I just got back from my honeymoon after 3 weeks and found that the battery was dead on my STI8. NOT IMPRESSED! Called Subaru Assist who turned up in 10 minutes (well impressed!) sparked the beast up again then took it for a short blast and then parked up. Two hours later came out to take the Mrs shopping and the battery was flat again. This time called Subaru Assist and they turned up 30 minutes later and sparked it up again. This time I took it for a 20 mile round trip and left it for three days. I tried to go Bluewater shopping centre yesterday and did the blasted thing start up...NOPE! I disarmed the alarm and the alarm just continually sounded and I couldn't start it up. I couldn't be ar$ed to call Subaru assist and ended up using my neighbours booster cables.

Okay so I find out on Scoobynet that there have been some problems with STI8 batteries, so I go to phone up my local dealer Lancaster in Sevenoaks...AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! They've shutdown!!! Did I get a letter telling me this was going to happen...NO! Did I get a phone call...did I feck! The worst thing is the easiest one for me to get to is in Ewell...about 20 miles away and the soonest they can swap my battery out is next Saturday. Anyway, so has anyone used Cheam Subaru? Any opinions of them?

I'm just so peeved at the moment I might just sell the bloomin STI and get something more reliable (Reliable in sense of car and dealers)

Anyway rant over.

Got my STi8 from Cheam Motors, they couldn't do enough for me. I have had no problems with the battery then again it does get used every night.

Took it in for its 1000 mile service and they were very efficient and helpful

have had the exact same problem the exact same. apparently if the battery gets to a real low point taking for a drive will not do the job, it needs a new battery which they will replace under warranty, also the impobiliser will cut in and the alarm will sound when the batt gets real low.

I had scoob assis out and they though it was a faulty alternator, which turned out to be bolloc**

they sorted everything in the end but they will send a flatbed out and collect your car if you call scoob assist again and they will deliver the ar to scooby doo and replace the bat, they were kind enough to do this for me and ignored the other bits around the car ;)

Cheers Guys!

CTRNutter: That's very interesting about the battery.

I think once I've sorted this I might sell the car as I don't know if I could be ar$ed to travel 40 miles everytime I needed something sorted. How much can I get for a March 03 STI8 with factory boost guage, parking aid and HKS SSQV BOV?

Day's of Chelmsford are the danglies, they were very helpful, we live near Bluewater Greenhithe and took the car back there for any prob and they always gave a service with a smile, very professional we even asked them to switch the standard airbox back onto the car which they did for free,

one time we got a bad batch of fuel in the car, so they filled her up with decent fuel and plugged a laptop in and took her for a drive and checked that everything was good. for free !!

they always valet the cars for free when you have a service

I'm a very happy STI-8 owner and their service has been impecable,

give them a call i cannot strongly recomend them enough

http://www.daysofchelmsford.co.uk/

I must admit this was the only real hicup i have had, and it is a pain if it is your only method of transport,

but in the bigger picture what cr can you get for this money that can be a family run about and a weekend go kart

[Edited by CTRnutter - 10/17/2003 11:59:49 AM]

Your not alone mate, I've had the same problem twice now.

The first time the dealer replaced the battery and the second time I just took it for a blast and it sorted it out.

The tracker on the STI8 draws 5 amps of current a day and if you leave the car for too long without driving it the battery will just die on you.

Anyway I hope you get it sorted soon.

Jim

you dont have a Bov do you ;) if you know what i mean !!!!

WhatBOV? ;)

I thought the Tracker had it's own standby battery?

Just repeating what I've been told WRX.

Problem is, running the engine for 20 mins does not put any significant amount of charge into the battery. The only real option is to take it out and charge it overnight.

Tracker (some models) do have back-up batteries, but these are only operational when the main battery is disconnected or completely flat.

[Edited by dr_ming - 10/17/2003 12:14:35 PM]

duSTI: Sorry mate wasn't disputing.

dr_ming: That would make sense.

Buy an Optimate charger for circa £40.

Ideal for times when you don't use the car.

Very small, only puts in charge when it registers it needs to.

You can even do what I did and have the wires (supplied), fixed permanently.

Just run the wires directly from your battery to an exit point, i.e, the grill area and then you do away with the need of opening the bonnet all the time, simply plug your car in when you return home.

4 years on I never had a problem with the battery and it sat for an average 8 months of the year.

WRX_Blues
Your cars trying to tell you it doesn't like going shopping.
Tell the missus you'll drop her off and go for a blast for a few hours ... or longer.

Nick99 that was what I was going to do. I just couldn't get the blasted thing started :D