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Outback Jack

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Posts posted by Outback Jack

  1. There is no point lifting a "off road" vehicle unless you plan to put on larger tires. And then when you install larger tires, you have to change the gearing to compensate for the tires.

     

    If you have money to burn, go for it. If not, save your money and buy a true off road vehicle.

  2. Originally posted by Ruppster

    I thought this was about an indy, not a factory dealership mechanic. I have heard a lot of people say "go with an independent as they are so much better" but I have had wacky service from both types, so I've never seen any advantage to it. You can get a bad mechanic anywhere. And training don't mean anything. I have seen guys with a lot of training try to take a short cut to get the job done faster only to screw something up instead. Its the mechanics access to current manuals that means the difference between an okay job or a service that is done perfectly. But it is up to the mechanic to take the extra time to look stuff up in those manuals. How many indy's do you know that have all the factory manuals that a Subaru dealership does? At least with a dealership you have a higher authority to go to. It doesn't always work but a lot of times it does. You can't do that with an indy shop.

     

    Ruppster

    http://dodge-semis.com/subaru/

    '98 Legacy Limited GT

     

    Ya, I posted a situation with a dealer that cost my dad 60 simoleons for a tow because an Subaru specialist installed the wrong drive belt on my car (which was in for warranty work). All I got was the 60 bucks in shop credit.....but when it comes to crunch time, I'll be taking it to a dealer rather than an indy (unless he's familiar with the car).

     

    I think independants get intimidated by these cars. Sure the configuration is slightly different, but its still a gas powered engine!

  3. The other closest Subaru dealer is 40 mins away. My local dealer would have to screw up really bad for me to go to another dealer.

     

    But the 60 bucks my dad forked out was cash, not credit in service. The dealer can over inflate a repair or part cost and easily absorb the 60 within a day. Or rip off other people.

     

    Still, leaves a bad taste in my mouth and it won't be going back until my timing belt is due at 168,000kms.

  4. Yeah, this is quite a zinger. I had my 2000 Outback at the dealer for recall work. One was for re-rustproofing the rear suspension and two, was for replacement of the the front o2 sensor.

     

    Anyways, while it was there, I knew the drive belts needed replacing so I says go ahead on that. So they did after a 182.00 Cdn bill! 35 for one belt, 76 for the other plus labour and taxes! Whew! Who-da thunk it, eh?

     

    Well, my 70 yr old Pa was using the car (I needed his truck) a couple of days later and on the way home at night on the highway the battery light comes on. Well, he shuts everything off electrically and makes it for the next exit to hopefully "die" in a safe spot.

     

    So after the car is towed to his place so he can inspect it in the

    morning. He informed me that it was the alternator belt, which was hanging on the electric fan, totally shredded! So, I jet over there to inspect the situation. Sure enough the belt was the same size, but the "tooth pattern" was TOTALLY wrong so as it just walked off the pulley and got shredded in the process. AND the back drive belt wasn't even completely on its main pulley, its one tooth too far back....STRIKE TWO! Good thing I kept the old belts.

     

    NOW, even a complete auto mechanic neophyte would NOT install a belt that doesn't match the orignal belt's teeth (deep straight grooves). And of course make sure the other belt is properly installed (critical attention to detail).

     

    So, I'll be going to the dealer on Monday after work to not only reclaim my losses on the belts, but my dad's tow bill of $60.00.

     

    Needless to say, I'm :madder:

     

    I'll give ya'll an update that night.

  5. To give the Jiffy Lube guys a little bit of slack, it is probably more to do with being intimidated and ignorant about SUBARU in general. I'm sure they don't make the same mistakes with the cookie cutter cars out there.

     

    I myself was quite surprised in a good way that the tranny has a drain plug and seperate filter. But to somebody who should be careful, could spell DISASTER! (too much oil in engine, low oil in tranny :temper: )

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