anti corrosion service

Jan 14, 2005 8 Replies

hi,I`m from the uk, I`d be interested to know if you guys from across the pond have to have a anti corrosion service done on your Subaru`s because in the uk the dealers insist on one at the end of year one and one at the end of year three`to maintain the three year warranty ( they also want one at the end of year five, but with three years warranty I can not see anybody bothering ) the service includes cleaning the under side and reapplying under seal and some spraying of waxoil,


Major rip off. Even with all the salt they spread here, corrosion is not the problem it used to be. Galvanized steel, metal passivation and coatings have solved most of the rusting problem with cars. Wash your car underneath yourself and even seal if you feel like it. Document thoroughly and if dealer gives you any crap let him know that you are prepared to fight him in court it he does not honor warranty. Frank

I'd look at your owners manual and warranty booklet to ascertain if SUBARU expects you to do this. In the USA it is not required. Eddie

Of course not, but good point to emphasize. I had a Nissan service writer try to pull such crap on me a few years ago. Frank

The UK corrosion warranty is for six years. I agree it seems a bit of a rip-off, and is what makes Subarus expensive to maintain in the UK. There is the option to not have the body services and forgo the corrosion warranty, but this would affect the resale value.

I usually drive my car through a ford at the end of the winter to wash the salt off the underside, but so far I've always had the one year body service and sold the car before the third year one is due. But I'm planning to keep my current Forester (4th Subaru), so will probably have to have the services.

just note that one of the government recalls on most subaru models from

2000-2003 is for salt corrosion on the rear suspension subframe. apparently this is serious enough to rate a recall in both canada and the states. (whereas head gaskets and gas leaks didn't make it on the list.)

your dealer may well be ripping you off on the service, but i've chosen to have my 2002 legacy oil-sprayed by an independent. it wasn't very expensive, but the car is still oozing oily "crud" 3 months later, so i guess the guy did a thorough job. the extra protection may not save my car from the "salt mines", but i figure it couldn't hurt, either.

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