Hi All,

I want to E-mail Subaru Customer Care who I believe are part of the IM Group. I have hunted the web and can only find www.imgroup.co.uk which would appear to be their site, but I presume has some kind of firewall restrictions that limit who has access to the site.

Does anyone have a name and e-mail address (or web address) for Subaru (IM) Customer Care or other that I could use this evening..?

Cheers,

MKC...
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REASON FOR THIS IS AS FOLLOWS :
I brought my MY99 last October from Anthony Betts in MK.
60K fully serviced and in perfect nick (so it appeared).
After 2 months, at a constant 5k revs at some speed over the national limit, power dropped, turbo didnt work and car ran on 3 cylinders. Toom it back to ABetts and within the Subaru 3 yr wtee it had a new short engine, clutch, turbo (piston melted and turbo knackered). It was off the road for the whole of Xmas and New Year...I ran it in as asked, changed the oil and filter after 1k, etc.

March, exactly the same symptoms, same speed, same revs, constant cruising (I had driven like this or eratically many times prior to this) and it blew again (3 weeks after after 400 pound service). Took it to Adams (2nd opinion etc). They replaced the whole engine, heads, turbo, etc under the extended wattentee as the piston had a hole again and turbo was gone too. They had the injectors checked and cleaned,I ran it in and changed oil and filter after 1k etc. It ran sweeter than ever...

24th June, same speed, same revs, same power drop, running on 3 cylinders. The only difference in symptoms is no smell of oil, no smoke out of the back (which on the other two occasions only appeared after it had been left for 15 mins). I have not yet asked them what they have found (as they have only had it a day).
I would guess its the same thing again...

What the hell can it be !!??

There were no leaks, no funny noises, no weird symptoms at all.
I always warmed it up for 5 mins before ragging it. I do not red line it (but do drive it hard). I cool it down for 5 mins after every journey too. The car is not modified in any way either.

I want to return it to Anthony Betts and will be writing to them shortly (it appears not to be their policy to refund/buy back !!)

I contacted Subaru and they seem to wash their hands of the car after the 3 years (even though the used cars are sold as Subaru Proven cars). I am writing to Subaru, ABetts, my solicitor and a consumer body this week. I have also been in contact with a TV show.

Has anyone else had so many problems with a UK dealer suplied Imprezza ??? Any additional info, contacts, examples, warrentee issues, etc, would be welcome to add to my protfolio of collected info...

Any info on what caused other peoples melted pistons would also be useful.
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Thanks, MKC

 

I've heard of one other case similar to yours, and the fault was traced to a faulty injector, which was only faulty intermittently.

The results were that a few thousand miles after the new engine was fitted, another piston blew. It seems that one cylinder had been running very lean, and it didn't last too long.

I don't think that Subaru customer services have an e-mail address, and I would suggest sending the letter by post to them. The address is Ryder Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, no idea of the post-code. I'm sure the full address will be on the Subaru UK website, or on some of the brochures.

Good luck, as it certainly sounds like you have had a very rough time of things

 

Try What-Car or TopGear mags, both have a section for p1ssed off customers.
Strangely enough whenever these mags contact a manufacturer/dealer these things tend to get resolved amicably.

 

0121-522-2000 ask for John Sherwood. Does return calls, expert fobber-off on paper Is being responsive re STiUK suspension rattles, tho'

Cheers

Phil

 

Thanks for the info so far. I will feed the injector one back to dealer. The injectors were tested be an indipendent company I believe, not sure how useful such tests would be with intermittent injector faults.

I have spoken to John Sherwood in the past and although polite and helpful, the response was that as the car is beyond its 3 year warrentee, Subaru are not that interested and it would be between myself and the dealer.

I found out last night that ABetts is no longer a Subaru Dealer (which does not surprise me), this adds more confusion to the issue !! (They are a Suzuki dealer though).

I will write to everyone concerned...

Can anyone list EVERY device that is involved with the engine?

I would guess there are sensors and electronic control devices etc.
If the fault cannot be established then I would guess all of these should be replaced along with all of the mechanical items that were replaced before.

Cheers for the help so far...MKC

 

IM Details per Directory Enquiries:-

International Motors Ltd

(0121) 522 2000

Ryder St
West Bromwich
B70 0EJ

BB