http://www.long.su...mended_service.asp

Option C: $269.95
• Oil & filter service
• Install BG MOA oil supplement
• Check all fluid levels
• Inspect all hoses & belts
• Rotate & balance tires & check tire pressure
• Inspect wiper blades
• Test Emissions
• Lube all locks & hinges
• Inspect drive axle boots
• Complete engine performance tune-up:
• Replace: spark plugs, air filter, Set engine to factory specs
• Install BG Fuel System Treatment
• Inspect front & rear brakes
• Inspect exhaust system
• Adjust clutch (if applicable)
• Check operation of all lights
• Road test for performance

but they recommend

Option D: $529.95

• Oil & filter service
• Install BG MOA oil supplement
• Check all fluid levels
• Inspect all hoses & belts
• Rotate & balance tires & check tire pressure
• Inspect wiper blades
• Test Emissions
• Lube all locks & hinges
• Inspect drive axle boots
• Complete engine performance tune-up:
• Replace: spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter, PCV valve, Set engine to factory specs
• Inspect distributor cap, rotor & ignition wires
• Install BG Fuel System Treatment
• Inspect exhaust system
• Inspect steering linkage & boots
• Inspect front & rear brakes
• Adjust clutch (if applicable)
• Check operation of all lights
• Service differential
• Adjust drive belt tension - as needed
• Transmission service
• Cooling system service
• Road test for performance


Appointment for $500 tune up is tomorrow 8am. I am getting 10% off the service price.

Full tune-up (option D) was done at 110,000; I'm at 152,002 right now. Car is running ok, little rough, but ok.


The differnce between the two -- +$250 justified?
• Service differential
• Adjust drive belt tension - as needed
• Transmission service
• Cooling system service
• Inspect exhaust system
• Inspect steering linkage & boots
• Replace: fuel filter, PCV valve
• Inspect distributor cap, rotor & ignition wires


The question is is it worth the extra $250 for the full service over basic? Or should I save the cash.

Don't wanna argue about dealer prices only asking if the interwebs thinks I should get the full tune up or if the cheaper one is enough.

justified price was as long as all fluids are included in the cooling service and transmission service

Posted by TheVicariousVadder Don't wanna argue about dealer prices only asking if the interwebs thinks I should get the full tune up or if the cheaper one is enough.

No one ever argues in the uer car talk forum.

most cars don't have distributor caps and rotors anymore.
never ever pay the $500 for the stupid shit you can do your damn self.
what the fuck are these people smoking?

Half the stuff on those lists is just inspecting something

Post by TheVicariousVadder...mended_service.asp


• Check all fluid levels
• Inspect all hoses & belts
• check tire pressure
• Inspect wiper blades
• Lube all locks & hinges
• Inspect drive axle boots
• Inspect front & rear brakes
• Inspect exhaust system
• Adjust clutch (if applicable)
• Check operation of all lights
• Inspect steering linkage & boots



You can do all of the stuff listed above in about 15 min.

Coolant shouldn't go bad in 42,000 miles most long life stuff is designed for 150K/5 years so I'd skip that part too.

If you've got a serpentine belt it tightens its self unless the tensioner is bad or the belt is worn out there's not much to do there either.

I'd just change the oil, air, and fuel filters, dump in a bottle of injector cleaner. Check everything else for problems and call it good. The transmission I'm assuming is an auto most service intervals don't call for it to be changed for 60,000-100k Depending on how you drive. If you put a good synthetic fluid in it I wouldn't worry about it for 100K unless you drive really hard or tow something. Same goes for the differential.
It sounds like they are selling you several things you don't need.

What do you drive?

Ah dealer services. I still remember the lady who cussed us out for not checking the rear diff fluid in her Kia Optima and showed us on her paper work where the dealer not only checked it, but filled it during her last service. Good times.

check the color of the coolant, if it's green it's the cheap stuff. this will last about a year total, regardless of mileage.
i change green antifreeze on a yearly basis, the longlife coolant i change every four to five years depending on mileage.
a simple drain/refill on most older engines is not that bad but some newer ones can be a real challenge to completely drain and refill. using powered recycling/recovering equipment to replace antifreeze and trans oil is a premium service due to the initial cost of the equipment.
i never use recovery equipment to replace trans oil. i always remove the oilpan and replace the filter/strainer when changing trans oil but some dealers even endorse recovery equipment for trans oil changes. my guess is the nut of the money you will be spending for the premium service will go toward replacement of fluids and filters and the inspection points are there to add value. door rates are high nowadays so i'm not going to tell you the guys at the garage are off their shit but i have never had to take a car in for routine maintenance. i would have to say $500 for all that if you can't do it yourself, is not that far off... but it makes me glad i know how to do it myself because in my own garage the materials cost for that same service is less than $100...

one of the largest deathmatches I have ever seen online, even more so than politics, is the argument over Dexcool.

