Performance subaru 30k service:(

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:06 pm

I just got back from performance subaru for a 30k service. Granted I change my oil and trans fluid myself, I wanted them to bleed the brakes, change the radiator fluid, and give the car a once over.

When I took the car in for the 15k service they put in some ate super blue. So when I returned this visit they did have any but were able to get a can of the ate typ 200. Same stuff just different color. When they were finished the left over fluid in the can seemed like a lot. I just thought, wow, the tech must be good to be able to bleed the brakes with that little fluid. I looked the the service manual and it said it takes about 16 oz of fluid to bleed the whole system. My heart kind of sank, freak'n great. The best part is there is blue brake fluid still in the resevoir

So I called the performance service manager and asked wtf. He proceded to tell me that a "brake fluid change" consisted of sucking the the fluid out of the resevoir and replacing it. He tried to tell me that this is what subaru recommended. During his explanation he stated that this would help to refresh the fluid throughout the system :shock:

. When I tried to explain that the fluid in the brake system does not really circulate through the system and that heat and moisure can decrease the effectiveness of the fluid he replied "that was one school of thought".

Last time I was there I spoke to Ryan the tech and saw him bleeding the brakes. He said that Ryan did something extra by bleeding the brakes.

Well, this got me thinking since my radiator overflow tank was now overfilled. So I pulled off the plastic under tray and looked at the drain valve for the radiator. It doesn't look like it has been touched. Yay. I do not think I have any way to prove the radiator fluid was not changed though.

I called back to asked if my radiator fluid was actually changed or just had the resevoir sucked out and refilled. He "reasured" me that it was drained and changed.

Long story short if you take your car to performance to have your brake fluid changed you might want to have it done somewher else or specify "bleed" my brakes you crack smokers!!!

Anyone ever use Johnson and Johnson import specialist?

PS Brian H., want to help me bleed my brake fluid on sat?

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:11 pm

There are coolant test strips that should provide with some data regarding the age of your fluid if you are really wanting to find out.

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:18 pm

Sorry about your troubles Marcus. This reminds me of the time back when my father used to sell Snap-on tools and what took place on his visit one week to Autopark Honda. He had one of his regular customers come out to his truck (a mechanic) and tell him about how they charged customers for accesory belt changes, when in fact all they had done was inspect them. The customer was upset about it because he didn't feel it was right, but had to go along with it since it was the managements policy at the time. Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of dealerships.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:36 pm

I just called the subaru customer service line. Hopefully I can at least get my money back. I don't like going to the dealer but I just wanted to have them do that stuff and get it checked for the warranty.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:02 pm

Marcus unless it's free (warranty) I can't imagine a bright guy like you would take his car to the dealer.

I'm sure there are many people in the club who would help you bleed the brakes and do a coolant flush if you don't know how. Neither is rocket science, and I'll bet the dealer made good bit of dough off of it.

BTW, as I understand it (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that ATE makes their fluid in two different colors (amber and blue) so you can tell (at the bleed screw) when the fluid is the new stuff you're putting in. When you see the color change, go to the next wheel and repeat.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Adam posted in another thread that the Blue doesn't "last as long" as the Gold does.

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Performance Subaru sucks. If it wasn't for the salesperson I bought the new cars from (who is no longer there) I wouldn't have dealt with them more than once. I know they did a lot of favors for Tom, but damn.

They did my timing belt replacement & reinstalled one of the accessory belts off by one groove. I guess they couldn't hear the high-pitched squealing when they cranked the car up. :roll:

I was under the car installing a header a couple of weeks ago & noticed there's a rubber dust gasket hanging out of the plastic cover that goes over the timing belt. I wonder what else they forgot - maybe to change the timing belt? (and I provided that when I dropped off the car)

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:14 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

BTW, as I understand it (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that ATE makes their fluid in two different colors (amber and blue) so you can tell (at the bleed screw) when the fluid is the new stuff you're putting in. When you see the color change, go to the next wheel and repeat.

