You will wake up early just to drive your Subaru

Rogers Jethro Sabitii has owned his Subaru Forester Cross Sport 2007, which he bought at Shs38.5m for the last six months. He smiles when he lists the reasons why he loves his ride.

“Its reliability, safety, affordability, standard all-wheel drive, and impressive fuel economy are commendable. Subarus are designed to be all-purpose cars, from being a daily car, to using it to take my children to school to being that weekend-long upcountry car. They are built to last and I would not exchange it for anything,” he says.

Speeds

Designed as rally cars, Sabitii loves the fact that his Subaru comes with all-wheel drive. Available transmissions include five-speed manual and four-speed automatic.

“I love all it offers from the slight resistance in the accelerator pedal, the bounce-back of the clutch, the thunk of the gear shifting, and the purring of an engine. It is about all the feedback the car offers from the steering, the tyres, and the chassis (Power),” he shares.

Unique factor

While there are so many Subaru Forester models, for Sabitii, the beauty about his 2007 model is the boldness it has like it is about to attack. Then there are the offset wheels, and turbo sounds while in power boost.  Sabitii keeps his car in top-notch condition by servicing it every three months at a cost of Shs380,000 per service.

Spare parts

He is also very keen on where he buys his spare parts from.

“If you need something, you just need to keep your eyes open. Nonetheless, desist from trial and error. You never know what part you will lose in the name of getting your car fixed. To avoid any unwanted damage and theft, I joined a Subaru group called Subaru Forester Fraternity where members ship in spare parts at a reasonable cost. There is also a place in Katwe, Kampala, called the Subaru Park where you can get genuine parts without having to wait for a part to get shipped in,” he shares.

Sabitii says some parts are quite costly. For example, a tail light can cost as much as Shs8m.

“That is why avoiding accidents such as a head-on collision or a boda-boda bump will prevent you from making tremendous losses in replacements,” he says.

Additional features

As you might have noticed, most powerful Subaru are project cars, so modifications make a big difference. In regards to his Cross Sport, Sabitii would prefer adding just the basics such as off-set rims and wheels, high quality Brembo brakes, coil overs and the engine front mount to circulate more fresh air to the engine.

Alternative car

Although he is undeniably in love with his current car, Sabitii still has room in his heart for another. He says there are so many reasons to consider a WRX STi. For instance, it has a turbocharged boxer engine, which provides unparalleled performance. It also has a large capacity intercooler that allows more output without overheating or exhausting the engine.

“Its six-speed manual transmission, a close-ratio gearbox with a limited-slip differential and the turbocharged engine makes the car easy to drive,” he shares.

That said, his dream car would be the Subaru Impreza 22B.

The first time I told my wife that I wanted to buy a Subaru, she immediately said no. Most people think Subaru drivers are reckless on the road, which is wrong. The big difference between us and other car owners is very simple; driving a Subaru is entertainment, a thrill, and will make you wake up early just so you can drive.

Safety

All Foresters come standard with Subaru’s Eyesight Driver Assist Technology. In 2019, the Start/Stop feature was added to all Forester models. This feature turns off the engine when the brake pedal is pressed. The engine restarts when the brake pedal is released. This feature comes on by default every time the engine is turned on but may be disabled after the engine is on.

Specifications

Model - TA-SG5

Wheelbase - 2525

Weight (kg) - 1410

Body Type - SUV

Doors - 5

Riding Capacity – 5