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drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

bull3964 posted:

Thanks, now all I have to do is wait for them to release the drat things.

I'm really starting to notice the age of my 02 this year :(. Some of the cloth on the driver's seat has gotten really thin and has even developed a hole in one spot. I mean, for the most part it looks to be in phenomenal shape for a 9 year old car, but it's still a 9 year old car.

Our Saaburu is an 05, and I've worn a hole in the mat AND the loving carpet with my left heel. :(

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AnomalousBoners
Dec 22, 2007

by Ozma

Hammer Floyd posted:

Cross-posting from the "Post Your Ride" thread. I'm bragging, but it's because it's my first new car and I love it :D



Picked it up yesterday. Brand new Subaru Impreza. When I picked it up yesterday at 4PM it had 16 kilometers on it. Today at 10PM it has 275 :)

I got the sport body kit (obviously) and leather interior. I just cant get over how well it handles.

I'm thinking of getting stiffer springs and a few minor things to improve acceleration. Can anybody suggest anything? I've never modded a car before and know absolutely nothing about it.

If you care at all about sporty driving why didnt you get a WRX?

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


Dr JonboyG posted:

Our Saaburu is an 05, and I've worn a hole in the mat AND the loving carpet with my left heel. :(

Yeah, I have the same problems there as well (the mat has a hole in the carpet, but not the rubber yet.) The carpet hole is tiny though. I've been thinking about picking up new mats, I just haven't made up my mind yet.

Really though, I compare this to the '86 Corolla that I had back in '95 and my car is in much better shape after 9 years than that car was after 10 so that's something.

Amandyke
Nov 27, 2004

A wha?

RealKyleH posted:

If you care at all about sporty driving why didnt you get a WRX?

This was exactly what I was about to ask.


And on the subject of newly acquired Subaru's, here's a picture of my new (to me) WRX Wagon.



2003 WRX Wagon, 93,000 miles unmolested and completely bone stock when I got it. Within a week it had an Accessport v2 (stage 1 ACN tune) and a replacement uppipe from M2 Motorsports. Really the uppipe is a reliability modification... I swear...

Future plans are for a bellmouth cat'd downpipe to a borla hush catback. Then the stage 2 ACN tune. After that, I have no plans of making any other modifications to it. I do plan on keeping it as stock looking as possible on the outside. No lowering kits, no new wheels, no whole car graphics.

Amandyke fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Jun 11, 2010

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
Sonic Yellow is a great colour; is this a Spec R1? What production number is it?

Does the up-pipe and tune do what you thought it would? I'm interested in doing it to mine now if yours went well.

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad

RealKyleH posted:

If you care at all about sporty driving why didnt you get a WRX?

I think he's said before he couldn't afford it and the insurance.

Amandyke
Nov 27, 2004

A wha?

Seat Safety Switch posted:

Sonic Yellow is a great colour; is this a Spec R1? What production number is it?

Does the up-pipe and tune do what you thought it would? I'm interested in doing it to mine now if yours went well.

Not a spec R1. Yes the uppipe and tune do exactly what I thought they would. I did the tune first and noticed a HUGE difference in the way the car put down it's power. You don't have to wring it's neck to get boost out of it anymore, really moves the torque band a lot lower. Boost comes on at ~2.5k now, so what used to be a reasonably quick car getting onto the freeway is not a REALLY fast car getting onto the freeway. And this is just stage 1! Once it can actually breath better by getting rid of those other restrictive cat's and 2.25" (ok so that's not really all that restrictive) pipes, it'll once again mutate into what should be at least on par with an STi.

If anything you should get the uppipe done because of the potential of the cat losing a chunk of material and destroying your turbo. I got mine for $50 off of amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M2-Performance-Impreza-Stainless-Up-Pipe/dp/B002FCEEL2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1276272839&sr=8-1

The pipe has very thick (like .75" thick) cnc machined flanges and the welds are robot tig's. Looks very good to me (but I'm far from being an expert). It certainly weighed less than the stock pipe as well.

itskage
Aug 26, 2003


RealKyleH posted:

If you care at all about sporty driving why didnt you get a WRX?

