Subaru Oil Change ?

bigdog · 01-28-2016, 08:41 AM

Took my 2011 Outback to Harmon Motors at the advice of a friend who has been doing business with them for years.....
Husband and wife team (Rusty&Jane),

They're very familiar with Subarus' Toyota, and other Japan, Korean cars.
They know about the oil leak issues with Subs' and was told, always replace 'crush washer' as S.O.P.

I found the service to be professional, courteous, and will return again !
They're Located in Gilford next to Wendys'.

fatlazyless · 02-02-2016, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdog

Took my 2011 Outback to Harmon Motors at the advice of a friend who has been doing business with them for years.....
Husband and wife team (Rusty&Jane),

They're very familiar with Subarus' Toyota, and other Japan, Korean cars.
They know about the oil leak issues with Subs' and was told, always replace 'crush washer' as S.O.P.

I found the service to be professional, courteous, and will return again !
They're Located in Gilford next to Wendys'.

So's what was the price? How much did you pay, and what type of oil and filter did you get ....... hundreds of inquiring minds need to know?

bigdog · 02-02-2016, 06:26 PM

$36.

Changed Oil, filter, new Crush washer, checked all fluids, checked tires, the usual !

Nice folks, and they specialize and do MANY Japanese/Korean brands.

Maybe seem like a lot of $ for an oil change, but I walked away feeling they did a good job, very knowledgeable and stand behind their work.

You can go to WalMart and get a lower price for the same service, but I'm not going to trust my car to their service dept.
Just my opinion.....

fatlazyless · 02-04-2016, 01:59 PM

.....well..... golly gee whiz .... $36 ....... that seems like a fairly low price....all things considered....and especially that is was 100% synthetic oil.

A quart of of the Walmart brand of 5-20 100% synthetic oil.....maybe named Hi-Tech brand ..... in the grey plastic bottle goes for about 4.95/qt.....and that's what I use to bring the oil back up to the dip stick's full level line.... on the road to a new 19.88 oil change.....every 5000 miles......it seems to woiks fo me's ....I tells ya.

Rusty · 02-04-2016, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

.....well..... golly gee whiz .... $36 ....... that seems like a fairly low price....all things considered....and especially that is was 100% synthetic oil.

How do you know it was synthetic oil?

fatlazyless · 02-04-2016, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

How do you know it was synthetic oil?

That's a good question ....... because I am psychic and collected that piece of info through mental telepathy ....... ommmmmm!

stynx55 · 03-13-2016, 05:13 PM

I would not use Valvoline Oil change laconia, Brought my truck their once and they used the wrong oil filter.,

BroadHopper · 03-14-2016, 11:07 AM

Not sure if they used Valvoline in Laconia or Tilton, I was car talking with two couples from the Bristol area. One has a Subaru who was told to have their transmission fluid replaced in their Imprezia with only 70,000 miles. Valvoline did a 'fluid' exchange on their transmission. 6,000 miles later the transmission froze on 93 before Concord. AAMCO in Concord claimed a combination of insufficient and improper fluids cause the bands to overheat and burn.

The other couple has a Mercedes. They had engine trouble while traveling in Mass. They had an oil change earlier that day at Valvoline. Before leaving they told the clerk Valvolilne the OBC is recording low oil pressure after the oil change. They were told the warning will go away when the oil gets a chance to fill the engine. The garage that check the car out claim there is only 4 quarts of oil in the pan when there should be 7. The oil filter was a cheap paper that literally fell apart when use.

Valvoline denied there are responsible. In the fine print on the sales receipt, your vehicle was to be inspected by them and they will repair the vehicle.

8gv · 03-14-2016, 11:55 AM

Wifey still asks me why I do my own oil changes.

I do them because I can and I know what I am putting into the engine.

I also save about $30.

Maybe it's partly due to my controlling nature but consider this:

If a shop makes errors that wreck my engine and legal action is required to get them to remedy the situation, do I want to spend my time dealing with that?

