Recall

You don't think getting rear ended because your rear brake lights didn't come on when you braked is no big deal? The recall covers the switch. Whose going to cover the damage from getting rear ended? Yep, your insurance company, but you'll be eating the deductible.

Ask the car shop what else gets exposed that could get replaced at the same time. You'll save on the labor charge since there won't be a labor charge later to get at any other replacements. Can't think of anything else under the rocker cover to include in preventative maintenance. I don't know they can do the work with the engine still in the car. Pretty tight in there. They should inspect the valve stem seals to see if leaking and need replacement.

Since they'll have to yank the spark plug wires, might be a good time to get them replaced or, at least, tested. They should get a complete valve cover gasket *kit*, so all the seals and seats get replaced. They shouldn't reuse anything except the metal cover itself. It's possible when they remove the cover that they discover other parts right there that need replacement that may not be covered by the recall.

After the work is done, you might want to clean the engine, so you can check for valve cover gasket leaks soon after the work was done, not thousands of miles later. Check noise after the shop work to check if there is more clap noise due to improper rocker adjustment. My guess is the rocker has to get removed to replace the springs, so then they need to adjust the rocker when they put it back in atop the springs. They could screw up that adjustment.

I'm sure if you ask, they'll offer to replace other parts when replacing the valve springs. The recall they have to submit to Subaru to get a reimbursement. The other parts and labor they get to charge to you for immediate payment.

Depends on the car shop. They don't get paid immediately for the work and parts. They have to submit for a reimbursement, just would the dealer's service shop. They would have to do the work without any immediately following payment.

"Again, these are government rules, so red tape is everywhere."

You also have to follow all the rules defined by the car maker. So, rules plus more rules. You could yourself pay for the work and then submit a recall reimbursement. Would you want to risk that, and hope you got repaid? Well, same for a car shop. The dealer has already setup for the recall processing, and have far more experience with doing recalls.

"I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today" (Popeye comics, but Wimpy never visits on Tuesday). Do you think YOU could find a restaurant that would accept those conditions?

Just ask them. See what they say. It's just a phone call.

I don't understand why you thought NBD might mean I wasn't going to bother. I would have taken it to mean "NBD, go for it, it's a free fix."

My experience with dealers is that if they do two things on the same disassembly/reassembly, they will often charge as if for two separate complete jobs, i.e., two disassembly/reassembly charges. That's what their book says to do. Some dealers don't do that.

I figured most of this, and the major PITA would the shop prying the bux out of Subaru. So I'll go to the dealer.

When I was in Amsterdam, I stopped at a Wimpy bar. The hamburger was just OK and I wasn't there on a Tuesday.

David

I don't understand why you thought NBD might mean I wasn't going to bother. I would have taken it to mean "NBD, go for it, it's a free fix."

My experience with dealers is that if they do two things on the same disassembly/reassembly, they will often charge as if for two separate complete jobs, i.e., two disassembly/reassembly charges. That's what their book says to do. Some dealers don't do that.

I figured most of this, and the major PITA would the shop prying the bux out of Subaru. So I'll go to the dealer.

When I was in Amsterdam, I stopped at a Wimpy bar. The hamburger was just OK and I wasn't there on a Tuesday.

David

I find it odd that "No big deal" is inferred to mean "I won't bother" when a free simple fix of a problem that won't involve engine work is something that obviously should be done, as in, "NDB, while the car is in anyway, fix that, too."

David

My favorite auto shop has some kind of software where he sees all that stuff and takes care of it.

I prefer not to go to the dealership after the second time they showed me a pallet where my power steering fluid was amber and not red, so it need changing.

Power steering fluid has not been red for a lot of years. My favorite autoshop opened a can and showed me. And shuck their finger into the well or something and said my fluid was pristine.

And when I found out the dealership sent its hard cases to my favorite auto shop, well ...