FSSH or service it yourself?
07 January 2007 | 10:00 AM
#32
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From: Somewhere in Kent, sniffing some V-Power
Your next service (60,000) will be the big one, cambelt, all fluids etc, I had the same thoughts when I bought mine as well and I decided to service the car myself, I only buy quality parts and fluids and have all of the receipts, I've got a mate in the trade who stamps my book.
As other people have quoted, by putting your car into a dealership it will be serviced by someone who will take less care than you will, if the car was under 3 years old I would go to a main dealer and only for the reason that it's what people expect when buying a fairly new car.
Don't take any risks with the timing belt though with 4 cam pulleys it's not the easiest car to do this on and unless you have good mechanical knowledge this job is best left to someone who knows what there doing
As other people have quoted, by putting your car into a dealership it will be serviced by someone who will take less care than you will, if the car was under 3 years old I would go to a main dealer and only for the reason that it's what people expect when buying a fairly new car.
Don't take any risks with the timing belt though with 4 cam pulleys it's not the easiest car to do this on and unless you have good mechanical knowledge this job is best left to someone who knows what there doing
Cambelt was done at the service before last (2/06), so won't have that one for another 3 years. I know for the MY99 they say every 45K or 3 years, but the MY00 changed to 60K/4 years. The dealer said it is exactly the same belt/pulleys/tensioner on both MY's, so just stick with the 4 year rule.
07 January 2007 | 10:35 AM
#33
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From: Ascended to the next level
Initially, my car was FSH and the only mechanic that touched the car was a Subaru dealers. Somehow in this short time, the alarm siren casing was smashed. The vacuum fitting on the dump valve was broken off and bodged with some super glue and brake pipe (which broke off again - car was under warrantee - they could have just replaced it 
). The one cam pulley was somehow fractured, and to cap it off they re-used an old cambelt during warrantee work when it was due for replacement on the very next service in svereal months time. 
Seeing the main dealer was the only place that ever touched the car, you can imagine how much faith I have in FSSH...none at all!
). The one cam pulley was somehow fractured, and to cap it off they re-used an old cambelt during warrantee work when it was due for replacement on the very next service in svereal months time. Seeing the main dealer was the only place that ever touched the car, you can imagine how much faith I have in FSSH...none at all!
Last edited by Shark Man; 07 January 2007 at 10:45 AM.
07 January 2007 | 06:26 PM
#34
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From: Maidenhead, Berkshire
Previous car I used to service myself but it was an import with no documents, main dealer didn't want to know, and I was quite happy to get my hands dirty. Different story now though and has been since the birth of my daughter. Although it costs more to do, I've been happy to use Subaru to not only keep the history constant but because I can't really bothered to fiddle any more (when 'this breaks', you don't have 'that' tool, etc).
Different quandary for me at the moment though -- it's actually working out to be stupidly expensive by having our local Subaru dealer work on our household's Imprezas. The last 5 trips have seen a completely roadworthy car given back with a cracked (from side to side) windscreen and no answers, series of dents and scratches in a rear door and no answers, a failed AC system following a routine service, a defective cat following some minor exhaust work, and £1000 worth of repairs after a thermostat failed prematurely. Whether bad luck or not, I have to wonder whether FSSH is financially viable.
Jonts.
Different quandary for me at the moment though -- it's actually working out to be stupidly expensive by having our local Subaru dealer work on our household's Imprezas. The last 5 trips have seen a completely roadworthy car given back with a cracked (from side to side) windscreen and no answers, series of dents and scratches in a rear door and no answers, a failed AC system following a routine service, a defective cat following some minor exhaust work, and £1000 worth of repairs after a thermostat failed prematurely. Whether bad luck or not, I have to wonder whether FSSH is financially viable.
Jonts.
07 January 2007 | 09:10 PM
#35
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The last car I had was a 98 sti, imported from new and I had every bit of history with it inc copies of all the sva docs, stamped service boook and every receipt from new right up to 80000 miles.
Sold it through autotrader, guy came and looked at it, went for a spin, checked it over and bought it. I asked him if he wanted to see the history and he said he wasn't bothered, it was nice to have but any car is only as good as it is on the day you buy it, it was all fine so it didn't matter how much history it had.
I would do all my own servicing if I had time to do it.
Sold it through autotrader, guy came and looked at it, went for a spin, checked it over and bought it. I asked him if he wanted to see the history and he said he wasn't bothered, it was nice to have but any car is only as good as it is on the day you buy it, it was all fine so it didn't matter how much history it had.
