Like a few people here I've started to get the joys of Piston Slap on my car ( MY98 ).

This is really starting to get to me now, I was prepared for the costs of running the car with regards to petrol, but taking into consideration Subaru/IM's performance in the JD power surveys of late I've had enough of it with the rest.

Since buying the car new in September '98 I've covered nigh on 34k miles, it's had the full compliment of services, plus: three sets of tyres, three sets of brake pads, the seat runners replacing under warranty, the engine (possibly) to be replaced and it has been the only car I've owned that has ever let me down (flatly refused to start - cause never identified). OK I have speant extravigently on the exhaust, brake pipes and wheels, and been very unlucky (two minor prangs - two buckled wheels, a month after fitting them ) but the other costs are maddenning

Now I'll admit to being an enthusiastic driver , but I don't drive S10 as hard as my previous cars (don't need to it's quick enough) but it wears out consumables far quicker than anything I've driven, before you say it my previous car (Corrado) was more expensive to buy parts and service, but cost me less overall in two years than the Scoob in a year and a half, and that had new suspension and wheels, twice...

What I'm having a moan about is overall cost and grief of running what was a supposedly reliable car seems to now out weigh the pleasure. I'm starting to loose it. What can I do? Drive something more mundane ? Hang on to it in the hope it doesn't go wrong again? Sell it and go EVO/Elise/S3/Golf/Seat/Clio Sport?

Argggggggggggggghhhhh....

[This message has been edited by Tim W (edited 13-04-2000).]

 

Hi Tim

Sounds like you have been a touch unlucky.
I have owned Impreza Turbos for the last 4 years.
The cars have never been off the road for a single minute (except servicing & the fitting of goodies !)
The only fault in 4 years on all 3 of my cars has been a faulty knock sensor fixed under warranty.
Consumables such as tyres/pads etc have been no different to other cars I have owned.
The above is one of the main reasons that I have not changed marque in 4 years - & for me thats unheard of as I usually change my car every year.

Lets face it, £90 for an interim service for a car of this ability is pretty good. Thats the same price as a service for a 1.8 Mondeo.
Sure the major services hurt (£400ish) but its well worth it in my opinion.

You are in fact covering over 22,000 miles a year so it does beg the question was the Scooby the right choice in the first place?

Take care

Jules

 

Sorry to hear all that.

Would point out, though, that from friends experiences, with the exception of the Evo, all of the other cars you mention can hardly be classed as reliable.

Audi - problems with brakes, electrics, interior trim, petrol tank - all on a 1 year old A3 turbo sport
Elise - suspension, windows, roof, gearchange (6 month old car)
Golf - brakes, electrics, doors (sagging) windows, door internals, interior trim (1 year old car)
Seat, too much to list (brand new cupra sport)
Clio - its a renault!, again too much to list.

I suppose you pays your money and takes your choice, but drive any car as hard as the scoob likes to be driven and you will go through tyres & brake pads at an alarming rate.

Replaced seat runners and an admittedly serious piston slap problem don't really amount to that much in the unreliability stakes (and at least will be warranty issues) do they?.

Only car I've ever owned which could really be considered reliable was a Toyota. Nothing whatseover went wrong in 2 years.

D

[This message has been edited by Diablo (edited 13-04-2000).]

 

Servicing and parts are quite expensive compared to "ordinary" cars, but I only drive 8-9k miles per annum so for me it is acceptable. If I did 20k plus each year I would consider something with longer service intervals and better fuel economy.

How about a Lupo Diesel instead .

 

Its that intercooler waterspray thats really giving you problems

Jonathan

 

agree with Diablo about the other cars. All I can say is that you must have been very <I>lucky</I> with the Corrado, as a couple of poeple I know who had them have had endless problems...

The elise is a good example of 'individuality' in cars. Im looking at getting one at the moment, and have talked to 5 owners. 3 have had not a single problem in average 18 months ownership, 1 had some window and electrical problems, and the other was a complete heap... I seriously doubt the drivers were the major contributing factors here..

and look at Simon de B's Esprit problem - he sent it back it was so unreliable - yet Mike Rainbird and myself both own examples which have only had piffling problems.... (is that a word? )

JD power is a very large survey, and shows the general trend - which is the Scoobs are more reliable than other makes (along with all the other great categories they win).... Perhaps you should just swap to another one??

[This message has been edited by Nightmare (edited 13-04-2000).]

 

Jonathan, he "only" has a UK car
Tim

 

Imagine what it's like doing 50,000 miles a year then!!!
Having said that, servicing costs seem reasonable to me and I haven't had to pay for anything thanks to the warranty (good job too as I've heard gearboxes ain't cheap!!).

Stef.

 

My Gearbox was replaced under warranty at 7500 miles - it's £2707+VAT from a Subaru dealer if you're paying.

Cheers,

Alex


[This message has been edited by AlexM (edited 13-04-2000).]

 

I think my problem stems from expecting a nutter car to behave like a daily driver. Maybe I was conned into believing the relatively mundane looks of the scoob meant that not only would it be a hoot to drive (of which there is no doubt that it is ), but it would be reliable (which in my case it is not ).

34k miles in 18 months, I know it's a lot, 75% of this has been unecessary trips to the shops ( 75 miles last Sunday because I was bored ) I too think the servicing costs are reasonable, just at 7.5k they come round too quickly for me. 10k intervals in the Corrado were fine, I drove that for 40k miles, and serviced it 3 times, 2 minor, one major which was a biggie, all of 350 quid...I've just speant that on S10, and will spend it again within the year at this rate .

Maybe S10 and I are jinxed, and I should go for that Sti/EVO, but I'm too concerned that I'll just go through all this again.

Want the performance, don't want the hassle...

Tim

OBTW Jonathan, the water spray was taken off in August '99, those Allegro parts seemed to be blunting the performance