OT: Trade-in or Keep and Service

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Okay Boneyarders,
Normally this would be an off-season post, not coming off a great game the night before but here we go. Brought my car, a 2014 Subaru Legacy with about 67,000 miles for an oil change to the Subaru dealership in Vernon. I needed front brakes too and I checked off to do the 65,000 service.

I was expecting about 250 for the brakes, 75 for the oil, maybe 300 for the routine maintenance. The brakes came to $500?!??(front only remember) And they wanted $800 to do a long list of things that were totally overpriced as well including $400 spark plugs.

Some of the stuff I’d have to do to keep the car going (differential fluid, CVT flush) but I was thrown for a loop cost wise.

Here’s the issue, I was planning to trade this car in over the summer after a pay bump but this has me thinking I should do this sooner rather later. If I do get the work done I’ll go to a smaller place and hopefully pay more like $500.
Do I pay to fix the car and keep it for years to come, trade it now? Or pay to fix and still trade over the summer?

 

[NJHusky]

Okay Boneyarders,
Normally this would be an off-season post, not coming off a great game the night before but here we go. Brought my car, a 2014 Subaru Legacy with about 67,000 miles for an oil change to the Subaru dealership in Vernon. I needed front brakes too and I checked off to do the 65,000 service.

I was expecting about 250 for the brakes, 75 for the oil, maybe 300 for the routine maintenance. The brakes came to $500?!??(front only remember) And they wanted $800 to do a long list of things that were totally overpriced as well including $400 spark plugs.

Some of the stuff I’d have to do to keep the car going (differential fluid, CVT flush) but I was thrown for a loop cost wise.

Here’s the issue, I was planning to trade this car in over the summer after a pay bump but this has me thinking I should do this sooner rather later. If I do get the work done I’ll go to a smaller place and hopefully pay more like $500.
Do I pay to fix the car and keep it for years to come, trade it now? Or pay to fix and still trade over the summer?

Just picked up a new car last month...inventory was limited and dealer wasn't willing to discount off sticker, but my prior lease was up and needed a car.

I would explore my purchase options first, then decide...if you can't get the car you want then it only leaves you one option if you want new wheels. MY assumption is inventory will be better in the summer.

Brakes have gotten more expensive as now they routinely change the rotors too. Maybe just change the pads (not rotors) and other necessary stuff at a smaller shop if you want to wait until summer?

 

[HuskyHawk]

The brakes obviously include new rotors. Pads aren't expensive. I'd suggest going to an independent mechanic and getting a new estimate. Dealers notoriously add on a bunch of crap you don't need. That car should go for a long time and is low mileage. We just traded my wife's 2013 Volvo with over 120k miles. Spark plugs you can almost certainly change yourself. Find a Youtube video and buy the right platinum plugs at Autozone or whatever. Those guys will help you. I flushed the transmission in my old Volvo S60, and while it saved a ton of money, it was a pain. Most transmission fluid flushes are not "required" because it is a sealed system. It's something they suggest for people who want to drive the car a long time.

So I'd get an estimate at an independent shop, then decide if you want to trade it in or not. I'd also check what is required and what is a "nice to do if you want the car to last for 200k miles".

 

[8893]

Stop going to the dealer and find a reliable local mechanic and you will pay much less for the same or better quality work.

 

[formerlurker]

Depends on if you have a signed pre-nup.

 

[uconnfan68]

So, $1300 not counting the oil change?

 

[uconnfan68]

The brakes obviously include new rotors. Pads aren't expensive. I'd suggest going to an independent mechanic and getting a new estimate. Dealers notoriously add on a bunch of crap you don't need. That car should go for a long time and is low mileage. We just traded my wife's 2013 Volvo with over 120k miles. Spark plugs you can almost certainly change yourself. Find a Youtube video and buy the right platinum plugs at Autozone or whatever. Those guys will help you. I flushed the transmission in my old Volvo S60, and while it saved a ton of money, it was a pain. Most transmission fluid flushes are not "required" because it is a sealed system. It's something they suggest for people who want to drive the car a long time.

So I'd get an estimate at an independent shop, then decide if you want to trade it in or not. I'd also check what is required and what is a "nice to do if you want the car to last for 200k miles".

Need to read the manual about the plugs... some cars require lifting the engine for access. Most cars are good for 100k easy though.

If you got 67k on the original front brakes, that's great.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

So, $1300 not counting the oil

Correct.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Need to read the manual about the plugs... some cars require lifting the engine for access. Most cars are good for 100k easy though.

If you got 67k on the original front brakes, that's great.

Funny enough I was sitting in the Mazda dealership getting my wife’s car serviced and heard them quote someone $250 for new plugs.
The subie has a “boxer engine” and CVT which may make basic maintenance more challenging/costly/necessary but that price seemed silly.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

On their list was $130 for a brake fluid swap out. Has anyone ever replaced their brake fluid? Even if some of their list was 100% necessary they lost me in the random Spartacus.

 

[uconnfan68]

Funny enough I was sitting in the Mazda dealership getting my wife’s car serviced and heard them quote someone $250 for new plugs.
The subie has a “boxer engine” and CVT which may make basic maintenance more challenging/costly/necessary but that price seemed silly.

