bheinen74 Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 (edited) Has anyone taken their BRAT to the dealer for service work recently, say brake work or a coolant check.. Just a thought to ponder, and I wonder what the dealer says. Edited November 10, 2011 by bheinen74 made Brat capital to BRAT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6 Star Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 "Wut is dat??" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I could imagine that they would not recognize it as a subaru, or decline to work on it, or say they can't work on it. OR, you might have a senior staff there go on about how he sold them 25 years ago, and everyone admiring somthing thay have never seen, or havent seen for a long time. I have gone to the dealer with a GL and they either did not recognize it as a subaru(they asked me if i wanted to trade it in for a soob!) The other time, the entire technician floor came out to ogle my car while the manager yelled at them to get back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1982gl4 Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I had to pick up some parts this summer for work at a dealer in my 1982 GL, everyone came outside and started taking pictures they asked me where I got it, if I wanted to sell it, and asked why someone so young was driving it They older guys remembered them, and the rust they had.... but that's about it. I wouldn't have a dealer work on my old stuff, they wouldn't even know about the front breaking system, yet alone how to change it. I'm good with all the local parts stores they know me, and help me find parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I took my 'GL into the dealer to fix a mystery oil leak. The service guy said that they had one guy that knew the "old models". We got it up on the lift and he, two other techs, and the service manager all agreed that it was the oil pan seal leaking (one i had JUST replaced). So I let them have a go. Long story short, it still leaked when I picked it up. I buy all of my parts there, and try to support them best I can, but I dont take my car in there for work done. I doubt ANY of the techs there have even touched a carb before. The other time, the entire technician floor came out to ogle my car while the manager yelled at them to get back to work. The manager at the dealer here in town asked me if Id let them show it on the showroom floor last winter.... I declined the offer/request. I needed the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I get a text a month from my former employer-the dealer I was at. Its either a "hey how do we do this....or what would you charge to fix ____ on this" type of question. I frequently give my commercial parts counter guy the part numbers and he gets a little frustrated as they supersede about 3 times but they usually work. Unfortunately when they work they are often no longer available. Dealers local to me call me for prices on engines. They don't like my prices and I shoot back at them alot of times and tell them 2 cylinder heads for a WRX are more than that and then they ease off. I also price theirs about 40 percent higher than a walk in/internet customer. Its just the golden rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 I also price theirs about 40 percent higher than a walk in/internet customer. Its just the golden rule. LMAO don't know how common this is but there's a dealer in Maryland that won't service Subaru's older than a certain age. i believe it's due to liability and given where they are located - i can actually understand. they're at the mercy of populations that will take advantage of you. but -around here there aren't that many older vehicles anyway, they all rust away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Our Local Subaru Dealer... well, the only one that Left still alive; does service on Older Subaru cars, but No one takes 'em there because the cost is more than Twice than any other Service Garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboobaroo Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 When I lived in Wyoming, I stopped by the local dealer to get some gaskets for an EA82T. I was in my first black RX and when I came out to leave, there was an older gentleman walking around it. Long story short, he sold that same car brand new and could even remember the people he had sold it to.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 On the other hand - my dealer is a bit of strange duck I guess - they still do occasionally work on the EA's - there's a couple people that have their EA81's serviced there. Here in the NW we still have a lot of them - a couple years ago I would see at least a couple a week. Now it's fewer and they are being crushed - mostly because they stop running and people just throw them away - straight and rust free but people toss em anyway . We probably have the best EA parts guy in the country - till a couple years ago he drove an '82 wagon (gave it to his son and now drive's a first-gen Legacy) and has worked there for 31 years. The other two parts department ladies are both very helpful. They still have all the old paper manuals and I have never had a single problem with locating a part or part numbers. They give me wholesale pricing which is comparable to the online dealers. If you need something that another dealer can't locate or won't help with - call Paul at Lithia Subaru of Oregon City: http://www.ocsubaru.net/contact-form.htm GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 The parts guy at my dealer is awesome. Its the techs that scare me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cal_look_zero Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 On the other hand - my dealer is a bit of strange duck I guess - they still do occasionally work on the EA's - there's a couple people that have their EA81's serviced there. Here in the NW we still have a lot of them - a couple years ago I would see at least a couple a week. Now it's fewer and they are being crushed - mostly because they stop running and people just throw them away - straight and rust free but people toss em anyway . We probably have the best EA parts guy in the country - till a couple years ago he drove an '82 wagon (gave it to his son and now drive's a first-gen Legacy) and has worked there for 31 years. The other two parts department ladies are both very helpful. They still have all the old paper manuals and I have never had a single problem with locating a part or part numbers. They give me wholesale pricing which is comparable to the online dealers. If you need something that another dealer can't locate or won't help with - call Paul at Lithia Subaru of Oregon City: http://www.ocsubaru.net/contact-form.htm GD I was going to drive the 5 hours up there to buy a WRX (sanity kicked in) instead of buying from the dealership here. That is the ONLY Lithia dealership I'll deal with. Although now that I'm in to the older stuff, I remember the techs I worked with at the Subi/Mitsu dealership here. 2 of them had 1st gens that were booney bashers, and one had a built STi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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