MAXUM · 03-27-2016, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Valvoline did a 'fluid' exchange on their transmission. 6,000 miles later the transmission froze on 93 before Concord. AAMCO in Concord claimed a combination of insufficient and improper fluids cause the bands to overheat and burn.

They had an oil change earlier that day at Valvoline. Before leaving they told the clerk Valvolilne the OBC is recording low oil pressure after the oil change. They were told the warning will go away when the oil gets a chance to fill the engine.

Does this no prove my point.... don't take your car to these places because the people that work there do not know what they are doing, in fact the second story is just over the top incompetence.

02-04-2016, 01:59 PM	#4
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,804 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 301 Thanked 1,026 Times in 746 Posts	.....well..... golly gee whiz .... $36 ....... that seems like a fairly low price....all things considered....and especially that is was 100% synthetic oil. A quart of of the Walmart brand of 5-20 100% synthetic oil.....maybe named Hi-Tech brand ..... in the grey plastic bottle goes for about 4.95/qt.....and that's what I use to bring the oil back up to the dip stick's full level line.... on the road to a new 19.88 oil change.....every 5000 miles......it seems to woiks fo me's ....I tells ya. __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

03-14-2016, 11:07 AM	#8
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,594 Thanks: 3,236 Thanked 1,111 Times in 798 Posts	Valvoline Not sure if they used Valvoline in Laconia or Tilton, I was car talking with two couples from the Bristol area. One has a Subaru who was told to have their transmission fluid replaced in their Imprezia with only 70,000 miles. Valvoline did a 'fluid' exchange on their transmission. 6,000 miles later the transmission froze on 93 before Concord. AAMCO in Concord claimed a combination of insufficient and improper fluids cause the bands to overheat and burn. The other couple has a Mercedes. They had engine trouble while traveling in Mass. They had an oil change earlier that day at Valvoline. Before leaving they told the clerk Valvolilne the OBC is recording low oil pressure after the oil change. They were told the warning will go away when the oil gets a chance to fill the engine. The garage that check the car out claim there is only 4 quarts of oil in the pan when there should be 7. The oil filter was a cheap paper that literally fell apart when use. Valvoline denied there are responsible. In the fine print on the sales receipt, your vehicle was to be inspected by them and they will repair the vehicle. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

01-28-2016, 08:41 AM	#1
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,451 Thanks: 347 Thanked 123 Times in 97 Posts	Took my 2011 Outback to Harmon Motors at the advice of a friend who has been doing business with them for years..... Husband and wife team (Rusty&Jane), They're very familiar with Subarus' Toyota, and other Japan, Korean cars. They know about the oil leak issues with Subs' and was told, always replace 'crush washer' as S.O.P. I found the service to be professional, courteous, and will return again ! They're Located in Gilford next to Wendys'.

02-02-2016, 06:26 PM	#3
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,451 Thanks: 347 Thanked 123 Times in 97 Posts	$36. Changed Oil, filter, new Crush washer, checked all fluids, checked tires, the usual ! Nice folks, and they specialize and do MANY Japanese/Korean brands. Maybe seem like a lot of $ for an oil change, but I walked away feeling they did a good job, very knowledgeable and stand behind their work. You can go to WalMart and get a lower price for the same service, but I'm not going to trust my car to their service dept. Just my opinion.....

03-13-2016, 05:13 PM	#7
stynx55 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 70 Thanks: 5 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	I would not use Valvoline Oil change laconia, Brought my truck their once and they used the wrong oil filter.,

03-14-2016, 11:55 AM	#9
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,117 Thanks: 64 Thanked 749 Times in 483 Posts	Wifey still asks me why I do my own oil changes. I do them because I can and I know what I am putting into the engine. I also save about $30. Maybe it's partly due to my controlling nature but consider this: If a shop makes errors that wreck my engine and legal action is required to get them to remedy the situation, do I want to spend my time dealing with that?