2nd Service

[ernieb]

My 2nd service was due at the beginning of May, I contacted my dealer, Adams Bros., Aylesbury and they said they’d contact me when they were ready to open the service area and had it set up to meet the needs of the COVID 19 sanitisation. So today I got there for 8:30am. There were notices on the doors and a pathway defined to a designated reception area. I’d been asked to take my own pen and after the usual discussions I was told that the car would be sanitised before and after they had completed the service. I was then asked if I wanted them, for £10 +VAT, to let off a STK Pro Sanitiser 198 bomb (used during a Air Con service) before I took the car after the service I’d be therefor the first person sitting in the car after it had been “bombed”. I agreed and sign off for the service.

After the service the car was returned to the reception area, the car started and air con set to manual full boost and the car doors closed. When the bomb had finished and time allowed for it to work it was removed and the door handles clean as was the car keys.

Adams are a family dealership and I felt they had worked hard to meet or exceed the requirements. So that’s over for another year hopefully by next year we will be  back to a more normal state of play.

[SebP10]

That sounds like excellent service.

The XV had it's third service today, and they had set-up a one way system in the showroom and sanitised the controls and key when finished. I thought they'd done quite well.

(No bomb though!)

[ernieb]

Sounds similar setup to my dealer, the bomb was, as I said, an extra but they did say its use was approved by Subaru UK.

[SebP10]

The Levorg is going in for a service in a couple of weeks so I'll mention it to them. If it's Subaru approved and nets them a few quid I'm sure they'll give it a go!

[ernieb]

I see you’re location is Bedfordshire which dealer do you use, Adams?

[Gus]

I have just bought my first XV and the dealer 'bombed' it before I was allowed to sit in it, which was very good of him. It is just a year old and an ex demonstrator. They have given me an up to date service but should there be a service booklet that they should have stamped? All I have is the Service and Warranties Booklet which has details of what to do on each service but no place to stamp. (apart from the body inspections). What do others have? 

[SebP10]

On 6/6/2020 at 7:47 AM, ernieb said:

I see you’re location is Bedfordshire which dealer do you use, Adams?

No, we use Northampton, although the XV is going to Aylesbury on Friday for front discs and pads. I saw that they got the Customer Care award last year in the Subaru magazine, so we'll see what they're like. Well, the Mrs will as the Levorg is in for its 4th service. Front and rear diff oil change this year. ££££!

5 hours ago, Gus said:

I have just bought my first XV and the dealer 'bombed' it before I was allowed to sit in it, which was very good of him. It is just a year old and an ex demonstrator. They have given me an up to date service but should there be a service booklet that they should have stamped? All I have is the Service and Warranties Booklet which has details of what to do on each service but no place to stamp. (apart from the body inspections). What do others have? 

The service history is electronic now, but the dealer should print it off for you if you ask. I just keep the service receipts in the folder as a record.

[ernieb]

36 minutes ago, SebP10 said:

No, we use Northampton, although the XV is going to Aylesbury on Friday for front discs and pads. I saw that they got the Customer Care award last year in the Subaru magazine, so we'll see what they're like. Well, the Mrs will as the Levorg is in for its 4th service. Front and rear diff oil change this year. ££££!

The service history is electronic now, but the dealer should print it off for you if you ask. I just keep the service receipts in the folder as a record.

They seem to do well in terms of customer service with people buying cars over many years. They are a family business run by the three sons of the original owner.

The service history was included with my 2 services that the XV has had since the change.  The last service printed gives both of the service history, giving dates etc. Easy to copy that if you needed proof for another purpose.

[SebP10]

My wife took the XV to Aylesbury today to have the front brakes replaced. The car was cleaned inside and out and she paid for it to be bombed too. They also checked the sat nav for updates as the car is coming to the end of the three year free period (something I have had to do myself up to now.)

All in all she was very impressed by the service. There is no doubt that we will use them again in the future.

[Jay762]

Always good to hear about the great service stories 👍

[ernieb]

@SebP10,  glad it worked out for you, I’ve always been happy with them either buying or having the car maintained. I honestly think that the “family” feel runs through some organisations and that comes through all aspects of the business. Subaru services and spares etc., are not inexpensive so it’s always good to feel that your getting the best value for money and are not going to be “sold” up at every opportunity. 

[kash0613]

Mines going in for its third service next week at the not inconsiderable cost of £350 which seems awfully steep.

The 4th however will be in the region of £700 which to be honest seems pretty outrageous.

As such I'll be looking for a specialist next time around,I'm sure....any recommendations in the midlands?

[Jay762]

Depends where you are - TDR Warwick do servicing as well as tuning, Area 52 Notts, Sheffield Subaru Services

I had a quick look at the service schedule for your motor and it looks like you are down for a transmission fluid replacement. That oil will cause an increase over a standard engine oil and filter change. I spent £250 on transmission oil alone from Opie to do mine myself 

[ernieb]

It does seem that Subaru’s in general are expensive to have serviced only bettered by the LandRover Freelander I owned many years ago.

