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Comments
I had the dealer look into the right rear pillar rattle, but he couldn't track it down. I guess that I'm going to have to live with it and turn up the stereo!
I work 60-hour weeks. I don't have time for that degree of inconsiderate thoughtlessness.
My previous 01 Forester did have a couple of annoying buzzes, one in the driver's side rear passenger door and one in the front passenger door but both were sporadic so I never took them in (figuring I'd get the same treatment as Jack :-)
-Frank P.
-juice
Yes, I agreed that if they wanted to replace the engine that was fine. I want the piston slap fixed on my car, and they said that is the only way to fix it.
I figure I am just as well off getting a new engine as having them replace pistons and since that is the solution they finally offered I will take it.
On the plus side I will have a new engine in a car with 20,000 miles, and it is a car that will never appreciate it value so I figure this is a good way to go.
On another note, how many other people have dealers claiming extra work is supposed to be done on their cars? Unfortunately the last time I took mine in for an oil change, I did not have the maintenance schedule with me and was told, oh your due for a "15,000" service which includes changing brake fluid etc. and I did it, then after paying the bill found out that most of what they did was not needed until 30,000 miles.
Rick
Regards,
Owen
Are they replacing the engine or giving you a new short block with your old pistons? I have read that replacing the short block is often done.
I will be interested in hearing how it goes as I may push for the same. I would love to purchase this car after the lease is up, but I just can't do it if the noise is not dealt with.
JCabin - I've tried to find a clue to your case. I hope that you will eventually provide me with the dealer name if your not comfortable sharing your name here. I really want to help, but without something to go on - I'm at a loss. It may very well be "normal", but I'd like to double check for you. Your call, but the offer for assistance is there.
Thanks!
Patti
Mark
joybell: I'd actually suggest using naval jelly to dissolve the rust, and then just keep the lug nuts clean.
I wouldn't recommend using oil because the lug nuts rely on friction to keep the wheels on the car. If they were tight before you added oil it might not matter, but still, to be safe I'd avoid putting oil on the lug nuts.
Just my 2 cents' worth.
-juice
-juice
Later, Owen
To be honest I'm not sure I could claim I'm any more careful. Even though I do use a torque wrench, I use a deep socket to torque it down.
The surface I tighten the lug nut up against is recessed, i.e. you can't really see it, so I wouldn't notice any scratches on my alloys. My old steelies probably have rust by now also.
-juice
Steve
Cheers Pat.
-juice
Thanks,
-Chad
Cheers Pat.
I am going to take my Subaru back to my dealer one more time and demand that they prove to me that it is normal or fix it under the terms of the warranty. Verbal claims don't cut it.
If by the way you go to the subaru "End Wrench" site, you will see multiple posts by Subaru to mechanics on this issue, such as, "Some of these engines may exhibit some engine noise during
the warm-up period after a cold
start-up. This noise is a consequence of
the engine improvements and is not, in
any way, an indication of any engine
problem. A light engine knock, after
cold start, that gradually dissipates as
the engine warms up..." Of course ones "light engine knock" is another person's "it sounds like a sewing machine" noise.
Jim
I'm not much of a mechanic. I know how to change a tire and that's about all.Over many years especially on cars before computers we learned somethings about cold engines, starting, mtnce etc. Those lessons apply today but not as critical now with ECU etc. versus spring activated chokes and manual systems. Change plugs when recommended by manual. Plug wires every 50k miles. check battery fluid levels twice a year at least. Run thinner oils especially if below zero starting. NEVER shut off the engine before it has reached operating temperature.(cook off the crud in the oil)The alkalies, resins, condensation, distillate build ups will ruin an engine in short order. Use a block heater whenever possible if car outside all night below zero. (Mine are always outside...no garage) If you ever get in a 40 below zero situation try this experiment. Fill two water glasses partially full. One with regular 5W-30 and one with Mobil 1. Leave them in a cold place overnight. The dino oil will be about like vaseline and the mobil one will be like molasses.
Most cars have to run over 7 miles before they are thoroughly warm and at true operating temperature. If no block heater a drop cord light, 100 watt by the battery helps. Batteries lose half their power at zero degrees.Park tail to the wind. Takes several more hours for lubricants to become solid. Can be critical on older cars. Keep gas tank over half full and keep gasline anti freeze handy.(Iso Heet). Use at least twice a winter.
