Good Subaru Mechanic Suggestions

[BenC]

Hey guys,

i'm having troubles with my 93 jdm gc8 (I have a thread about it somewhere). Was wondering if you guys know any mechanics that really know the ej20.

Thanks in advance

[QuasarCav]

I've been taking my EJ20 equipped WRX to Option Auto since day 1.

[Canmorite]

What about Allmakes Subaru in the NE?

[Kavy]

Originally posted by Canmorite
What about Allmakes Subaru in the NE?

IS that the one on 32nd? If so I have gone there a few times and been happy.

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by Kavy


IS that the one on 32nd? If so I have gone there a few times and been happy.

The last time I went there it was good. Much cheaper then Centaur or Subaru Calgary, but great work.

[dub c]

Check out Autoleader South!

[EG_Civic]

Options import..

[RZRSHARP_SVX]

when I had myn All Makes did a great job

[Willie Bobo]

all makes are good people.

[rumeo]

Originally posted by Canmorite
What about Allmakes Subaru in the NE?

these guys are good guys check them out for sure

[Transp0rt3r]

+1 for Option Import ! Great guys .... :thumbsup:

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Lightspeed in Red Deer would be the first guys I go to with one of the 93 WRX's..

What kind of problems? Sorry I'm too lazy to search myself..

[BenC]

I got it fixed myself, just something minor. Lol
But its good to know about lightspeed. Thanks

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Good to hear. I would get it tuned ASAP. The ej20 JDM motors tend to hiccup on our gas, even the 94.. It's tuned too aggressively for Alberta really. I would look into getting it properly tuned.

[BenC]

And where would you suggest that I get it tuned? I've heard of the octane problem, but so far so good

[Sniper512]

I would like to know too. My 93 WRX is having some issues with flat spots at WOT and I have pretty much ruled out every other possibility other than tuning.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Lightspeed innnovations in Red Deer seems to be the most common one mentioned for tuning as well.

[Sniper512]

Thanks muchly. I will get a hold of them

Cheers

[stretch69]

I took the advice on here and went to allmakes subaru with my sti....
bad fucking idea
for being subaru specialists they apparently overlooked a very simple and very common problem
the intake hose that connects to my turbo was melted away partially and had a hole in it... instead of telling me about it or replacing it (when i asked them to find and fix anything/everything in my car) they did a hack job of putting it back on (it was sucking in air at the opening to the turbo) and it cost me my engine.
it caused my engine to run extremely lean because all the excess air was coming in after the MAF... my bill from them for all the work they did was $2500... primarily work done to my motor, and now 3 weeks later im looking for a new engine... I feel raped

[Canadian 2.5RS]

Originally posted by stretch69
I took the advice on here and went to allmakes subaru with my sti....
bad fucking idea
for being subaru specialists they apparently overlooked a very simple and very common problem
the intake hose that connects to my turbo was melted away partially and had a hole in it... instead of telling me about it or replacing it (when i asked them to find and fix anything/everything in my car) they did a hack job of putting it back on (it was sucking in air at the opening to the turbo) and it cost me my engine.
it caused my engine to run extremely lean because all the excess air was coming in after the MAF... my bill from them for all the work they did was $2500... primarily work done to my motor, and now 3 weeks later im looking for a new engine... I feel raped

WOW :barf: Shitty deal. They have done nothing but great work for me in the past. I have had my car in there several times now. I was going to get them to do my clutch next week.

[googe]

i used to take my sti to lightspeed. he's done a lot of pretty big sti and wrx jobs now. also has an awd dyno.

[Fuji]

do it yourself. EJxx engines are super simple.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I do most of the work on my own car. I think the only thing I wouldn't attempt is any internals/transmission jobs. I'm all about the bolt on ;)

In fact I've already held 2 install days at my place, and am doing another this sat.

[Fuji]

the heads are bolt on... just do it!! :)

[Sorath]

jory wanna install my headers? aahahha

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Originally posted by Sorath
jory wanna install my headers? aahahha

I'll steal them and put them on mine. Headers aren't too bad. It's the cross pipe that would confuse me. What did you end up with? The maddad? or the APS? or..?

