5 replies to this topic

[SubaruLiberty]

Hey all, 

 

I am about to buy a 2012 Subaru Liberty off of my parents it has 150,000 kms and has been serviced religiously. Despite this the latest service has somehow cost us $1750! The main costs were things like lower front control arm brushes, and timing belt idlers alongside dozens of other little things like brake pads which I swore had already been done have added up. My parents seem to think that since weve spent so much money on the car (last two services have been well over $1000 (with timing belt replaced and some items accidently replaced twice etc) (car is only worth about $7000) that there shouldnt be anymore problems. I tend to believe them as weve spent so much there would practically have to be a new engine under that hood. 

 

Is this how much everyone else is spending on Subaru's of the same kms? It seems ridiculous. Are my parents right or is this car a lemon that will continue to cost me a small fortune? 

 

Also all of this has been done at the dealer we bought it from which is another issue, theyve been nothing but trouble. We took it to an independant mechanic before this last service  but they said the unconventional ways the dealer had been maintaining it meant it would cost just as much with them.

 

Sorry for the rant just frustrated, this subaru shouldnt be costing the same as an audi or mercedes to maintain should it ???

[Niko]

Major services are around $1-2k. Brake change is generally $800-1k if it includes pads and rotors. Bush replacement is generally $200-300. 

 

This is why you see people say 'has had major service' in their ads. 

 

Subaru dealerships now tell you how much each service will be ahead of time, but it is still expensive. And when they find something wrong they generally want to fix it.

 

You can save money by going to a mechanic you trust who doesn't up sell, or will give you time before something needs replacing (i.e., a 3 month heads up that you need to get brakes changed). You can also learn how to change your oil, and do this every 7,500-15,000km.

 

Buying the parts you need for a service yourself also saves money. At the 200,000km mark you will need to do another major service. Come back on here then and ask for advice on what to buy before going to the mechanic.  

 

The value of the car has nothing to do with it. In NSW you can drive a $2000 car that costs you $1300 to register and insure, and another $700 to maintain each year. Running costs are the real expense of cars, not the purchase price. 

 

Also, Subarus are nowhere near as expensive as a Euro to maintain, if we are comparing dealership prices. 

[SubaruLiberty]

Ah no worries, I hadnt really done servicing before thanks for giving me some perspective on the costs. The mechanic told me when I was there that I can budget ahead with the Subaru planner on the site so Ill go with that. 

 

Thanks for that, see you at 200,00kms! 

[El_Freddo]

I reckon ditch the dealer and find yourself a reputable independent mechanic that specialises in Subaru’s.

Otherwise enjoy the drive

Cheers

Bennie

[Beckers]

Most of the services are only $3 to $400, the 100 and 125Km are the big $ ones.

All the extra work you had done has pushed the price up.

Most of us do our own servicing, repairs and upgrades, so that keeps the price down alot.

You can also try some overseas site for parts, ie partsouq, about one third the price of parts here in Australia.

I work for a Subaru dealer, so I see your type of jobs everyday.

[El_Freddo]

Where do I get a $3 service Beckers??

Seriously though, what Beckers said. I’ve only been to a mechanic for a roadworthy and an ABS unit replacement back in the day. Many others here are the same in the DIY department.

Cheers

Bennie