Ok, stand corrected then

They are not the same fluid. They have almost identical boiling points, and maybe this is why people have come to think they are the same fluid.

The SuperBlue is a short term fluid only, 6 months at the most before Ate says to replace the fluid, not bleed. The Gold is the long term version and can go upto 2 yrs before needing to be flushed out.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:48 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Marcus unless it's free (warranty) I can't imagine a bright guy like you would take his car to the dealer.

I'm sure there are many people in the club who would help you bleed the brakes and do a coolant flush if you don't know how. Neither is rocket science, and I'll bet the dealer made good bit of dough off of it.

BTW, as I understand it (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that ATE makes their fluid in two different colors (amber and blue) so you can tell (at the bleed screw) when the fluid is the new stuff you're putting in. When you see the color change, go to the next wheel and repeat.

Yeah smart ass, I have bled brakes, changed radiators, replaced water pumps, cluthes, timing belts, axles and the like on my own. I didn't feel like doing it and I wanted to have a documented 30k service at the dealer.

I do not have the can in front of me but the super blue can says you should replace every 1-2 years.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:59 pm

MarcusMcRae wrote:

Yeah smart ass, I have bled brakes, changed radiators, replaced water pumps, cluthes, timing belts, axles and the like on my own. I didn't feel like doing it and I wanted to have a documented 30k service at the dealer.

Actually I wasn't trying to be a SA, but since you mentioned it I think you should always take your car to the dealer. After all if you can afford a $30K car you can afford to get butt-raped on the service. :roll:

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:07 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

MarcusMcRae wrote:

Yeah smart ass, I have bled brakes, changed radiators, replaced water pumps, cluthes, timing belts, axles and the like on my own. I didn't feel like doing it and I wanted to have a documented 30k service at the dealer.

Actually I wasn't trying to be a SA, but since you mentioned it I think you should always take your car to the dealer. After all if you can afford a $30K car you can afford to get butt-raped on the service. :roll:

You really weren't trying were you!! It just comes naturally.

Chris Landi · **Joined:** Mon Mar 08, 2004 6:31 pm **Posts:** 579

Marcus,

They've done two bleeds for me. Initial install of Castrol SRF and the bleed of that fluid at 18months. Never been an issue for me but maybe that's because I said I wanted the fluid swapped when I requested the service. I'll have to make sure I specify exactly what I need with them. Too bad it happended to you. They've done other work for me too and I'vd always been pleased. I've always requested Ryan..has he done any of the work for you?

My weekend time is too valuable to me to do my own work. Outsourcing: it works

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:40 pm

Chris Landi wrote:

Marcus,

They've done two bleeds for me. Initial install of Castrol SRF and the bleed of that fluid at 18months. Never been an issue for me but maybe that's because I said I wanted the fluid swapped when I requested the service. I'll have to make sure I specify exactly what I need with them. Too bad it happended to you. They've done other work for me too and I'vd always been pleased. I've always requested Ryan..has he done any of the work for you?

My weekend time is too valuable to me to do my own work. Outsourcing: it works

It's not just what I told them to do, but what is included in the 30k service. The 30k service specifies replacing the fluid. According to the subaru service person I spoke to on their customer service line and the service manual, the fluid is supposed to be bled. Ryan did my 15k service

Rich Anderson · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:46 pm

I don't know how it works for Subarus, but whenever I did anything with my Ford dealer they always made sure that I was satisfied enough to indicate completely satisfied on the inevitably ensuing survey from Ford HQ. If they have the same thing, I would think that you have some leverage. If they don't, see what the process is to put in a formal complaint against their dealership with Subaru NA HQ. Again, if they are like most car companies, a case will be opened and cases that are not closed or resolved, generally result in penalties to the dealership. Again, for Ford, so many complaints, low scores on surveys, etc. and they lose their special Blue Oval seal and don't get as good a quarterly incentive cheque.

ChristineAllen · **Posted:** Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:13 pm

There's a new manager at Southern States and he said there will alot of changes there.

If you go back to a dealership go to Southern States and talk to Fred.

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