$10,000 and the peace of mind that comes with owning a new car and not a used WRX.

Let the man enjoy his first Subaru.

H13
Nov 30, 2005

Fun Shoe

kimbo305 posted:

I think he's said before he couldn't afford it and the insurance.

Dingdingding. The WRX was 20k more expensive than what I bought, plus the insurance was another 3k per year.

Also, I got booked for doing 74kph in a 70. The cops in Australia are absurd. To get something like the WRX mean I'd have my lisence for...2 weeks? I didn't want anything ridiculous. Likewise, I'm not intending this thing to be as quick as a WRX, but a little bit quicker would be nice :).

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


Hammer Floyd posted:

Dingdingding. The WRX was 20k more expensive than what I bought, plus the insurance was another 3k per year.

Holy poo poo, $20k more expensive? You guys in Australia are getting reamed. $20k AUD is like $16k USD.

The base WRX only costs $7k more than the base Impreza in the US.

$3k more for insurance seems crazy to me as well. I only pay $800 /year for full coverage on my WRX.

Kia Soul Enthusias
May 9, 2004

zoom-zoom
Toilet Rascal
Looks great. I'm kinda surprised with a sport kit and leather that you don't get alloy wheels. Oh well, those can always come later, right?:)

H13
Nov 30, 2005

Fun Shoe

bull3964 posted:

Holy poo poo, $20k more expensive? You guys in Australia are getting reamed. $20k AUD is like $16k USD.

The base WRX only costs $7k more than the base Impreza in the US.

$3k more for insurance seems crazy to me as well. I only pay $800 /year for full coverage on my WRX.

Here's how it works:

4 Models:
Subaru Impreza R (Stock, 23k)
Subaru Impreza RX (Sport body kit, Alloys 30k)
Subaru Impreza RS (Sport Body kit, Alloys leather, GPS, sunroof, 35k)
Subaru Impreza WRX (Beasty, 43k)

There are other little differences such as the RX\RS having stereo controls on the steering wheel\fog lights but those are the significant differences.

I got a Subaru Impreza R with a sport body kit and leather interior for 26k. I'd say that's a pretty freakin' awesome deal.

Edit: And yes, Alloys I think will come when I get my tax return :)

Sockington
Jul 26, 2003
Ordered my rebuilt shortblock from Outfront Motorsports (under jamal's recommendation) this week. Should be here in a week or so. :dance:

Here's hoping that oil sludge mess can easily come off the heads I posted earlier in the thread.

jamal
Apr 15, 2003

I'll set the building on fire
Make sure you get sti headgaskets and not the lovely one-layer coated gaskets they still sell for n/a 2.5s. 11044aa642

I think it cost me less than $300 had my heads cleaned, milled, and re-built.

Sabotaged
Jul 6, 2004

Amandyke posted:

These Continental tires seem to be getting very good reviews right now on Tire Rack. And they're $41 less per tire than the RE960's ($100 vs. $141 per corner). And they have a higher wear rating.

I've been googling the poo poo out of both of these tires, it seems like both are pretty good except the Continentals sound like they have soft sidewalls. People are inflating them to ~40 psi to compensate, but won't that just cause excessive wear? I think I might just spend the 40$ extra on each tire from discount tire and go with a set of 960as.

CAT INTERCEPTOR
Nov 9, 2004

Basically a male Margaret Thatcher

Hammer Floyd posted:

Dingdingding. The WRX was 20k more expensive than what I bought, plus the insurance was another 3k per year.

Also, I got booked for doing 74kph in a 70. The cops in Australia are absurd. To get something like the WRX mean I'd have my lisence for...2 weeks? I didn't want anything ridiculous. Likewise, I'm not intending this thing to be as quick as a WRX, but a little bit quicker would be nice :).


Are you in NSW?

OH and this is what is called an external combustion differential

allonblack
Dec 9, 2004

Yes, you.

Hammer Floyd posted:

Cross-posting from the "Post Your Ride" thread. I'm bragging, but it's because it's my first new car and I love it :D



Picked it up yesterday. Brand new Subaru Impreza. When I picked it up yesterday at 4PM it had 16 kilometers on it. Today at 10PM it has 275 :)

I got the sport body kit (obviously) and leather interior. I just cant get over how well it handles.

