Former said it’s the standard book charge whether they use 4 quarts or 20, and it’s just a “drain and fill” because they “don’t have a (flush) machine.” Latter said that’s what Subaru tells them to do. When I asked her if I could get a copy of where they say to just do 2/3rds of the CVT fluid, she said to take it up with Subaru NA (N. America). Asked if she could send an email stating they only did 8 quarts and to contact SNA, she said yes, but email only contained SNA phone number with zero mention of why she was providing it. She went on about “lifetime fluid” and other weaseling. My strong suspicion is she got into management never having worked on cars as she only could talk “office and policy jargon” rather than show any mechanical system understanding.
Listen, if you can not, or do not wish to do the full fluid change, simply decline to provide the service instead of leaving 1/3 of the 125,000-mile-old oil and charging over $320 for the “work.”
The receipt also had “8” quarts used to drain and fill the Front and Rear differentials. OM page 12-7 list 1.3 and 0.8qt respectively. She said that was a typo and would refund that item.
Item “1” was a free 25-Point inspection. Item “4” was replacing brake pads and turning rotors. They said the brake fluid was good. It’s dark. They said they use a different color than regular brake fluid. I pulled the cap, then the screen basket, and took a swipe. Dark residue on finger. They did not change/flush the brake fluid.
BTW, same dealer overfilled oil during a simple oil change which through off the CVT transmission, weird symptoms, and there’s a Subaru bulletin out years ago regarding it. As it was discovered in the mountains on the other side of the state, had to get a independent 4×4 shop to drain off “a couple quarts” to get it with in the dipstick marks, and later reimbursed by the dealer.
FWIW, on a different make, I’ve “cycled” out the oil by simply “drain and fill”, pulled a line to the radiator, cranked the motor to pump out 4 quarts, added 4, cranked and saw “new” fluid coming out, then topped it off. This way the fluid is only under “transmission PSI” versus a potentially higher “machine PSI”, yet still cycles fluid through (old out, new in) the torque converter and other passages that don’t drain when the plug is pulled.
I get irked paying a dealer a higher hourly rate than I make to do a job worse than if I had done it myself.
