Megalomando Posted December 23, 2006 Share Posted December 23, 2006 Hi, I just bought a 2001 OBW 2.5L SOHC and was told there was signs of a coolant leak when I went to a Subaru dealer for a trade in towards a bean. I looked at the jack plate & indeed saw antifreeze. Called several dealers to see which had the est price for repair and one asked for my VIN & he said it had been treated per the recall, that Subaru might still cover seeing as it's so close to the 100K limit. Said they might cover part & might cover nothing. I need to take it in so they can verify the problem. None of the other dealers mentioned this possibility of Subaru doing the right thing. Anyone have experience with Subaru covering this flaw when over the 100K limit? Suggestions for me at this time? Thanks! MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 Sometimes you luck out. Others here have gotten it done over the limit, others had to fight like dogs. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 24, 2006 Author Share Posted December 24, 2006 Sometimes you luck out. Others here have gotten it done over the limit, others had to fight like dogs. nipper Yes, I'm sure that's exactly the case. I'm wondering what the successful people have said that made a difference. I could hire an attorney to deal directly with SOA but by the time all is said & done, it would hardly be worth the expense. It would be better to know how to best deal with them directly so they won't beat around the bush and things can be dealt with nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 I've found out in my professional life that being polite, reasonable, and letting the other party know that you know exactly what is ogin on (and your options) really helps. There comes a time to play hard ball, and a time to be kind. Every time i started off with kind (but firm) i usually got the answers i wanted. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 24, 2006 Author Share Posted December 24, 2006 I've found out in my professional life that being polite, reasonable, and letting the other party know that you know exactly what is ogin on (and your options) really helps. There comes a time to play hard ball, and a time to be kind. Every time i started off with kind (but firm) i usually got the answers i wanted. nipper Again, quite true. Your answer is a good approach to any business dealing but what I am hoping to learn is what kinds of resistance from the dealer or SOA (assuming they are handling the warranty as opposed to a gatekeeper agency that handles the warranty matters) do people falling just outside of the 100K warranty encounter and how were they able to get SOA to do the right thing & do the replacement? Within the warranty it's pretty straightforward. So it's when it's just past the 100K mark that I'm wanting to learn how it was successfully handled. I've been looking & doing forum & google searches but haven't found that discussion yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 Like the Nipster said, be nice. Loosing the dogs on them immediately will only make them run for cover. Discuss with the local dealer that you have noticed the smell of antifreeze for QUITE some time but never thought to check since you were quite certain that SOA's "fix" had been taken care of under the approved recall. You had thought that the ticking time bomb had been disarmed, not just equipped with a slower burning fuse or delayed timer! NEVER would you have any reason to doubt that their "fix" was anything but the guarantee of reliability that you have come to expect of a fine manufacturer like Subaru. Then immediately go and brush your teeth after talking such s%^t. PS: Where in SE CT are you? I use Dan Perkins in Milford and they've gone to bat for me over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 24, 2006 Author Share Posted December 24, 2006 I'm the new owner of the car, I've only had it a month & had 101K on it when I bought it, I had read the different forum topics on the head gasket issues and was under the impression the problem was fixed by 2001. I'd also gotten the impression that it was related to the SOHC engines. I was wrong but that's what my first reading on newer Subaru OBW said. Also, when I used Carfax it said this was a DOHC but indeed it's a SOHC and always has been. I had the timing belt & water pump replaced as soon as I got it and then came to understand I was in a bad ball park. I called a local dealer and gave them my VIN & they told me mine was one of the engines that was under suspicion but that all suggested recall work had been done & the conditioner added. I looked underneath & saw drops of antifreeze but attributed that to residual droplets from the water pump replacement. I've changed all the fluids and before doing that degreased the bottom of the engine & then hosed the degreaser off. I thought all the antifreeze was gone as I did a thorough cleaning with the hose. I soon came to realize if I wanted to tow a larger trailer I'd be better off with a 6 cyl engine so I went to the dealer and after they were looking at my car for trade for an 01 bean, they told me there were signs of coolant leakage but no oil in the antifreeze. He told me this year engine was known to have head gasket issues and the dealership offered me a poor trade in value. Nothing was mentioned by them that it might be covered by SOA. I was surprised and looked underneath when I got back home & sure enough on the few drops of oil on the jack plate were green rings of antifreeze surrounding the drops & there was green at the tip of each drop. No way that was residual antifreeze, I'd hosed the engine compartment down really well and had driven through a rainstorm so this was indeed fresh antifreeze drops. Since the car is in beautiful condition otherwise I decided to keep it, get the head gasket leak repaired & then downsize my towing plans. I called around for estimates on the repair & that's when I was told I might be able to have Subaru cover this as the discovery mileage is so close to the 100,000 round number. I do a lot of high mileage driving and don't want this to become a puddle maker & head warping adventure somewhere in the middle of nowhere so I need to deal with it while it's drops, not streams of antifreeze. Since it's apparently something Subaru knows about as a design or material flaw, I'd like to have them take care of their problem. BTW, I'm in Mystic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted December 24, 2006 Share Posted December 24, 2006 Did you buy private or from dealer? BTW, Mystic is a bit of a drive to deal with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 24, 2006 Author Share Posted December 24, 2006 Did you buy private or from dealer?BTW, Mystic is a bit of a drive to deal with this. I bought it from a used car dealer who got it at auction. I've already used up the seller's warranty thanks to several out of state trips. I just looked underneath & other than several drops of oil on the jacking plate with tips of coolant (on the apex as they hang down), I can't see any leaking as in drip, drip, drip. Holmgrens North of Saybrook are the ones who told me they saw the evidence of a leak. I looked at the lip of the head gasket where the engine metal allowed it to be exposed to view and the gasket is metal. I thought the metal gaskets were the good ones & the earlier gaskets were a composite material. These are definitely solid metal & look like they might be made of stainless or some non ferrous metal. I need a Crystal ball... Yes, Mystic is a ways from Milford. Nice drive but I'd deal with this there if that was the way it had to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 I've been told the usual area of failure is just behind cyl #4 (driver's side rear). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted December 25, 2006 Share Posted December 25, 2006 See if Subaru of America will at least participate in the repair costs. If they won't, here's a plan: 1. Add radiator stop leak to your cooling system. 2. Wash away all evidence of coolant leakage. 3. Then TRADE that sucker at the Subaru dealer of your choice for a H6 Legacy. The person who buys your leaker will get some type of warranty from the dealership. So, if it leaks the buyer won't be paying for the repair. Screwing Subaru, the company that perpetrated this abomination on it's customers would be the first choice. That's not possible, so sticking it to an authorized Subaru dealer is the best you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted December 26, 2006 Share Posted December 26, 2006 A couple of things here. First when the water pump was changed did the add conditioner again? That might take care of it. Second Subaru covered my head gaskets when I had no warranty at all and they had not yet done the recall. I suggest you calmly contact your local Subaru rep on it. I've had GM give me an entire egine miles off warranty so nothing lost in trying. By the way I had a complete service file and the gasket change had been done by a subaru dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 27, 2006 Author Share Posted December 27, 2006 A couple of things here. First when the water pump was changed did the add conditioner again? That might take care of it.Second Subaru covered my head gaskets when I had no warranty at all and they had not yet done the recall. I suggest you calmly contact your local Subaru rep on it. I've had GM give me an entire egine miles off warranty so nothing lost in trying. By the way I had a complete service file and the gasket change had been done by a subaru dealer. Oh yes, I kept the receipt. The parts guy said my engine was past warranty and willingly sold it to me. I remember being surprised he seemed like this was a waste of time. Subaru has just told me they will not have any part in helping with the head gasket. My GPS tells me the speedometer is off by exactly 5% & it's reading high. I measured by the mile markers on I-95 and indeed it's 5% off so my actual mileage is less than 100K but they will not "participate". I've got this car now but Subaru has permanently lost a future customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Beast Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 I just went through the same this today with my wifes 2000 Outback...I jumped through all of the hoops and came up dry....Luckily I have found a shop with a Subaru Certified Mechanic that will do the headgaskets, engine gaskets, timing belt, and water pump for $850.00..Alot cheaper than the $1500 qoute I got from Subaru not including the water pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 Why I am I not surprized? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 28, 2006 Author Share Posted December 28, 2006 So how does one come up with a Subaru Certified Mechanic? I know a few mechanics who are good with cars but if the Subaru is such a fragile car that it fails unless someone highly versed in Subaru-speak works on it, how does one find one of these specially trained mechanics away from the Subaru dealership? I'm really sorry I bought a Subaru at this point; Toyota and Honda build really reliable vehicles and they now have AWD vehicles which was a huge selling point to me (That & the supposedly great reliability of Subaru which I've discovered is a farce.) I understand the importance of bending even if the other person is wrong if it means continuing a relationship that is beneficial. Subaru is penny wise and pound foolish by alienating those entering the Subaru "fold". After seeing first hand the lack of interest SOA has in dealing with those that have issues based on their bad engineering, I'll never buy another Subaru. Subaru has lost me forever as a customer and I will be sure to tell my experience to anyone looking to buy a Subaru. Think it's time to get this fixed so I can have a good conscience selling it to another & I'm going for a Toyota or Honda AWD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 Since SOA has been so accomodating, perhaps it is time for Plan B as outlined by another poster to this site. See if Subaru of America will at least participate in the repair costs. If they won't, here's a plan:1. Add radiator stop leak to your cooling system. 2. Wash away all evidence of coolant leakage. 3. Then TRADE that sucker at the Subaru dealer of your choice for a H6 Legacy. The person who buys your leaker will get some type of warranty from the dealership. So, if it leaks the buyer won't be paying for the repair. Screwing Subaru, the company that perpetrated this abomination on it's customers would be the first choice. That's not possible, so sticking it to an authorized Subaru dealer is the best you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalomando Posted December 29, 2006 Author Share Posted December 29, 2006 It's not that I'm so moral, I just believe what's fair is right. I wouldn't let someone else have to deal with a head gasket problem maybe at a critical time in their life just because Subaru's morality is different than mine. What if it blows on the way to the hospital or something like that, I can't stiff another person that way as much as I want Subaru to be accountable. The odometer is incorrect, thanks to the GPS telling me the truth in speed and the distance is equally off according to the mile markers on I-95. Because of this, I have less than the 100,000 miles they list as the top end of the warranty on the engine. This engine is still under warranty! They say it's what's on the Odometer that counts and I say their engineering is defective to the tune of 5%, this moved the car out of warranty faster, gives higher MPG evaluations and lessens the value of the car because it artificially racks up imaginary miles that are recorded on the odometer. If the car were out of warranty in real miles I wouldn't have anything but good will I might hope for from them. I wouldn't be mad as I am now. At the very least they should offer some assistance in this but if this shows what their interest is in good customer relations, they can go to.... I'll never buy another Subaru and their "not my problem" indifference will cost them plenty in the loss of my future buys and what I'll say about my experience to anyone looking for a new car. I'm sure Toyota will be more than happy to sell to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 Write some letters. Just becuse one person says it won't fly didn't discourage the Wright brothers. Although it's therapudic to vent here, vent to Subaru. See if they will send a lawyer to small claims court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted December 29, 2006 Share Posted December 29, 2006 It's called regifting at Christmas time. Since SOA has been so accomodating, perhaps it is time for Plan B as outlined by another poster to this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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