I'm thinking of getting stiffer springs and a few minor things to improve acceleration. Can anybody suggest anything? I've never modded a car before and know absolutely nothing about it.

Hey Color buddy ;)


Click here for the full 640x427 image.


As far as power goes, I thought that Cobb makes an accessport for you but it appears as though it's for the 2008 car, so I'm clueless. Suspension, I'd suggest Ralliteks suspension kit - front/rear sways and endlinks + a nice set of progressive springs.

Rex_Temperis
Feb 27, 2010

by Ozma

Abominable! posted:

Ive always been intrigued by the Subaru XTs. Can someone give me the low down on these funky wedges?

I had a 87 XT6 back in the mid 90's It belonged to a college student with no money. it was an absolute basket case bur the body was solid. It took around $4500 to get it in drivable shape. Most notably the shocks which were about $400 each! That said, I loved it, except for the automatic seat belts. It was turbocharged, all wheel drive, with a digital dash. And when i pushed a button it rose like 4 inches for off roading! It was a hoot to drive and got me a few speeding tickets.
I drove it to Palm Springs CA From Taos NM one summer. I drove straight thru, it took about 20 hours at about 90mph!

The down sides: Small, I mean small, (and I had 2 Karmann Ghia's!) more than 2 passengers was a tight fit! If your other 2 passengers are kids or Smurfs then its fine.
The sunroof, it was metal and huge and had to be stored in the tiny trunk making it even smaller. Also if it started to rain you had to pull over get it out of the trunk (removing anything you placed on top of it) and put it in while getting thoroughly soaked along with whatever you had in the trunk.

The stereo was ok but it ate tapes and since it was integrated with the trip computer it is impossible to find an aftermarket head unit to work in the damm thing and not look like a hack job.

Oh yeah the shocks, the new ones lasted about 3 years causing me to reassess the cost of replacing them. Luckily my local mechanic suggested using the regular non-air shocks that were on the base models! saving me about $1400. I ripped out the compressor when I got it back and really missed being able to make it rise and lower like that.

The last thing has to do with the HVAC the heat and AC worked fine, the thing is if you park it outside, you need to close the the outside air vent. This is done by simply sliding the temperature from hot cool to warm effectively shutting it.
Otherwise, mice and rats will make a nest in your fan housing! I found this out one hot summer day when I went to put on the AC. There was a humming and heavy vibration, suddenly the fan sped up to normal and bits of fur came flying out of the dash. Once I got home i took the HVAC fan out and was surprised to find a decapitated mouse! (I never did find the head) and pretty much couldn't use the AC or heat for like 6 months!) But it don't end there my friends. The next day i went to put something in the trunk and heard a faint squeaking sound. I Investigated and under the carpet were 6 baby mice in a nest.

All in all it was a mixed bag, I liked my 79 Subaru gl 4x4 wagon more.

Fantastipotamus
Nov 19, 2002

Nothing's wrong. Nothing is wrong. Everything is on track.
Had a huge loving go-round with a local dealership trying to get my 07 Spec B inspected last week.

Earlier in May, my wife bought me NH-legal tint. NH legal tint is rear side windows and rear window at 35%. When the installer got started, he verified with me it would be NH-legal.

So, with this assurance, I took my car where I always take it for inspection, the local dealership, with whom I have an established relationship, and they tend to be very trustworthy, and have yet to screw me.

Around 1pm I got a call saying that my car failed for the tint, it was reading 32% in the sides and 30% in the back, which is over the limit. I let them know the installer promised me it would be legal, and they said it was probably reading over because most new cars are tinted 2-3% from the factory. I called the installer and let him know it failed, and cited their reading and logic. He said he'd been through this before, and would call the DOT for me and would call me back tomorrow.

So, the next day (the last day I could legally drive on an uninspected vehicle) he calls and says the 'fight it' route will take longer than I've got. What he said is that the readers they use for tint (even though they're state approved) can read high by 3-5%, so even though my tint was legal AND the tint manufacturers account for the 2-3% on the (so the tint would actually likely be 38%) I had failed. He asked me to bring my car down, and he would redo the tint at 40% at his cost.

