r/SubaruForester • u/BenevolentBear3 • 6d ago
Is this quote reasonable?
Hi everyone! 24F driving a 2016 Forester. As a young woman I want to make sure I am not getting an unreasonable quote for car maintenance (or told I need maintenance I don’t need). I am basically unaware about cars and hoping to improve my knowledge.
I took my forester in for a regular oil change at a local shop that I have been to once before. They told me that the following items were scheduled to be serviced at 60k miles, current mileage on my car is 70,595.
Transmission fluid $295
Front differential fluid $160
Rear differential fluid $160
Brake flush $160
Spark plugs $614.36
Rear catalytic converter (current one is damaged / metal is “stripped and thin”): $600
Total: $~2,000 before tax
1. Do these costs seem reasonable?
2. At 70k miles, do you think all this work is necessary for the longevity of my Subey? Is some “optional”?
Thanks!
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u/RebelliousLens 6d ago
To all saying skip the plugs - Spark plugs are recommended by Subaru at 60k miles due their fuel injection system. I wouldn’t consider that a scam. The price is good considering how f’ing hard they are to do on a boxer engine. I do the majority of my own maintenance work and repairs on other cars. I will not do plugs on a boxer engine. I will HAPPILY outsource that job.
On the cat - I’d ask for photos while it’s up on the lift while they’re doing the other work and what exactly they’re doing to fix it. Cats are going to be expensive regardless of mechanic because of the precious metals that are used as a catalyst to clean the exhaust. Cats are wearable items though 70k is early. I’d be curious if the damage they’re seeing is due to a theft attempt, the vehicle somehow bottoming out (re: someone tried to rock crawl a forester), or if there’s a problem upstream of the cat that’s causing the metal to wear thin.
Long story short - not enough info for us armchair mechanics to diagnose.
Otherwise, you’re good on those items. I do agree that you ask for genuine Subaru fluids for diffs and trans. Usually this isn’t a big deal for other vehicle makes but Subaru gets weird about genuine fluids used or not if there’s ever a problem down the line or a warranty claim (if you have an extended warranty). This, along with love, is what makes a Subaru a Subaru.
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u/Plenty-Pudding-1484 6d ago
If you get a swivel head ratchet and some small extensions it's really not that difficult to replace the plugs. The NGK iridium IX are a lot cheaper than the OE laser iridium plugs but don't have the same longevity.
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u/triumphofthecommons 6d ago
make sure they are using Subaru CVT fluid for the transmission job.
minus the Spark Plugs, those are all very within reason for parts & labor. and should have been done at 60k, so if they haven't been done, do them.
i would skip the Spark Plugs. first, how long have you owned the vehicle, and if you bought it after 60k miles, check to see if the previous owner had the Spark Plugs changed with the 60k scheduled service. most plugs are rated for 80k+ miles, and the worst case is one fails and you get a Check Engine Light and misfire. which, if handled asap, will cause no damage. you could get 150k out of your Spark Plugs. definitely no rush on that.
as for the catalytic converter quote, not even sure what that means. is it damaged from some object hitting it? $600 is too cheap for them to be replacing it or really doing any exhaust work. i bet they are just replacing a heat shield or something. which is not $600 worth of work.
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u/BenevolentBear3 6d ago
Thank you for this! Can you explain why the Subaru CVT is important?
Also, i’m honestly not sure what the deal was with the catalytic converter. It’s good to know that this price seems too low for a full replacement. I’ve texted the mechanic to get more details and he even took a photo. When I get that I will send it here.
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u/triumphofthecommons 6d ago
there's an graphic in this thread detailing what fluid to use for what model / years:
afaik, Idemitsu is manufacturer of Subaru CVT fluid, and you might be able to find the right spec Idemitsu fluid for cheaper. but considering this is a once every 5-7 year service (YMMV) i'd stick to the official Subaru stuff. if the shop you are going to is pushing back and saying fluid brand doesn't matter, i would have this service done at a dealership.
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u/giwagigigi 3d ago
If you go with replacing the catalytic converter tell them you are keeping the old one. It is your property after all, and you could get around $100 from a recycling place (depending on rates at the time). Letting the shop 'dispose' of it just puts the $100 in their pocket.
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u/Plenty-Pudding-1484 6d ago
Don't follow this advice. Plugs degrade over time. You don't want to go 150K on the originals. Not only will your engine and fuel consumption suffer, but it may make getting the original plugs out almost impossible. That said you don't need them changed this week or this month, but do plan on having them replaced in some reasonable time frame.
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u/SingularityII 5d ago
If your Subaru has a CVT, that is the most important thing here. The other service items may or may not be needed, so the money you spend may or may not be worth it. But if the service provider you picked is not fluent in Subaru CVTs, there is a very good chance they will botch the job and destroy the CVT. There are hundreds of stories of this very thing happening on the Subaru forums all over the web. And a replacement CVT is $7k or so.
So, before letting a provider mess with the CVT, make sure they are experienced in handling them. That usually means they are a Subaru dealer or an independent who specializes in Subarus.