I would do all my own servicing if I had time to do it.
07 January 2007 | 09:21 PM
#36
my my99 turbo (looks just like yours, red, p1 alloys etc) but has done 121k miles. had lots of reciepts and history with it, inc a near full stamped service book. hence whn it needed servicing i took it too somewhere more subaru specialised, ie scoobybits. not a dealer, but probably better anyways as jase is an enthusiast...
thing is though, i have a good mate, who works as a pro mechanic, but would do much of the work cheaper, but obvously without reciepts of labout etc. i would still have invoices for the parts bought, but no proof of competant fitting, hence why jase gets my business, unless its something minor, but i can do some stuff myself...
andy
p.s. at the end of the day, prospective buyers want as much proof as possible that the car has been looked after, even if its a higher mileage one like mine. its what i looked at when i bought this one anyway.
thing is though, i have a good mate, who works as a pro mechanic, but would do much of the work cheaper, but obvously without reciepts of labout etc. i would still have invoices for the parts bought, but no proof of competant fitting, hence why jase gets my business, unless its something minor, but i can do some stuff myself...
andy
p.s. at the end of the day, prospective buyers want as much proof as possible that the car has been looked after, even if its a higher mileage one like mine. its what i looked at when i bought this one anyway.
08 January 2007 | 01:09 PM
#37
Stamped up book means squat unless it's got all the paperwork to back it up i.e reciepts, advisories etc..etc... but people tend to thow this stuff and assume the stamped book is good enough.
I do all the servicing of mine myself, and keep all reciepts and checklist in an A4 folder (I have a service sheet knocked up based on the genuine subaru schedule). The car gets a least oil/filter every 6 month (which is about 3,500miles) and any extras i.s plugs, fuel filters, gearbox oil. I also include all receipts, bags and in some cases flat pack the boxes the parts came in.
It's also alot easier to budget as you can keep it as a rolling schedule rather then doing a major service all in one hit i.e you wouldn't want to to Oil, filter, plugs, fuel filter, cambelt (and tensioner) and gearbox oil all on one service.
When you come to sell the car you then have a nice bulky folder with info on everything. Personally I would much prefer to see that when looking for a car rather then just a service book.
I do get big job's done at a local specialist, who just happens to be doing a new engione for a 22B at the moment
I do all the servicing of mine myself, and keep all reciepts and checklist in an A4 folder (I have a service sheet knocked up based on the genuine subaru schedule). The car gets a least oil/filter every 6 month (which is about 3,500miles) and any extras i.s plugs, fuel filters, gearbox oil. I also include all receipts, bags and in some cases flat pack the boxes the parts came in.
It's also alot easier to budget as you can keep it as a rolling schedule rather then doing a major service all in one hit i.e you wouldn't want to to Oil, filter, plugs, fuel filter, cambelt (and tensioner) and gearbox oil all on one service.
When you come to sell the car you then have a nice bulky folder with info on everything. Personally I would much prefer to see that when looking for a car rather then just a service book.
I do get big job's done at a local specialist, who just happens to be doing a new engione for a 22B at the moment
08 January 2007 | 02:35 PM
#38
15 February 2008 | 02:16 PM
#39
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From: Durham
My local subaru dealer told me i needed to do the cam belt change at 50K?? So i did it.
2002 bugeye wrx sportwagon, 65Kmiles.
And by the way, I fully agree with the 'stealership' figures. I have just abandoned them after religiously servicing with them, too many probs when getting car back and particularly annoyed with them after paying 40 quid for a diagnostic check, then being told it was the neutral switch needing replacing which would cost £120, what they didnt realise is that i heard the YTS child tell the girl at the counter it was only a 30 minute job... thanks Subaru, think of a number and double it?
2002 bugeye wrx sportwagon, 65Kmiles.
And by the way, I fully agree with the 'stealership' figures. I have just abandoned them after religiously servicing with them, too many probs when getting car back and particularly annoyed with them after paying 40 quid for a diagnostic check, then being told it was the neutral switch needing replacing which would cost £120, what they didnt realise is that i heard the YTS child tell the girl at the counter it was only a 30 minute job... thanks Subaru, think of a number and double it?
15 February 2008 | 02:34 PM
#40
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From: Disco, Disco!
I have a MY99 UK Turbo with FSSH at the moment. It only has 55,000 miles on the clock and the next service is due in February.