So, eventhough I had legal tint, I failed for illegal tint because the readers read high, and the dealership (having more to lose if they get cited for illegally passing vehicles) has no reason to pass it. Good times.

Iron Squid
Nov 23, 2005

by Ozmaugh
I need some advice from people knowledgeable about Outbacks.

I currently have a 2003 BMW 325i with about 130k+ miles on it. Its not a bad commuter car, but its needed a lot of repairs. I can feel another huge breakdown coming on it, and want to be rid of it in the next month or so before I have to since another few thousand dollars into it.

In considering what I want to replace it with, I need something that: works as a good commuter car, since I have a 50 mile round trip daily from Oakland, CA to Burlingame, CA (ugh). I also would like something that can go down rough BLM trails. Trying to get my BMW across a narrow rut in a road is not something I enjoy doing. I'm not planning on doing anything that would require a Jeep or BMP-3 to cross; just a rough road that might occasionally have loose gravel on it. Having decent storage room is helpful, since I have a 2 year old son to transport. Sadly, the nanny state of California will not permit me to strap him to the roof rack of any vehicle.

Finally, something that gets semi-decent fuel economy.

The later requirement has made me eliminate SUVs like Denalis, XTerras and such. I'd still consider smaller SUVs like Escapes, RAV-4s and the like. But Subaru Outbacks look like they'd probably fit the bill the best, since they seem to be a lot more comfortable for a longer commute, plus finding a compact SUV that is 4wd for around $10k has been...challenging.

So what say you, goons. What are the pros and cons of getting an Outback, and is it the best match for my needs? Since most Outbacks in my range tend to be around 100k miles, what are things I should ask my mechanic to pay close attention to when I have it checked out before buying.

To conclude, what do you all think of this Outback. 156k miles is a lot, but it is the LL Bean version and I'm always down with luxury.

DEUCE SLUICE
Feb 6, 2004

I dreamt I was an old dog, stuck in a honeypot. It was horrifying.
I had a 2000 Outback Limited 5-spd that I liked a lot, and the only problem it ever had were leaky CV boots. The limiteds were cool because they came with the winter package, which included a rear LSD. With the five-speed and 50/50 center differential it was unstoppable in the snow.

Amandyke
Nov 27, 2004

A wha?

Iron Squid posted:

:words:

If you want lots of space and decent off-road capability, how about a forester!

Here's a 2003 in Oakland for $9,997 with 82k miles. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/ctd/1790777122.html

Or this 2003 for $8,500 with 64,700 miles. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/1786773591.html

Or this 2003 for $6,995 with 105,000 miles. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/1786175858.html

syphon
Jan 1, 2001
In my experience, the Outbacks are slightly longer while the Foresters are slightly taller. Depends on which type of space you'll find more useful.

Iron Squid
Nov 23, 2005

by Ozmaugh
How is the on-road handling for a Forester vs an Outback?

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."
Never been so happy to be told I needed a turbo soon.

Took my car in due to excess coolant in the overflow, thinking headgasket, I'll get away with a thermostat and maybe a radiator.
Because I thought it was a head gasket, I prepared to do the shortblock as I thought I had a busted piston ring due to a previous compression test and using 7L of oil every 5k mi. One was done today, and it is normal (all within 5 psi, which is a huge difference that 100psi on cyl 4). This was verified (they did it 2 or 3 times), and I guess the last test was hosed up.
No external leaks, so that basically just leaves the turbo (at also makes sense the symptoms seem a bit more like a turbo). And that's quite a bit cheaper than pulling a motor and getting a new block. I knew i should have pulled the banjo filter.

FireTora
Oct 6, 2004

There's a 2004 Forester XT for sale near me that I'm really interested in and am probably going to go check out on friday. Are there any major issues I should look for in it and how are they over all. I've got a Miata right now but it's not gonna cut it this winter and I need more room to put stuff in.

