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Comments
My XT proudly features a Turbo emblem, and I prefer not to think of the Forester as a "Lethal" vehicle, and I have no idea what a "Low Police Profile" is, however you might find out sooner than later? And in the 9 Months my XT has been on the road here in Miami, I have never seen another Forester, and only one other Subaru. Zooooom, you got a good price, I assume by the low Invoice price you have a M/T with no P/P, however you do have an Arm Rest, and a Cabin filtration Filter. How much was your 6/80 with a Zero deductible. Did you go for the "Gold " plan? Subaru is a stealth Brand down here, Drive Responsibly©
"Lethal" meaning powerful, fast, exciting...
"Low Police Profile" meaning lethal but not a police magnet, like a Vette, Stang, Evo, etc...
p.s. If the brand is so "stealthy", like I see everyone write, how has Subaru stayed in business all these years? Are they a very small company, compared to Honda and Toyota?
Walt
the 6/80 with 0 deductible at VIP discount was like $1480 I think...
Yes, Gold Plan.
Walt
-Frank P
P.S. IRT the "Turbo" emblem, I'm guessing that miamixt is refering to the hood scoop ;-)
Mark
-Frank P
John
I saw in a post from last year you mentioned "upgrading" an XT-M...
Specifically I'd like to ask about your mention of upgrading insulation (for sound deadening). Who does that? Can I? What places on the vehicle are best (Firewall, undercarriage, doors, etc). Will I void any warranty if I do this? Will Subaru do this for a price and still not void any warranty?
Thanks!
Walt
Boyd - Try allsubaru.com for touch-up paint.
-Dennis
Steve, Host
John
I just learned that they shut down their bus and railcar operations in 2002.
John
>6 years / 80,000 miles $1200 or Gold $1580. Turbo Surcharge: add $250 to 80K and 100K plans<
When I first bought the XT, there were two bogus Subaru Warranty Web Sites which have since ceased Operation!
Totally false! Although I can see why a dealer would want you to think that, in fact nothing could be further from the truth. Extended service contracts carry one of the highest profit margins in the business so anyone paying "retail" is just enriching the dealer.
-Frank P
Its raining right now, but if it clears up by the time the race is over, run that Silver XT up the Blue Ridge Parkway either way from Asheville -toward Mt. Mitchell or Mt. Pisgah. The roadsides are covered with flowers up to about 3800 ft., the views should be great after the rain, and it's primo conditions for driving a FXT!
Mark
-Frank P
There's no one side point that should be used to lift the entire side.
For a carmaker to urge frequent tire rotation, and specifically to specify rotating front-to-back, it is inexcusably stupid to not provide a suitable side jacking point where both tires on one side can be lifted at once. Any other strategy requires a lot more monkey motion.
I guess I'll try Juice's slotted-2x6 approach, but shame on Subaru for such an obvious omission.
My dealer rotated the tires when I went in at 7,000 miles - but charged me twenty bucks just for that! When they already had the car on a lift to change the oil! I don't think they want my repeat business.
In four days of Indiana driving, I didn't see one other Subaru. Got back to Oregon, and it's every-third-car again. Weird.
I had a rental '04 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is unbelievable how nice that was. It is absolutely light years ahead of our '91 Grand Caravan. More power, far quieter, better ride/handling/steering/brakes, just an amazingly good vehicle. It affirmed my opinion that 99% of SUV buyers are off their rockers.
However, I hold out no hope that future Chrysler minivans will be at all appealing. If the same "stylists" who created the horrifically ugly 300C and Magnum get anywhere near the gorgeous current minivans, they will be completely ruined.
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza2005photos.html
Why is it near the ignition on the Forester?
There must be an an engineering explanation for this, right?
I've given up trying to find logic sometimes with FHI. :-p
-Dennis
-Frank P
Steve, Host
-Frank P
Edit. Never mind Steve, I did it myself!
Steve, Host
-Frank P
I got lucky yesterday finding a station at 1.71 / gal. for 91 oct. - before it went back up...
Ask who performs or pays for repairs under the terms of the service contract. It may be the manufacturer, the dealer, or an independent company.
Many service contracts sold by dealers are handled by independent companies called administrators. Administrators act as claims adjusters, authorizing the payment of claims to any dealers under the contract. If you have a dispute over whether a claim should be paid, deal with the administrator.
If the administrator goes out of business, the dealership still may be obligated to perform under the contract. The reverse also may be true. If the dealer goes out of business, the administrator may be required to fulfill the terms of the contract. Whether you have recourse depends on your contract's terms and/or your state's laws.
Learn about the reputation of the dealer and the administrator. Ask for references and check them out. You also can contact your local or state consumer protection office, state Department of Motor Vehicles, local Better Business Bureau, or local automobile dealers association to find out if they have public information on the firms. Look for the phone numbers and addresses in your telephone directory.
Find out how long the dealer or administrator has been in business, and try to determine whether they have the financial resources to meet their contractual obligations. Individual car dealers or dealer associations may set aside funds or buy insurance to cover future claims. Some independent companies are insured against a sudden rush of claims.
Find out if the auto service contract is underwritten by an insurance company. In some states, this is required. If the contract is backed by an insurance company, contact your State Insurance Commission to ask about the solvency of the company and whether any complaints have been filed.
