Steve Holmes

Hi,

I am meeting Subaru UK at the Motor show on a VIP pass, lucky me, and wondered if anyone had any good questions for the MD when I meet him.

This is a kind invitation from Subaru UK so please make any suggestions constructive!

RB5320

Maybe a bit inflammatory, but how about attitude to trackday use and warranty implications. Subaru unshamedly market the car based on its rally heritage and its performance.
I havent really thought this next bit through, but could Subaru UK approach one of the companies who provide track day cover and negotiate a deal with them regarding warranty claims due to track use. ie, Subaru do the repairs under warranty and claim the money back under an insurance policy. I realize this could be a very complicated process but I am sure there would be a lot of owners who would be prepared to pay a sensible figure to enable them to enjoy track days without concerns about the warranty.

Steve

carl

Maybe something about SUK/IM's attitude to Japanese imports?

Jen.

Or their attitude to the SIDC?

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Agree with Jen.

Pete Croney & the other chaps on the board of the SIDC have often tried to engender an interest in a manufacturer participation but so far nothing has materialised. Why not? What is their position?

Pete

Cane me if I'm saying anything out of turn or if it would be impolitic to ask that question.

Otherwise, ask him why no STi Sportswagon for the UK

davyboy

Why did you "snoop" at the SIDC day at Donnington?

Why are your dealers sooo against mods, when you could embrace the whole scene?

Why do you turn away business in the shape of Jap import setvicing?

Dave T-S

Who are you meeting?

Bob Edmiston or Ed Swatman?

sillysi

I would like to know their stance once and for all on track days as well, if they say no then fine at least we know where we stand. I know people say we should not push IM but personally I would like to know.

RB5320,

Not sure the insurance idea would work, I know that my cover with CCI does not cover items related to engine, drive train etc it seems more to cover crash damage rather than mechanical faliure.

Si.

gregjd

Nag him about an STI Wagon..and when/if we're going to get any warmer Legacy models over here!

Greg

chiark

First and foremost, why are they not responding to the SIDC despite the SIDC actively trying to engage IM?

Secondly, STI wagon

Finally, why the big price hike for UK cars over buying the same car from the continent? Don't believe BS about exchange rates, keep on at him.

Brendan Hughes

Can you let us know when and where, and we will get rent-a-mob outside chanting "we wanna wagon! we wanna wagon!"...

D Noble

can you ask him why they cant fix the ongoing problems with the my99/00 ie clutch judder/hesitation,instead of "they all do that" recall perhaps??? throwing a clutch at it every 15000 miles is not the answer!

chairk, i beleive the european cars are cheaper due to the local tax on them, if they were the same price pre tax as over here they would not sell! norways imprezas cost £40,000. if they were using the "base price" of say £17000,they would be more like £50,000,so they have to reduce it to £12000 before applying tax,not an excuse though but we are lucky only to have to pay 17.5%vat and no "luxury car tax"

regards
dave
ps.i took advantage of this and imported

AllanB

How about popping the Outback 3ltr flat 6 engine into the Impreza...please, oh and a version of the above with 2 wacking great big turbos on would be nice too please. Also can we have a 2 door model again please with above mentions bigger lump and planet sized turbos please.

Oh and treat your dealers a bit better too please !


AllanB

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Chiark,
Two valid pionts
also Mitsy Francises do Imports why not subaru a subaru is a subaru

There is a valid piont in SIDC.co.uk saying that if peeps push IM into a corner for a definative YES or NO about track use the answer will be NO. I think they are trying stop 2.5 Ltr Nitrous 500 BHp then trying to get smashed gearbox,diff's and drive shafts done undr warrenty


Tony

Ps What about rear wash wipe on UK cars why only on JDM's we have more rain here

or

will there be a dim switch on the new MY03 LOL

chiark

Not at all. If a manufacturer can sell a car ex tax in Holland (or Denmark) for X, then why does the price in the UK have to be X*1.5 before tax?

Answer: because they think they can get away with it, so gouge profits out of us.

Neil Smalley

I'd welcome any defintive answer from IM re: trackdays. At the moment us not asking is like a kid not asking his parents if he can go out to play because he's afraid they might say no.

I respect peoples and the SIDC's difficulty with this issue and some ways not pushing the question is the safest short term way to go. However with no clear guidelines, other than abuse is not covered people will fall foul of these gray areas, and as a result people will have to resort to subterfuge(hiding plates/tax discs/VIN numbers etc etc) which is hardly the most honest and mature way of going about things.

If it's a no then people will know 100% where they stand. However I don't think it'll be a no because that would mean IM could never hold track days for corporate customers, dealers could never hold track days for customers and IM would also become the laughing stock of the industry.

mutant_matt

But I thought that IM have already stated (via one of their dealers) that any IM/Subaru Dealer organised track day has the approval of IM as they make sure that the cars are appropiately maintained before, during and after and because of this, the warranty will not be effected.

