband’s Subaru. It was perfect.”
He then talked about the specifics of the car.
Beatrice, a base model Forester X, comes with a standard 2.5 liter H4 engine, that is rated at a whopping 173 Horsepower. That number is put to the ground through an automatic 4-speed transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system that provides decent traction and stability in all weather conditions.
When it comes to carving up the road, the car is fairly average: bouncy and bobby when weaving around corners, if not a bit top-heavy, which Bagster mentioned he planned to improve upon.
“This summer I’m going to try and fabricate front and rear strut towers, mainly to say I did it. Anyone can drop a couple hundred on parts, I’m in the phase of wrenching where I want to try fabbing stuff. Besides, she’s never going to be a race car, I just want to improve my experience.” He then mentioned plans for replacement struts and looking into beefier sway bars, including some potential weight reduction of the interior.
In terms of features and advantages, he says Beatrice provides practicality, with a Walmart CD player, older heated seats, and plenty of storage space, the car does what it needs it to do. ”With the rear seats folded down, there’s plenty of room to transport groceries, luggage, that sort of thing. But ultimately, I’m a big dude, and this is a small car, so it doesn’t really excel at comfort.
At the end of the day, Bagster appreciates his daily driver and seems to treat it fairly well, so it sounds like the 2006 Subaru Forester is practical, reliable, and enjoyable. Bagster claims it has some fairly balanced driving dynamics, and coupling that with the ample cargo area, we think if you're looking for a compact SUV that can handle anything life throws at it, the 2006 Forester is an excellent choice. Go get ‘em, Beatrice!
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