New car problems!!

[The Quadfather]

Well shoot!!! I'm freakin' frustrated and I just need a sounding board. If anybody remembers about 3 months ago I was posting and asking question to people about car shopping/trailering etc. I was talking about buying a Subaru Outback.
So I did lots of research etc. drove a bunch of cars etc. and bought a 2004 Outback. I bought from a big name dealer. I paid 12K, made 3 payments.... and yesterday I take it to the shop for a window problem. I find out that somewhere in it's history maybe somebody has been inside the door/window assembly and monkeyed with things. They put the window assembly back together wrong.. and my window has now torn up the inside of the door beyond general parts replacement. It needs to be sent to a shop to be welded/re-fabricated back together. $650.oo (They said, that it was obvious that someone had been into it in the past, and not put it together incorrectly so it damaged itself beyond repair)
then I've got a taillight assembly that is bad/taking on water.. 200.00 then I've got some under carriage motor guard thing that is broken.. then a couple other things I won't even bother telling you about...
Then the kicker.. I had noticed that my tranny was kinda weird. When shifting from park to either drive or reverse, I have to wait for like... " 1 thousand 1, 1 thousand 2 " then drive. Otherwise there is this big shaking action in the motion of the car.
So the dealer tells me that my fluid looks funny... and they think that I probably needs a new tranny!!
Of course to completly tell me the prob. with the tranny would involve compeltey tearing it open at 500.00 bucks!
There recommendation is to swap out the fluid and then see how it behaves... maybe fixes itself.... maybe just quits in a couple months.
At this point I'm $1300.00 bucks into tailight assemblies,, window welding, and just diagnostic fees.

Frankly I should be embarrased to be even be sharing this info, but I'm just pissed. If you are car shopping out there,, just know that car-fax doesn't really mean squat. It is only as good as the willingness of the mechanics to put forth the report on what work they did on a car. If Bubba fixed his window or whatever at home in the garage, and doesn't report it...then you don't see it on car-fax.

Now we are looking at trying to trade this thing into maybe a new vehicle or at least 1-2 years old. (it's only 5 y/o!!)
I know most folks would say..."Have your vehicle checked by a mechanic etc... well, I have done that on past vehicles, and this time I let that go. With a new tranny I would be $5K into it within 3 months.

p.s. Lemon law = 30 days. FYI.... I didn't screw it up with trailering something too heavy either. The weight allowances for the vehicle/boat are well within limits.. and I've only trailered it once!

OK, I"m done bitchin'
p.s.s. Oh yeah, I had to replace my computer inerds today. That sucked too! I'm writing/surfing through 800 x 600 pixel resolution. Can barely see what I'm writing. BLLLWAAAA!!! :bounce: :bounce:

[kutthroatkilla]

I had to go car shopping two months ago, and considered the Outback. How many miles are on that vehicle? From all my diligent research, about 95K things start going weird. Check Craigslist for them and you'll see many selling with lots-o-miles on them. Anyways, I bought an Infiniti QX4 2001 and love it. Below is a picture of it. However, I have paid a lot in repair fees. One engine coil went bad, the fuel intake system had to be replaced, and that's just within 2 months of owning it...I'm in about $1,500...but it runs great now. I should have known, given the fact it had 148,500 on it. However, I knew that buying it and going into it so it's ok, I allocated for these kind of repairs. Don't put anymore money into your vehicle if the tranny is gone. If the tranny goes, the replacement costs probably aren't worth it. It would be awesome if we had a good mechanic on the board willing to check your car out for free. I pay $90/hr for labor at Infiniti of Spokane/Kirkland, but it's worth it. Just don't put anymore money into that car unless it's the last option. Always worth a good vent. Good luck!!

[swedefish4life1]

:bounce: Pack a load buy a truck 3/4 ton and up pack some grocerys pack a Yupper/choices
My gals supajunk#-o went way south at 100,000 on the dime model Outback loaded and it was unloaded fast!
I have the perfect in town rig for you:-$ THE F-650 should fit all your needs but 2 gas:colors: and parking:-#

The rest will cover all and stop traffic as well and great stock seat heights for easy open highway driving.:thumleft: :thumright =d>

[wolverine]

Subaru's (Lezbaru's in Seattle) are either utterly loved or hated by their owners. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground. I've known a lot of folks that had issues around 100,000 miles. I've been tempted a couple of times to consider them but I'm a touch over 6'-2" and weigh in around 265 lbs. Sometimes its good to not be able to fit into a small vehicle!
It sounds like you've found the proverbial "lemon". I'd unload that bad puppy "as is - where is" ASAP. No sense in throwing good money after bad.

[SPARKY101]

Also when test driving a vehicle,drive it like its not yours..drive it hard..like a rental car..nail the gas red line the tach slam on the brakes.drive it normal weave back and forth and a stedy clip..your listening for grindings feeling for vibration,clunks stuff thats not normal..be sure to tell the dealer u plan on doin this to"especially if they ride with you"..if its 4x4 find some gravel parking lot lock in hubs or push the sweet auto button.drive it in figure 8 unlock go back to dealer..check fluids yourself..crawl underneath vehicle check drivetrain grab yokes and move to see if they are loose..visually inspect for possible hidden repairs on frame or pinch welds on the outer sides of cars..I have done this to all my vehicle purchases from a $500 datsun trk-97 camry"still own 188k"runs like a champ..86 sr5 yota 4x4 xtr-cab sold with 145k on it for 5000..96 dodge ram 4x4 standard cab 112k traded for 03f150 supercab4x4 lifted fabtech suspension 35's-- BABY CAME ALONG..trade ford for megacab 06 4x4 sweet ride and the room is unbelievable and i never had problems with any of my rigs..i have left test drive rigs sittin along side the highway walking back to dealer getting my keys back and telling them its broke down a few miles down the road..if i woulda drove it all prissy i woulda bought and been a sucker..drove em hard and they pass my test i buy..QUAD im sorry for man..and that F650 is bad a__....

[tommytitan08]

Quad the only problem with trading it in now is that you will probably lose a bunch of money. You should check blue book on it before you trade it. In tacoma there's a place called Roo-pair specialites. They used to be subaru techs at the stealership but a couple of them got together and opened their own business. You should call these guys they are cheaper than the stealership on parts and labor. Here's the info ROOpair Specialties Inc.:5205 So Washington #B, Tacoma, WA 98409 ph# 253-475-1760. Hope this helps

[The Quadfather]

In tacoma there's a place called Roo-pair specialites. They used to be subaru techs at the stealership but a couple of them got together and opened their own business. You should call these guys they are cheaper than the stealership on parts and labor. Here's the info ROOpair Specialties Inc.:5205 So Washington #B, Tacoma, WA 98409 ph# 253-475-1760. Hope this helps

Tommytitan,
Thanks for that info. on the place in Tacoma. However at this point I think I am going to run away from this vehicle as fast as I can. (of course,, I'll need to check with the wifey first [-x )
Thanks for letting me vent, guys.

[saltyseadog]

im sorry to here that quad#-o

[HillbillyGeek]

I can help with the computer problem. It sounds like you don't have the right video driver installed.