Subaru Brake Line Recall Service Experience

[PILOON]

For many years I drove company cars as a sales rep but mechanical stuff is my thing.

Have had a front wheel literally fall off and roll across the road.--was never greased since new. (had been doing 100mph but detected the fault in time )
Had a differential totally lock up and shatter rear end totally---left factory dry. (again detected and pulled over just B4 it seized up)
Had one car that would leap violently when changing lanes---frt geometry all wrong from factory. (one month old)
One car lost all oil when oil change was done while on the lift---wrong filter for that model listed in dealer's database. (1st oild change)
Had a turbocharger blow up (what a mess)
At 30 miles my rear windshield exploded when I shut the driver's door. (car was 3 hours old!)
Went for rear brake job and was told I needed to pull the differential and quoted me $800. (a seal leaked a little) (left with old brakes and changed myself))
On a leased car they charged $500 for a carb rebuild and oil change. When I collected the car it backfired and caught fire.(they forgot to replace the carb, but invoiced it just the same)

I either DIY my mechanics or have a reliable 'back yard mechanic' that tackles the trickier things. Also a local recycle yard has some licensed mechanics
that really know their trade only the shop scares most people away. They also have more new parts inventory than most dealers and NAPA do.
Sadly with all the electronics today auto repairs will soon be a thing of the past and only dealer possible (at huge prices)

 

[wjmst]

Thanks for all of the replies. Interesting reading everyone's experiences. I guess I will just drop the issue and continue on doing what I do myself and my local trusted garage.

Thanks

 

[The Fred]

I service Subarus for a living, they are a great car value but a POS like any jap car. They rust just looking at them and the 09 Impreza is one of the worst for rusting. Most every 09 Impresa we service has needed a battery before 50K miles.

Subaru 15208-AA12A oil filer list (New England Region, different franchise owner!) is $6.59 right now.

The plate light bulbs are 194 bulb number, when they go out a light tap will bring them back on, temporarily.

Subaru dealers upsell at any chance, the tech who looked at your car never looked at the filters just the car's mileage and recommended replacment. He didn't get paid to check your air filter he was simply saying it was due. The service advisor might have communicated this to you as you needed them now.

Regards, Fred

 

[Garandman]

I service Subarus for a living, they are a great car value but a POS like any jap car. They rust just looking at them and the 09 Impreza is one of the worst for rusting. Most every 09 Impresa we service has needed a battery before 50K miles.//

I wonder why.....

 

[Bota4me]

] I service Subarus for a living, they are a great car value but a POS like any jap car. They rust just looking at them
Tell us how how you REALLY feel Fred...

 

[The Fred]

Best car value for the north country if buying new. The resale is crazy high compared to others.
I can have the engine out (non turbo) in 1 hour 15 minutes on the bench for repairs. These cars took the place of air-cooled VWs in my opinion but MUCH safer.

For 22 K you get a new Outback and in 4 years it still brings 18K retail.

I fix broken cars. Regards, Fred

 

[TheIglu]

My wife's 07 Outback doesn't have a spot of rust on it. It lives outside, we live on a rough dirt road and it never gets washed. If anything, the bodies hold up remarkably well. This is our second Subaru (02 2.5RS). That made it to 156k without a spot of rust.

Headgaskets by 100k miles is the reason we aren't buying another. That's just inexcusable.

 

[The Fred]

My wife's 07 Outback doesn't have a spot of rust on it. It lives outside, we live on a rough dirt road and it never gets washed. If anything, the bodies hold up remarkably well. This is our second Subaru (02 2.5RS). That made it to 156k without a spot of rust.

Headgaskets by 100k miles is the reason we aren't buying another. That's just inexcusable.

Vermont uses way more salt than Mass ever thought of using, therefore the rust problem here.

Headgaskets on a non-turbo Subaru are 2 grand done right. Pull the engine and deck the heads, check the block then replace the timing belt, idlers, tensioner, belts and filters, plugs then service the transmission. That's an absolute STEAL compared to most cars I work on. Just 1 module in most European cars is $1200 and up depending on the module.

BMW X5 is a 40 hour job to replace the timing chains, that's right 40 hours! Most dealers get over 10 grand for the job. On the Subaru we tel the customer to wait on the timing belt unitl about 120K then pull the engine and fix it all. It's a no brainer. By short selling your Subaru you just gave away the next 100,000 miles of life to the next buyer.

Regards, Fred

 

[Garandman]

Vermont uses way more salt than Mass ever thought of using, therefore the rust problem here.//

Not true per below, though one of the highest. It may be more a matter of Subaru having very high market share in VT.

AVERAGE ANNUAL SALT LOADINGS ON STATE HIGHWAYS WHERE SALT IS NORMALLY APPLIED
Tons/Lane-mile

Maine 8.0
Massachusetts 19.4
New Hampshire 16.4
Vermont 17.1

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/sr/sr235/017-030.pdf

BMW X5 is a 40 hour job to replace the timing chains, that's right 40 hours! Most dealers get over 10 grand for the job. On the Subaru we tel the customer to wait on the timing belt unitl about 120K then pull the engine and fix it all. It's a no brainer. By short selling your Subaru you just gave away the next 100,000 miles of life to the next buyer.

Regards, Fred

My solution after having a 97 OBW (189,000 when we sold it) was to buy a 3.0R. Just turned 169,000, runs like a steam train.

 

[tman1020]

The outbacks and legacies are made here in United States in Lafayette Indiana with local steel I believe. I believe the Imprezas are still imported but I believe that's going to change soon. That might have something to do with why the Imprezas are rusting and the outbacks and legacies have not had as many complaints.