I knew it had a boxer, but I'm not sure which engines/cars need that lift to get access to the last plug. I'm sure some car guy can fill us in.

What about head gaskets? I've heard of issues with Subarus and head gaskets for more many years. Was that ever reconciled?

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Stop going to the dealer and find a reliable local mechanic and you will pay much less for the same or better quality work.

Amen. Shout out to Frank and Tony at Interlagos in Norwalk!

Local mechanics don't have management breathing down their necks like some of the dealer shops our there.

 

[uconnfan68]

On their list was $130 for a brake fluid swap out. Has anyone ever replaced their brake fluid? Even if some of their list was 100% necessary they lost me in the random Spartacus.

We have 2012 Toyotas (Sienna and Rav4), both with mid 60k miles, and I did pay for a radiator flush last year on the Sienna. Just seemed reasonable to do. Lots of short trips.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I knew it had a boxer, but I'm not sure which engines/cars need that lift to get access to the last plug. I'm sure some car guy can fill us in.

What about head gaskets? I've heard of issues with Subarus and head gaskets for more many years. Was that ever reconciled?

My first post college car was a 98 forester (in 2011) that I got with 100k and drive problem free until honest to god almost exactly 150k and the head blew. I think around 2002 they they fixed this. Every Subaru from like 96-2002 blew the head gasket at ~150k

 

[auror]

Trading in a paid off car to pay depreciation again for the new car makes very little sense, especially if you only drove it 10k miles a year.

 

[husky429]

Get 2 more estimates if you can. Might end up saving a few hundred bucks.

Never go to the dealer for maintenance. Find a good local mechanic that markets to families and professionals.

IMO there are very few times you shouldn't pay for repairs (or do it yourself... oil and brakes aren't hard. Spark plugs can suck depending on the make/model).

 

[Dove]

Posting before reading thread:

Find a reputable local guy to do all the work. Trade it in next summer and highlighting this work was done.

I just had front brakes done for under 300. Great guy in Ivoryton. Maintenance is where dealerships make their money.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

A full synthetic oil change can be had for under $50 with coupon at some franchise place. They will do a multipoint inspection including brakes and they will mic the rotors. They want to sell services too but if they think the brakes aren't bad...a good local mechanic is a valuable part of a household support system.
..

 

[Dove]

So, $1300 not counting the oil change?

400 for spark plugs!!!! I am sure they giggle with each hand turn.

 

[JMick]

it's a subaru, it's going to cost you big bucks at some point. spark plugs are so expensive because of the labor. boxer engines are a PITA

 

[JMick]

400 for spark plugs!!!! I am sure they giggle with each hand turn.

it's all the labor. they're a giant pain on subarus.

 

[WillB4]

Just traded my 2010 Legacy in with 112, 000 miles on it last month. Still ran great, 28MPG average. Did all the maintenance with the dealer except brakes and tires. Yeah they were high with those repairs. Everything else they handled, never a problem with the car.

 

[Waquoit]

We got lucky when a guy that does auto repairs moved in across the street. Just did my front brakes for $200. Replaced the radiator in the Outback for cheap and had it going again in a couple of hours. I don't mind the tow trucks in the middle of the night. Adds a little juice.

 

[superjohn]

Stop going to the dealer and find a reliable local mechanic and you will pay much less for the same or better quality work.

Yep, never go to the dealer.

 

[Chin Diesel]

$500 for new rotors and pads, or new pads and machined rotors is a bit high but 67k is a reasonable amount of time for that maint.

Brake fluid flush and fill at 67k seems like BS.

Plugs at 67k? BS for sure. 100k is norn nowadays.

 

[ConnEd]

This seems to be a tactic with some dealers use now when you bring in an older car for maintenance. They slam with a huge bill for all kinds of work. On my wife's BMW, they claimed it needed $5100 worth of work. The car ws worth about $6k. The idea is to get you thinking about a new car so they can sell/lease you something new. Or, if you just do the repairs, they make money on the work. We took the car to a local shop we trust. They told us most of the items on the dealer's list didn't need to be done. So, we had them do about $400 worth of work and sold the car ourselves. It did still need about $1k more work (leaking valve cover seal/gasket), but it didn't affect the sale price that much.

I was buying a new car at one point and the salesman was moaning that they make nothing on the car sales (yeah, sure) and that the shop makes all of the money for the dealership. It made me wonder if I was buying a maintenance headache.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Stop going to the dealer and find a reliable local mechanic and you will pay much less for the same or better quality work.

Your reliable local mechanic - and they are out there - is basically in the business of making your car run forever.

 

[Husky25]

I'm gonna pile on..

A local, licensed mechanic can do everything the dealer does for about 2/3 the cost and better service.

 

[Dove]

it's all the labor. they're a giant pain on subarus.

I know its labor. My Jeep dealership is like 190/hour.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Posting before reading thread:

Find a reputable local guy to do all the work. Trade it in next summer and highlighting this work was done.

I just had front brakes done for under 300. Great guy in Ivoryton. Maintenance is where dealerships make their money.

You might even get help from the mechanic in finding the perfect buyer who remains a customer. Everybody wins.