[stretch69]

Well I guess I will hold out to make a true judgement on allmakes. I'm having my car brought over there today (i'm out of town) and hopefully they will feel that it is there fault and do something about it, like give me a new motor haha :dunno: ya right

[tiddo]

I trust All Makes before Subaru Calgary: those turkeys have missed quite a few things on my car and made me feel like I was being unreasonable for calling them on it. I've also found they treat you like a rube if you find their pricing unreasonable.

Questions for other Subie owners from a more or less non-mechanically inclined person:

Is the timing on my 2002 Impreza (non-turbo) belt or chain driven?

When/if should it be changed?

What's a reasonable price to pay for that job? It looks like a simple job on a flat four, compared to, say, my wife's Volkswagon.

Thanks!

[JDMMAN]

tiddo - EJ253 runs timing belts... the SOHC suggests change @ 160k kms.

[subaruti]

Regarding Allmakes. If you had asked me my opinion of their work a month ago I would have said good. Not anymore though! They diagnosed my check engine light and told me that my car required 2 oxygen sensors replaced ($245 a piece). Allmakes did not clear the check engine code. I then took it to another shop for a second opinion, the car came up with a P0420 code which has nothing to do with the O2 sensor which I found out later. Don't know why I took it back to Allmakes but I did. After shelling out a pile of cash to get the O2 sensors replaced the check engine light was back on with in 24 KM of leaving the shop. Took it back to Allmakes to be told that the diagnostic code (P0420)now indicated catalytic converter below threshold. This was the same code that came up originally. Short storey they messed-up, I paid for their mistake; and they are not honest enough to admit it. Needless to say I'll not be going back! Anyone can make a mistake but you have to be honest enough to admit it.

[Canmorite]

I recommended All Makes last post, but no longer. After a few problems and costly over runs, I take it to Centaur now. Really like the service staff there and they know me and my car. I was quoted $800 all in for some repairs at Centaur, went to All Makes and asked him to do the same thing and he quoted me $1100. Thought All Makes was less expensive? To his credit he matched it but still makes you wonder.

In the spring, I had All Makes swap my summer wheels over and he threw the winters in the back (wagon) without bags on them, got grease and tire marks all over my trunk that won't come out :thumbsdow

[stretch69]

Originally posted by stretch69
Well I guess I will hold out to make a true judgement on allmakes. I'm having my car brought over there today (i'm out of town) and hopefully they will feel that it is there fault and do something about it, like give me a new motor haha :dunno: ya right

Well this was awhile ago now and I forgot to say what they did do for me.
I wrote a letter explaining specifically and thoroughly what I discovered the problem to be and how it was a workers error.
They had no problem owning up to the mistake, and began taking my motor apart as soon as it got to them. They discovered that one of the valves in cyl.4 was wrecked (not sealing) and replaced it. This involved quite an extensive amount of labor obviously, including getting the heads machined.
They did indeed do everything at their own expense, and I only ended up paying about $180 for the valve, which I felt was fair. My cars compression is still lower than it was the first time I took it to them as a result, so I hope when i do the bottom end, they will cut me some slack.

I still take my car there for everything, I just had another $3000 of work done after crashing it, and when the time comes to do the short block swap with turbo, injectors, fuel pump, fmic, and whatever else I decide to do.... I think Allmakes will be doing it.

At the end of the day they made a mistake, and didn't try to deny it. For their honesty, they continue to have my business.

[joejoe3]

*** UPDATE ***

In case people are researching about the car, this was caused by a dirty inijector which was cleaned by GCL in calgary. After it was clean the CEL went away and car is mechanical problem free.

All cyclinder compression and leakdown test were done afterwards and numbers came back consistant throughout all 4.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Sunny. His name on WSC (I saw your intro thread over there) is airboy.. He's amazing, not quite as good as rocket rally, but still amazing.

[vengie]

I take my 05 STI to option import, AWESOME group of guys. GREAT shop, best service I have had from any shop I have ever been to. :thumbsup:

[bigbadboss101]

How do u like the STI vs the G35?