One of the things that undoubtedly goes against getting competitive servicing is the low UK car sales rates, low volumes higher prices. It does impact on the cost of ownership and that seems to impact on the value of the car after a few years of ownership. 

[kash0613]

5 hours ago, Jay762 said:

Depends where you are - TDR Warwick do servicing as well as tuning, Area 52 Notts, Sheffield Subaru Services

I had a quick look at the service schedule for your motor and it looks like you are down for a transmission fluid replacement. That oil will cause an increase over a standard engine oil and filter change. I spent £250 on transmission oil alone from OPIE to do mine myself 

Right,well that helps to explain it a little.

It can have it's 3 year service at Geoff Cox derby,but I'll definitely be looking at a specialist for the 4th,presuming I still have the car.

[kash0613]

17 minutes ago, ernieb said:

It does seem that Subaru’s in general are expensive to have serviced only bettered by the LandRover Freelander I owned many years ago.

One of the things that undoubtedly goes against getting competitive servicing is the low UK car sales rates, low volumes higher prices. It does impact on the cost of ownership and that seems to impact on the value of the car after a few years of ownership. 

That's true ernie....crazy to think that Subaru sell over 40000 caravan month in the States alone but struggled to sell a thousand here since december.

It's not the quality of the cars that's at fault,it's the lack of marketing from the importer who aren't backed by Subaru itself unlike in America who run the show there.

[ernieb]

1 hour ago, kash0613 said:

That's true ernie....crazy to think that Subaru sell over 40000 caravan month in the States alone but struggled to sell a thousand here since december.

It's not the quality of the cars that's at fault,it's the lack of marketing from the importer who aren't backed by Subaru itself unlike in America who run the show there.

Totally agree it’s also not helped by the not very objective reviews from the car magazines etc., always rather predictably trot out. It seems to be a miracle if they get to 3 stars.  I’d hoped that when the new boss at Subaru UK took over he would fore fill the promise he’d made in opening up the dealerships and pushing the advertising, it’s obviously difficult trading right now so maybe a little hard to judge but I have a sinking feeling that the brand will likely stay very much where it is. I recently talked to my dealer about when there might be a proper hybrid rather than the mild hybrid current versions. Reading between the lines of his prevarication it does not look to be any time soon and I’m not even sure that the “new chassis” is capable of bigger batteries other than what’s being fitted without reducing the boot space even more.

Hopefully I’m wrong and Subaru produce a proper hybrid very soon.

[kash0613]

4 hours ago, ernieb said:

Totally agree it’s also not helped by the not very objective reviews from the car magazines etc., always rather predictably trot out. It seems to be a miracle if they get to 3 stars.  I’d hoped that when the new boss at Subaru UK took over he would fore fill the promise he’d made in opening up the dealerships and pushing the advertising, it’s obviously difficult trading right now so maybe a little hard to judge but I have a sinking feeling that the brand will likely stay very much where it is. I recently talked to my dealer about when there might be a proper hybrid rather than the mild hybrid current versions. Reading between the lines of his prevarication it does not look to be any time soon and I’m not even sure that the “new chassis” is capable of bigger batteries other than what’s being fitted without reducing the boot space even more.

Hopefully I’m wrong and Subaru produce a proper hybrid very soon.

I'd like that very much as I tow a small caravan and in between doing so a phev would save me a fortune!!

I see that the XV is being totally redeveloped for 22/23 with a quite different shape which may help get a proper hybrid on board.Hopefully they spell be able to offer better deals too.I don't lease but most people seem to do so now and Subaru leasing is extremely expensive..another reason they don't sell many.

[ernieb]

I’d seen something similar but the dates appear to be more like going into build early 2023 for the new Impreza/XV on a modified version of the current chassis (to get a hybrid Battery into the body I guessed). I looks from what I’ve read that the petrol engine will likely be a 1.5ltr di so maybe more revs required to push the car along?  The Subaru management forecast I saw suggested that they would be making electric,  electric variants from 202t to 2030. The targets for sales are very aggressive but again never sure what that might mean for the UK.  All of this looks to be based on the collaboration with Toyota for the Battery technology and other battery management technologies.  It’s interesting but some way off.  Toyota have the RAV 4 4x4 due soon mind you for a well spec’d car it’s in the £45k + bracket.

I did also see one suggestion that the hybrid would be more Forrester size than current XV again maybe to get the Battery in and keep the traditional Subaru drive train.  I looks like other manufacturers would go to electric drive with the engine providing only the electrical power rather than driving the wheels which would reduce the mechanical complexity but move away from the Subaru historical approach.

it’s all rather interesting, I’d like to think my next car would be a hybrid but a Subaru looks to be a long way off in reality?

