$1150 to replace water pump? $1000 for 120k service?

[shoden]

I just took my 92 SVX into the local Subaru dealer to get the 120k service, and also to get a coolant leak fixed.

They showed me the standard 120k service charge, which was $499, with a note that it could be slightly higher for certain cars. In the case of the SVX, that turned out to be double at $1000!!! Their reason was that the parts are harder to get and more expensive. I've checked parts prices on-line, and the most expensive part seems to be the timing belt at $99.95, or $71.96 from 1stsubaruparts.com. That's only about $20 more than the timing belt for a 2.2 Legacy... hardly enough to justify an extra $500. What have you all paid for this service? Is $1000 right, or did I get screwed (Since I've already had that work done today)?

The second part is the coolant leak. They diagnosed it as the water pump and quoted almost $1150 to replace it. The cost here they claimed is due to the work and all the gaskets and seals that need to be replaced in the process of getting to the water pump. Once again, I checked parts prices. The water pump is only $64.76, and the gaskets and seals that I could find totaled about $100, or less from 1stsubaruparts.com.

Now I may have missed a few parts, but I don't see $700-$800 in labor for the water pump.

The kicker though is that I told them about the leak before they did the 120k service. From what they told me, a lot of the labor for both jobs consist of removing the timing belt and all the stuff around it. They put everything together after the 120k service, and now it seems like they want to charge me to take it all apart again!!!

Right now I'm looking at over $2000 for a service and water pump, and I'm not happy

I've already had them order the parts, but I really feel like I'm getting ripped on labor charges.

Please let me know how much this work should cost, and how badly I'm getting bent over...

[oab_au]

Holy hell, I am in Australia and if that happened here, I would report it to the 'Consumer Affairs Dept' who would force the shop to fix the job and charge a fair price. Don't know what you can do over there. Pack a hand piece go see them.
Harvey.

[Beav]

To put it mildly they're bending you over far enough for you to become a human bicycle rack. Of course asking after the fact is just like... oh well, you'll figure it out eventually.

If someone posts the actual requirements of the 60k service (same as 120k service, right?) I can break it down for you.

Here's how the water pump works:

Parts . OEM Part . Price

Water Pump . 21111AA033 . $89.95

Labor . Skill Level . Warr. Std.

Water Pump Replace . B 2.7 3.8

. . Includes: R&R Timing Belt Cover On Loyale & XTcoupe Models. Includes: R&R Timing Belt On Impreza & SVX Models.

Now the timiing belt:

Parts . OEM Part . Price

Timing Belt . 13028AA120 . $99.95

Labor . SkillLevel . Warr. . Std.

Timing Belt Replace . B . 1.8 . 2.5

. . Includes: R&R Outer Timing Belt Cover.
. . Note
. . . With A/C Add . B . 0.0 . 0.4

As you can see they should credit you 2.9 hours for the t-belt as its removal is covered by the water pump replacement. Or...they should only charge you an additional .9 of an hour to replace the water pump. If they are also estimating cam and/or crank seals that would be additional but only fractions of an hour each plus $10-$12 each seal.

Personally, I'd be looking for another repair shop. But make sure you get the money straightened out here first, don't just take it in the shorts. You worked hard for your money (I hope, otherwise I'm jealous), don't let them steal it from you.

[shoden]

The prices you gave me are about what I'd found looking on-line, at least for the parts. It was the labor costs I was really wondering about, and you help A LOT there.

The dealer has been pretty good about price when I've just ordered parts, so it's got to be labor they're taking me for.

The 120k is the same as the 60k, and is as follows(from subaru.com):

1. Drive belt(s) [Except camshaft] (Inspect drive belt tension) - REPLACE

2. Timing belt (Camshaft drive belt) - REPLACE

3. Engine oil - REPLACE

4. Engine oil filter - REPLACE

5. Replace engine coolant and inspect cooling system, hoses and connections - PERFORM

6. Replace fuel filter and inspect fuel system, line and connections - PERFORM

7. Air filter elements - REPLACE

8. Spark plugs - REPLACE

9. Differential (Front & Rear) lubricants (Gear oil) - REPLACE?

10. Automatic transmission fluid - REPLACE

11. Brake fluid - REPLACE

12. Disc brake pad and disc/Front and rear axle boots and axle shaft joints - INSPECT

13. Brake linings and drums (parking brake) - INSPECT

14. Inspect brake line and check operation of parking and service brake system - PERFORM

15. Steering and suspension - INSPECT

16. Front and rear wheel bearings lubricant - INSPECT

Based on the brake inspection, they also quoted $420 to replace the front discs and pads.

Thanks again for any more info (and thanks for the support Harvey... I forgot I had my location in my profile. There's only one Subaru dealer in the area, so a bit of research will reveal who's charging the outrageous prices)...

[Ron Mummert]

Funny you should ask about this today. My '92 cranked over 100K recently, & with a dubious service history, I decided to get similar work done to mine soon. I was quoted around ONE GRAND from a Suby dealer that was recommended by two SVXers on the Network to do the following: Timing belt, water pump, cam cover seals, fuel filter & plugs. Beav - anything else I should have done while rooting around in there? PVC valve was replaced last month. The car is running fine except for the oil leak.

Thanks, Ron.

On the 120K service did anyone tell you that the factory spark plug (NGK) is $28.00 each plug at minimum. I have seen those same plugs as expensive as $36.00 each. I am not sure why they are soooo expensive, I would love to know if there is anyone with any insight for me...
-G

[Beav]

Geez, I need to start doing more 60k services... I'm thinking I could do at least a couple each day and take a long lunch to boot.