Cuntpunch
Oct 3, 2003

A monkey in a long line of kings
Speaking of headgaskets:
Took my 2.5i in today for the 11.5month oilchange and happened to bear witness to one of the service advisors explaining to another customer that she wouldn't be driving cross-country tomorrow due to her headgasket being shot and leaking internally. Lady tried to probe out the issue of "can I just make this one trip then fix it when I get back" and luckily for her the service advisor stood firm that the car was not safe to drive any distance. Other than that nasty HG repair, car had a few things that could wait, though; like a valve cover gasket. There was definitely a leak there, but that would be easy to do at the same time as the head gasket.
Lady flipped her poo poo a bit, then tried bargaining about just driving it anyways, then accepted that it was broken and she'd need to rent a car. In the middle of this, she gets to talking about how she bought the car used a while back and had to replace the engine last year - and it turns out she'd bought a used engine and had it installed as-is without a warranty at some local shop. On top of this, she settled on just getting the valve cover gasket fixed for now and she'd look into the HG at a later date. You could see the service advisor subtly shift from helpful to confused to frustrated and back to helpful again when that decision was made final.

Why would you cut-corners in repairing your car? I just can't fathom it. Poor thing is going to die when the owner forgets that she didn't fix the _real problem_ and just keeps on driving feeling like getting that VCG replaced patched up everything mighty fine. But any of the numerous lessons to be learned here are going to be lost amongst seething rage about a 'faulty product'.

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

Cuntpunch posted:

Why would you cut-corners in repairing your car? I just can't fathom it. Poor thing is going to die when the owner forgets that she didn't fix the _real problem_ and just keeps on driving feeling like getting that VCG replaced patched up everything mighty fine. But any of the numerous lessons to be learned here are going to be lost amongst seething rage about a 'faulty product'.
People are convinced that the shop is out to rip them off. This is often because they are. Unfortunately, with no knowledge about cars, they have trouble telling what is BS and what isn't. I mean most dealers sell all sorts of bullshit services that don't exactly inspire trust when they ask for $2000 for a head gasket.

Speaking of BS I finally found a shop in NorCal that does Subarus that I don't hate. Too bad it is 100mi away from home.
Locally (and I use that term broadly) I have the choice of:
"Tuner" shops that couldn't properly install a DP and thought Hawk HPS were good track pads. (Oh and they're very popular on the internet)
"Tuner" shop that is known for ripping people off.
A very good well respected race shop that doesn't normally do street cars but will work on my car but admits hating subarus (They mostly do Mazdas).
A shop run by hippies that are honest, normally do decent work, but just doesn't really seem to get that cars can go more than 55 mph.
The dealer

ugh. What is it about the auto repair trade that attracts incompetents and cheats (I'm not saying that this applies to all, even some of the mechanics here are good, but it fees like a minority)?
And no, I can't do my own work, I work 12 hours a day and suck with a wrench.

The good thing about German cars is that they break enough that there are so many shops chasing the money that you can find a good one.

CAT INTERCEPTOR
Nov 9, 2004

Basically a male Margaret Thatcher

FireTora posted:

There's a 2004 Forester XT for sale near me that I'm really interested in and am probably going to go check out on friday. Are there any major issues I should look for in it and how are they over all. I've got a Miata right now but it's not gonna cut it this winter and I need more room to put stuff in.

Just standard stuff - oil, fluids, crash damage, gearbox.

And also get ready to have your face aching from grinning, the 04 XT is a wonderful machine

Kia Soul Enthusias
May 9, 2004

zoom-zoom
Toilet Rascal

nm posted:

People are convinced that the shop is out to rip them off. This is often because they are. Unfortunately, with no knowledge about cars, they have trouble telling what is BS and what isn't. I mean most dealers sell all sorts of bullshit services that don't exactly inspire trust when they ask for $2000 for a head gasket.

