Well, I got my viscous coupling (center differential) replaced today and it seems to have taken care of the clunk when turning sharply. I did a quick highway drive with no effects. Hopefully that's the last I hear of that.
The dealer gave me a 2007 Impreza wagon as a loaner for the day. I was impressed at how much more powerful it felt. It was even an automatic! The other thing I noticed is how the interior is pretty much identical to my car (2003 Outback Sport). Same buttons, same look, same gauges, same location, and even the same flaws! My car's rotary selector for the climate control doesn't go all the way to the windshield defrost position, although the system works. I always figured it was just a misalignment of the cable jacket bracket in the dash somewhere, and since the system worked I ignored it. However, the 2007 car did exactly the same thing.
Even though the $1600 bill was enough to make me grumpy, the worst part of today was that the loaner car ran out of gas on me. They gave me the car and told me I was responsible for the gas I used. Fine. Although I would not have had to pay for them to shuttle me to and from work, it was more convenient for them and me since I work on the outskirts of town. I started the loaner car and the low fuel light was on. Hmmm. The needle was above the "E" and I figured that meant the low fuel light just came on, and I probably have about 9 litres of fuel left. I drove to work, and on the way home I was going to stop for a little gas since the car bucked once just as I reached the office. I felt like I should not have to pay for gas since I was going to use less than $5 worth anyway. But alas, I only made it about 200m from my office when the car quit. I had driven 18kms, which means the car only had about 2 litres of usable gas in the tank when they gave it to me. They eventually sent a service guy with some gas after I was halfway to a gas station to buy my own. I was less than impressed that they gave me a car with 2 litres of gas (half a gallon).
I know that I am at fault for letting the car run out of gas, but I feel that I was setup by the situation, and that the dealer is being extremely cheap. They would have drove double the milage to shuttle me to and from work, and it would have taken their shuttle away from the downtown core where most of their customers are probably going to/ from. Giving me a loaner car was a help to them. I agree that any amount of driving over and above a local drive to/from work done with the loaner car should be my responsibility, but I think that a loaner should come with a reasonable amount of miles in the gas tank for a local drive to and from work.
On a previous occaision, they washed my car after a service, and they put a large round scratch on my hood in the process. They buffed it out for me, but it goes to show where their priorities are. They washed my car again this time (no stratch thankfully!). I didn't ask for a car wash, but I did ask for a ride to and from work. Instead, they gave me a free car wash, and wanted to charged me for getting me to and from work.
There's my rant for now.