In the shop this week

[StephenH]

The shop has been boring, no major issues until this last week so I
thought I's tell you of a couple we recently got in.

A young lady had a major fluids changed in a town about 150 miles
away, in a quick lube place. She drove to to our shop and checked in
with a burning oil smell. The center diff dip-stick was never inserted
properly, almost all the oil was coating the bottom of the car, and
the center diff is noisy. This may be a lawsuit as the owner and the
shop are still arguing.

A newer turbo outback came in running poorly, the turbo is shot and
may have took the engine out also- the warranty records show the turbo
replaced 19 march 2009. The warranty repair has a 12 month unlimited
mile warranty. The check in date is March 18 2010. (I feel that
Subaru would have still honored the warranty due to his accurate oil
change records and dealer support)

Now the one that bothers me: A 3.0 legacy sedan came in with a
warranty alignment- for rt rear tire wear. the car had 90,000 miles.
The wear on the tires were not the cause of alignment, but hard
acceleration. the alignment specs proved my suspicion- I noticed the
rear wheel bearings were noisy, (Think b-17 in flight) and against
Subaru policy I recommended we repair them (Warrantied to 100,000). We
did, and sent the car out sounding much better.
She will be back for her new warranty tires this week, even tho there
is no evidence that the car caused it, and she is 60,000 miles out of
that warranty. Lets see if any of us can get that kind of help....

 

[Big Jim]

The rear tires were worn and bearings were bad- sounds like the
bearings caused the wear . Sometimes it's better to keep customers
happy-- look at the Toyota fiasco!!!'


specs proved my suspicion- I noticed the

 

[johninky]

Good to see you posting again. Been on the dead side around here for
too long.

 

[StephenH]

The rear tires were worn and bearings were bad-  sounds like the
bearings caused the wear .  Sometimes it's better to keep customers
happy-- look at the Toyota fiasco!!!'

specs proved my suspicion- I noticed the

no, the bearings get noisy, but there is no movement in them. The even
wear flat across the tire says acceleration (it is a 3.0) I just feel
the alignment was acceptable, but the tires worn at 90 K should have
been denied. I think this person "Knows someone" in the company

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

We did, and sent the car out
sounding much better. She will be back for her new warranty tires this
week, even tho there is no evidence that the car caused it, and she is
60,000 miles out of that warranty. Lets see if any of us can get that kind
of help....

Subie dealers around here are still the way Toy dealers used to be until a
few years ago...owned by families that stake their name on their rep. They
haven't yet succumbed to the Big Dealer buyouts and still want to provide
good customer service. All the Toy dealers now are owned by larger
retailers; one still is a 'family run' dealership, but from out of town
and the friendliness is gone since the Bean Counters control the
operation. The other Toy dealer in the area...UGH! I was working there
when it was still a friendly family owned business, and left when it
became what appeared to be a *"FAMILY"* owned business...

But the Soob dealers are still cool around here and give you a break, let
you pick their brains and give decent discounts on parts. I'm sad to see
what's happeneing with the Toy dealers but glad to see one company has
clung to what made their name in the first place.

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

no, the bearings get noisy, but there is no movement in them. The even
wear flat across the tire says acceleration (it is a 3.0) I just feel the
alignment was acceptable, but the tires worn at 90 K should have been
denied. I think this person "Knows someone" in the company

Really. 90K is a bit for a tire. I had ONE set of OEM Bridgestones on a
Corolla that made it to 110, and they still had good tread, but when they
put it on a lift I saw one of the treads was separating from the casing!

 

[Dave__67]

no, the bearings get noisy, but there is no movement in them. The even
wear flat across the tire says acceleration (it is a 3.0)  I just feel
the alignment was acceptable, but the tires worn at 90 K should have
been denied. I think this person "Knows someone" in the company

Hmmm, must be an 05+ 3.0, my '03 3.0 doesn't have enough extra oomph
to influence tire wear.


Dave

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Hmmm, must be an 05+ 3.0, my '03 3.0 doesn't have enough extra oomph
to influence tire wear.

Dave

that's what I was thinking about my wife's 03 OBW. maybe some kinda
spinning out from a gravel/dirt drive onto a paved road? But wouldn't
the center diff just send some power up front? I dunno.