Although I do value having a book full of 'official' service stamps, I don't appreciate being ripped off.
At the last service, I supplied my own oil (5L) and expected to get 1/2 L back, as the capacity is around 4.3L.
When I asked where the remaining oil was, they told that they used it all! Ok I thought, i'll check it myself just to make sure. The dealer then told me that my car had a 'slight weep' coming from my offside rear driveshaft and that the seal needed to be changed. I said I'd do it myself, paid the money and off I went.
When I checked the dipstick, the level was slightly over the 'full' mark when cold. Plus, I could feel that the boost solenoid had become contaminated due it stuttering on boost. I couldn't be bothered to take it back to the dealers, so I drained some of the oil myself to get the level correct, then cleaned the solenoid and pipe work. Problem solved.
I then checked for the driveshaft oil seal weep.........only to find no weep whatsoever!
So, for the next service, do I spend £130 on engine/gear oil, coolant, plugs, oil filter etc, keep all the receipts and do it myself? Or do I spend £300 with the dealers just to get a nice shiney stamp and probably end up having to drain some oil again?
Chris
Although I do value having a book full of 'official' service stamps, I don't appreciate being ripped off.
At the last service, I supplied my own oil (5L) and expected to get 1/2 L back, as the capacity is around 4.3L.
When I asked where the remaining oil was, they told that they used it all! Ok I thought, i'll check it myself just to make sure. The dealer then told me that my car had a 'slight weep' coming from my offside rear driveshaft and that the seal needed to be changed. I said I'd do it myself, paid the money and off I went.
When I checked the dipstick, the level was slightly over the 'full' mark when cold.
Plus, I could feel that the boost solenoid had become contaminated due it stuttering on boost. I couldn't be bothered to take it back to the dealers, so I drained some of the oil myself to get the level correct, then cleaned the solenoid and pipe work. Problem solved.I then checked for the driveshaft oil seal weep.........only to find no weep whatsoever!
So, for the next service, do I spend £130 on engine/gear oil, coolant, plugs, oil filter etc, keep all the receipts and do it myself? Or do I spend £300 with the dealers just to get a nice shiney stamp and probably end up having to drain some oil again?
Chris
How about non franchise, one of the many specialists, you pay a lot less for the labour.
TBH if i was buying a car with a lot of official service history and a big wadge of receipts from an 'enthusiast' owner who then did their own maintenance i would not think twice about it.
15 February 2008 | 05:26 PM
#41
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From: Old Codgers Home
I have a MY00 - now with 73,000miles on it.
Full Subaru SH for 5 1/2 years ...... serviced myself since - all receipts and invoices kept in a folder.
To be honest, a 7 year old Impreza Turbo is worth so little that its sale will depend fully on the condition of the vehicle as it stands before the buyer - a wad of receipts and FSH for its early years are useful selling tools.
BUT, the TOP selling tools (for a car older than about 5 years) are:-
1. NOT modified or fooked about with
2. One Owner - or very few
3. Last owner owned for many years
4. Body condition
5. Running gear condition
6. Simply a genuine, straight car owned by a genuine owner and selling for a genuine reason
Full Service History is nice ..... but if the car is in good condition when you see it then it is what you HAVE which is more important.
So, in answer to the original question ..... I would do the servicing myself - the cost savings are larger than the loss come resale time.
Full Subaru SH for 5 1/2 years ...... serviced myself since - all receipts and invoices kept in a folder.
To be honest, a 7 year old Impreza Turbo is worth so little that its sale will depend fully on the condition of the vehicle as it stands before the buyer - a wad of receipts and FSH for its early years are useful selling tools.
BUT, the TOP selling tools (for a car older than about 5 years) are:-
1. NOT modified or fooked about with
2. One Owner - or very few
3. Last owner owned for many years
4. Body condition
5. Running gear condition
6. Simply a genuine, straight car owned by a genuine owner and selling for a genuine reason
Full Service History is nice ..... but if the car is in good condition when you see it then it is what you HAVE which is more important.
So, in answer to the original question ..... I would do the servicing myself - the cost savings are larger than the loss come resale time.
15 February 2008 | 05:40 PM
#42
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From: Does it matter?
I think that one other thing to consider that way back when, there were very few 3rd party garages, and fewer qualified people to do it, so the FSSH was a really important thing.
Obviously now, there's much more choice and experience.
Still won't go a dealer - even with the Audi
Dan
Obviously now, there's much more choice and experience.
Still won't go a dealer - even with the Audi
Dan
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