Yeah I hear Option is great. Nice prices on tires too.

[vengie]

Originally posted by bigbadboss101
How do u like the STI vs the G35?

Yeah I hear Option is great. Nice prices on tires too.

No contest IMO, I am in love with the STI, much more reliable as well... and mods seem to be a little cheaper thus far

The G35 was more of an impractical spur of the moment buy.
I won't buy another... I am a converted suby fanboy :rofl:

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I have never taken my suby anywhere. I've done everything myself so far. The only thing it will be going into a shop for in the near future would be for a new clutch, and I'll be going to Vex perfomance for that in Red Deer.. If I had to have any kind of maintenance work done, that I couldn't, I would be going to option import.

[wes_v]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
I have never taken my suby anywhere. I've done everything myself so far. The only thing it will be going into a shop for in the near future would be for a new clutch, and I'll be going to Vex perfomance for that in Red Deer.. If I had to have any kind of maintenance work done, that I couldn't, I would be going to option import.
Not true. If i remeber correctly you brought your Sti to my work Subaru Calgary aorund the same time last year to put on your winters, Rota torques right?

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Right, I did take it to SoC back in Dec for it's very first oil change, in order to get it "inspected".

The winters were on the car already, when I bought it.

OTHER than that, I've never taken it anywhere.

[wes_v]

It had a boost leak back then right?

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

No, just a dirty filter. Same symptoms though.

[vengie]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
I have never taken my suby anywhere. I've done everything myself so far. The only thing it will be going into a shop for in the near future would be for a new clutch, and I'll be going to Vex perfomance for that in Red Deer.. If I had to have any kind of maintenance work done, that I couldn't, I would be going to option import.

It may be different now... But I brought my G35 to Vex and they fucked up on the tuning... twice... and did not compensate me in any way... I was forced to pay, or they would not release my car...

Huge black mark on Vex IMO... :guns:

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Tuning a G35? Huh. When did you go? Like tune the motor? Because.. That's lightspeed, not Vex.. AFAIK (could be wrong)

[wes_v]

I have heard only good things from LightSpeed innovations. Im sure LilDrunkenSmurf has seen the brothers who own the 04 Sti and the gc8 with the Sti swap, both got work done at lightspeed and both very fast :burnout:

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I've seen them. I'm just not a fan of how sketchy Cam at lightspeed is. He pm's me and tries to undersell other vendors, but won't come out and do it publicly.. Also says he's the only vendor for whiteline products, which he's not..

I'm just not a fan TBH. I can't say I've ever dealt with him personally, and I know people who rave about how awesome he is, but he just sketches me out.

[vengie]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
Tuning a G35? Huh. When did you go? Like tune the motor? Because.. That's lightspeed, not Vex.. AFAIK (could be wrong)

No sir, was Vex tuning, unless I was unable to clearly read the sign on the door... let alone my receipts.
I had a s/c G35 they did all the tuning and a bit of other work on, they were horrible, Myron was the only one I had respect for. Their tuner was a moron... He up and left tho so I dunno? could be better now...

But I will never go back regardless.

[wes_v]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
I've seen them. I'm just not a fan of how sketchy Cam at lightspeed is. He pm's me and tries to undersell other vendors, but won't come out and do it publicly.. Also says he's the only vendor for whiteline products, which he's not..

I'm just not a fan TBH. I can't say I've ever dealt with him personally, and I know people who rave about how awesome he is, but he just sketches me out.
To each their own

[Perfect Dark]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
Sunny. His name on WSC (I saw your intro thread over there) is airboy.. He's amazing, not quite as good as rocket rally, but still amazing.

What makes him "not as good"? I respect RR and the work they do but without any real data to back that up I think that's a hard thing to prove.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Because they can do a more accurate tune due to the dyno. It's not that they have a better tuner, they just have better conditions to tune in. Sunny is amazing, and I'm sure that if he had a full dyno setup to tune on, he could produce results on the same, if not better, level than Pat.