Subaru introduce capped price servicing

Ratbag

Ratbag

Administrator
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
7,470
Location
Bayside, Melbourne, Vic
Car Year
MY06, MY10
Car Model
Forester SG & SH
Transmission
5MT/DR & 4EAT Sports
Gidday Folks

SWMBO just got a flyer in the mail from Subaru Australia that Subaru has introduced capped price servicing for all Subarus from MY06 onwards. I looked at the web site, and found the "gotcha". The servicing has to be carried out on either time or kilometres, whichever occurs first ...

Considering that Roo2 had done 10,000 kms in 24 months since its previous service, and the oil was all but new to the look, touch and smell, servicing it every six months would appear to be serious overkill ...
AND cost more than repairing the thing should it break because of 'neglect' ...

Seems to me like buying new tyres, then being told by the seller that they should be replaced every 2 years or 20,000 kms, whether they are worn or not ...
 
Yeah, I had a look at that - well, while my car is in warranty i'll follow their overkill service routine, but at the local mechanic who charges less.
My saab has an epic service interval, 2 years or 20000km. Boy am I gonna miss that!
 
Ratbag said:
Considering that Roo2 had done 10,000 kms in 24 months since its previous service,
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You need to get out and start enjoying that Forester of yours Ratbag. :biggrin:
It'll never wear out at that rate.

My Forester had its 6th birthday in June and only did 18,500km this last year. Nothing like the 57,000km it did in its 2nd year. I always have got the km service interval up long before the time until this last 6 months - still have 3000km to go. I have been wondering how good it is to leave the oil in there longer than the specified time.

My Golf has 15,000km or 12 month service intervals and VW specify a special long life oil. It's the same 5w-30 synthetic as the Forester's but must be labeled with a 504-507 long life rating. Not that it's in the Golf for very long. It had its 1st birthday 2 days after the Forester (yeah - 2 registrations at the same time of year wasn't very smart financial planning) and did 40,500km. It goes in for its 3rd service on Thursday. VW have given it fixed price services until 90,000km too and the first 2 cost $290 each although I'm paying a bit less now taking it (and the Forester) to a trustworthy independent.
 
btw Where can I find out how much Subaru are charging for their fixed price servicing? VW publish the 6 service costs (every 15,000km till 90,000km or 6 years) for each of their models, down to which engine and gearbox in each model range on their web site but I can't find anything on the Subaru web site.
 
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yea our new suzuki is kinda like that, but the capped price isn't too bad for the suzuki we'll loose out on some of the smaller services but break even on the major servicing. but after the warranty is out it's only getting a service when it need one.
 
Honda's Fixed Price Servicing for my 2013 CR-V VTi 4WD is either $246.00 or $283.00 depending on which Service is required over the 5 years.

I wonder why Subaru are so reluctant to put their prices on the website?
 
^ Yeah, I couldn't find it either, without logging on. Which I couldn't be bothered doing. Why be so secretive?

It might be worth it for SWMBO's SH, which will need its 125,000 kms service done in about 40,000 Kms. Maybe closer to the time .... :poke: :raspberry: :lildevil:.
 
VW set a standard oil/filter service for a petrol Mk7 Golf at $292 but only 15k, 30k & 75k services are at that price because of extra requirements like coolant, air filter etc. So the 45k service is$347, the 60k service is $499 and the 90k service is $390. Every 2 years they charge $47 for the pollen filter and $127 for new brake fluid. I imagine Subaru will have something similar where the services with gearbox/diff oils, coolants & brake fluids will be more.

When I had the first service at Wippells VW they only charged $290, so they didn't even stick to the capped price. My independent has charged considerably less, mainly labour at $108.90 instead of $135.30 but also don't hit me with the fuel additive / windscreen washer additive / wheel balancing rot that dealers do. Those prices include GST.
 
^ etc

Ross charges a "fixed price" for servicing too.

