Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

I have been suffering from a grinding 4th gear for a few weeks now and have finally booked my bugeye into CVC Cardiff for repairs.

I have managed to get Subaru Warrany department to agree to 50% of the repair bill if they strip the box and find a 'manufacturing defect', (even though my WRX is nearly 4 years old). Apparently the newage 5-speed is prone to have a bolt on the end of the shaft in the box come loose, causing 'play' in the 3/4/5th gears.

They have warned me that the total bill may come to £2-2.5k, and that a recon box from Subaru may be the best option if the repair costs are too high.

I'm probably going to end up shelling out a grand for a fooked gearbox even though the car's only done 29k miles.....I am mighty pi55ed off.

Part of me is relieved that the Warranty dept. are prepared to help even though its out of warranty. Part of me thinks "what the f*ck!, how come I have to fork out a grand for a manufacturing defect on a car under 30k miles!!!"

Thoughts/commiserations welcome?

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

I would say you're lucky seeing as the car is out of warranty, and you won't know if it is a manfacturer's fault until they strip it down.

Like you say I would be a bit miffed if they don't offer to pay the full cost if it is found to be a manufacturer's fault. But you are out of warranty so you dont have a leg to stand on unfortunately.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

£2-2.5k will buy you an uprated gearbox.

Even if you only pay half of the repair costs, you're still getting shafted as the price is over double of what you should pay for a rebuild anyway.

Bob

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

They said that if the 3/4/5 gears need replacing the costs will be ~£2.5k so therefore they would look to fit the recon box, reducing the cost to ~£2k.

I've had to commit to 6x hours @ £67/hour for them to strip the box to investigate the problem. They may come back and say 'bad driving' caused the problem and Subaru won't help me. I'll then be stuck with a fooked gearbox, be £400 lighter and have to make the call on whether I shell out for the repairs/recon box.

dogpole

i paid more than half that for a recon sti box, semi race clutch and lightened flywheel.

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Where did you buy it and did that include fitting? I'm no mechanic so can't do the work myself and wouldn't trust some back street grease monkey with it.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

You're better off not letting them touch it unless they are covering all the costs.

You can get a decent box if you look hard enough for £250-350 on here.

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

It went in today...........

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

I have been informed this afternoon by the dealer that my gearbox HAS suffered from the common problem where the gear on the end of the main shaft has come loose and has caused damage to the gears.

Apparently 3rd, 4th, 5th, 1st and Reverse gears are all damaged and need to be replaced!!! Subaru are now questioning the amount of damage and have asked for photographic evidence from the dealer.....the saga continues.

scoobyboy

funny 1st is on a different shaft to 3-4-5 i bet all you need is the modified 3rd and 4th gears and synchro hub

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Take it off them and send it to API mate!
NS04

Neilo

my gearbox did that and they agreed to replace it under warranty, touch wood it hasnt happened again. That was after 3 times of the grinding coming back though...

hope you get it sorted mate

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Hi mate, API?

I've phoned Subaru customer service back and gave them a bit of grief, explaining that even though the car is nearly 4 years old it hasn't reached 30k miles and if the car had done the average number of miles at the correct rate (30k or 36 months) the fault would have occurred within the warranty period.

I also asked what I can do if I feel the % offered (assuming they admit manufacturing defect, which they have sort of already) is not enough and I can appeal and ask for my case to be reviewed by the warranty department.

Everyone I have spoken to at Subaru (dealer and customer services/warranty) have told me this is a VERY well known problem for this gearbox.

RON

I'd want to see those gears myself, ,ime had the loose nut for ages, and didn't knacker anything!!!

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Was your car actually still in warranty (<36 months old) and what did they do each time to fix the grinding?

pslewis

The garage is trying to get loads of work and paid for by Subaru UK (and they know it!! hence the request for photos!) .............. but every garage have old gears lying about

I had this type of thing on my Calibra .... porous cylinder head, known to Vauxhall - who allowed it to be used on the car even though it failed the pressure tests at inspection!! They took a note of the head number and confirmed that it was a manufacturing defect.

Offered me 30% towards the £2200 costs that the main dealer would charge which, apparently, is standard practise and LEGAL!!!!!

It would have cost me £1000 away from the main dealers (which saved me, but cost me £1000 - if you get what I mean?)

Basically, a car has a life of 10 years .... if you have had use of the gearbox for - say - 4 years, then they only have to offer you 60% (and thats what they would do if you pushed a little!)

Still a bummer isn't it?? .............. I haven't bought a Vauxhall since!

Pete

pslewis

Actually, if you reported the problem within the warranty period and they didn't fix it, you can get 100% paid for!!!

Tell them that you want it free, or your next visit will have your lawyer locked on your arm - the costs of which will be in addition to your current claim!!!

Pete

Vegescoob

So is this loose 5th gear nut common on Newage? I thought it was 99/00.
Mine's 99 and only 34K miles, but I'm getting tempted to check the nut.
Found a thread where it said you could do in car by taking transmission endcover off.
But what a farce if this is an ongoing problem.

pslewis

It's strange how the best Impreza ever made (in looks and drivability) - the MY99/00 - is also the one thats supposed to be the one plagued with a multitude of problems??

