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Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience

3516 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 9:10 AM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Wagon, SUV

Messages Page 319 of 352

#3176 of 3516 Re: So, how much? [ateixeira] by mountaindog

Feb 21, 2011 (5:15 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Feb 21, 2011 3:04 pm)
I know everyone is going to jump all over me but, here goes.
 
I only change oil every 15000 miles. I change the filter every 5000. I run Mobil 1 10W 30. I have done this on my last 3 cars and 1 truck.
 
1994 Impreza 280,000 miles. Dead due to rust
1995 Impreza 148,000 miles. Sold while running just fine and it's still fine
1994 Toyota T100 truck 155,000 still going strong
2007 Impreza 90,000 miles still running just fine.
 
None of these 3 cars and 1 truck consume any oil.
 
I started doing this 15 years ago when I was commuting 120 miles each day. I was doing a lot of oil changes at 5000 miles. So I switched to synthetic oil and a change interval of 15,000 miles with 3 filters.
 
As for the new forester, it will be my wife's car. It has way too much automatic junk on it for me.
 
auto trans
push button door locks
push button to disable the computer transaction system
auto windows
 
I remember when we actually had to learn how a car worked. I smile when I think of the choke and throttle cables. I still double clutch a manual transmission, habit from those years driving a dump truck at a quarry. One of these days I will try to double clutch on a down shift forgetting I am in a new auto trans forester and slam on the brakes twice. Those were the good old days, 5 speed manual with a 2 speed electric rear differential.
 
Winding a rope around the top of the motor to pull start the lawn mower.
 
Soon all will need to do is sit in a chair and eat all day.
 
Not sure where we are going with all this stuff. My first 1977 front driver Subaru got over 40 MPG. Now we are down to 27.
 
I still want to know how much the dealer paid Subaru of America to put my car on the lot.

#3177 of 3516 What did you pay? by baires60

Feb 22, 2011 (7:47 am)

Not quite the same as the car prices but still a question on what you paid. I am leery of dealership doing my maintenance but until my warranty is up I want to use them, I don't want any hassles in case of a problem.
 
I just brought my car in for the 7500 mile check up and oil change. I have a 2010 premium forester no turbo or anything fancy, except AWP. I did request to put in synthetic oil since I found that when my VW mechanic changed to synthetic my car ran 90% better than before (and had he done it 6 months earlier I might have postponed buying the forrester until now instead of last year- though the AWD did come in handy this year in NY).
 
I paid $167 + tax. The inspection which they say cost $10 was free since I bought the car from them.
 
What have others paid?
 
Thanks, Silvia

#3178 of 3516 Re: So, how much? [mountaindog] by ateixeira

Feb 22, 2011 (9:08 am)

Replying to: mountaindog (Feb 21, 2011 5:15 pm)
I'm not gonna jump all over you ... it's your car. LOL
 
I think most people change their oil too often, actually. I've drained oil I could see through before.
 
One reason I think the intervals aren't often long is that the manufacturers want a chance to spot any early signs of problems. Not to mention dealers make more money on service than they do on new car sales.

#3179 of 3516 Re: So, how much? [ateixeira] by fushigi

Feb 22, 2011 (11:00 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Feb 22, 2011 9:08 am)
Yeah, I also won't jump someone's case for how they choose to maintain their car. My only suggestion is to make sure that the manual is followed for maintenance during the warranty period. Even if using synthetic oil, should there be an engine failure the automaker can refuse warranty coverage and legitimately cite failure to maintain the vehicle as a reason.
 
It's because of that sort of thing that I use normal oil & follow the scheduled maintenance pretty religiously during warranty. After warranty I'll switch to synthetic & extend the intervals to what seems to make sense for me & the car.

#3180 of 3516 Re: So, how much? [fushigi] by ateixeira

Feb 22, 2011 (11:13 am)

Replying to: fushigi (Feb 22, 2011 11:00 am)
Yep, at least go with the "schedule B" as it's often called.

#3181 of 3516 Re: What did you pay? [baires60] by jk2011tour

Feb 22, 2011 (12:39 pm)

Replying to: baires60 (Feb 22, 2011 7:47 am)
I changed my own oi lon 2011 touring myself. Anyone can do work on your car,but the dealers use scare tactics. They even give you info on how to change oil in your car manuel. Im bringing my 2011 to dealer to check warrenty item and having synthetic oil changed and tires rotated. The cost is $79.00 This is fair. I would not pay much more than this. My local mechanic charges me 59.00 for synthetic oil change if i use him. I did purchase subaru oil filters on line. About $4.50 each.

#3182 of 3516 Re: What did you pay? [baires60] by fnamowicz

Feb 22, 2011 (5:41 pm)

Replying to: baires60 (Feb 22, 2011 7:47 am)
I paid about $66 at a dealer in the Chicago area. Includes Synthetic oil/filter
plug gasket and so called inspection.
I think $167 is a little high.

#3183 of 3516 Re: What did you pay? [fnamowicz] by fushigi

Feb 23, 2011 (5:57 am)

Replying to: fnamowicz (Feb 22, 2011 5:41 pm)
The first time I had a place supply the synthetic oil they charged something like $10 a quart; overall the oil change was about $80. I later found Mobil1 at Sam's Club and it was $30 for 6 quarts. I just checked and depending on weight it's $32-33.
 
Check with your shop; you may be able to save some money by bringing in your own oil. Even if they charge the automotive equivalent of a corking fee it's probably still cheaper to bring your own than to use theirs. And since the 6 quart pack is likely less than what a single oil change calls for, you're actually buying enough oil that every 4th or 5th change you won't have to buy any at all.

#3184 of 3516 Re: What did you pay? [fushigi] by baires60

Feb 23, 2011 (6:56 am)

Replying to: fushigi (Feb 23, 2011 5:57 am)
Hi thanks, $169 wasn't just the oil change - it included the other "stuff" that gets done during a 7500 mile check up or is that only an oil change. I noticed he did remove a tire to check on the brakes, or so it said on the inspection paper.
 
He said add $25 for the synthetic oil vs normal oil, I knew that was a rip off but since I wanted synthetic I paid and my next oil change should be free at this place I hope it includes the same type of oil they charged me for. It supposed to be every other oil change is free, granted if they charge you double for the one you pay you are not getting anything free.
 
I can't change the oil, I will change a cabin filter, air filter maybe even a battery depending on the car but oil changes are not something I think I would do, not something for a girl to do. But I can buy the oil and have them use that next time, though it's supposed to be free.
 
Thanks. Silvia

#3185 of 3516 Bought an old Forester in USA by joybell1

Mar 08, 2011 (7:54 am)

I've had a lot of problems with my Forester 2003 purchased new -many, many trips to the dealer which is now in Montreal (local dealership closed). They even had to change the engine (rebore the block). So when it came to finding a car for my kids to go to drive to college, I searched for an earlier, used model. The only problem the earlier Foresters had were head gaskets, right? That seems a minor problem to me now, after my Forester 2003 experience. I found a 2002 Forester Premium, fully loaded, just south of border in upper NY state, with 131,000 miles on it. Paid US$ 7500. Right now we are waiting for the paperwork to finish in order to bring it back across the border to Canada. Then it needs to be federally and provincially inspected before we can license it.
 
Anything I should know about this model as far as what are the usual problems? Hopefully it was made in "one of the good years"!!

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