Scheduled Maintenance Necessary?

I bought a new '09 LGT about 3 months ago and I was looking at the scheduled maintenance for it. Subaru suggests bringing it in at ~3,700 or 3 months. I've only driven it about ~2,700 miles. Do I really need to bring it in at 3 months even though I haven't driven it 3,700 miles yet?

 

Seems to me like regular maintenance every so many miles is good but bringing it in at certain time intervals is just a way for Subaru's service department to make more money...

I normally go off the mileage unless you drive 3,000 miles in 9 months, then you should bring it in beforehand.

I bought a new '09 LGT about 3 months ago and I was looking at the scheduled maintenance for it. Subaru suggests bringing it in at ~3,700 or 3 months. I've only driven it about ~2,700 miles. Do I really need to bring it in at 3 months even though I haven't driven it 3,700 miles yet?

 

Seems to me like regular maintenance every so many miles is good but bringing it in at certain time intervals is just a way for Subaru's service department to make more money...

 

 

When you look at your service manual it also states the coolant is to be changed every 30K miles - yet having an 09 LGT (I'd guess yours is the same as my 09 LGT) it has the blue coolant which Subaru states is good for 100K miles. So really, it's a money maker. IMO

To me that example explains the "scheduled maintenance". $160++ so they can say, no leaks, brakes look good & BTW we also put the cheapest oil we could possibly find in your car along with a paper filter.

That being said, having an oil and coolant cooled turbo and living in nice warm Vermont, I'm going to change the coolant every 3 years no matter what, personal preference. I've had my LGT since March and put a bit over 8K miles on it, runs like a top - it's never been to the stealership, 1st oil change @ 12xx miles, 3K +/- every time after that. Just make sure the oil is changed every 3750 because they're cranky about that when it comes to warrantee stuff, if you ever need to take that route.

Subaru coolant for 09 is done 137500. The manuals are old. Refer to http://www.subaru.com for the updates ones. Here you go

 

http://www.subaru.com/content/downloads/pdf/maintsched/2009SchedFed.pdf

You don't need the dealer. You or any local shop can do the scheduled maintenance.

 

I do all my own scheduled maintenance. I keep a little pocket notebook and write the date, mileage and what I did in it. When I needed the tranny rebuild by them, they asked about the fluid changes, because they didn't have any record of it. I gave them my book, they photo copied it and the job was covered.

 

I only replaced the coolant when I replaced the timing belt and water pump. I also do the first oil change at 500 or 1000 miles, then go 1500 more and change it again. Then go to the 3000. Much after that I change it between 3-5000 miles. Depends on the temp and season. My 05GT had 110,000 miles, no engine or turbo issues. I use dino oil and Fram filters. I have gone to Walmart synthetic for the tranny and rear end.

Guys, any advice on 30K scheduled maintenance? $550 for it feels a bit steep for me unless it is highly advised (considering that my warranty is soon expiring). Any way to do a cheaper maintenance somewhere else?

On my 05 2.5i I was gong for oil changes every 10,000 miles with full synthetic oil once the warranty ran out. I have a long commute and those 10,000 miles are happening about every 3 months. The car now has 115,000 miles, doesn't burn oil and is running the same plugs and I average 30.6 mpg with it. Now my daughter drives the 05 and I drive an 08 LGT that as of now has 3150 miles and will be going in for an oil change this weekend. I'll stick to the factory recommendations until the warranty expires but then I will increase the interval at which I change the oil to around 7500 miles and use full synthetic oil. I'm not saying you should do as I did but a lot of newer cars come with an oil life monitoring system and can go for many miles and many months between changes. I think some of it is to make a profit on the services.

Guys, any advice on 30K scheduled maintenance? $550 for it feels a bit steep for me unless it is highly advised (considering that my warranty is soon expiring). Any way to do a cheaper maintenance somewhere else?

 

Use the walkthroughs on this site and you should be able to do most, if not all, of the required services yourself. I'm almost done with mine, and I saved enough to become a donating member of this site.