Speaking of BS I finally found a shop in NorCal that does Subarus that I don't hate. Too bad it is 100mi away from home.
Locally (and I use that term broadly) I have the choice of:
"Tuner" shops that couldn't properly install a DP and thought Hawk HPS were good track pads. (Oh and they're very popular on the internet)
"Tuner" shop that is known for ripping people off.
A very good well respected race shop that doesn't normally do street cars but will work on my car but admits hating subarus (They mostly do Mazdas).
A shop run by hippies that are honest, normally do decent work, but just doesn't really seem to get that cars can go more than 55 mph.
The dealer

ugh. What is it about the auto repair trade that attracts incompetents and cheats (I'm not saying that this applies to all, even some of the mechanics here are good, but it fees like a minority)?
And no, I can't do my own work, I work 12 hours a day and suck with a wrench.

The good thing about German cars is that they break enough that there are so many shops chasing the money that you can find a good one.

I don't know where you are exactly but I like Subaru of Santa Cruz. I don't know what they do with aftermarket stuff though.

8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

nm posted:

ugh. What is it about the auto repair trade that attracts incompetents and cheats (I'm not saying that this applies to all, even some of the mechanics here are good, but it fees like a minority)?
And no, I can't do my own work, I work 12 hours a day and suck with a wrench.

Its just the nature of the business: A highly specialized skill that is completely foreign to most of the public. I do software consulting and a lot of my clients have dealt with software development firms that are exactly the same way. Once they gauge your skill level with software to be low they crank up the money machine.

I had one client spend $65k over the course of a year for the worst PHP code ever written. Real grade school my first PHP project poo poo. When the code ended up being slow and buggy the company convinced them to host it on their "highly specialized" servers and had the client to pay for them to build a mini datacenter from scratch and $400 a month for hosting.

The only bright side to this is that reputation does eventually catch up to places like these. They'll stick around for years like a bad smell but at least they never really seriously grow because most of the time their reputation keeps them out of a lot of contracts.

ab0z
Jun 28, 2008

by angerbotSD
The problem starts with the unwillingness of people to know anything about how a car works. Then when a shop tells them they need something, they have no idea if that's true, and any explanation of the problem just sounds like BS from a scammer.
Some shops ARE intentionally dishonest, but the vast majority of them are not.
What most problem shops are is just crappy. They're not trying to do a bad job, it just comes naturally. The huge combined number of intentionally dishonest and unintentionally crappy shops make it really hard for the good shops to gain the trust of customers.

Bud Manstrong
Dec 11, 2003

The Curse of the Flying Criosphinx

nm posted:

Never been so happy to be told I needed a turbo soon.

Took my car in due to excess coolant in the overflow, thinking headgasket, I'll get away with a thermostat and maybe a radiator.
Because I thought it was a head gasket, I prepared to do the shortblock as I thought I had a busted piston ring due to a previous compression test and using 7L of oil every 5k mi. One was done today, and it is normal (all within 5 psi, which is a huge difference that 100psi on cyl 4). This was verified (they did it 2 or 3 times), and I guess the last test was hosed up.
No external leaks, so that basically just leaves the turbo (at also makes sense the symptoms seem a bit more like a turbo). And that's quite a bit cheaper than pulling a motor and getting a new block. I knew i should have pulled the banjo filter.

You haven't had the banjo bolt checked since the TSB came out? You were running the stock turbo, right?

Also, 100 miles away isn't bad. There isn't a respectable independent Subaru shop in my state, as far as I've been able to tell for the past few years.

(((k)))
Jun 30, 2003

nm posted:

People are convinced that the shop is out to rip them off. This is often because they are.

I have had nothing but trouble with every single mechanic I have ever been to. My relative just started working at firestone and has told me what they do. He is by far the best mechanic I have ever seen. Super meticulous, always checks the FSM for torque specs etc, and tries really hard to never damage anything. He taught me to wrench and I now do almost everything myself. He was telling me in those kinds of shops it's all about finishing a job as quickly as possible. They just don't have time to do a good job and the boss is always on their rear end to hurry up. He hates it.

I don't like working on my car at all. I do however like that the job is performed correctly and I don't have to worry about excess damage or the initial issue even being rectified in the first place. All the mechanics I have encountered just don't give a gently caress about the customers car. They can't really afford to though. This spans from dealerships to oil change places to speed shops.

