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Comments
-juice
On the other hand, if you have an early production 98, you may have one of the older clutch assemblies that are indeed heavier.
Ken
TIA
Mark
-juice
Regards,
Frank
-mike
Mark
So other than those who have installed hotter cams, or done other major work, has anyone adjusted valves as a maintenance / precaution move??
Steve
I've owned a 98 OB wagon since November and have been having it serviced at the local dealer. The service dept gave me a maintenance schedule but it's THEIRS (as in, they included their own little bells and whistles). The maintenance schedule I pulled off Edmunds doesn't match the dealer's schedule. My owner's manual doesn't have a maintenance schedule in it.
Does Subaru publish a maintenance schedule and if so, how can I get one?
Many thanks.
Elizabeth Templeton
To get a manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule, go to www.subaru.com.
At the main website, place your mouse cursor over Owners. A submenu will appear underneath. Place your mouse cursor over Subaru Care. Another submenu will appear. Click on Maintenance Schedules.
That will take you to a listing of different years. Click on 1998, then click on "Click here for Schedule of 1998MY Federal Specification Vehicles."
That will take you to the maintenance chart.
Ty
As you've suspected, the dealer throws in a bunch of "preventative" maintenance items to increase their margins. You'll be suprised at how little maintenance is required on the official maintenance schedule.
Ken
-mike
Have all your previous problems been addressed, however? Technically, a lemon is defined when a specific problem can not be repaired in a "reasonable" amount of tries/time.
Ken
They generally go by the book and have very good service, techs and prices. Their major services (15k, 30k, etc.) are about $100 cheaper than my previous dealer. Plus they'll give you a loaner on the major services no matter where you bought the car.
My previous dealer loved those add-ons and Flemington goes pretty close to the book. IIRC, the only extra they added for my 60k was fuel additive.
-Dennis
The schedule is available on-line @ http://my.subaru.com
I think you can access the schedule from the main website too.
-Dave
edit: I checked, and it is available in the main website http://www.subaru.com/owners/care/schedules/middle.html
I'm looking for information from owners with 15k to 25k miles regarding your routine service experiences.
1. Are you following the recommendations of Subaru or the dealer?
2. What is your experience regarding cost for routine service.
3. Are the dealers suggesting changing filters, wiper blades, brake pads, etc. prematurely?
4. How difficult is access to the oil filter? .....gas filter? ......air filter? ...etc.?
5. Do you void the warranty if you perform routine maintenance yourself?
In the past my experience has been that following routine service at the dealer something always gets messed up.
I would appreciate your input.
1. Subaru. dealer has done 1 warranty repair and 1 service on my car (first oil change, it was a freebie)
2. Dealer mails me offers every few months for service at laughably high prices. I buy parts from internet/mail order Subaru dealers at significant discounts and perform all maintenance myself.
3. n/a
4. oil filter is extremely easy, within arm's reach from the front bumper very near the front of the block. even though my Impreza is lowered 2" I can change the oil without jacking the car and am done in 10 minutes. fuel filter is in the engine bay, right next to washer reservoir. changed that in 5 minutes for 30k service. air filter is on passenger side near ABS controller. changed that once with Subaru replacement part, the next time replaced it with an AMSOil reusable foam filter.
5. ABSOLUTELY NOT. Keep your receipts and log your service items on my.subaru.com
-Colin
1. Subaru
2. Dealer recommended service is always high due to the extra items thrown in. I'm not as mechanically inclined as Colin so I have the dealer do certain items (spark plugs, coolant flush, brake fluids, etc.). I personally have been doing oil/filter, air filter and other minor items on my own.
3. I've found that dealers tend to recommend items like timing belts before they're needed. They tend to stick to schedules for older Subaru models.
4. Easy, as Colin wrote.
5. Not at all
Ken
Patti
Patti
http://www.pdma.com/sample.htm
Joel
2. It varies by dealer. Over $100 on the major services.
3. Current one, no. Previous one, yes.
4. Oil and air filters are easy. Prior to this car, the only maintenance I performed on my own was helping my dad change oil when I was a teenager (20 yrs. ago).
5. No.
Luckily, I'm within 25 minutes of 4 Subaru dealers. I tried them all and stuck with the one I like.
-Dennis
No matter the manufacturer, I strongly recommend using the dealership for maintenance. This is not because I think they always do a better job, but if they do mess something up, you have a much easier way to address the problem. For instance, if you take the car to your local quick lube place and they fail to install the oil filter correctly and you get a small leak, this could eventually lead to severe engine damage. It might not even be caught right away. When you take it to the dealer, they will claim (correctly) that proper maintenance was not done, even though you have receipts. You will be left holding the bag or going back to the quick lube place.
