Where do you service your car?

[jdm rsk]

I bet Subaru wouldn't have been so willing to swap my engine under warranty if I had gone elsewhere for servicing.

Was your vehicle outside the warranty period? If not, then Subaru would be in breach of the Trade Practices Act by treating your engine claim any differently to a non-dealer serviced car with the same problem.

Given that was such a common and well publicised string of failures, it would have been a legal minefield for Subaru to differentiate claims on the basis of whose stamp is in the service book.

Often the myth of dealer good will backfires and it is those who hand over an itemised fault report who get good warranty service, while those who rely on the "expertise" of the pimply faced apprentice to diagnose a fault get jerked around.

The only time a car of mine has been grossly mistreated by a mechanic was while it was actually in for warranty work at a dealer. They disconnected the wastegate and flogged it around the streets, boosting to more than 20psi. Thank goodness standard exhausts don't flow very well!

For those in Queensland, that dealership was Zupps, but others have left various scratches and marks on my cars as well, only to deny it when pointed out later.

Another member from here had to take his car back (twice) to a different Brisbane dealer because they couldn't work out how to do an oil change properly. I believe they offered him a free service as compensation, but he just took the safer option of taking the car elsewhere.

In 14 years of Subaru ownership (5 new cars, 3 used), I can't count the number of times dealers have "ordered the wrong parts". If it's less than a $500 fix, I'd just get my mechanic to do it and call it an investment in piece of mind. I'd say the money I've saved over the years has paid for many such fixes anyway. It's just not worth the risk in my opinion and avoiding the dealer network has certainly enhanced my Subaru ownership experience and made me more likely to purchase another one.

I'm sure there may be some competent Subaru dealer service centres ... somewhere ... but I'd rather know whose hands I've left my $60,000 car in thanks.

fair enough, but i have only ever owned 1 new car 1986 corrolla twin cam. first service back then was at 1000k. free ok. next was 5000k $90, next was 10000k another this one was around the $150. had 5 yr warranty had to be serviced by toyota all the time, i thaught stuff that, done everything myself sold car 10yrs later with 180,000ks, only parts changed where 1 clutch and a battery. most services are only oil, water and filters. everyone to their own. you need to find a mechanic you know and can trust thats the main thing. dont think because they are a subaru, toyota or even bmw dealer service centre that they do the right thing with your car. remember you often get apprentences doing work on you priced possesions. this is only my oppinion.

[smythie]

To be fair though, the apprentices NEED the experience of actually doing the job. It isn't enough to say that they can learn the job by watching the tradesman over his shoulder. In fact I would prefer it the other way. Have the tradesman watching over the shoulder of the apprentice. That way you have a good chance of experience being passed on and the safety net of someone experienced being there to correct any mistakes.

Call me an idealist. I don't care. But I would prefer some knowledge transfer than the snobbery of "I don't want any apprentices touching my pride and joy"

[coyote]

Have the tradesman watching over the shoulder of the apprentice. That way you have a good chance of experience being passed on and the safety net of someone experienced being there to correct any mistakes.

Exactly right, but in those large dealer service departments there doesn't appear to be the quality control you describe.

There were two examples of what you describe here in Brisbane, one at Herston and one at Woolloongabba. I would let any apprentice at either workshop work on any car I owned, because I know they would be supervised in the manner above.

Between them they won best Subaru service department every year for about a decade. Subaru then revoked their franchise because their dealership wasn't flash enough.

Service is not important to Subaru. Fair enough, they are running a business and good service might not be profitable on a large scale ... but let's not kid ourselves about the quality of dealer service departments.

[Resonate]

The first and only time i've ever taken my car to the dealership was to get the bracket fitted. When i went to get my keys i saw a young apprentice in the background walking around the cars flipping his spanner in the air seeing how many rotations he could do. Got home, opened the bonnet and found that they decided to put my engine cover back on using only 2 screws. Thank you Zupps.

[domgtb25t]

Not going to go into to much detail but have had my car serviced by denlo once so far for the 5000kms when i picked it up the bottom engine shroud was hanging of made them take it back to put it on. have been dealing with them for 4 months now in regards to issues with my car it's a new 08 spec b gt turbo was stuffed and i told them from day one this was fixed only 1 week ago after also going to svm who replaced exhurst components. Last time i picked my car up from denlo it had two long scratches on drivers door on small but deep and almost dented scratch on rear drivers side door. scratches to steering column. window tint has been done for the second time due to scratches and bubles again took nearly 3 months to fix but now they have bubbles a crease and a peice of hair in it. towbar cut out on rear bumper is so big you can fit ya hand in it. the wheesl were chipped and scratched one centre cap is dented. second hand intercooler was put on my cr without telling me until i questioned why it looked older than my original. the alarm screamer was installer incorrectly so it produced a whistling noise when the car was turned on.Bubbles in my clear coat have been diagnosed as insect droppings and there for fall out of a warranty issue. anyway the list goes on But they have really bugged my car on two occasions and now want me to take it back to them again. so my experience with denlo has not been good but thats not to say yours will bad.

