chopperman

https://www.facebook.com/SubaruMalta

GordonC

Hi,

Your right, it came to the UK via Liaco. I didn't actually realise at the time of buying that it was a grey import. First ever Scoob and trusting of the dealer (Bay Horse in Blackburn) so perhaps a little naive.

I'm told the warranty is EU wide so 'someone' makes the claim back to factory in terms of warranty - shouldn't make much difference if IM or Liaco as comparable organisations in terms of warranty support, or should it?

I'll try getting in touch with them though local dealer sent me to IM & they know its an import. Appreciate the help.

GC

chopperman

Is Bay Horse Blackburn a Subaru main dealer? And what type of warranty did they give you. Was it a Subaru "proven" warranty? If so the warranty was taken out with IM on a subaru proven car and IM or the dealer should pay. As for the body work checks, these are carried out as part of the subaru annual service. So if the car was subaru serviced at the time the body check was required that dealer would be responsible.

GordonC

Some additional pics... looking good....

GordonC

Bay Horse was a main dealer, they ceased trading last year so I've no come back there it would seem.

The car was definitely registered with IM for warranty purposes, I checked shortly after buying when I found out it was an 'import'.

Local dealer have said the body work checks are not part of the standard service and are an additional charge, yet its never been mentioned that it had fallen behind whenever it's been in for service (always main dealer). IM say solely the owners responsibility.

lordharding

iTrader: (1)

Wow
Never seen that on the inside of the hatch lid and looks like the nut for the hinges or spoiler ?
Unusual around the badge as well
Mine is ok after it was sorted under warrenty

My 13 year old Greenwagon (apart from the standard rear arches )is perfect on the boot

chopperman

My bodywork check was done as part of its 40k service. I did not ask for it and was non the wiser until i saw the stamp in the book. I only noticed that stamp as i was trying to make a warranty claim at the 50k service. My warranty claim was also rejected unfairly imo but the dealer stood by me and paid for the repair (AMC Chelmsford). I dont ever remember anywhere in the handbook stating the owner needs to ask for the body inspection and i dont think that will wash in court as you have had main dealer services.
Subaru phoned me the other day to ask if i wanted to take out another warranty as mine had now expired. I told them their warranty was not worth the paper it's written on.
I do think you have a case. Your next move maybe to threaten court action and press coverage of the action should you win. You can not sue for a repair, you only sue for money so get a quote for the repair, loan car while yours in in for repair ect then take them to the small claims court. If it were me i would sue them for the price of a brand new boot lid.
Good luck and don't give up mate.

Marky300173

Hi Gordon,

The link shows an exploded diagram of the chrome strip and all its parts. You may be missing a part that has allowed rubbing to take place leading to rusting.

http://opposedforces.com/parts/impre...llustration_1/

GordonC

Hi guys,

Been away for a few weeks so first chance to get back to doing something about this.

Before I did anything I went back to double check the terms of the warranty. It does say that if the bodywork is not inspected every 12 months then warranty is void, though it was not an expressed term of the sale IMO. If one inpsection is missed then no future inspections can retrspectively re-active the warranty.

I bought the car from a main dealer at 16 months old with 10k miles. It was over due a service (10k miles) so I specifically had then include 'next scheduled maintenance to be carried out FOC' - had it written on the sales order. They carried out the service and stamped it but did not do the bodywork inspection. So as the car was over 12 months old the bodywork warranty they included in the sale was voided by they're own actions, and I could never re-active it, as it had been missed. Yet, they sold me a warranty - 'approved used' and all that.

If the warranty they sold me is invalid as they say, I think it's actually Subaru's own fault.

Going to get in touch now and see what they say. Just really disappointing on a car this age.

Marky300173

They do seem to make up the rules as they go along... mine has 3 service stamps and 2 body work stamps. The last body work check was not completed, don't know why! and the rust on mine was completed under warranty a couple of weeks ago.
The service desk thought that the body work check every couple of years was sufficient, but I suspect that Subaru could use this as an excuse in the future, if there was a major costly problem.

I guess your challenge is due to the car being imported.

You may be able to offer getting yours serviced and bodywork checked with Subaru if they resolve the known rusting issue!

Don Clark

The most telling part of this saga is that it's taken you 2+ years to read through your service booklet and find the bodywork warranty pages.

The "Owner activated at extra cost" annual bodywork checks have been around long before I bought my first new Impreza in 1997.

Whether or not the bodywork warranty was implied at purchase, you haven't complied with its terms and as such IM are justified in not honoring it.

GordonC

Hi Don,

Yes, I can see your point. Never had cause to look really. Taken to main dealer for a service every time and just paid up. I would say I were in the majority in being blissfully unaware of this additional requirement, but perhaps not.

I guess my point is the selling dealer contracted with me that all maintenance was up to date prior to delivery. They didn't do it, and by the letter of the warranty no future inspection I had carried out would have remedied that position anyway as the time period had lapsed (over 12 months from date of registration).

A technicality - its still rusting and given it gets the entire AutoGlym range on it every month I don't think it should!

Don Clark

There is also the problem you have with the mechanical service history.

From what I can gather the vehicle was 16months old when the 1year/10,000 mile service was carried out???