Posted by Samurai one of the largest deathmatches I have ever seen online, even more so than politics, is the argument over Dexcool.

i had a GM dealer replace dexcool withh prestone when my car was still on warranty

Posted by Samurai one of the largest deathmatches I have ever seen online, even more so than politics, is the argument over Dexcool.

http://en.wikipedi...Other_developments

i avoid dexcool strictly because of the controversy and litigation, not the actual facts surrounding its use and misuse...

it's funny... i've had it in cars with over 200,000 miles and no problems.
with the 3 3100 V6's I've had, the gasket issues were strictly by the book (IE- shitty design/materials).

i'm not sure what's happening to people using Dexcool?

Posted by Samurai it's funny... i've had it in cars with over 200,000 miles and no problems. with the 3 3100 V6's I've had, the gasket issues were strictly by the book (IE- shitty design/materials). i'm not sure what's happening to people using Dexcool?

From what I understand, shitty design/materials + dexcool = possible gasket failure. Not guaranteed.

I don't feel like looking up what model years were affected or what the lawsuit states specifically.

Dexcool reminds of when Chrsyler started to require ATF+4 tranny fluid starting with the A604 and later models; people were either still putting in ATF-3 which while was not 100% bad it was not 100% a good idea OR putting Dextron in which is basically a death sentence.

Yeah, after thinking it over, I'm not going to drop the $500+. I'm going to tell them to go ahead and do the $270 service instead and I'll put the extra cash towards the brakes which I can tell from driving it, need to be replaced.

The main cost is labor, obviously, dealer labor is like $90/hour though I talked to the head mech there, he said he's working on it himself tomorrow. I wouldn't doubt it, I know the dealership cut loose a lot of their employees and he's the only one there opening at 8am tomorrow.

05 subaru legacy sedan, previous owner had to drive from holyoke (or somewhere like that) to boston every day -- 150 miles rountrip; company car.


The problem is I don't have any reliable small garage's around me anymore, or none that have experience with. The car ended back at the dealership for an inspection after the last small garage I brought it too. I can at least trust the dealership not to fuck up the car (and all serious previous maintenance was done by them) but I'm bringing the ky jelly because they're going to rape me instead.

depending how long you want to own the car, id consider never servicing the differential at all until you go to trade it. it's unscrupulous, but very few pumpkins are going to grenade within 200KM just because someone never changed the oil in it. i would stretch the service intervals on all major parts unless i was going to keep it.
if it's still under warranty which it sounds like it isn't, that would be another matter.

Posted by steponmebbbboom depending how long you want to own the car, id consider never servicing the differential at all until you go to trade it. it's unscrupulous, but very few pumpkins are going to grenade within 200KM just because someone never changed the oil in it. i would stretch the service intervals on all major parts unless i was going to keep it. if it's still under warranty which it sounds like it isn't, that would be another matter.

I don't offroad much anyways if I do it's on dirt roads which doesn't really qualify as offroading. Car has to last me at least another three-four years and preferably to 200,000.

Hell my photography professor told me not to pay the $500 the extra stuff I can apparently do on my own, as needed.

I was exhausted when I called them and hadn't looked into what really needed to be done. Just knew I got the "bring your car in for a 150,000 checkup/tuneup" letter in the mail.

I have to agree on the differnial; unless you are having an issue no need for it to be serviced. I do some offroading and both on my rig done once a few years back I was having some issues and plus a great deal on the service from reputable shop at 125 for both of them.

So

$345 later... Car's running better right off bat.

($270 + Spark plugs/wire were extra and an extra half hour of labor to inspected the manifolds on the off chance there was something wrong there ... there was not, luckily for my wallet.)

When they do a checkup they have four simple levels of diagnosis: good precautionary moderate critical

They wanted to do the fluids (the difference between C + D): $224.99 I told them I could handle that on my own.

They wanted to do fuel injector cleaning: $119.99 I passed on that. Seen it offered cheaper and I've head it's a waste of money. Discuss?

Brakes need to be replaced, front are "critical" back brakes are "moderate wear" and my rotors are warped, they quoted me at $945 for both sets of brakes/rotors. I figured that but 900 for brakes?

