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  #1  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:01 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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mechanics problem

i know this should be in the tech forum, but guys i need your help here. i called my mechanic the other day and told them that i probably need new wheel bearings. they told me that they would squeeze me in today (wed) to get them fixed. i called around 3 and they told me, yeah, they are bad....we can make an appointment next fri to get them fixed..okay...that is total BS, i told those ppl that this was the problem, they didn't order the parts...i told them that i need the car in good condition because i have an hour trip on a major highway for school daily...they said they would fix it today. this should have been fixed today, not over a week from now.

problem #2, my car has two fluid leaks, one on the powersteering and one in oil. one of these leaks is covered by my warr, the other isn't, so they said that my insurance company may want to send their own parts, i guess to save money, and so i can't get that problem fixed on the friday, but i can get the one leak fixed.

so the problems sumed up, i got a bad rear wheel bearing that they can't get fixed till next friday, i have two leaks, one that can be fixed with the bearing and the other i have to wait on. these idiots don't even have an estimate yet of how much any of this is going to cost.....i have to drop my car off 3 times to fix the problems, i am going to get charged for something that i already knew was wrong (they diagnosed my car) they don't have an estimate of how much the diagnostic is. i am really ticked off at this point, i called my old mechanic, hopefully he respects me more and gives me the info without the BS. not to mention, they already told me that they could get the parts and the work down before next fri

John, any words of advice? do you recomend anyone? help!!!!

Kelli
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  #2  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:17 PM
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svx_commuter svx_commuter is offline
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Hi Kelli,

I have all my original bearings in the SVX, 70k miles of my driving.
I think I am going to get spare hubs.

I have had Legacy bearings done at Broadway. They took awhile to do them but had the parts in stock. Kelli it takes time to get the hubs off the car. The bolts corrode sometimes.

Burges 689-7655 may not be to busy but I don't know if he's done SVX bearings. Very good prive wise.
Rick Allen 537-2242 is expensive and I think he's done SVX bearings.

If you know the parts you need I could pick them up a Liberty Subaru for you.
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  #3  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:22 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by svx_commuter
[B]
I have had Legacy bearings done at Broadway. They took awhile to do them but had the parts in stock. Kelli it takes time to get the hubs off the car. The bolts corrode sometimes.


i hope that they were able to give you more info then they gave me. i understand that it takes time to get them off. but the thing is, i told them what was wrong...they coulda ordered the parts and had them in already, they said they needed the car all day because they were going to fix it. what i don't understand is how they expected to fix it if they didn't have the parts in


i called my old mechanic....awaiting prices...hey wait theres the phone now.....

between 200-250 for the rear wheel bearing to get fixed...wow a mechanic that didn't even see the car gave me a quicker estimate then a mechanic that had my car all day......<<<note the sarcasm

Kelli
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Previous owner of the
Princess Pearlie "Dimples"
as of 8/6/03
1992 LS-L Pearl 124k
"Yeah, that thingy!"
owner of the new 1992 LS-L Pearl "Susie"
I am a pessimistic optimistic. I think the worst is going to happen, that way when it does, i don't feel as bad, but if the best happens, i am twice as happy.
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  #4  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:24 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by svx_commuter
If you know the parts you need I could pick them up a Liberty Subaru for you.
thanks for the offer...i might hold you to that