That is insane. If I were you, I would have them provide a written estimate to rotate tires for a quoted price of $165, and then I'd report that outrageous ripoff to Subaru and to the Better Business Bureau. Dealers such as that should be forced out of business.
Just to put this into context, for about 10 years I've been having my cars (no longer under warranty) serviced by a local Beaverton, Oregon independent shop. They perform my oil-and-filter changes for $15.00. That price includes checking all fluid levels, inspecting hoses, pulling the wheels to inspect the brakes, and so forth. And, because they already have the car up and the wheels off (to check the brakes), they gladly rotate the tires at no extra cost. Fifteen bucks for all that. Compare that to what you were quoted!
They also have been the most trustworthy repair mechanics I've ever encountered (other than my own father, when he was alive) - consistently doing occasional repairs to my cars (water pump, timing belt, brakes, etc.) for half or less than the next lowest estimate I get anywhere else. Never once have I ever been left with that old uneasy feeling that they were suggesting anything costly that the cars might not actually need.
Unfortunately, that all came to an end several months ago. The owner retired and moved to another state. <<<<sigh!!!>>>>
Costco will mount tires for $9 each (I just had their Concord store put Toyo's (which I bought at Infineon Raceway [Sears Point]) on my Miata. This $36, for four tires, will allow me to get them rotated at Costco free, including free further balancing (should it ever be required) and free flat fixes, for the life of the tires. I'm sure they'll do this for you too (and just skip the mount/balance part). Only thing is they won't mount tires that are "out of spec" so they wouldn't do the Falkens for my FXT (225/50R17). I avoid car dealers as much as I can. So, going this way will only cost $36 divided by the number of times you have them rotate your tires in the coming years. Next to nothing.....
Cheers,
Bob
At the risk of repeating myself these posts can be wonderfully supportive....ez
People like this are no more than low grade Con-men(persons)and just like that line of work, you profile to pick a victim who's more likely to be taken. Amongst the bottom feeders of the automotive world, women are seen as an easier mark. Gut them Elissa, I would certainly contact your BBB, and SOA written quote or not. Just drop a line on the SOA board if nothing else. Even without written proof, a recurring complaint can't be a 'simple misunderstanding' everytime.
Nicholas
There's a lot of attention (warranted, I hope) devoted to the new Legacy and Outback models, but I'm leaning towards the Forester, and the dealerships don't seem to know anything about the 05 FXT.
Also, any new colors?
Thanks,
Zman
As for how much I think I (or any woman) get ripped off when going for automotive work... it's hard to say. That used to worry me alot when I was younger. I assumed I'd always be taken for a ride, especially if I appeared auto-ignorant. So I started learning whatever I could about fixing cars to avoid that...
Now I can see where that slight paranoia got me - I just spent an entire weekend changing my husbands' 6-cyl dodge truck's spark plugs (UGH), engine coolant, rear diff fluid (I can do it better than the shop that leaves it leaking!), tire rotation, air filter, oil... hm... I think that's it. You know, when my HUSBAND goes into a shop, it's HE that's gotten taken, NOT ME. In his first 7000 miles of owning this truck, he spent about $6000 in maintenance at the dealer! He had several oil changes, his rear diff was replaced with synthetic, his tires were rotated twice... I could go on and on!
I give you that, shops and dealers DO find a willing mark but I assure you it's not ME and it's not entirely based on one's sex. ;-) I think the most important factor is finding a reputable shop that explains what's happening to your car and listens to what you have to say - I do check the BBB also. It also doesn't hurt to learn a thing or two about your second largest investment!
I had no doubts about that when I posted it. I'd be a much fatter potential sucker than you, no doubt. But I remember they did one of these undercover journalism thingys once sending customers in with a minor problem, and the female customers were more likely to have unnecessary or overpriced work pushed at them.
Nicholas
mark
I was doing set up Saturday so I missed you if you registered before 2:30, when I left because my girls couldnt control the stomach growling. Hope you had a good run!
My local Subaru dealer, Prestige, had two cars and two sales guys at the registration area...I may consider snatching up that Red FXT MT if the deal is good enough....its the last 04 XT w/MT they are going to get, and I dont know that leather and moonroof are worth the $$ it will cost for an 05 XT PP w/ MT. My 13 yo daughter and I each got nice blue STi ball caps...she hasnt taken hers off since!
Mark
John
1) grinding first gear
2) burning axle grease leaking out onto exhaust
3) clunk from the rear when shifting
They suggested that because I hadn't ever been to the dealer before that perhaps I wasn't maintaining the car properly and that maybe synthetic gear oil wasn't recommended... to which I produced evidence to the contrary - my huge maint folder and records from SOA stating that synthetic is not UN-recommended. They promptly test drove, reproduced all symptoms and replaced the first gear, DOJ seal and rear differential. In the months to follow I've gotten a no-questions-asked response to all of my requests for warranty service on oil leaks, coolant leaks, cat converter noise, etc. Fabulous service! But I made sure the car was always impecibly maintained and had records to prove it. Guess where I bought my new XT? The dealer I'm talking about is the highest performing Stellar dealer in CA - no surprise! Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City - worth the drive.
-Frank P
-Frank P
-juice
-Dennis
Who's kidding whom? That 300 pound load is the driver...