Headgaskets are leaking, at my last checkup the right side was leaking a little bit "precautionary". Now the left is a precautionary leak and the right is a "moderate" leak. They said it's a labor intensive job and quoted me at 12 hours of labor ($96/hour) and around $1700. So I'm going to call around and see what If I can't get it for a more reasonable price.

I know it doesn't take 12 hours, it takes 6 to do one and then since you've already got the engine apart maybe another hour or two to do the other one.

And they recommended I spend the extra .06/gallon and go to mobil or shell; they said not running cheap gas will make a difference. I'll give it a shot, and we'll see.

I paid for peace of mind mostly, the dealer has a complete record of everything that's been serviced previously and they might be the most expensive place to bring the car but they're also the most extensive place to bring the car.

So it looks like I know my next 8 paychecks are going.

Posted by TheVicariousVadder So $345 later... Car's running better right off bat. ($270 + Spark plugs/wire were extra and an extra half hour of labor to inspected the manifolds on the off chance there was something wrong there ... there was not, luckily for my wallet.) When they do a checkup they have four simple levels of diagnosis: good precautionary moderate critical They wanted to do the fluids (the difference between C + D): $224.99 I told them I could handle that on my own. They wanted to do fuel injector cleaning: $119.99 I passed on that. Seen it offered cheaper and I've head it's a waste of money. Discuss?

two bottles of Chevron Techron...$11.00. They're smoking crack!

Brakes need to be replaced, front are "critical" back brakes are "moderate wear" and my rotors are warped, they quoted me at $945 for both sets of brakes/rotors. I figured that but 900 for brakes?

does the pedal or steering wheel vibrate when you apply the brakes? If not, they're trying to fuck you. Is there a squeak or squeal coming from the front end? If not, the brakes are just fucking fine. Rotors are anywhere from $50-$70 apiece for that car. Pads are lucky if they top $35 for the set. You can do them yourself.

Headgaskets are leaking, at my last checkup the right side was leaking a little bit "precautionary". Now the left is a precautionary leak and the right is a "moderate" leak. They said it's a labor intensive job and quoted me at 12 hours of labor ($96/hour) and around $1700. So I'm going to call around and see what If I can't get it for a more reasonable price.

Are you going through a significant amount of coolant? Do you have to add coolant every day? Or oil? If not, you can drive the car with a weepy headgasket forever. And besides, unless they pressurized the cooling system, their ass is sucking canal water.

I know it doesn't take 12 hours, it takes 6 to do one and then since you've already got the engine apart maybe another hour or two to do the other one.

Headgasket jobs are labor intensive. They do suck to do. You have a Subaru, correct?

And they recommended I spend the extra .06/gallon and go to mobil or shell; they said not running cheap gas will make a difference. I'll give it a shot, and we'll see.

cheap gas is just what you pay for... the shit off the bottom of the barge or barrel. I prefer to run non-ethanol 93 octane Sunoco or Mobil if I can. I will not run mystery gas even in the Beretta. My mileage is better and the engine seems to run much better than on rotgut 87.

I paid for peace of mind mostly, the dealer has a complete record of everything that's been serviced previously and they might be the most expensive place to bring the car but they're also the most extensive place to bring the car. So it looks like I know my next 8 paychecks are going.

i don't think so. i think you should have a third party look at it. Aren't there some UER gearheads near you in Massachusetts or even in Connecticut?

Posted by Samurai two bottles of Chevron Techron...$11.00. They're smoking crack!

I know.

does the pedal or steering wheel vibrate when you apply the brakes? Is there a squeak or squeal coming from the front end?

Check and Check. I know the brakes need to be replaced, I could tell from driving it,

Are you going through a significant amount of coolant? Do you have to add coolant every day? Or oil? If not, you can drive the car with a weepy headgasket forever. And besides, unless they pressurized the cooling system, their ass is sucking canal water. Headgasket jobs are labor intensive. They do suck to do. You have a Subaru, correct?

No, I was just saying worse case scenario. I know I can put it off. I know it's labor intensive that's why 100/hr and 65/hr makes a huge price difference. Repailpal.com said 1100-1300 for small town mechanic. 1300-1500 dealer, my dealer quoted me 1700, yep.

cheap gas is just what you pay for... the shit off the bottom of the barge or barrel. I prefer to run non-ethanol 93 octane Sunoco or Mobil if I can. I will not run mystery gas even in the Beretta. My mileage is better and the engine seems to run much better than on rotgut 87.

right, will use recommended gas from now on.

i don't think so. i think you should have a third party look at it. Aren't there some UER gearheads near you in Massachusetts or even in Connecticut?

I'm not worried about it, if anyone would over examine the car itd be the dealer, so they can maximize work that needs to be done.