Kelli
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Previous owner of the
Princess Pearlie "Dimples"
as of 8/6/03
1992 LS-L Pearl 124k
"Yeah, that thingy!"
owner of the new 1992 LS-L Pearl "Susie"
I am a pessimistic optimistic. I think the worst is going to happen, that way when it does, i don't feel as bad, but if the best happens, i am twice as happy.
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  #5  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:24 PM
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Aredubjay Aredubjay is offline
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Kelli,
Unfortunately, this is SOP for most garages. You could call and tell them you have a flat tire. Even though, most people KNOW what a flat tire looks like, and the techs KNOW that most people know what a flat tire looks like, they won't order the tire until they see for themselves that the tire is actually flat. That's an over-simplified explanation, but, that's the way it works. They only have inventory on hand for "normal, recurring" problems, on the cars they see the most of. Otherwise, it's an order. Subaru only allows orders to come in on a certain day (tuesdays, I think) and it can take anywhere from two to five days for the parts to arrive (unless, of course, someone leaves it on the truck, the truck goes out of service and is parked in the back of a lot for a week awaiting maintenance, like one time when I ordered a wheel bearing for my Suzuki . . . oh, sorry, I got off subject). Independent garages usually order through dealers (unless it's a simple A/M part like Beck Arnly or similar), which also ads time.

I know how you feel. Practically EVERY time I've taken a car to a dealer, promises are broken, and it winds up costing me more than the original estimate.

I need to be quiet now, before my blood pressure begins to rise, thinking about the previous experiences.
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  #6  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:31 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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i do understand that some mechanics need to look at the problem before they will order the parts, but every mechanic that i have ever worked with, acknowledged that i do know some thing about cars and have ordered the part...i was always right, and if i was wrong, they could just send the part back...heck, i would pay the shipping if there was any extra. the point is....it was a few questions from me and a lot of hang on a sec hang on a secs from them....i don't understand why they can't give me a straight answer...this is BS...they also charge me like 47 bucks for an oil change....i use to get charged like 30...what the heck is that

can't control the ranting...must control the ranting....need prozac...

Kelli
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Previous owner of the
Princess Pearlie "Dimples"
as of 8/6/03
1992 LS-L Pearl 124k
"Yeah, that thingy!"
owner of the new 1992 LS-L Pearl "Susie"
I am a pessimistic optimistic. I think the worst is going to happen, that way when it does, i don't feel as bad, but if the best happens, i am twice as happy.
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  #7  
Old 01-08-2003, 01:51 PM
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CigarJohnny CigarJohnny is offline
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I think the fact is if you or I go to a garage and tell them I want the wheel bearings replaced they should just shut up and replace the damn bearings regardless of whether they need it or not. If anything they should simply give a quick call and say they do not think they need replacing and ask if you still want them done. But they should have no right to charge you for a diagnostic when you already told them to replace it. What if you had 70k on the original bearings and just wanted a fresh set installed before they went bad so you could go another 70k without worrying?

If you took it to a dealer and they did this I would say to call the Dealership owner and ***** to him. Around where I work that tactic tends to get a customer anything he/she wants.

You need to get the following 8 words into your daily vocabulary: "Just shutup and do what I tell you!" It'll work wonders in almost any situation, even your sex life!
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  #8  
Old 01-08-2003, 02:26 PM
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Mr. Pockets Mr. Pockets is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by CigarJohnny
But they should have no right to charge you for a diagnostic when you already told them to replace it.
I've never worked in an auto shop, but I have worked in several repair shops in two different industries. I'd have to say that your above comment is a little unrealistic.

For instance, I used to fix computers in a small shop in FL. People came in with the strangest problems, and they almost always had their own diagnosis. How was I to separate the ridiculous home diagnoses from the knowledgable ones? How is anybody in any repair business supposed to do the same?

Some small shops will just go ahead and replace what you tell them to, regardless of whether or not they think it's needed. But plenty of shops, like Kelli's, are conservative and want to make sure that they fix what needs fixing. If you have a symptom and you think repair A will fix it, and they just go ahead and do it, and then that doesn't fix the problem, they don't want you coming back to them pissed off and demanding free service because they clearly didn't fix the problem. Or what if you're so wrong that they fix it, then the real problem part fails and causes major damage to your car? They didn't catch it because you didn't let them diagnose the problem yourself.

SOA's once-weekly ordering stinks, I won't disagree with you there. But don't get angry at your shop for assuring that they fix the right thing.

