hey guys, I had my tranny replaced on my 2005 WRX about a year ago (about 200 miles on the car, 30 of which were actually put on by me when it shredded at 4k rpms-while about to shift into 2nd gear.not from a stand still, i still think someone test drove it before me, and didnt do a nice job of that during the 170miles that were on it when i got it.)

and from the time it had been fixed i get this weird clunk sound here and there when i shift into 2nd gear. real quiet but i hear it everytime it does it. i am not sure what it is.. also when i go from a stop while in first, if i do it too hard (not like dropping my clutch hard) just kinda scooting really quick from a stop not even in a race fashion i get this horrible grind clash sound. and i have no idea what this is.. i am guessing its in relation to something the dumbass dealership did when putting my new tranny in. (not the girl who used to be a man).

example, i was in SF about a week ago and i was on a hill near china town i went from a stop to a go on this hill with some power, again, nothing near abuse. and i heard the horrible clashy-clunk-clank sound.. and its killing me.. i am scared to take it to the dealership without someones opinion cause the last time i did i was charged some 4300 dollars to get a tranny i didnt break (i know haha riiiiiiight, but i didnt after owning it 30 miles im not that bad) fixed. and i wonder what might be happening here.. any mechanics that know what they might have done wrong to make it have this sound?

my biggest fear is that they will disassemble it and want me to pay some 1000 dollars to get it fixed/put back together, even though it is probably their fault.

i have never raced my car. track or drag. i have never street raced it. the closest thing ive done to racing my wrx is driving fast next to my friend for a second on the freeway. i really do take care of it.

sorry about the long post, but all opinions/suggestions/thoughts would be VERY appreciated!

Greg

 

if i were you i'd take it to one of the shops around the bay such as mpj, lic, gruppe-s... you get the idea.

 

yeah, my only problem is having to pay for something to be fixed that subaru should be fixing for free under the warranty ya know?
I will talk to Noah from LIC too, to get a rough estimate on figuring out the problem. might just end up being worth paying them to fix it.

but still i am open to anyone who thinks they might know what the hell is happening inside this transmission galaxy.. possibly a clutch thing too? they did insist on replacing the clutch even though it looked brand new.. bastards..

thanks in advance
Greg

 

lemme get this straight...

you paid for a NEW car with around 200 miles.

tranny fails and they MADE you pay $4300 to repair it?

 

they shoulda covered it under warranty, or considered it a lemon.

 

yeah, get this, i have an extended warranty! thats when they offered to share the bill as a practice of "good business". BS. i ended up paying about 3300 it was horrible.

not to mention the papers that are supposed to be on the window explaining what the car has, the gas mileage and all that, were folded up in the glove compartment. which kinda tells me it was sold before.. its a crappy situation, i still mean to get down to the DMV to check and see how many registered owners it's had. just to make sure i am the only one ya know? coulda been driven then returned or something weird..

ps. not to bash on a dealership that screwed me, but i dont like prestige imports in Santa Rosa

 

well, being a former subaru sales rep. i can tell you that you definitely you should take it back to them again, if the same problem appears 3 times, the car will be consider a lemon and the manufacture is required to take it back and issue you a new car.

also, which dealership did you get the car from? what was the reason for charging you for the replacement tranny? People beat the **** out of cars when they test drive regardless of milage on the car. Sometimes sales reps have the privilage to take the car out to buy lunch etc. and i've known many times when sales reps have taken advantage of the situation and beat the crap out of the car.

 

why did you wait for a whole year to decide to take actions? now stealership could say you abused the car during the past one year and refuse to honor warranty work.
well, best of luck.

 

take it back... threaten legal action if you have to. thats bullshiznit.

 

If it werent an 05 i would ask if it were the poor WRB 03 I test drove...I feel bad for the dude that got stuck with that one. I had about an hour test drive 50% on dirt and I think I averaged 4500 rpm for the drive....lol

The one I took home had .7 miles on it.

 

i got it from Prestige imports in santa rosa right up north of petaluma/novato.
when the tranny first broke, i took it in, fought the whole thing with the dealership and with Subaru of America. I got a lawyer, and i felt like he was screwing me on stuff.

i didnt notice this stuff so much until lately otherwise i would have brought it to them sooner.. now that its later in the year since this was replaced, i wanted to ask you guys first.

i still wanna write the owner about this, because he states on a big plaque thing in his service department saying "if you are not satisfied blah blah write me blah blah" so i will write him, even though it wont do anything probably.. but i will mention that a lot of people went to marin subaru instead of prestige who is local, just because of my horrible experience with them.. one friend got a used blue STI, one a legacy wagon, one a wrx wagon and now my boss is shopping for a new STI and they all went/are going with other dealerships than prestige.. ie.marin. i will include that in my WELL WRITTEN letter hehe.. its lame but i gotta do what i can..


haha we will see if the fact that i have cost them much more then 4300 dollars in one year from referring my friends else where has any affect to how he wants to treat this situation.. i dont expect much but its worth telling steve hansel about.. anyway i dunno thats my status..

 

From what I have heard Prestige Imports (I live in santa rosa)hires all the newb dealership guys and its just basically an entry dealership so that you can get experience.. (not sure) so it probably has a bunch of young guys working there that would abuse the car
In fact im going to try and get hired there in a couple months lol.

 

you wont be aable to stop the abuse, just dont join em

 

Sorry to hear. I won't buy from Prestige. They stink. I drove all the way down to Carlsen to get service. Hansel Group(which owns prestige) is the worst dealership. I wish we had other options in the Sonoma County.

 

yeah, i got totally ripped off on this car too.. i paid about 29k for this car with the warranty.. i felt so dumb about a week later.. i was just excited to finally have a subaru.. ive wanted one since about 2000 when my ex gf's friend had a 2.5rs totally wrc'd out. decals mods etc. his name is zack if anyone knows him. if i remember right.

but anyway i got took.. and its my fault for being an excited 21yr old.

also, i have heard things about other people having this issue.. anyone else have an issue with their rear diff giving off an annoying whining sound? usually around the speeds of 55 to 65. i get this annoying whine that sometimes overcomes conversations.. so i am forced to drive 70mph (not that i mind) just so it doesnt whine. just curious if anyone else has this issue..

i need to take it to marin subaru and have them check it.. i am actually gonna get an appointment made soon. if i take it to prestige imports in santa rosa they might tell me my new toyo proxes are causing it lol...

and yeah the hansel group is crap, hansel/prestige.. i have never heard anything good about it.. and haha a side note the guy from the service department that screwed my on my tranny goes to my church heh