Subaru dealers!!!!
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Subaru dealers!!!!
ok ...Im hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on this one for me because I really dont know what to think at this point....
I bought my 99 wrx 80K on the clock(completely stock) last week so I said I'd bring to subaru for the once over to make sure everything is as it should be...Anyway the mechanic said there is an "BAD sound" coming from my turbo....exmaple when the car is turned off the turbo whines for about 5-10 secs afterwards. He said this whining noise was due to the bearings being screwed in the turbo. He then goes on to tell me it needs a new turbo and it will cost an arm and a leg.....I begin to panic and then another mechanic calls me over and says"take no notice of that guy....It does not need a new turbo....I hear that sound all the time"....Who do I listen to????There is a definite whining noise which can be heard easily when I'm crusing down the road doing 70mph. Is this normal....do I need a new turbo....Is it a big job to replace as the mechanic said it was a big job.....
Any advice would be great as I not sure if I have any confidence in either the turbo or the mechanic....
Thanks
I bought my 99 wrx 80K on the clock(completely stock) last week so I said I'd bring to subaru for the once over to make sure everything is as it should be...Anyway the mechanic said there is an "BAD sound" coming from my turbo....exmaple when the car is turned off the turbo whines for about 5-10 secs afterwards. He said this whining noise was due to the bearings being screwed in the turbo. He then goes on to tell me it needs a new turbo and it will cost an arm and a leg.....I begin to panic and then another mechanic calls me over and says"take no notice of that guy....It does not need a new turbo....I hear that sound all the time"....Who do I listen to????There is a definite whining noise which can be heard easily when I'm crusing down the road doing 70mph. Is this normal....do I need a new turbo....Is it a big job to replace as the mechanic said it was a big job.....
Any advice would be great as I not sure if I have any confidence in either the turbo or the mechanic....
Thanks
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
Option 1: Replace the turbo. Expensive yes, but then you know for a fact that it is not broken anymore.
Option 2: Leave it and let it make noise. The worst thing that can happen is that it really is going bad and it seizes and you have to... replace the turbo.
Option 1a/2a: Have your turbo rebuilt instead of buying a new one. This usually costs less.
Option 2: Leave it and let it make noise. The worst thing that can happen is that it really is going bad and it seizes and you have to... replace the turbo.
Option 1a/2a: Have your turbo rebuilt instead of buying a new one. This usually costs less.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 211
From: New York
Car Info: 2003 WRX (Black)
Do some research and find a local shop that knows the car or WRX's.... there are plenty of shops around.
Have you done any modifications to the car?.. i.e. aftermarket exhaust, uppipe replacement, intake.
Do you have access to someone who has a WRX?.. if so take a ride in it and see if the same sound occurs. In some cases you may be just hearing the turbine spool however if it's not then you'll have to have someone who knows the car make the call.
When I first got my car I took it to a macanic that I used for years. Unfortunetly although he was a good mecanic he really didnt know my car and was unable to give me knowledgable assitance or guidance with my modifications. He quoted me 800 dolars to do my up pipe .... however when I took it to a proven shop that had done hundreds of them they did it for next to nothing 120. To say the least I only go to there now..... having somone know what there doing is the key to saving tons of money and getting the job done right the first time.
And yes... this includes dealers..
-K
Have you done any modifications to the car?.. i.e. aftermarket exhaust, uppipe replacement, intake.
Do you have access to someone who has a WRX?.. if so take a ride in it and see if the same sound occurs. In some cases you may be just hearing the turbine spool however if it's not then you'll have to have someone who knows the car make the call.
When I first got my car I took it to a macanic that I used for years. Unfortunetly although he was a good mecanic he really didnt know my car and was unable to give me knowledgable assitance or guidance with my modifications. He quoted me 800 dolars to do my up pipe .... however when I took it to a proven shop that had done hundreds of them they did it for next to nothing 120. To say the least I only go to there now..... having somone know what there doing is the key to saving tons of money and getting the job done right the first time.
And yes... this includes dealers..
-K
Originally Posted by Kwilson21
Do some research and find a local shop that knows the car or WRX's.... there are plenty of shops around.
Have you done any modifications to the car?.. i.e. aftermarket exhaust, uppipe replacement, intake.
Do you have access to someone who has a WRX?.. if so take a ride in it and see if the same sound occurs. In some cases you may be just hearing the turbine spool however if it's not then you'll have to have someone who knows the car make the call.