[smythie]

bloody hell, that's diabolical. I take it you won't be taking it back there?

[domgtb25t]

yeah well i am going to go to suby aust again and see what i can have done.

[Deluded]

that's pretty bad....I'm gonna have to look out for it the next time I take it there.....

[Resonate]

Even their parts department sucks.

Placed an order for some Diamond Grey touch up paint a while ago and was told it would be in on monday. So come monday no calls, after ringing them they said they would chase it up and let me know to which they never did. And so began a week of continuously calling and chasing up, i think i called them a total of 6 times to which after getting my details those 6 times not once have i ever been called back.

Earlier today i called them again and the person on the other line said that it was finally in, unfortunately I'm not in Brisbane at the moment so i asked my brother to go pick it up. Long story short, they never even ordered the part, after 20 minutes of them running around not letting my brother know what's going on, they tried to sell him urban grey paint instead explaining that it super seeded diamond grey and they are the same colour... Funny that because last time i checked urban grey looked absolutely nothing like diamond grey. Luckily my brother didn't buy into their absolute stupidity and now i have to wait for them to reorder it all over again.

[Hobber]

Oh yeah TOTALLY the same colour...

[gtspec]

Not going to go into to much detail but have had my car serviced by denlo once so far for the 5000kms when i picked it up the bottom engine shroud was hanging of made them take it back to put it on. have been dealing with them for 4 months now in regards to issues with my car it's a new 08 spec b gt turbo was stuffed and i told them from day one this was fixed only 1 week ago after also going to svm who replaced exhurst components. Last time i picked my car up from denlo it had two long scratches on drivers door on small but deep and almost dented scratch on rear drivers side door. scratches to steering column. window tint has been done for the second time due to scratches and bubles again took nearly 3 months to fix but now they have bubbles a crease and a peice of hair in it. towbar cut out on rear bumper is so big you can fit ya hand in it. the wheesl were chipped and scratched one centre cap is dented. second hand intercooler was put on my cr without telling me until i questioned why it looked older than my original. the alarm screamer was installer incorrectly so it produced a whistling noise when the car was turned on.Bubbles in my clear coat have been diagnosed as insect droppings and there for fall out of a warranty issue. anyway the list goes on But they have really bugged my car on two occasions and now want me to take it back to them again. so my experience with denlo has not been good but thats not to say yours will bad.

that wouldnt be the denlo on james ruse drive that had some good feedback earlier in this thread?

[domgtb25t]

Yeah but llike i said that was just my personal experiance.

I might have just been extremley unlucky

[LIBER8ED]

im in the hunt now for a new service department too.. Mind you, im still in a sticky situation, and im still under subarus "good will" policy, until im satisfied that the car has stopped playing up. The short story diagnosis is that i have an over sensative knock sensor, so now that the warranty has expired, im stuck with this new policy of subarus.

fingers crossed thats the problem mind you.

in saying that, now that i have moved, ive gone from zupps in brisneyland, and the car is booked in with penrith subaru on monday morning to get a new knock sensor fitted.. fingers crossed it works..

so im trying to decide now if i continue to take it to subaru department, to keep my foot in the door for when the next issue arrises or take it to one of these grease monkeys that you guys are talking about..

for the sake of keeping my "foot in the door" you guys think i should keep it at subaru? or take it to someone competent... (saying this going off past results from subaru service departments)

[honkas]

n saying that, now that i have moved, ive gone from zupps in brisneyland, and the car is booked in with penrith subaru on monday morning to get a new knock sensor fitted.. fingers crossed it works..

so im trying to decide now if i continue to take it to subaru department, to keep my foot in the door for when the next issue arrises or take it to one of these grease monkeys that you guys are talking about..

for the sake of keeping my "foot in the door" you guys think i should keep it at subaru? or take it to someone competent... (saying this going off past results from subaru service departments)

considering your issues i'd keep it at subaru just in case!! I'd hate to go through all that drama again cos i took it eleswhere..

[domgtb25t]

Subaru good will what a croc i was told they will repair the scratches on my doors and replace the steering cover (also scratched) in good will. In my opinion thats not good will but there responsibility as they caused the damage.

GOOD WILL???????