Jim
I own 2 businesses, and work 50-60hrs a week at my day-job. And do a full race schedule of auto-x and HPDE. If you feel that the service is not hand-and-foot enough, perhaps with your 60hrs of work a week you can afford a Lexus/BMW/otherluxobrandthat will wait on you hand and foot.
-mike
Steve
And I have no tolerence for dealers who don't have the wherewithall to be up front with me about what they're doing or have done to my car.
If they're on the level and have made an honest effort to fix a problem, I never get upset and will abosrb the time in my schedule that's required to give them another shot or two at fixing it.
Case in point - took my Forester to dealer after the day/night mirror melted. Called to see if car ready. Tech says "No Problem Found" - I said "I'll be right there" - showed him the exact problem (I figured not being able to actually see anything out of the rear view would have been a hint, but apparently not). They installed a new mirror while I waited. Low stress.
Next case - took wife's OBW to dealer for day/night mirror being way way too slow to respond to light changes. Same dealer - this time I figure I'm smarter - Had them note on the slip to call me if they couldn't find the problem. Call the dealer at 5PM to see if car's ready. "All set" . Get there - "No Problem Found" Higher stress (for them as well)- also left with new mirror installed.
Lesson learned - If I can't demonstrate to the tech that's going to work on the car, or the shop manager, I don't leave it anymore. And fixing noises? Big joke. I can ride with a number of other people who say "What is that noise?" or I can ride with the dealer who says "What noise?".
The point of all this - Mike is probably one of the best Subie mechanics around and neither he nor his customers (lucky them) have to live with the BS the rest of us do at a typical dealership.
With my two Subaru's more than any cars I've owned in the last 30 years, I feel that all time I spent turning wrenches in my youth is not only paying off, but almost required so I can avoid the frustration of the "dealership experience".
My lowly opinion only.
Larry
-juice
You rub it on with a rag, wipe off the rust, and then clean the area thoroughly. Looks like they just let it sit there and eat up the metal.
-juice
I own 2 businesses, and work 50-60hrs a week at my day-job. And do a full race schedule of auto-x and HPDE. If you feel that the service is not hand-and-foot enough, perhaps with your 60hrs of work a week you can afford a Lexus/BMW/otherluxobrandthat will wait on you hand and foot.
Eh? Feeling out of sorts today? In what way does that outburst follow from anything I wrote?
Yes, I work 60 hours per week. No, that in no way implies that I'm a candidate to buy a BMW or Lexus. Whether I own a BMW or a Kia, I expect dealers to be reasonably considerate of my time; those that aren't will lose me as a customer. Any dealer that phones me saying my car is ready to pick up had damn well better not still be working on it for another full hour beyond the time that I arrive there to fetch it.
If your time has so little value to you that you don't mind that sort of cavalier treatment by a dealer, fine. Don't be telling me that I should agree with you.
I know the bras are a problem for differential fading, but I'm presuming that in silver that's not to obvious. Bras don't help keep bugs of the widnshild, it they seem to deaden rocks and debris as they stike I think. Does the clear coat do the same? What is the expected life for the clear coat protector? With conditions here I'd expect it to be half of normal.
AS an aside, do they make a similar product in black? I am already finding glare problems with the silver hood scoop. Entertaining the idea of applying an opaque black film on the scoop itself if it exists. Should solve the problem, and as a nod to my never fulfilled teenage car lust, it might look "DEADLY". Then again, maybe a lower tint band on the windshield would be better.
Any thoughts/experience?
Nicholas
Best to have a friend with a boat.
-juice
-mike
This time around I thought I'd give the film a try and found a local shop that would do the hood and bumper for $300. After six months I've decided that I'll never get another car without it. You can barely tell it's there, no special maintenance is required, and it does a great job. I had a big rock fly off a truck right onto my hood last week--I heard a whack as it hit me--but when I checked the front end there was only a bit of a scuff mark in the film, nothing else.
Depending on how much protection you want you can add film to other places such as the rear-view mirrors, rocker panels, door edges, etc.
It was a ridiculous post, Mike.
One other suggestion. Investigate whether your shop can install headlamp and fog lamp protection, too. The product I have is similar to Inviza Bra, but about 20 times thicker and crystal clear. Considering how much lamps cost today, the minimal investment is more than worth it. No one even knows the film protection is there until I point it out.
I've had my Inviza Bra on for 2.5 years now and couldn't be happier. Same with the headlamp and fog lamp coatings.
Thanks again, Nicholas - who still thinks a black scoop with a black bra would look cool.
Nicholas