Trading in the WRX on a ... am I crazy?

[unclebilly]

Guys,

14 months ago, I bought a new Subaru WRX with a 6 speed manual. The car is excellent and is one of the best handling vehicles I have driven. It is sporty and fun to drive.

The problem is... when it is colder than 23F outside, it doesn't want to start. It spent 4 weeks at the dealer for this problem this past spring after another dealer replaced the battery 3 times in 2 weeks to solve the problem. Over the 4 weeks, a lot of troubleshooting was done and an injector was subsequently replaced. When I got it back, it seemed OK and it was until September. The problem is back and it has been at the dealer for 5.5 weeks again and they are now waiting for a PAC file to update the engine management for what has become a well documented issue. The file was supposed to be available today (it wasn't).

To put this in perspective, in the 14 months of ownership, it has been at the dealership for 2-1/2 months. IT'S A NEW CAR!

I have not once had a loaner vehicle despite paying for one as part of my ECP plan that apparently doesn't kick in for another 2000 miles.

Where I live, it is likely to be colder than 23F (-5C) every morning for 6 months of the year. I need a car that starts.

I've kicked around various options for potential replacements and have decided to just get a new Tundra. The 2011 I currently have (in addition to the WRX) has 377,000 kms (235,000 miles) on it and is still tight and runs fine.

I think I can get $10 - $12k still for the Tundra. The dealer is offering nearly what I paid for the WRX on a trade, and I can get a new Platinum or 1794 Tundra for dealer cost.

Obviously, the fuel economy is significantly different between the 2 vehicles but my company pays for my fuel. I can write off the Tundra as a farm expense (benefits of being a cattle rancher).

I know that the new Tundra is due out in 2020 sometime and will be amazing... but will it be reliable like the old ones like my 2011 and the 2019 I am contemplating?

Would you...

A) Hang onto the WRX and put up with the sheety build quality?
B) Try to sell the WRX privately and take a bath on it?
C) Trade it in on the 2019 Tundra knowing something better may be lurking around the corner?
D) Go through CAMVAP to try to get Subaru to buy the WRX back? https://www.camvap.ca/

Option C is the easiest for me but it costs the most money.
Option D could go either way but I stand a good chance. It might take months and do I drive it or park it while I wait?
Option A will drive me crazy but I will generate some social media content, including the videos I have already taken of this POS.
The cheapskate in me can't swallow Option B.

Options B and D allow me the option of getting the new 2021 Tundra when it comes out.

[Chocaholic]

E) Move to a warmer climate.

[Jeff Higgins]

Is CAMVAP a government program administered under the authority of law, or some private legal service that helps consumers negotiate with car manufacturers? Their success rate seems quite low, indicating they are the latter. Here in the states, we have very robust "lemon laws" wherein the manufacturer is obligated, under force of law, to take a vehicle back and refund its full purchase price. There is no wiggle room, no negotiation after a certain point. I believe your vehicle would have reached that point in my state.

All of that said, if it is of no cost toy you, I would start with D. I would keep driving it while working my way through. I would be surprised if there were any obligation to stop driving it, and give up use of the vehicle, while this is in arbitration. Besides, it sounds like by driving it, you may be presented with opportunities to build your case.

Good luck. I've been a long-time Subaru customer, and have never had a bad one. I have seen, however, where even us long-time customers are looking elsewhere. They are apparently resting on their laurels at the current time. Lots of complaints quite similar to yours. We may look elsewhere next time...

[rusnak]

Why would you get a new Tundra if the other one is fine, especially if the path to get there means taking a huge hit on the re-sale. I think Option E is to fix the problem with the Subaru. Find a different dealer perhaps.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I would pursue the lemon law route absolutely. They sold you a POS why should you pay? Leverage any government options and threaten to blast them on social media, Google reviews, media, etc. Also consider contacting Subaru corporate, sometimes they can offer more options than the dealer.

For what it’s worth I drove a new WRX and was thoroughly unimpressed. So I would vote to get your money back and move on.

[unclebilly]

We have no lemon law here. The CAMVAP arbitration is the best we got.

[Jims5543]

My son bought a 2007 WRX STI with 80K miles on it. He is an OK mechanic and will come to me when he is stumped or in over his head.

I drove the car when he first got it and was impressed, so much so I was looking for one. Then all his problems started....

Now I am so soured to the brand I would never own one out of warranty.

So many items go wrong on them and the brainwashed fanboys all think that is perfectly fine. This car has its pollution air pumps removed, seems they go early and go often. So a delete kit is a best option if you have no emission testing. We don't.

Fuel tank has a pressure sensor problem, seems to be very common. It is either a $40 part of if you are lucky, a $400 part that has to be replaced and expect it to go again after a few years.

