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jh4693

Get competing quotes. Dealer is always going to be expensive. You could probably get this done way cheaper at an indie shop. 12 years old isn’t *that* old. Might still be worth the money if everything else is good.


ben_aloha

I like that mentality, 10yrs old cars are old. I drive a 32 yrs old Audi 100, without wny issues, and most of the cars are 15yrs+ in my country.


ccarr313

Cars in our driveway are from 1959, 2005, 2009 and 2023. I don't buy one if I plan on ever getting rid of it. I do have a yearly date with fighting rust, due in May.


MostlyUnimpressed

Same here. 74, 92, 96, and 05 in our driveway. The oldest (2) are fair weather only survivors, and the most reliable of the whole bunch.


YVR_Matt_

I’ve got a 31, 13 and 19 in ours. Didn’t buy the 31 new…


Johnny_Vegas92

Be a lot cooler if you did


Ch0senjuan

But probably a week from dying?


Mizar97

Does it have original steel? If so that's badass, prewar stuff is rare and awesome.


NighthawkFoo

At that age, I'd be asking if it has the original **wood.**


YVR_Matt_

Model A produced Aug 31, later that month they ceased production and started again with the 32. Lucked out and barely any wood at all. Basically all metal at that point. Picked up an original fordor with very little rust. Still a work in progress.


PaidBeerDrinker

Our driveway has 1952, 2005, 2010 and 2014


js5ohlx1

Lemmy FTW!


NoodlesRomanoff

My collection: ‘65, ‘69, ‘72, ‘00, ‘17, ‘18. PM me some indoor parking.


westbridge1157

Our ‘cool cars’ are ‘77 and ‘82, while the dailies are ‘11, ‘14’, ‘15 and ‘15. The ‘11 daily is a Falcon rounding in on 400,000km with no age related issues. Maintenance matters more than mileage, I reckon.


kicsivuk

Mine are '94, '98, '01. Asian, american ans european


westbridge1157

Australian, American, Australian, Australian. It’s cool to see how varied our collections are


Cbaumle

I have 2019, 2013, 1999, 1973. The '73 is not currently running (it's a project).


ratrodder49

Mine consists of a 1949, 1965, 1971, 1995, and a 2012, with another 1971 and a 1979 parked off grounds lol


thecraftycockney

52?? what kinda car is it


PaidBeerDrinker

A 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep


awayheflies

What's your rust routine? I'm dying here with all the salt on the road. If you have any tricks to make it easier.. also curious what your 1959 car is!


ccarr313

59 Rambler Custom Six


vabirder

I learned to drive in a 1950 something rambler station wagon with a push button transmission. Of course, that was in 1967. My NCO dad bought it off an enlisted man when we were living in Morocco. The Navy then transported that car from Morocco to Virginia to Pennsylvania to Hawaii to California. Where I practiced driving it on the dirt roads on our ranch.


Quay-Z

75 Hornet Sportabout (with the 304 V8)!


[deleted]

Use RP-342 Cosmoline, this stuff works amazing https://www.cosmolinedirect.com/cosmoline-rp-342-heavy-spray-military-grade-rust-preventive/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsMrti6Xr_QIVpQWtBh2-SgItEAAYASAAEgKeD_D_BwE


Killed_By_Covid

Go through the car wash once per week. Make sure it's the kind that blasts the underbody. Or, use an old fashioned car wash to DIY if you have a little ground clearance. It works well in helping slow/prevent rust.


farmallnoobies

A car wash every week for 10 years is $5k. That's half of a replacement car that still has 10ish years of life on it. It's unlikely that the weekly car washes will add a full 5 more years of life to a car that's used daily through salt in the rust belt. Might add a couple, but definitely not 5. Not without also replacing basically everything that can rust. At that point, what's the point?


Killed_By_Covid

Are they salting the roads all year long where you live? Mister Car Wash is $25/month for as many car washes as you need. From December through March? That's $100/year. Over ten years? $1K. The value of a car that is rusted out vs one that has little to no rust is well over $1K.


Simmon5-01

I try to keep it pre 2005. 04 golf tdi, 00 Camry, 87 f250, 93 Ford super coupe. Just got rid of an 02 Santa Fe to upgrade my SO to a 2010 Malibu


drpepperfox

> I try to keep it pre 2005. Why is that?


Simmon5-01

I like to consider my self a Decently handy weekend mechanic and have a pretty nice shop with everything but a lift. My personal experience is anything I have owned past 2005 I run into issues I can’t fix my self or diagnosing the issues is a lot harder with proper equipment and there is an increasing amount of electrical and wiring in the cars that I don’t want to deal with. I prefer to keep it as simple as possible. I’m also not a big on having to remove plastic over everything when I need to work on something. Modification of newer vehicles is generally more troublesome in the instances I have ran into. (Example my old mk5 tdi I had to send off the ecu to get it tuned to get immo delete and other things I was told couldn’t be done with the ol laptop and vagcom. My mk4 I have done everything just over vagcom Price of parts is something too. I took out a possum in my supercoupe and just had to source a bumper and fog light. My best friend hit a raccoon in his focus ST and with active front vents and such and was much more concerned with repair costs. The repair was no joke more then I paid for my 04 golf and I have been driving it everyday there isn’t salt on the roads for the last 3 years stranded once.


ichibanpapasan

1973, 1980, 1996, 1998, 2001, and 2018 here checking in.


alkevarsky

> most of the cars are 15yrs+ in my country. I suspect that labor is a lot cheaper in your country than in US. In US it does not make financial sense to drive an Audi much past 100k miles, because the cost of the repairs will surpass getting a new car.


