Are Subaru Foresters Expensive to Maintain?

Subaru is not technically a luxury brand, but its models have plenty to offer in the name of luxury and comfort, one of its foremost models being the Forester. However, the Forester has been reputed to run up quite a few costs, a few of which can be attributed to maintenance by itself. So the question is, is the highest bill on the list the maintenance bill?

Unfortunately, Subaru Foresters could be considered somewhat expensive to maintain. Over a couple of years, maintenance costs could add up to $4,000 or possibly more. This will include tire rotation, oil changes, emissions, and whatever else that might come up. The cost may somewhat vary by model.

So now you know that maintenance can be kind of pricey but that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t invest in the Forester. Below, you will find a few details on exactly what maintenance entails, the pros and cons of the Forester, and a few other details. Hopefully, understanding all the costs you’ll have to pay will make your decision a little bit easier!

Maintenance and Other Costs

According to Edmunds.com, there are several costs of owning a Forester aside from maintenance. Some of these include tax fees, tax credits, insurance costs, fuel, depreciation, and several others. Over five years, maintenance ranked the highest at $4,409. The cost will differ over the years and by procedure, but it could easily be considered the most expensive part of owning a Forester.

The good news about all of this is that most Subaru dealerships will offer servicing and repairs for owners. According to Mark Miller Subaru, many dealerships will offer services including tire rotations, oil changes, air filter swapping, transmission repair, tire changes, belt repairs, and much, much more.

So, even though you will end up needing to spend money on maintenance, there are plenty of avenues through which you can receive help.

One thing to remember throughout all of this, however, is that the more on top of maintenance you are, the fewer big procedures you’ll have to put your car through. It could even be as simple as keeping your car cleaned and in good shape. You might be surprised at how much money it could save you!

First of all, stay on top of your oil changes and other fluids. If you go too long without changing your oil, the car’s engine will burn up and die. Keep your oil changed regularly and it and all your other fluids topped off.

If you do that, the inner workings of your Forester will continue running and working very smoothly.

You will also want to keep the car clean. This might sound strange or trivial, but the better you are about keeping it clean, the less you’ll have to worry about gunk and grime getting in and gumming up the inner mechanisms.

Run your Forester through the car wash every several weeks or so. You should also keep your car’s interior clean and clutter-free.

You can learn more about the Subaru Forester by going here and here.

Subaru Forester: The Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve answered the question of how to maintain a Forester (as well as what it costs) it’s time to address the pros and cons. These things might very well be the deciding factor in whether you choose to buy a Forester or not. So, without further ado, here are a few pros and cons of buying a Subaru Forester.

Pros

The first thing to note about the Forester is the comfort of the seating in both the front and the back of the car. The seats are padded and cushioned which means long trips can be enjoyed in ultimate comfort.

However, the seats are also perfectly supportive, which means you aren’t going to climb out of the car with an aching back.

Additionally, all the Forester models come with a standard AWD configuration which is a pretty nice perk. This makes it easy to drive on dirt roads and slick surfaces.

This AWD drivetrain will give you an added sense of security, especially if you’re living in an area where the weather is cold and wet on the regular.

AWD also makes the Forester an excellent off-road vehicle, as does its eight inches of ground clearance. That ground clearance will make it incredibly easy for you to scale steep inclines, climb over large rocks and logs, and overcome most obstacles you could encounter on an off-road trail.

If you have a large crew at home or you simply like to take long road trips, you’ll love the Subaru Forester’s incredible amount of cargo space.

The Forester has 35 cubic feet of cargo space to boast which is certainly nothing to sneer at. This feature, too, makes the Forester a great option for off-roaders because they’ll have plenty of room for all their gear.

Additionally, the Forester is quite user-friendly. It is equipped with convenient controls and a simple but effective infotainment system that will not cause drivers to struggle greatly to use it. This also means that it will be less distracting to use if and when you need it while you’re on the road.

Cons

Unfortunately, there are a few things that are less than stellar about the Forester. One of these things is the frustratingly low towing capacity. While the Forester makes a great off-roading car, don’t expect it to be able to tow a camper or anything heavier than 1,500.

This can be quite inconvenient at times. This is also indicative of a somewhat weak engine that may or may not get the job done as strongly as you need at all times.

Many of the Forester’s competitors can go from 0 to 60 in six seconds or less, but the Forester usually takes nine seconds or longer.

The engine is, as said, a bit flimsy, and can only pump out 176 pound-feet of torque and 182 horsepower. If you like a car with a little kick and a roar under the hood, then the Forester might leave you feeling a little disappointed.

To learn more about the pros and cons of the Subaru Forester, you can go here.