I think the two best questions to put is why they won't form an official relationship with the SIDC and why the stance on Jap Imports when they could clearly do a lot of business with these people

If Subaru don't make a model then IM can't sell it (H6 engined Scoob ) but agree that some of the hotter Legacy's should be available. I guess IM don't want the extra cost of marketing and supporting models with a fairly limited appeal.....

Matt

Sheepsplitter

Ask him when he's going to grow up and support Japanese imports.
At the end of the day they are ALL Subarus and regardless of the emissions and other bull****, they should/are all build to the high tolerances of Subaru Japan.

There are a number of reasons he should support imports:-

1. Other manufacturers do (i.e Mitsubishi to name one)
2. More money to be made on spare parts etc
3. Better customer relationship.
4. People might stop thingking he was an arrogant tosser who hadn't the business sense of a baboon!!


On second thoughts scrub 4, he's never going to change!!

boultsy

I'll second Mr Nobles comments
This seems to be a common defect across all models, admittedly some worse than others.

adair69

You could ask about the ongoing Rear noise in the STi7 MY02, and if the MY03 has it as well. If it doesn't how did they cure it and can they fit it back onto the STi7?
As an MD I know that if you can't get an answer from the ground, go to the top of the Ivory Tower!!

stanmo

iTrader: (1)

Not really sure what everyone intends to gain by being able to ask the MD of Subaru UK questions. He isn't a representative of FHI or Subaru Japan, he's MD of the Subaru section of IM, a distributor of products, manufactured overseas, to sell over here.
IM/Subaru UK don't really want to get involved in the enthusiast groups like this one or the SIDC because it's extra hassle/time/money to cater for an enthusiast community. There's very little direct monetary gain by keeping the minority happy, much better to address the 80% majority who don't question the dealers, pay out 70/hour servicing charges and buy original OEM parts. It's a sad fact, but money talks.

While the H6 3.0 6 seems to be in a very low state of tune, there's no manual gearbox for it yet (a waste, imo). Would be better to petition FHI to design a gearbox for it, put a couple of turbos on and build a concept/prototype car to gauge interest in it.

BarryK

Ignore some of the immature "he's a t055er" comments expressed about imports and warranties etc. that's really going to impress him isn't it?

Can we have an STi Wagon which is not overpriced. And can they extend the warranty to five years before everyone else does.

Soapy Sam

We are all pressured to use main dealers for servicing/repairs to maintain resale values etc but it seems that dealer's attitude is not as good as it used to be. My local dealer in Sevenoaks is not proactive and it's always me that says "theres something wrong, what can you do to fix it" and they say things like "they always do that....." Clutch judder/slight hesitation at 3500 under boost/failing to spot a leaking damper at a 45k service/a leaking gearbox seal 3 days after a gearbox repair under warranty......

They even suggested that I "might want to change my driving style" when I complained that the synchro was shot on 4th and 5th. After a lot of pressure they eventually agreed to do the repairs under warranty etc etc

Is it me or does Subaru not care any more?

stanmo

iTrader: (1)

If it cost your company money, that would be better placed in shareholders pockets / directors dividends, would you be particularly interested in warranty claims ?

The covert ops at Donnington was just a cost cutting and risk mitigation exercise. By voiding warranties, IM were just cutting routes for potential losses. They could relatively cheaply send some slightly knowledgeable office clerk on expenses, to gather information for a single day, and this cost would be more than paid back in not having to argue with customers who might claim on their warranties.

Ethical, no; sound business sense, yes.

Steve Holmes

Thanks for this guys....I will report back when my mission is over!!

Steve

D Noble

Steve,can you give us a taster of what questions you will be asking him,either your own or suggestions from here(there are some you probably know the answer to anyway,

chairk,you are 100% right , as i said though i am not trying to excuse them,only pointing out why cars(all not only subaru) are more exepensive over there. as i see it, i am happy for it to stay this way,as i feel better saving £6000 by importing than if they were to bring down the price to a more realistic £18000,as then i dont know what id do,import to save £1500?, id probably buy local,forcing me to pay £1500 more than id want to.

did that make sense??

regards
dave

Toerag

According to my dealer the UK is going to get a 'hot' legacy within a year or so.

Question to ask:-
Are subaru worried about the threat of the latest generation of diesels?

RichieB

How do Subaru justify "dropping" the rural and small business customer in the UK? Why the change of policy? Imprezas are great and all that, but the Sumo van was better at what it did

Steve Holmes

I think my questions will relate to UK vs Jap time delay for model release, attitude to track days, poor attitude to these sort of communities as the brand is supported by a loyal customer base that I think this forum refelcts. I will also ask why they seem to operate as a UK ompany totally disjointed from Japan re servicing and warranties etc. I don't think that technical issues will be answered effectively by MANAGEMENT!!

And oh yes......can I have a new STi FOC to evaluate!!!