When I first got my car I took it to a macanic that I used for years. Unfortunetly although he was a good mecanic he really didnt know my car and was unable to give me knowledgable assitance or guidance with my modifications. He quoted me 800 dolars to do my up pipe .... however when I took it to a proven shop that had done hundreds of them they did it for next to nothing 120. To say the least I only go to there now..... having somone know what there doing is the key to saving tons of money and getting the job done right the first time.
And yes... this includes dealers..
-K
Have you done any modifications to the car?.. i.e. aftermarket exhaust, uppipe replacement, intake.
Do you have access to someone who has a WRX?.. if so take a ride in it and see if the same sound occurs. In some cases you may be just hearing the turbine spool however if it's not then you'll have to have someone who knows the car make the call.
When I first got my car I took it to a macanic that I used for years. Unfortunetly although he was a good mecanic he really didnt know my car and was unable to give me knowledgable assitance or guidance with my modifications. He quoted me 800 dolars to do my up pipe .... however when I took it to a proven shop that had done hundreds of them they did it for next to nothing 120. To say the least I only go to there now..... having somone know what there doing is the key to saving tons of money and getting the job done right the first time.
And yes... this includes dealers..
-K
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 68
Originally Posted by MO REX
I will never take my car to the dealer for anything unless it is a recall or warranty issue. The 1 time I did go to the dealer for a fuel leak they screwed everything up. After getting my car from the dealer, I got on an enterance ramp, stomped on the gas and the car had no power. I pulled over, poped the hood and found that the hose clamps on the turbo outlet, IC outlet and the airbox were all so loose you could spin them and a lot of things were not routed correctly. Dealers pay their people by the job not by the hour so if a job should take 4 hours and you can get it done in 2 you make four hours worth of pay in two. I'm not saying all dealer mechanics do bad work but they are more likely to overlook something. I pay a little more to go to my mechanic but I know everything will be done right since his guys are all good and they are paid by the hour.
Registered User
iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
Originally Posted by SooKy
Just about all good mechanics get paid like that(flag rate), not just dealers. Its all about how good the mechanic is (C to A-techs).. if your goin to a guy that gets paid hourly he's obviously not very good.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 372
From: Encinitas CA
Car Info: Black 03 WRX
I am with MO REX on his stance on shafting the dealerships. I hate them with a passion. Why? because I used to work at Bob Baker Subaru and got a behind the scenes look at the B.S. that goes on there. The maintenance and repair guys are morons too. They spent all day fixing my weather stripping.
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iTrader: (7)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,029
From: Sacramento CA
Car Info: 02 Impreza WRX sedan
Origami posted by De Bong
I bought my 99 wrx 80K on the clock(completely stock) last week...
I bought my 99 wrx 80K on the clock(completely stock) last week...
--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush
Originally Posted by SooKy
if your goin to a guy that gets paid hourly he's obviously not very good.
Last edited by MO REX; Sep 2, 2004 at 05:08 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 68
Originally Posted by MO REX
Yes, the guy I go to pays his mechanics by the hour and I have never had a problem with any of their work in 14 years. To say that a mechanic is "not very good" because he gets paid by the hour is wrong. Tell all of the Ferrari, Lotus, Porsche and other exotic car owners that go to him that his guys are not very good and see how they respond.
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Thanks all....
I live in Europe(ireland)....
In the end I got a 2nd hand turbo and subaru fitted it. The turbo they removed had both a bigger propellor and was fitted deeper into the turbo. That whining noise is now gone and boost level is almost the same as before.
All in all it took them about 3 hours to do and they charged me €120 including gasket etc(dont know what the conversion is in dollars)....
To be honest I found the mechanic's a bit unsure about certain things but I watched them do it and they double checked everything...
Once the turbo was replaced the car's idle was all over the place and it turned out the air filter sensor was also faulty(€110!!!)
I now have the all clear from subaru ,running perfectly so hopefully problem solved....
Thanks all....
In the end I got a 2nd hand turbo and subaru fitted it. The turbo they removed had both a bigger propellor and was fitted deeper into the turbo. That whining noise is now gone and boost level is almost the same as before.
All in all it took them about 3 hours to do and they charged me €120 including gasket etc(dont know what the conversion is in dollars)....
To be honest I found the mechanic's a bit unsure about certain things but I watched them do it and they double checked everything...
Once the turbo was replaced the car's idle was all over the place and it turned out the air filter sensor was also faulty(€110!!!)
I now have the all clear from subaru ,running perfectly so hopefully problem solved....
Thanks all....
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