Pete

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Mine's a '51 plate bugeye, so yes, it is affecting the newages cars. They have told me that the new 6-speed box is a hell of a lot better. Good news for you NEW scooby owners - no consolation to me!!!

They did say to me today that unless you've owned it from new "they cannot know how the previous owner(s) have treated the gearbox" and that the loose shaft nut normally only ruins 3/4/5 gears - not 1st and reverse.

I do agree with pslewis about the dealer wanting to generate extra 'income' from the repairs. The warranty dept. have asked for photo evidence AND Adrian (IMG/Subaru Customer Services) told me the dealer had quoted incorrect part(?) numbers for some of the work they've claimed.

Vegescoob

Seems to me that if this is such an ongoing problem over several years there is an argument that the car was not fit for purpose when bought, irrespective of number of owners.
Have you tried your local Trading Standards Department for advice?
Afterall, IMG have admitted to you that this is a known fault.

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

What I don't understand is that if it is such a common problem, why haven't they implemented a factory recall program.

I know it's an expensive problem to sort out but they should either have carried out a recall, or put an automatic repair/replacement process in place for when a fault is detected on a car.

I have also been told that sometimes the warranty dept. meet 100% of the total bill, sometimes they pay 50/50, sometimes the cost of parts OR labour and sometimes they pay nothing.

When I asked what criteria they use to determine the amount they are willing to pay, they say "depends who you get on the day"!!!!!

THERE ARE NO POLICIES OR GUIDELINES - IT'S WHETHER THE PERSON YOU SPEAK TO GOT LAID THE NIGHT BEFORE!!!!

Neilo

Hi Mate, yes it was still under warranty as its an 03....although they knew that a few mods had been done they were happy to do it....

I think that they replaced the synchro and in at least one case 3 and 4th gears too. They gave up the 3rd time...i didnt even miss a gear to cause it.

Neutral Cruiser

Mate i picked my most recent WRX (1994 ) up and after replacing the clutch, and then needlessly the flywheel, took it to someone private. Result is apparantly that a loose woodrough key has been snapped by 'play' left in the output shaft. To drive it you'd think it was ****ed and a garage would probably say as much. Thing is because i've taken it to someone who doesn't want to rip me off the prognosis is much better. He's stripped it and found minimal parts need replacing and that re-torqueing it originally would have prevented the problem where the fifth gear syncro breaks the key due to play.
I'd say to you find someone privately otherwise you will get a maximum payout diagnoses for symptoms that seem worse than they are. My gaer box was whining like buggery and i thought bearings would have to replaced and everything, but again that was due to them 'floating' due to 'play'.
If i'd have taken it to a (Subaru) garage i too would probably be looking at rediculous and needless bill.

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Sorry to drone on about my gearbox saga people but.........latest developents:

Subaru Warranty have questioned the amount of damage cause to the gearbox by the loose nut on the shaft and have been asking questions about the previous owner, etc.

I got a phonecall at 2.45pm today, stood next to Scotland Yard's HQ in London (bit bizzare and unnerving).

Anyway - Subaru are willing to pay 50% of the cost of the parts and no more...."Hurray" you might say, "NO!" I'd reply. That leaves me to pay the outstanding balance of £1371 + VAT .


WHAT THE ****!
Anyway, that's what I have to look forward to tomorrow - goodbye ecutek remap + fuel pump, hello rebuilt gearbox after 29k miles.

Part of me say "sell her and buy an Evo and f*ck Subaru and there bullsh1t gearboxes".

Sorry to rant, bit touchy at the moment .

Brun

I would not have let my car go anywhere near somewhere which was quoting that sort of money. Even if Subaru were offering 50% you are still gonna get a hit as you have found out. Anyway - the damage is done. Stick in some overtime or hire your bits out to some willing ladies and the Tek3 won't be far away

pslewis

Bloody Hell

Thats a very nice 24" Plasma Screen!!

Pete

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

Thanks brun, I needed to some good, grounding advice.

I don't fancy doing the overtime so time to break out the IMMAC and ball polish......

Brun

Trap2Terrorist

iTrader: (3)

The Final Chapter: Scooby - The Return

I have picked up my WRX this morning after 5 days and having handed over a total of £1588 for my gearbox rebuild.

They've advised me to drive it gently for a while until it's bedded in, so I've been pretty precise with my gear changes....(treating the box like it's made of glass to be honest!).

Having trouble selecting 4th and it's jumped out of gear a couple of times, although it may not have been engaged properly when I let the clutch out.

Having trouble selecting reverse after the car's been parked up for a while, in fact it took me ages to get her into gear when I was trying to leave a multi-storey carpark in Cardiff this afternoon.

I think I may need a trip back to the service department next week.

Other than that, I've had my Magnex 6x4 Oval and centre section fitted - what a noise!!!! Music to my ears