Dealership charges to take a tech for a ride, really????
 

At my local subaru shop right now, doing regular maintenance. Still having that weird vibration noise I mentioned last week on here. They told me it will cost me anywhere from 27-50 bucks to have a tech go for a ride with me to hear the noise. I told them I was all set. I didn't know dealerships charge to go for a ride to hear the noise, never had it happen before... Is it just me or does my local dealership suck that bad?

They suck that bad. Are you under warranty?

No, it's got 40k on it......

Still under power train, but not full warranty....

Jace- I'm still having that problem I told you about, even after I fixed the spring and re set it..... That weird noise is still there... It's intermittent though...

Often times dealers will do that. As a technician at a dealer who doesn't charge I wish they did. It is a huge hassle for us to ride with customers who often can't duplicate the concern while on the test drive. Not saying that's the case with you bc vibrations usually aren't intermittent. But a lot of the technicians time gets spent riding with customers. A typical test ride with a customer with cost me about 45 mins. That's time that I'm not getting paid. It's good for customer service and likelihood of repair to ride with customers but it is an enormous headache.

Understandable. But when I've asked this shop in the past for a tech to go for a ride for another issue I had it was no problem...... Guess Saturdays are different than a Tuesday AM. Haha

I think you're right on the money here. Saturdays are probably busier than Tuesdays, so time is worth less money on Tuesdays. Maybe ask them if there is a better time for a tech ride that won't cost you anything?

That's what I'm thinking, maybe a mid week AM visit...... The car just passed inspection last week and they didn't see anything, so I dunno what it could be!

What kind of vibration are you having?

It's hard to explain. It's when I turn left. I feel it in my wheel, it almost sounds as if something is rubbing when I turn. It almost feels as if the wheel was slipping and the abs was kicking in. My spring was loose from putting the eibach kit in. I had that fixed. Thought that was the issue bc the spring was moving on the perch, but the noise is still there. It happens more if I hit a slight bump/dip in the road and turn left. Does not do it if I turn right. It's very intermittent. Does it when it wants to. I don't know if its a ball joint/control arm bushings or what.....

Who put your springs in? Was the strut/spring assembly checked to make sure it was put back together correctly? Washers in the right direction?

It sound like you may have a strut mount binding. When you installed the springs did you pay attention to how the strut cap was mounted? They are sloped at the top. Pull the strut on the offending side and make sure you have in mounted correctly. Also check and make sure the washer is in place. DO NOT REMOVE THE TOP BOLT. Bad things can happen.

Yeah, it is all set. I also brought it in to the shop bc I don't have time to fix it, they re installed the spring back into place for me for free.... Noise is still there though...... I just don't know..... It was there before I went into the shop and still there after with the spring set properly....

I'll just turn the music up I guess!

Just when you turn left? or when you turn right also? and does it make the noise in reverse louder?