[kash0613]

On 2/5/2021 at 2:21 PM, ernieb said:

I’d seen something similar but the dates appear to be more like going into build early 2023 for the new Impreza/XV on a modified version of the current chassis (to get a hybrid battery into the body I guessed). I looks from what I’ve read that the petrol engine will likely be a 1.5ltr di so maybe more revs required to push the car along?  The Subaru management forecast I saw suggested that they would be making electric,  electric variants from 202t to 2030. The targets for sales are very aggressive but again never sure what that might mean for the UK.  All of this looks to be based on the collaboration with Toyota for the battery technology and other battery management technologies.  It’s interesting but some way off.  Toyota have the RAV 4 4x4 due soon mind you for a well spec’d car it’s in the £45k + bracket.

I did also see one suggestion that the hybrid would be more Forrester size than current XV again maybe to get the battery in and keep the traditional Subaru drive train.  I looks like other manufacturers would go to electric drive with the engine providing only the electrical power rather than driving the wheels which would reduce the mechanical complexity but move away from the Subaru historical approach.

it’s all rather interesting, I’d like to think my next car would be a hybrid but a Subaru looks to be a long way off in reality?

Agreed,Subaru are way behind the curve in this one and I personally won't be spending 45k on a new car anytime soon.

The new MG HS Phev looks a very nice bit of kit,they are selling them new/pre reg for around 27and now and that's very keen for a forester sized car with a massive amount of standard kit.

I sat in one recently and the quality was very impressive.I liked the look of it.

The only downside to it was that it's only offered in front wheel drive in this country.

Nice to see a full manufacturer not dealer backed 7 year warranty as well.I can see why MG are selling so well at the moment.

[ernieb]

Interesting.  My grandson is approaching 17 and hopefully looking to buy a car.  His current favourite is the Dacia Sandero which is based on the Renault Clio, not last years or the year before but this years.  It’s just won the What Car “car of the year”. These kind of brands often treated as a joke mature over the years can become real competition with better equipment and much improved reliability as the brand develops. 

I remember only too well when I bought my Skoda Yeti the fellow members of my walking group regaling me with the old jokes, how do you double the value of a Skoda? - fill the fuel tank”. Of the six regular walkers, prior to Covid-19, three now have Skoda cars, with two of them owning two cars both Skoda.

I’ve started to think more objectively that a 2 wheel drive with the something like the CrossClimate tyres would for the  majority of occasions be more that adequate. Looking at YouTube videos of 4x4 on OEM tyres vs 2x4 on CrossClimates and comparing performance in rain, ice and snow. The 2x4 CrossClimate outperformed the “summer” tyred  4x4.  I recognise that a 4x4 is bought for many other reasons, home location tracked roads etc. It will be interesting to see how the next few years bring better alternatives to the market but right now the pricing looks to be getting out of hand if you have to buy a 4x4 electric car.

[kash0613]

On 2/8/2021 at 9:13 AM, ernieb said:

Interesting.  My grandson is approaching 17 and hopefully looking to buy a car.  His current favourite is the Dacia Sandero which is based on the Renault Clio, not last years or the year before but this years.  It’s just won the What Car “car of the year”. These kind of brands often treated as a joke mature over the years can become real competition with better equipment and much improved reliability as the brand develops. 

I remember only too well when I bought my Skoda Yeti the fellow members of my walking group regaling me with the old jokes, how do you double the value of a Skoda? - fill the fuel tank”. Of the six regular walkers, prior to Covid-19, three now have Skoda cars, with two of them owning two cars both Skoda.

I’ve started to think more objectively that a 2 wheel drive with the something like the CrossClimate tyres would for the  majority of occasions be more that adequate. Looking at YouTube videos of 4x4 on OEM tyres vs 2x4 on CrossClimates and comparing performance in rain, ice and snow. The 2x4 CrossClimate outperformed the “summer” tyred  4x4.  I recognise that a 4x4 is bought for many other reasons, home location tracked roads etc. It will be interesting to see how the next few years bring better alternatives to the market but right now the pricing looks to be getting out of hand if you have to buy a 4x4 electric car.

Yes,I'd agree on that,I also saw the video conclusions and to be honest it does look as though a set of winter/all season tyres and a raised SUV would probably fulfill my requirements too.

I'll probably keep the Xv for a year or two and then review my options then.

By the way,North Americans have had the option of a plug in Xv/crosstrek for several years although I'm not sure if it's range in ev mode.

[ernieb]

I think they did have a PHEV but it was dropped there is a new one for the US that is PHEV with what Subaru call StarDrive?  It does not look like it's heading our way any time soon but the US market for Subaru's is so much bigger than the UK.  It will be interesting to see how it performs in real life.