In the Broek family, the love for Subaru is passed on from father to son

‘Especially for the shoot I had five-spoke 17-inch Rota Sub Zero wheels put on it. That mysterious grille was already in it”, John shouts with appropriate pride when he drives up. Thank you! We would have liked to have photographed a completely original car. But this Subaru Forester 2.5 XT automatic is far from original, although most of the adjustments are under the skin. “And they were all already on it,” John defends himself. “The previous owner was overzealous and had deep pockets.”

John also fell under the spell of Subaru through his father

John got into the Subaru thanks to his father. “I come from a family of car enthusiasts. My father always drove special cars, was crazy about MGs. Until he bought a caravan for which he was looking for a suitable towing vehicle, a high-seater, but one with decent driving qualities, interesting technology and a nice appearance. That’s how he came across the Forester. He bought a new one from the facelifted first generation, SF for intimates. Over the years, it became clear how good that car was. Excellent driving characteristics, a great sounding boxer engine, 4WD and, as a bonus, extremely low maintenance costs thanks to the proverbial reliability. Of course it doesn’t run economically, that can’t be any other way with permanent four-wheel drive.”

Retrained IT professional

At that time John drives as a truck driver on international transport, privately he drives a Volkswagen Transporter T4 with a double cabin. A handy car especially, but not very special or comfortable. “Because of my work I was away from home a lot and I didn’t feel the need to own a different car at all. That changed when I changed jobs. I retrained as an ICT specialist and found a job nearby. Since then my travel time has been twice 25 minutes a day. That opened up perspectives, so the blood went where it couldn’t go,” says John.

John first thought of Impreza WRX

Meanwhile, father Broek became more and more lyrical about his Forester and that fueled John’s enthusiasm for the Subaru brand. He decided to try one too, though it took years. “At first I thought of an Impreza and then of course a WRX, from the early 2000s. But those models are not known as super solid and rust-resistant. Moreover, because most of them have now been smashed to pieces by young people, they are above average expensive and are currently practically unaffordable.”

Forester from SF series

That was not the case with the Forester, explains John, and certainly not with the non-turbo version. Anyone who aspires to a Forester wants a Turbo and that reduces the prices of regular versions. In 2009 John switched from his T4 to a blue Forester from the SF range. “It only had 125,000 miles on it so I felt it would last me a long time,” he says. “And indeed, the car excels in finish, used materials and a good seat. It was only three years ago that I traded it in with 200,000 kilometers on this Forester 2.5 XT from 2007. It was freshly imported from Madrid at Subaru specialist Van Steenvoorden in Velp.” The boxer heart. Original 230 hp and 320 Nm, but note: an SPT turbo and a stronger radiator from Mishimoto to better cool all the violence.

Because he wanted a little more engine power, his Forester hit the two tons and this XT Turbo presented itself, John couldn’t resist the temptation. “Especially as it stood. So fresh and in a beautiful color scheme. And besides, he had only walked 125,000 kilometers. Everything documented. The second generation is even more beautifully finished and drives even better. Just like XT. It’s always a kick when the turbo kicks in. It is a relatively light car with more than 300 newton meters of torque. So that’s okay”, grins John.

No matter how good, a Subaru drives nicely warm

He accepts that the acceleration is at the expense of consumption. “A smile on my face is worth a lot to me. Especially in these strange times. But first I give the technique time to reach operating temperature. After all, I love technology, but I am aware of its vulnerability when cold. That applies without prejudice to a Subaru, no matter how well it is built.”

The first owner must have been a huge enthusiast given the long list of maintenance and adjustments. For example, he ordered a special color combination: anthracite metallic combined with a beige, leather interior. In addition, a sunroof – very exclusive in Spain – and an automatic gearbox. “It is even more exclusive in Spain, because Spaniards like to switch gears themselves,” says John.

Forester 2.5 XT with manual gearbox more popular but more expensive

The manual gearbox is more popular on this model anyway, but that makes it a lot more expensive second-hand. John: “Over the years, the first owner had a detachable tow bar fitted and the rear side windows blinded. This to keep his children out of the UV light. But above all, he invested in technology. For example, he had a heavier Mishimoto radiator installed, an SPT (Subaru Performance Tuning) turbocharger, a GRIMM Speed ​​master cylinder and a Tein chassis. Those adjustments were very welcome during the rides through the mountains in the hinterland of Madrid. The striking thing is that there was no trace of dirt or rust on the underside. Apparently he even made it spotless from the bottom after every ride.”

Given the condition of the car, the maintenance, the adjustments, the mileage and the fact that it is a 2.5 XT, John thought the price was better than expected. “And better expensive than not for sale. Or buy a used one for half the money. But they are not there in this condition. I am careful with it, although I admit that it needs an extensive cleaning.”

Son Dennis takes father to JapFest

Son Dennis has an Impreza WRX Hatchback and stimulates his father as much as possible. “I take him to activities like the JapFest in November, and we do a club ride once in a while.” As much as Father John cherishes his Forester, it is primarily a utility vehicle. “It is also outside in the winter, unfortunately I don’t have a garage. Moreover, I drive daily from Maarssen to Soesterberg and vice versa. In other words, he is also there for the commute.”