Bad taste left by Brooklyn Park Service Dept.

So I went in today to get a 44 point inspection done on my car for the party interested in purchasing my car. Took an hour and a half which I expected. After it was all said and done they claim my water pump needs to be replaced and it is leaking, they also claim that my oil pump is leaking. It amazed me to hear this when not a single drop of coolant or oil has ever fallen off of my car, other than in an oil change or coolant flush. They quoted the labor at 5 hours @ $110 an hour, and $300 in parts. I just want to warn anyone that goes to get service done there. I've had service done at White Bear all the time and they never give me bullsh!t.

 

I have been going there from day one and never had a problem with the service Dept. My car just goes in for regular service mainly but when I did have a warranty issue come up they helped me out no questions asked. Now sales, those guys are a bunch of losers i wouldn't waste a minute with any one of them! J/K guys I give BP Subaru a great big:biggthumpup: they have treated me great.

 

if theyre changing the water pump might as well see if they can do the timing belt too, that will be very attractive to potential buyers. If you did do the tbelt, then they should have done the water pump at the same time, it runs off the back of the tbelt so its almost always changed at the same time.

 

Thats why you go to tonka...we have 2 members that are techs, and they are brothers!

 

The thing is, they dont need replacing! Nothing is leaking, I just checked myself. They also said they A/C had no leaks, well they said that the last time I went in, and it all leaked out. I refilled it myself with my friends, blew cold air for a day, then out again. My dad called White Bear and they said they have never heard of either water pump or oil pump leaking at 48k miles. Both my fog lights have had holes in them since I bought the car, and they recommended they be replaced at a small fee of $600.

 

I bought the car at Minnetonka, the sales rep there screwed me out of my trade in by about 2k, but my dad was the one making the deal so I couldn't say much because he cosigned and I had to do it his way. The car supposevly had no body flaws, the day I picked it up at had scuff marks all along the driver side, I of course complained and they took it to thier "Body shop" to have it repaired. Saw it after, worst cover up job I've ever seen, almost looks like they used touch up paint. Complained again, and they got it right the second time. I've almost never had a good experience with service anywhere, some of you know my story about Godspeed in Michigan...

 

Sorry to hear about all your trouble.
That is why I use my local and small (sorry for those of you living in the cities) Subaru approved shop of David Wray Auto. Nothing is better than using a small town shop because they will treat you right and want to keep their customers. The big guys have so many customers they can get away with things like ^^^. Only thing that sucks is the hour drive to Firestone!

 

I'm sorry about what had happened with your inspection. If you would like I can dig in deeper and find out who had inspected your car and find out why he reccomended what he did. On my behalf of the dealership I'm sorry if you had a bad experience.

 

Damn dude, the factory subaru foglight kit with the relay and both lights cost me a tinch over 200, and its 3 of the easist bolts ever to install. Maybe a 2 minute install per light. I have never heard of a subaru needing an oil and water pump.... especially at the mileage you are at. I'd bring it elsewhere or have one of the guys on here help you sort it out.

 

Hmmm

I buy my parts from BP Subaru and they have worked on my SVX. I have nothing bad to say about them, they treat me really well other then I dont get a loaner car and have to rent from enterprise. Cost more to rent a car then to get mine fixed...

 

For the record, I have 187k on my original water pump and oil pump. Granted, my oil pump leaks a little because I got a little silicone in the o-ring when I put it back on last time, but it works just fine. I'm gonna call bullsh!t on this one. If your oil pump is bad/leaking, you WILL smell burning oil. That and the timimg cover seals on the bottom will be bulging out because they are soaked with oil.

Rarely over on bbs.legacycentral.org has a water pump go bad, and this is all 1g legacys with most well over 100k. And of cource, the dealer price on a water pump is gonna be rediculous. I paid $40 for a rebuilt on my '91 EJ22T, which is the only motor sold in the states with the oil to water cooler.


I think you should get a second opinion.

 

so cause yours is good at 170+k then EVERY one of them ever built will be too??

Each car is different..... We have replaced 3 rear wheel bearings in the current model ford Explorer within a month.. all with less than 40K miles on them.... does that mean ALL of them are bad... no.. but it opens up concern on quality...

