Allow me to share the whirlwind story of how my life took an unexpected turn in just two short weeks. I’ve always been a loyal Toyota or Honda driver, but I couldn’t resist the allure of a Subaru Ascent.
My journey led me to a 2020 Subaru Ascent with 95,000 miles on the odometer, a single owner, and a clean history from an unlikely source – a Nissan dealership. They marketed this vehicle as a certified select, complete with a 6,000-mile or 6-month warranty, whichever came first.
Given my budget constraints, I made the bold decision to purchase this Subaru for $23,000 out the door. One week later, I took it to the official Subaru dealership for a thorough inspection and a complete fluid change and spark plugs to ensure a fresh start on all components.
The service advisor dropped a bombshell when they informed me that the vehicle had received a new transmission at just 36,000 miles, courtesy of this very dealer. Although it raised a red flag, I reasoned that my transmission was still fairly new and at least I didn’t have to deal with it.
However, as the hours ticked by, the service advisor delivered more troubling news. The Subaru was in dire need of $7,000 worth of repairs, and the ordeal would drag on for 2 to 3 long weeks.
RE-SEAL BOTH CAM CARRIERS/CAPS
4,284.12
LOWER ENGINE OIL PAN – RESEAL
1,129.53
CVT OIL PUMP CHAIN COVER – RESEAL
2261.61
The Subaru dealership has been truly exceptional to work with, going the extra mile to advocate for warranty coverage on all repair expenses. In addition, they placed me in a 2024 Onyx edition Ascent loaner with 0.00 miles on it.
I’m questioning whether I made the right decision in purchasing this vehicle. Assuming the warranty covers everything, will I be financially secure, or will this car turn into a financial drain?
The service advisor assures me that leaks are not a common issue, and once this repair is completed, I should be problem-free for the next 60,000 miles, until the next maintenance milestone, like spark plug replacement.
I appreciate all thoughts and opinions, as I’m beginning to have reservations about this choice.