It usually costs around $180 for the Foresters, and this includes the (highly expensive) Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 FS plus filters and any minor parts that might be needed (wiper blades, bulbs and the like). It was a bit cheaper for the Impreza (usually $150-160 - mainly the cost of the oil, I guess), but the Camry was also around the $180 mark.

No vehicle ever leaves his workshop without all the other stuff being checked. I have often noticed that there will be notations on the invoice for some obscure (minor) thing being rectified or replaced. The mechanics obviously give all cars a careful, thorough examination, even when they only come in for a straightforward intermediate service.

Major services are always itemised. Anything out of the ordinary that arises causes him to ring up with the bad news, a rough pricing and find out what one wants done about it, and when.

I have referred a few people to him over the years, and they always rave about the level of service they get from him, so he obviously treats everyone the same. One of our female friends who knows lots about cars said "He didn't treat me like some kind of ignorant female bimbo. He treated me as a human being." Interesting observation, that. I would not have thought otherwise of Ross.

Just good people to deal with.
 
Ratbag said:
No vehicle ever leaves his workshop without all the other stuff being checked. I have often noticed that there will be notations on the invoice for some obscure (minor) thing being rectified or replaced. The mechanics obviously give all cars a careful, thorough examination, even when they only come in for a straightforward intermediate service.

Major services are always itemised. Anything out of the ordinary that arises causes him to ring up with the bad news, a rough pricing and find out what one wants done about it, and when.

I have referred a few people to him over the years, and they always rave about the level of service they get from him, so he obviously treats everyone the same. One of our female friends who knows lots about cars said "He didn't treat me like some kind of ignorant female bimbo. He treated me as a human being." Interesting observation, that. I would not have thought otherwise of Ross.

Just good people to deal with.
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Sounds exactly like the service I used to get at Boxer Service in Brendale QLD.
I say used too as I don't have a Suby anymore.
 
subyroo said:
Sounds exactly like the service I used to get at Boxer Service in Brendale QLD.
I say used too as I don't have a Suby anymore.
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Don't read the latest edition of "Wheels" (Aug) then where they did a comparison of 10 mid-size soft roaders. The Forester was named No1 but I won't say which one came 9th. :)
 
guzzla said:
Don't read the latest edition of "Wheels" (Aug) then where they did a comparison of 10 mid-size soft roaders. The Forester was named No1 but I won't say which one came 9th. :)
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#9 suits my current needs and I don't get raped for Services and parts and I'm not stuck with the tyre tolerance when 1 x replacement is required.


:raz: :raz: :raz: :raz:


Yes!, the 2003 Forester served me well and luckily I never needed to replace anything major in the 220,000 kms that I had it for.
Times and needs change and Subaru could not fill my needs any longer.


:sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:
 
Unfortunately it is too little, too late from Subaru. They also won't provide the cost of the service to you until you ring them for a quote (unless you have a 2014 - where it is on the website) - meaning that it may be capped - but at what price? From a consumer point of view, how does this provide transparency, and confidence in what you are paying?

The 05 is a keeper for now at least, as I'm still very happy with it and will miss it when the time comes to move it on. (and due to working in the city, it spends most of its time in the garage and therefore doesn't need to be replaced).

In regards to the Wheels test - that's all well and good, but at the end of the day they are journos, and don't have to live with the car. They don't experience the Subaru service experience, nor the 'They all do that' if a problem arises. And I'm not convinced that the Subaru is the best out of all of them, even if Wheels says it is.
 
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aware said:
In regards to the Wheels test - that's all well and good, but at the end of the day they are journos, and don't have to live with the car. They don't experience the Subaru service experience, nor the 'They all do that' if a problem arises. And I'm not convinced that the Subaru is the best out of all of them, even if Wheels says it is.
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I agree.
 