Just yesterday I had an alignment done and they forgot to tighten the front tie rod lock nuts. On the way home I noticed a banging noise in the front. I would kill to find a competent, knowledgeable, and caring Subaru mechanic. I would kill every goddamn mechanic I've ever been to for that privilege.

bull3964
Nov 18, 2000

DO YOU HEAR THAT? THAT'S THE SOUND OF ME PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK.


It's not just mechanics.

Simple fact, 90% of the people employed either suck at their job or flat out just don't care enough to do a good job.

I would kill to find someone competent for nearly anything I can't or won't do myself.

sanchez
Feb 26, 2003

bull3964 posted:

I would kill to find someone competent for nearly anything I can't or won't do myself.

There is a good shop around here, a father and son team with a few other guys. They're not really cheap, but not expensive either and are totally honest. I'd drive a long way if we ever moved to bring a car to them.

Sterndotstern
Nov 16, 2002

by Y Kant Ozma Post

(((k))) posted:

I would kill to find a competent, knowledgeable, and caring mechanic.

As someone who tends to do a lot of maintenance himself because he doesn't trust "pro" mechanics to take the time to be meticulous, I sympathize.

I have found a couple of mechanics I do trust, however. Dealership or small independent shop, it doesn't matter, but when you're setting up the service appointment, make the job conditional on the request that you meet the tech working on the car. You want to shake this person's hand, look them in the eye, and explain that this is your helpless Mom/Wife/Girlfriend's car and it needs extra special care and attention to detail. I'm not above leaving a cold 12-pack of beer in the trunk "for after work" -- anything to make sure they remember that this car belongs to a good guy, not just a customer.

NinjaTech
Sep 30, 2003

do you have any PANTIES
I hate when shops don't keep appointments. I had an appointment for an alignment at say 3pm so I dropped my car off early and got a ride home from my friend. They didn't get it on the loving rack until 5pm, they close at 5:30 and it supposedly takes an hour to do. So I got the car at a little after 6pm, but at least they did the alignment that I specified and not the factor setup.


Also, anyone know why USMB has been down the last couple days? It was up for a couple hours yesterday but now it's down again.

(((k)))
Jun 30, 2003

bull3964 posted:

Simple fact, 90% of the people employed either suck at their job or flat out just don't care enough to do a good job

Great point. I find this to be quite accurate. For most people their car is the second most valuable possession. That's true for me and I care about my car a lot. I just find the lack of respect and concern insane. I found that some oil change place cut up my under tray pretty severely. My engine bay is always dirty now and a new part is ~$150.00. If the dude just asked me I could have told him exactly how to take it off. I guess the pressure to hurry, lack of knowledge, and assumption of my ignorance was enough to whip out the box cutter. This is my first car that was more then an appliance for me and I am shocked at the mechanics industry.

Sterndotstern, I will take this advice if possible. I printed out the alignment section from my FSM for the shop I just went to. It was like a total of 5 pages with all the torque specs and walk-throughs. They did not want it. After I came back because of the never tightened nut the tech was obviously not willing to work with me anymore and clearly annoyed. Had he just glanced at the drat thing the first time we probably would have both been satisfied. I assumed he was going to appreciate the info. I am always courteous but I pay good money for these services. Do I really have to give the tech a hand-job so he doesn't do the usual hack job?

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Amandyke
Nov 27, 2004

A wha?

(((k))) posted:

Sterndotstern, I will take this advice if possible. I printed out the alignment section from my FSM for the shop I just went to. It was like a total of 5 pages with all the torque specs and walk-throughs. They did not want it. After I came back because of the never tightened nut the tech was obviously not willing to work with me anymore and clearly annoyed. Had he just glanced at the drat thing the first time we probably would have both been satisfied. I assumed he was going to appreciate the info. I am always courteous but I pay good money for these services. Do I really have to give the tech a hand-job so he doesn't do the usual hack job?

I'd go straight to the manager with that issue and demand my money back. You provided the guy with step by step instructions, he chose to ignore them and screwed things up. That's unacceptable and terrible publicity for the business/service department. You're paying that $90 an hour for service to be done by a professional who will do it right the first time, not so you can fight tooth and nail to get something done properly.

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