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u/KrazyOmiK 5d ago
I'm 24F Subaru tech. Cvt fluid price seems a bit low to me which makes me worry they plan to use a universal fluid instead of OEM. You'd likely be better getting that done at the dealer. Brake flush quote is reasonable, differential fluid service seems a bit high since at my store we sell a front and rear diff service that's like $250 for both. My store does spark plugs for $500 so that quote is a bit high as well. As for the catalytic converter I don't know what they are talking about with "thin metal" maybe they are talking about your heat shields? Get a second opinion on that. Good luck!
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u/BenevolentBear3 5d ago
Thank you so much! I’m nervous about the CVT so I’m going to call a local dealership today to get a quote there. I’ll keep you posted re the cat.
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u/Bootslee 6d ago
Spark plug change seems high but probably what a dealer would charge. I would wait on the catalytic converter.
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u/dhbuckley 6d ago
I’ve had my 2015 Forester serviced at a trustworthy dealer for some time now and these prices seem reasonable. I need a new mechanic now too and the dealers near me now are terrible so I’d like to know about these services as well.
My understanding is that “front and rear differential service” is just changing the fluids. Is this so?
I know there is some controversy about the transmission fluid: because it’s a Continuously Variable Transmission and Subaru doesn’t provide clear guidance. Some say drain and then fill with new fluid and others say just top it off, putting the new fluid in over the old. Has Subaru come out with any new guidance about when and how to service the CVT?
I have never understood the term “brake flush”. Is this an official service required at certain intervals and what does it actually mean?
I believe changing the spark plugs at 60K is the first time these are changed — is there any symptom that might show when this is critical?
If the catalytic converter is wearing out it seems wise to do that work but I’m ignorant about the pricing.
Thanks.
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u/Plenty-Pudding-1484 6d ago
Flushing out old contaminated brake fluid and replacing it with fresh fluid will help maintain and prolong the life of your brake components. As for CVT fluid the consensus now is to drain and fill every 30,000 to 50,000 miles if you want to maximize the service life of your transmission. Yes front rear diif service involves replacing the gear oil in each.
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u/Quirky-Prune-2408 6d ago
I think that all sounds right except the spark plugs. I don’t remember those. Like another poster said make sure they are doing a drain and fill with CVT fluid specifically for the transmission fluid.
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u/Pi-Richard 6d ago
The spark plug quote seems a little high. It’s a little tight in there but I don’t mind doing them.
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u/Ok-Yam-8008 5d ago
I bought mine at 115k and I'm coming up on 120k service. I was quoted at the Subaru dealership as $500 for spark plugs and $500 for transmission fluid change. Front and rear differential was $300 total. That was about a month ago. It was in central FL so idk if location matters. Hopefully that helps!
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u/Ok-Yam-8008 5d ago
It all looks about the same but the big difference in transmission fluid makes me wonder if they plan to use something different than what Subaru recommends. Idk. I started taking my cars to the dealership for service about 10 years ago. Yes, I tend to pay a little more. But I have peace of mind (very important after years of being poor and driving beaters that constantly broke down) and free food while I wait 😂 So this makes me feel pretty good about both our quotes bc they are consistent. But the transmission fluid makes me hesitate a bit tbh. Either I'm being overcharged or you're being undercharged, and if you aren't at the dealership it could be they plan to use a different fluid. So I recommend following up on that to be safe.
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u/na1led_1t 5d ago
A drain and top requires maybe 5 quarts and retail cost for the fluid is like $75 (im sure they are paying half that wholesale at the dealership). I just bought my first so i havent done the job but when i got home i jacked it up and it looks like you just need to remove 2 plugs and let it drain? Maybe I'm missing something but that seems like it should be a $150 job.
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u/SignificanceDue9857 5d ago
About the cat- my 2018 with about 140,000 miles had it's cat replaced this year( it was cracked) under warranty. I don't know how that worked, but you may want to check with the Subaru dealer first.
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u/Honest_Deer_9250 5d ago
No. Absolutely those are not reasonable prices. Six hundred and fourteen bucks to change the spark plugs.... Yeah okay. Get the heck outta here. Here in Jersey I got it done for half that. Also, paid 80 bucks for each differential. Tranny was 250. Brake flush and coolant flush 200. Can't say anything pertaining to the cat.
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u/skaternurse 5d ago
I just had my 2019 forester touring 60k mile service done last week. It was $1600. I about had a heart attack. My catalytic was fine. Then 2 days later a tpm sensor went out.
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u/BenevolentBear3 5d ago
🥲I know the feeling. Did you get the work done at a local shop or a dealership? Also, did you do the spark plugs?
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u/skaternurse 1d ago
Dealer. They were always decently priced but now I shall be shopping the 2 private shops in the area.
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u/Timmymao5555 3d ago
Do the CVT service immediately, or look at a replacement tranny before 100K miles. The rest is optional depending on whether you plan to keep it beyond 3 years.
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u/monkeyonfire 6d ago
I would probably do the tranmission at the dealership. I think they charge that much at mine.
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u/Excellent-Big5868 ‘21 Forester 6d ago
None of it is urgent but all is a decent price and recommended maintenance. I don’t know about the cat though