*Reverse order, helter -skelter, no rhyme or reason...*

Spark plugs - when I changed mine I used double platinums (both center and ground electrodes have plat. tips) and my cost was over $12 each. The whole idea is that they do last longer than regular plugs. You can use Champions, they're a good plug but plan on changing them every 20k-30k.

Ron - considering your hit and miss service record I'd change the coolant (which should be done when the water pump is changed) and clean the throttle body - it's bound to be gunked up (R&R = 1 hour plus a couple tenths for cleaning). You might have them take a peek between the radiator and condensor, mine had a lot of crap built-up in there, and I see by the posts it's common.

O.K. - prices...

Drive belts - have to be removed to access t-belt and water pump - no additional labor.

T-Belt - already did that one.

Oil filter and oil change - .7 + parts

Coolant change done with water pump - inspect hoses, etc. no time given, should be less than 1 hour.

Fuel filter - .5

Air filter - .4

Spark Plugs - 3.4 (did mine in less than an hour)

Differential lube change, frt. and rear - no time given but it only pays 1.8 to replace the entire rear diff. I'd say less than 1.2 for both would be fair for them.

A/T fluid - 1.2 if they change the strainer, otherwise .8

Change brake fluid - no time given, but pays .9 to bleed them so that should be close.

Inspect brakes and axle boots - they charge to do this? oops - I forgot we're talking about a dealer here... no idea - an hour? Independants rarely charge for this unless you don't fix what's wrong. Ditto for steering and suspension check. I wonder if they still advertise "Oil change and 14 point free inspection"?

I don't have any more of an idea than they do about how to check the wheel bearing lube without disassembling the hub and bearing, and you just know they aren't going to do that. Enter smoke screen charge here. (They could inspect the rear bearings on a 'L' model, but it says front and rear.)

Front pads and two rotors = $380 + 1.2 hours.

I see around 14 hours. What's killing you is the spark plugs and brakes. We'd install standard plugs, parts and labor for $69. Brakes would be $99 plus rotors (I wonder if yours could be resurfaced? Many dealers say they don't recommend that - obviously, there's more money in replacing them.) A/T service = $49.95, Oil and filter = $20, I think. Add this to about 7.5 hours @ $69/hr and parts. (I don't normally do the pricing, but I think I'm close)

[Jamsvx]

The 100,000km service here in Australia is about the $1000AU mark from memory.

I am not sure exactly what is done but it is the "biggie" of services.

James

My 60K service ran about $1100, including changing the water pump and a coolant temp sensor, plus installing my SS brake lines and art rotors...

[Motorsport-SVX]

I paid about $380 for the same parts you can get wholesale
online: All new Subaru parts..
waterpump
cam seals
tensioner and bolt
timing belt
think thats it.......
I had a friend do the labor for $200.........std price would
of been between $300-325 tops.......
and we installed new plugs too.
You can ***** ...or chalk it up to a lesson learned....
but I tell people never to leave a car somewhere to be fixed if they dont tell you an exact total before you leave AND they have to call you first before doing ANY other repairs for your consent first, and put that in writing on your invoice in your writing before you agree to anything. Make sure you can be reached later on too if they need to get ahold of you too.

[shoden]

I visited the Subaru dealer this morning, and discovered that they were indeed trying to charge me twice for the same labor. Of course, they claimed it was a simple mistake, and they could very well be telling the truth, but I doubt they would have corrected it if I hadn't questioned it.

Anyway, the cost of the water pump replacement dropped from $1150 to $280! The total is still over $1300, but you guys just helped me save over $800

Thanks for the help, and the check's in the mail...

I'm working on getting some more info for you - can't seem to find my 60K receipt, but I know it's around here somewhere. If memory serves, the $1000 sounds about right, but they may not have explained it well. I don't think they doubled the $500 specifically for the SVX - I'm pretty sure that most of the extra $500 was for the timing belt procedure, which is not part of their standard 60K package. Now, granted, $500 for some fluid changes and plugs is crazy, but it is par for the course around here.

As for the water pump issue, I think you should fight 'em. As long as you told them about the leak before the service, they should definitely be responsible for the extra cost of not performing repairs efficiently. It seems that they should have called you as soon as they knew it was the water pump, and asked if you wanted to have it fixed while your car was torn down.

Out of curiosity, was this NKC? If so, talk to Jason, or maybe Ken. They both know me pretty well. Tell them you talked to me, and that I said I thought they would make things right for you. I've worked with these guys for 6+ years, and, if nothing else, they've always seemed fair. I don't know if my name will help, but feel free - the risk of hacking off 2 customers might be worth a bit more.

And if you find a local independent shop that knows SVXs, please let me know.

Guess we were posting at the same time - glad to see things worked out.

[Aredubjay]

You've just learned why it's suggested that you change your water pump at the same time you change your timing belt, whether it needs it or not.

[kuoh]

Geez, I hadn't realized he was in KC! Heck, I'd do all that for half of Jack Miller's labor charge...if I were licensed that is.

If you feel like getting your hands dirty, then virtually everything listed on that 120k maintenance plus the water pump and brakes can be done in the driveway without special tools. I have done the following myself either on my SVX or a friend's. Obviously, some times could be less if combined with other service.

plugs - 1hr
oil & filter - 15 min
air & fuel filter - 5 min
belts & water pump - 8 hrs (but we lacked proper tools and exp.)
brake pads & rotors - 1 hr
tranny & diff fluids - 1 hr
front drive shafts - 4 hrs (again tools and experience hampered)
coolant flush - 15 min

...and probably a few other minor items that I forgot about. The next time my rear bearing goes, I'm serisouly thinking about doing it myself too. They've had enough tries to get it right by now.

KuoH