This alone could invalidate any warranty that Subaru has agreed to (I believe its 1000 miles (maybe less) and one month either side of due date/mileage). The perils of being a second owner.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

having dealt with international motors in the past i can tell you they dont care about there customers and do the upmost to get out of any warranty claim.

the fact that they have you because you havent kept up with your side of the warranty checks will not help the case whatsover.

good luck anyway but i think you will end up repairing the boot yourself

GordonC

The mechanical side of things are thankfully fine - it's been well looked after from that point of view!

The car has 3k miles on it when it had it's 1year/10,000 mile service. At 18 months it had 12k, so I wanted it carried out again before I took ownership.

GordonC

Thanks... and I suspect you are right!

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

my experience was a few years ago know, but i got the impression when dealing with them that all they wanted to do is find a way to get out of any claim by checking small print then if that didnt work making stuff up to blame the car owner.

any decent company would fix the problem no questions, after all the car is hardly old and the cost is not great, but not i.m. im afraid.

GordonC

That doesn't sound too good an experience mate. There's the wording of the contract and the spirit of it when you agree to buy, and when the former is pointed to every time there is a hiccup it does give the feeling a company don't care.

Having said that, I have made one warranty claim in the past and there was just no problems. Wheels started bubbling at 2 years so called dealer,they took some images which they said they were sending off and next thing wheels were replaced. Wasn't happy the wheels corroded after such a short time, which adds to being pissed off about the rust, but was happy it was sorted. I just thought at the time 'Subaru are great' - not 'my dealer', 'IM Group' or 'FHI', the company in the supply chain responsible I don't see as my concern.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Yep I would concur with that. My rear diff failed at 63K on my 03 STI and even though it had full main dealer history and was just 3K out of warranty they didn't want to contribute anything towards it. Funny thing was I later discovered that the diff oil change carried out by a now out of business (and deservedly so) main dealer hadn't been done despite being stated on the service invoice and charged for!!!!

Then there were the rear shocks that repeatedly failed whilst under warranty ... they refused to replace them a third time as said it must be the way I drive the car which is BS as so much went wrong with it I was too scared to drive it hard.

Anyway to the OP good luck and I hope you get it sorted.

GordonC

Hi,

Update: after the argument over whether the warranty is valid or not, that's been dropped and the issue now is that the rust is surface only and the warranty for that has expired - 12 year warranty for rust through from inside only.

Have offered for them to inspect it so they can confirm if this is indeed the case but don't appear interested.

Recommendations for a good bodyshop in the West Yorkshire area, anyone?

Tidgy

afraid the dealer network get very little support from IM for parallel import cars, aka from other countries in europe. Its done by motorpoint and such so bypasses IM.

took the local dealer two weeks to sort me a key out due to diferent codes and such

urban

iTrader: (1)

I.M win again - well done

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

And they wonder why people are going away from Subaru.
What a shocking way to treat you.

All they have confirmed is that they expect Subaru's to rust from as little as a year old and that they make the warranty as complex as possible to trick new owners into making it void.
Seriously, I have never heard of having to have an annual 'body' inspection on a car.
That sir, is taking the ****, royally!

If it had been in an accident and not repaired by a Subaru approved garage, fine. But surely they can tell if it has been repainted very easily?

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

your pics show rust from inside

GordonC

Hi,

Yup, I have written to them explaining this and waiting to hear back. It took 6 weeks to get a response last time and I had to chase even then so not confident of a reply soon.

Had it inspected by a bodyshop yesterday and comment on the rust above the badge was "thats been caused by water and other stuff settling between the chrome trim and the bodywork. It needs an extra spacer to prevent it happening".

Subaru Canada recall XDT-50 as was highlighted above appears to involve the fitment of an additional spacer/bolts to solve the problem, seems to be happening with the US guys too:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1982326

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2178566

Flagged with Subaru UK who said 'the manufacturer has not issued any campaign or reall in the EU or UK for this particular issue'. Maybe so, but it looks to be the cause of that problem.

Rust on the inside is another problem I guess!

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

tell them you want the whole boot lid replaced

and then threaten to unleash it all over facebook!

GordonC

Another 6 weeks for a response this time... again only after I chased.

Standard letter that has gone back to "body inspections need to be carried out at the required time intervals. If it has not been carried out you will indeed have invalidated the anti-corrosion programme on"

Letter ends without a date on which it was invalidated. Convenient, given their dealer didn't carry it out when selling to me, so was already invalidated.

So far then:

- can't help you as your warranty isn't with SUbaru UK. Proved it's pan-european.
- can't help you as anti-corrosion warranty does not cover EU imports. Proved it does.
- can't help you as it is surface corrosion, the warranty has expired. Provided evidence of it rusting inside and asked them to inspect, which they've ignored.
- can't help you as you invalidated the anti-corrosion warranty. Proved their own dealer did that by failing to carry out at point of sale as agreed, and by the terms of the Subaru warranty no future inspections I arranged could re-instate it.

Bitter.

urban

iTrader: (1)

I'm sure you are, as are most people when it comes to that lovely outfit I.M

I think dealing with them is a bit like playing donkey kong, as they keep firing barrels at you

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Disgusting treatment, but it's not all IM's fault as the car should have been designed and built properly in the first place.

My advice... get shot of it mate and buy a better marque. Subaru have had their day!