His brake booster took a dump, causing the car to go into limp mode due to huge vacuum leak.... at 80K miles... so much for Japanese car reliability and longevity.

The intake boot was ripping, we replaced that with a heavy duty Cobb one that seems to solve yet another manufacturer defect.

God, I can go on and on about a car with 80K miles...

That cured me of my want for anything Subaru. Too much going wrong all over the place on what I consider a low mileage car. I will keep my 180K Mile 2007 FJ Cruiser that has had almost nothing go wrong in it. Well it needed an Alternator. And some wheel bearings.


My vote? Your problems are only just beginning, run away.

[unclebilly]

^^^ Agreed, this is a car I won't own off of warranty. If they screw me around on te bumper to bumper, I can only imagine how bad things will be on the ECP.

[Bugsinrugs]

Will the dealer trade it for another NEW WRX? Is that even an option?

[SCadaddle]

Timely thread!

In the last 23 years, I've owned 5 different Legacy/Legacy Outback wagons: a 92, a 97, a pair of 98's and an 05. In fact I've still got the 97, one of the 98's and the 05.

Everyone of them, except the 05, have never failed to start in very cold weather---down to the teens F anyway here in Mississippi.

The 2005 Legacy, currently anything under about 35F and it is going to crank crank crank crank and never seem to fire and start. Did the same thing last year. I can repeat the cycle 4 times. Sometimes it will eventually crank, other times I give up and drive another vehicle. The battery is plenty "hot" to turn the engine over, I've removed the back seat and the cover to the fuel pump, unplugged it and cleaned the contacts, reconnected it and left the cover off to see if I can hear the fuel pump run with the key on---that it does--listened for relays in the far right side of the dash to click on and off--they do--I've searched the web over and over for a symptom/remedy....and finally, I think I found a nugget of "been there done that" in a Subaru forum and in that case it turned out to be:

The coil pack!

Now, a bit more than a year ago I changed the plugs and the wires and found one of the wires had more or less "welded" itself to the socket in the original OEM coil pack. I picked up a non OEM coil pack at the Autozone and all was good....until last years cold season.

So here is what I intend to try: Use a heat gun to "preheat" the coil pack on a very cold morning first start scenario. It's either that or fold up an electric blanket on top of the coil pack overnight and see if that solves the problem. IF it solves the problem, I'll try either an OEM "Diamond" coil pack or perhaps one of those "super duper hot spark racing" aftermarket versions.

Edit: Of course if your WRX has a "coil on plug" type set up this might not apply to your situation!

[slow&rusty]

Shocked to read this starting issue, Subys are the No.1 choice in Colorado as they are so reliable esp. in the middle of winter.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

We have no lemon law here. The CAMVAP arbitration is the best we got.

If it were me I would pursue any and all legal avenues before dumping the car. Don’t underestimate the threat of social media shaming either. Do you have any local news stations with consumer watchdog type teams? Seems like a new car that won’t start in the cold would be of interest considering your location. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease, if you are a big enough pain they will pay you to go away.

[unclebilly]

This is a text message I got from the GM of the dealer where the car is at. This guy is very good and this dealership is competent.

This was Thursday afternoon...



He then called me at 4:56 on Friday and told me they would have the PAC file on Monday so I left the car with them. When we spoke yesterday at 4:00, they still didn’t have the PAC file.

I have tried to reach out to Subaru corporate, including sending an email to the CEO of Subaru CANADA and go no reply. In speaking with Subaru Customer Care, there is quite a file on my car but no customer satisfaction.

Why do all of the AWD sports sedans have to be made out of broken?

[LakeCleElum]

Go with C

I'm a Toyota fanboy with a 2015 Tundra. Wife has an RX350 and recently sold a '99 Cammry with 246,000. All those miles and only issue was a wiper motor.....Got a $29 one off Ebay and then found it was just the connector plug........

[unclebilly]

This just in... the PAC file came through this morning and the car is 'ready'...

[Bugsinrugs]

Hopefully they now can fix the issue. I’m interested to know what could cause this no start issue. Good luck.

[unclebilly]

I posted some videos that show the 'fun'...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuVxohqLJxP0aRNbeJzQ88A?view_as=subscriber

[sammyg2]

Wait, there's a 23F?

[CurtEgerer]

I've heard the Foresters are reliable

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Go with C

I'm a Toyota fanboy with a 2015 Tundra. Wife has an RX350 and recently sold a '99 Cammry with 246,000. All those miles and only issue was a wiper motor.

Me as well.

We have so many miles on Toyota's it gets goofy. I own five as I type...almost 750K miles on the fleet.

I did some prospecting on the 2021 Tundra and there is little to recommend a change from the 2019.

C.