That being said, having an oil and coolant cooled turbo and living in nice warm Vermont, I'm going to change the coolant every 3 years no matter what, personal preference. I've had my LGT since March and put a bit over 8K miles on it, runs like a top - it's never been to the stealership, 1st oil change @ 12xx miles, 3K +/- every time after that. Just make sure the oil is changed every 3750 because they're cranky about that when it comes to warrantee stuff, if you ever need to take that route.

 

I have an 09 OB XT and read somewhere that first oil change for a turbo should be at 1,000 miles but my dealer said it is every 3,750 or 3 months. So if I read what you wrote correctly, you did the first at 12xx, the next at 42xx, then 72xx . . . or was it first at 12xx, then 3000, 6000, 9000 etc. Please clarify for me. Thanks,

i change the every 3k but that takes me much longer than 3 mo. my 05 has 20k on it. should i be changing every three months or am i okay doing it every 3k?

3 months or 3700 miles is really based on your driving. Some people can easily hit 3700 miles is a month or two. While other driving in the city can take a year to do 3700 miles. However city driving is harder on your car, hence requiring servicing based on time.

 

Of course it is really up to you. You can no maintenance if you like. One time I was at the dealer, the mechanic showed me OB XT that went 20,000 miles without an oil change. It was in for an oil and turbo change.

I drive well under the mileage in a certain time frame (only about 8K miles per year). I usually service it at the mileage recommendation.

 

Has my car exploded? Not really.

I negotiated a $350 credit with my dealers service department as part of my car purchase deal. I've only had my car 3 weeks now and I figure that should cover me for all servicing for 12 -18 months.

Guys, any advice on 30K scheduled maintenance? $550 for it feels a bit steep for me unless it is highly advised (considering that my warranty is soon expiring). Any way to do a cheaper maintenance somewhere else?

 

See if your dealer will let you pick and choose what you want done. My dealer was great, they handed me a sheet that says everything they do at the 30k maintenance, and told me to X out anything that I didn't want them to do. I was able to bring my 30k service down to around $300.

Woah... what's the difference between the 08 and 09 that requires the 08's engine coolant to be changed at 30K as opposed to the 09's 137.5K?

Woah... what's the difference between the 08 and 09 that requires the 08's engine coolant to be changed at 30K as opposed to the 09's 137.5K?

 

It's not the car, it's the coolant that changed. Subaru has a new blue coolant which has a much longer life.

It's not the car, it's the coolant that changed. Subaru has a new blue coolant which has a much longer life.

 

So us 08 owners can put the 09 coolant in and go 137.5k miles before changing it again?

If you drain the green coolant and refill with blue, there will still be residual green stuff mixed with the blue. SOA says you still have to change at the shorter interval. Gimme a minute and I will post a link.....

 

Post #73 here:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90389&page=5

 

There is a lot more information if you read the whole thread (yes, it's long)

^ thanks! appreciate it. gonna read through that thread when i get a chance.

If we are running a map off of the AP(like I am from Rallitek), when the 30k service is done, do the spark plugs need to be changed, and if they do, do we need to flash back to stock map for it?

They shouldn't be changing the plugs at 30,000 because it is a platinum spark plug.

 

Yes you can use the blue, but still have to use the SLLC intervals at 30,000 like mentioned.

Guys, I would never trust the 137k coolant. I've talked to too many mechanics about this and all have seen the damage of waiting till near the coolant "life' to change.

They get lots of work that way like replacing heater cores, tearing apart dashes to find leaks etc from corroded aluminum from these magic coolants.

Unless you plan on selling your car well before the coolant change miles, change it at least at the 1/2 way point.

 

This is not that expensive for a HUGE hassle and expense. Been there. Red Coolant, blue, tan, they get corroded well before the mileage time.

I never believe in those 100k 150k coolants. The dexcool that is supposedly good for 100k in my LS1 gets changed every 50k.

On my 05 2.5i I was gong for oil changes every 10,000 miles with full synthetic oil once the warranty ran out. I have a long commute and those 10,000 miles are happening about every 3 months.

 

i often go that far on amsoil. the longest i have ever went was 18k...i didnt have time to change it when my daughter was first born. i did check the level though and kept it topped off. btw my warranty is gone a few thousand ago..i wouldnt go that far if the warranty was still intact. i wouldnt recommend 18k but 10k seems like about the absolute limit.