If, on the other hand, the dealer did all the maintenance, they can't deny a warranty claim for improper maintenance without indicting themselves. Most manufacturers do not require maintenance be done at their dealerships, but it is good protection for you.
On a side note, Cliffy, I'm still waiting for the pitfalls of the Isuzus that you mentioned some time ago, but never produced these pitfalls. (I think it had to do with the 4wd/TOD system)
-mike
-mike
If you've had multiple problems, you have an unreliable car. That's not the same thing as a lemon. I think the big difference is that the dealer has been working with you and correcting the problems, and apparently each fix has worked. It stinks to have to pay for it, absolutely. Open up a case number and give Patti a call, maybe she can help out.
I do my own maintenance myself on both my cars, but my wife goes to a dealer for most major services. Guess what? Her car is the one giving us all the trouble! The cars I service are trouble-free.
I seriously doubt the dealer techs are as obsessive as I am. Do they really, truly look up the torque specs for the lug nuts for each vehicle, and adjust their air wrenches? I have yet to see a shop/dealer/factory that doesn't overtighten the oil drain plug, despite their published torque specs. Every time I find greasy finger prints inside.
Nothing against your dealership, Cliffy, maybe they do look up torque specs and wear latex gloves to keep the interior spotless. But I do all that and spend about 10-20% of the fees they charge, and end up with a more reliable car compared to our only dealer-serviced vehicle.
-juice
Oh and by the way. I agree with you on the torque specs. In 8 years of working in several dealerships (I'm embarrassed to say exactly how many, but its more than 5) I have only seen one technician use a torque wrench on lug nuts. He happens to work at my current dealership.
Change your oil yourself or have a dealer OR independent servicer do it. I mean a real shop, not a quick lube.
For things beyond oil and air filter changes, then definitely ask yourself: can I do this? If you have a manual or previous experience, the answer is probably yes. If you have doubts or don't have the time, again see a qualified service provider.
-Colin
-mike
This applies no matter if you use a dealer, service center or quick lube. It is very easy to do and will protect you down the road.
I guess I don't worry about warranty denials because we have Patti. :-)
Good suggestion on the grease pencil.
David: I'm not sure how you expect people to respond. Doesn't sound like anything will make a difference. I was discussing the issue in general. Your case is unfortunate, and probably an exception. I can't blame you if you buy something else next time.
-juice
edit:
Thanks for the response. Too bad you don't remember the details of the problem
-mike
Before I started changing my oil, I had bad experiences at quick lube places and my former dealer.
Wal-Mart apparently tried to take off the tranny filter and damaged it. A few thousand miles later, most of the tranny oil leaked out and my wife had to call AAA. That dealer had the nerve to blame me.
The same dealer always overfilled both cars, and forgot to add gear oil (or enough) on my 15k visit.
-Dennis
Patti
Steve
-juice
A mere 40K later I have to replace both the cam and crankshaft seals, and the outer CV boots. And it's )((*&^%#F%^&**( expensive. Now I also have to replace the oil pump seals as well. And of course I'm replacing the timing belt for the 3rd time in 40k because the heavy labor involves removing and replacing the belt. Both Subaru specialist mechanics in 2 separate independant shops say that replacing seals is a common thing, even with the newer models. What's with that?
Other than these persistent issues the car is a dream.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292183933
it's in reverse chronological order, sorry. but yes, I've no idea what Subaru's hang up is but I would agree, the front crankshaft oil seal and the cam seals fail often on any EJ series motor at least through 1999 or so.
-Colin
I mean $50 versus the whole cost of the repairs he is faced with, no that's not a huge deal. But if you have the choice between $50 in your wallet and not, what would you pick?
-Colin
My $.02 worth.
Well, if I had 40k on a 90k timing belt, I would replace it. Sure it still has life on it, but I could push out the replacement expense a couple of years farther down the road - assuming that nothing else requires disassembly again.
But mrdetailer mentions this will be the third belt in 40k miles. If that's not a typo, he might only have 5k to 10k on the belt and the decision become a little more difficult. (And why have they been replaced so often?).
Steve
actually I think I will stop checking my oil, when this car dies I can get my WRX :-)!
The brush guard was bowed inwards, belly pan torn, but engine and oil filter well protected. Only worry is the exhaust manifold pipe has a slight dent in it, at the area right after the belly pan (before the cat. converter). But I must say, even though the belly pan is plastic, it saved my engine.
-mike