Had the wife's 2011 SH Forester serviced today at Subaru Doncaster. First they tried to encourage me to have a log book service at close to $400 for what appeared to be not much more than a minor service.
After some debate they agreed I could get a fixed price service at $249. I laughed when they (the dealer she bought it from) wanted to know where we bought it from. So basically got an oil and filter change and numerous checks, which I bet weren't done. Despite telling them the cabin pollen filter did not need to be changed or the wiper blades replaced, I got the phone call trying to get me to agree!
Interestingly the car is using a bit of oil and I note that the oil being used is synth 0w20. This grade of oil seems way too low.
Two more years of warranty then I can get someone of my choice to do it.
 
Gidday HC

No way would I use 0W-20 oil in any car in Oz.

I use 5W-40 FS Shell Helix Ultra in our SG and SH (the SH has an EJ-253 donk in it). They do not use any measurable amount of oil between changes (12,500 Kms or 24 months, whichever occurs first ... ). Roo2 had its oil changed at 24 months and 10,000 kms, and the old oil looked nearly as good as it did when new. It also felt good between my fingers.

Coming into our Summer, 0W-20 is just not up to snuff, and if you read the OM carefully, it basically tells you to use 5W-30 FS, and then goes on to recommend 10W-40 or 20W-50 of using the car for towing or under harsh conditions ...

5W-40 has the same low temperature (i.e. starting conditions) as 0W-20 for all practical purposes unless you live in Antarctica or Siberia ... :poke:.
It has about 15°C higher ambient temperature rating than 0W-20 ...

If I were you, I would drain the 0W-20 out and replace it with Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40 FS ... Put the cost down to experience.

Secondly, you are under no obligation whatsoever to use Subaru Stealerships for servicing, even under warranty. They cannot void or change the warranty in any way if you choose to use a properly accredited mechanic, or even Dial-a-Lube, or whatever they are called. The law was changed at least 15-20 years ago to stop this rort ... IIRC.

I am extremely weary right now, but we can discuss this tomorrow if you like, or at club at the end of the month.
 
RB, I will need to look deeper into the owners hand book as I am surprised at the grade used. I raised this issue with Subaru but haven't got a response.

Lefty, an interesting read.
 
Gidday HC

havachat said:
RB, I will need to look deeper into the owners hand book as I am surprised at the grade used. I raised this issue with Subaru but haven't got a response.
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What a surprise ... :poke: :lol:.

Just checked both the SG (p.11-17) and SH (p.11-20) OMs.

For non-turbo 2.5L SG, 0W-20 FS is recommended, yet the maximum ambient temperature recommended for this oil is 40°C!! What a joke for Oz conditions (and lots of other parts of the world ... )! Fried engine, anyone? :( :(

For the non-turbo 2.0L SH, 0W-20 FS is recommended, yet the maximum ambient temperature recommended for this oil is again 40°C!!
Personally, I would put it at more like 30°C ambient ...

5W-30 FS is recommended for all N/A AND Turbo 2.5L SH engines (EJ-253 variants). The N/A engine in our SH is an EJ-253, same as the one in our N/A SG ...

Both manuals state: "However, in hot weather, oil of higher viscosity is required to properly lubricate the engine.".

Interpreting this statement means:

a) for the SG that one needs at least 5W-30 FS, and preferably 5W-40 FS.

b) for the SH 2.5L that at least 5W-30 FS is mandatory under all conditions, and preferably 5W-40 FS. Why is the 0W-20 FS recommendation suddenly dropped from the SH OM?

I stress again that both our cars have slightly differing versions of the EJ-253 N/A engine ...

The 2011 SH had the FB engine, IIRC, but oil viscosity is oil viscosity in my books, and high ambient temperatures require a decent maximum viscosity index to handle them without cooking one's engine bits ...

Lefty, an interesting read.
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Agreed.

However, the workshop type ECU (etc) analyser that any respectable workshop will own should be able to adequately interpret all codes. After all, almost all engines now use OBDC II, which are supposedly a set of standards ...
 
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