Ric wrote: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.