I like how Brian put it... very well said...

Hey my differential went out at 45000 so all you had better replace yours too... yada yada...

Not to knock people but it is amazing that the people who usually cant fix these things themselves are the ones who call BULL5HIT when told what it takes and cost to fix it... cause businesses whether dealerships or not have costs to recoup and "DONT FIX CARS FOR FREE", but you also have to keep them honest by asking questions and having it proved too...

again.. I like what Brian wrote.. very good...

 

I may have jumped the gun a little, and I acknowledge that. Every car is different. Comparing a Ford Explorer to a Subaru Impreza is a little out of the element though. Each vehicle has it trouble spots. Ford Explorer's and it's varients go through ball joints like candy. Phase 1 2.5 Subie motors need head gaskets. The list goes on.

Brian made a very good point that they probably wouldn't be actively trying to rip you off. I'd question exactly who did the inspection though. You don't know if it was a basic tech, or one of their guru's.


The quoted price is not outrageous for the work done. $300 for a new water and oil pump is not rediculous for factory parts. I personally would never pay that for those parts and that is entirely my choice. If someone sleeps better at night from buying OEM dealer parts, so be it. Thats your deal. Labor is not cheap anymore either.

Bad oil pumps are rare though. They may need to be re-sealed, but they usually don't go bad. Water pump at 48k, before the timing belt needs to be replaced for the first time? And the fact they said they both are bad. Even more odd. There would definately be oil coming out of the front of the motor. Like I said, the bottom seals on the timing cover would be bulging due to being soaked with oil.


And if you assuming that I don't know how to fix my own subaru, because of what I said, you are making as ASS out of U and ME. The last thing I paid to have done to my car was getting my syncro's replace at Boeser transmission in Savage when I brought my physical tranny to them, as I don't have a 10 ton hydralic press to get the input/driven shaft apart. I've never paid for a brake job, oil change or other maintenance to be done or to replace an axelshaft. I put my motor together and will be doing major structural and electrical sugery to my car in about a month. I've been doing this stuff since before the WRX was even rumored to come out and all the bandwagon Subaru fans showed up. These cars were popular in other parts of the world and already had a huge folowing before what washed up on our soil. I knew what I had/wanted before before most bolt-ons exhisted in this country, and there still is very little that bolts on to my car, that I am going to use. There is a lot more out there in the Subaru world than the GDB WRX/STi and the EJ205(WRX)/EJ257(STi). Has anybody here heard of a Liberty RS-RA? Ponder that one.





Thank you for your time.

 

I agree with piddster... having both the water and oil pump bad at that mileage sounds like total BS to me. Maybe he caught them at a bad time and they did a "Rush" estimate on his car. I'm not bashing the entire staff at bk park sub but I would definatly take my car elsewhere and have it re-checked. It's like with a doctor, always get a second opinion.

 

Good points Brian. I don't see all the little maintenance issues with all subies, as I don't work at a dealer. And there is a huge differnce between leaking oil and water pumps, compared to them needing repacement. I was just trying to say its a little odd that they both are bad, one way or another. Also, I over looked the fact the the car was modified for x amount of miles.


I guess I just took a little offense to being told I've never turned a wrench on these things. Nathan seemed to point his statement toward me so I got a little defensive. Not the end of the world.

 

ponder what... the fact that I am from Australia and I knew about Subarus before you were probably born...

and NO I wasnt insinuating that you had no idea what you were doing when it comes to cars... I am making a broad generalised statement regarding most people who complain about pricing... and I wasnt comparing a Ford Explorer with a Subaru... just making another statement as an 'EXAMPLE' of how people use broad strokes when comparing problems with a certain car... I apologise if you took offense at that statement but it wasnt my intention...

I hope all is ok on your car and that they mis-diagnosed (as we know can happen with humans who arent perfect).... I mean you come on hear spouting of about an experience (which is your right if it happened) but you also made a very generalised statement about that dealership which then affects others and their livelihoods cause one person told you something YOU didnt want to hear and now you hate them and the world of dealerships...!!!

my 0.02 worth

 

Well I looked at the quote for parts and it said water pump $120, so I know that was to be replaced, and now that I look at it, it just says the oil pump was leaking, suggested to change the o ring