If I wanted it fixed faster, I might try to sweet-talk a tech or service writer into riding along with me to witness the symptom themselves. I don't know whether or not it would work, but it's worth a shot.

I'm not suggesting that you don't know what you're talking about. But it's not unrealistic of them to ask that they research the problem themselves to make sure that they fix it correctly for you.
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  #9  
Old 01-08-2003, 02:46 PM
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nubs nubs is offline
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Well said Nick.
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  #10  
Old 01-08-2003, 03:09 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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ok back from the mechanic...and i feel way better

the bearings...he agreed with the price of my old mechanic

the leaks....the one that isn't covered...is about 150

the leak that is covered...he is trying to get fully covered in addition to an old claim that he is going to submit from a past problem

tomorrow he is going to have the full price for me

he charged me a diagnostic fee, but my mommy was there and she was like "that is credit on the fix RIGHT???" he was like "um...yeah.....i can make it that way..." so theres 30 bucks towards my fix.

i am now happy again because i got the answers i wanted..still don't like the fact that the work wasn't done when i picked my car up, but hey...what am i going to do about it. thanks for the support all

Kelli
__________________
Previous owner of the
Princess Pearlie "Dimples"
as of 8/6/03
1992 LS-L Pearl 124k
"Yeah, that thingy!"
owner of the new 1992 LS-L Pearl "Susie"
I am a pessimistic optimistic. I think the worst is going to happen, that way when it does, i don't feel as bad, but if the best happens, i am twice as happy.
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  #11  
Old 01-08-2003, 05:52 PM
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svx_commuter svx_commuter is offline
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Hi Kelli,

I tried to PM you but your PM's box is full.

If your current mechanic will let you supply the parts, Liberty gives the same prices 25% off list as subaruparts.com. If you order them tomorrow I could pickem up on Monday.

John
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  #12  
Old 01-08-2003, 05:56 PM
FifthElement
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What kind of mechanic did you take it to? In these here parts, we have our car work done at the dealership, and if the car is undrivable while we await the appointment, they will supply a loaner. They're real great guys.

Even the ford dealer is decent. We live about 15 minutes away, so if my mom has no way to get back home after dropping off the van, they drive her home. They even drive out to pick her up when the work is done.
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  #13  
Old 01-09-2003, 01:06 AM
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Noir Noir is offline
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jersey

fifth element what do you expect from a jersey dealer? hell the atlanta dealers are the same way.
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  #14  
Old 01-09-2003, 01:16 AM
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Seraph Seraph is offline
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OK.

I have issues with the service part of my dealership as well. They can't even tighten up a PS fluid line.

As for the bearings, trust me on this one. Make sure you take it to someone who knows what they are doing. If they do not put the wheel back on the right way with the right amount of torque, you will put your life on the line. I speak from a previous experience. Even if you find trouble early enough that means you have to replace the bearings again and in the worst case, replace that whole area. I know... I went through that last year.


As for the SOA's once a week ordering.... That's all BULL. My dealer can order ANY part ANYDAY and have it in to pick it up by the second day from ANY SOA warehouse and I don't have to pay shipping at all. Just get to know your parts manager. He is a great person to be friends with.

L
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  #15  
Old 01-09-2003, 12:09 PM
SHISVX SHISVX is offline
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i trust my dealer for many reasons

1. i have never drove past there without seeing a subie

2. one of the mechanics there worked in Subaru in Flemington, as a cert subie mechanic

3. the owner of the place owns and works on his own SVX

thanks for all your help guys. once i am face to face with them, they are great....but over the phone...service sucks!

Kelli
__________________
Previous owner of the
Princess Pearlie "Dimples"
as of 8/6/03
1992 LS-L Pearl 124k
"Yeah, that thingy!"
owner of the new 1992 LS-L Pearl "Susie"
I am a pessimistic optimistic. I think the worst is going to happen, that way when it does, i don't feel as bad, but if the best happens, i am twice as happy.
Reply With Quote
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