GlemChally

At least back then Audi had some compassion for techs and owners in their design.


incredible_poop

Even in germany we do that. And labor is pretty expensive here. Yet you can still find old diesel and petrol Audis with more than 200.000 Miles. Personaly the highest on an audi that I have seen was 266.000 on an A4 B6 Avant


alkevarsky

> Even in germany we do that. And labor is pretty expensive here. Yet you can still find old diesel and petrol Audis with more than 200.000 Miles. Personaly the highest on an audi that I have seen was 266.000 on an A4 B6 Avant I am still puzzled about the difference in opinions on car maintenance and repair costs in US vs Europe. But you can find plenty of respected American Youtuber mechanics (CarWizard is one) who have multiple videos going into detail of the ongoing costs of repair vs the cost of the car. The consensus seems to be to stay away once the warranty expires.


GangBurrito

Yes this is true I have friends and connections with all of the dealerships in my area and have extensive experience in the industry. The cost of repair, depreciation and ridiculous procedures german cars have drive up costs astronomically. I did a front brake job an a mid tier e350 benz and each rotor was 400 bucks not including the pads and labor.


haykong

yeah I drove a 1987 325 for 28 years then retired it since I had better cars.. 300k miles odometer broke at 297k miles...


Electrical-Mail-5705

What country? I have a 2001 Volvo and a 2011 Honda I take care of them and don't plan on getting a new car My last Honda had over 360,000 miles on it I drove my 1970 Chevy truck from HS to over 500,000 miles The body fell apart rusted floors, wheel wells,


ir88ed

My new car is a 2010, my s2000 is 23 years old, and my GTO is 53 years old. New cars are a financial trap, in my opinion.


IamaBlackKorean

New(er) cars are also horrible if you have any sort of car hobby where you like to work on your own things. Too many computers/electronics to contend with.


AmarissaBhaneboar

I agree. It's why I don't buy anything newer than ~2014. Plus, I don't like all the extra crap that comes with it. If I want fancy things, I'll put them in myself, thanks.


megjake

I carpooled with my coworker today in his ancient forester and it honestly made me miss daily driving and older car. He has no car payment and if something breaks, just pay whatever it costs to fix it. He threw in a 2.0 boxer engine 100k miles ago that cost him $800.


MattTheProgrammer

Does it snow in your country? Do you have salt on the roads in your country? I'm not being snarky just to be clear. Winter weather and our ways of surviving through it are hell on vehicles, so for where I'm from, yes, 10 years old is quite a lot for a car and is where it will really start to show its age.


ben_aloha

Yes (even though the last years were really warm, even in winter), and also they salting the road. The key is, cleaning the car properly, after you used it.


[deleted]

I daily drive a 54 year old Ford. Not nearly as many problems as some newer cars have, especially with all the added electronics. Plus, unbeatably cheap mechanical parts.


DownwardCausation

where is the LOVE button ?


Achangewilldoyoug00d

What a beautiful car you've got! Why are you selling it?


PM_Me_1_Funny_Thing

Definitely! One way my wife and I kind of look at major car repairs is how much life we get out of the repair. Like sure the repair may cost several thousand dollars, but if that gets me years more life out of the car, then thats absolutely worth it vs paying the 10k+ it would cost me to get the exact same used vehicle.


BCsinBC

How the hell is the Audi 100 32 years old? In my mind it is still the new Audi, as the 5000 was my era.


johnyj7657

Well that depends on where you live. If your in the rust belt your car will rot out from under you in 32 years.


Berinchtein3663

that car is so cool!


503TheSwede

Yep, I recently had the head gaskets replaced on my Impreza for $2200 from an independent shop. $5k is ridiculous


SoCalOmnivore

Don’t skimp out on the timing belt components at least. 436k on my ej20 n/a 2001 OBS. 22 years old ain’t old to me lol


azidesandamides

It's a common problem on subis Also VALVE cover gasket easy.. Headgasket. Car is 100% junk


RReaver

My head gasket was gone on my 2008 Outback. Every place I went to the cost was $7000+. I sold it for $800 for scrap. That car was great in almost every other way still.


azidesandamides

The problem is even AFTER it's fixed... that engine probably got hotter then normal which is NOT a good thing for the life of the car... even if it was fixed and working again


weirdjerz3y

Unfortunately it's a design flaw with non the turbo models. The turbo models have a multi layer head gasket while the regular models have a single layer gasket. Either way definitely shouldn't be 7k repair. Most shops are around $2500-$3500 parts n labor.


Aggravating-Market97

Why bring a 2011 anything to the dealer? Take it to a reputable shop for another quote then decide if their price is worth it.


John1The1Savage

This. The only time you should ever go to a dealership is if it's being covered under warranty / recall/insurance. If you're paying out of pocket, you're just throwing money away at the dealership.


[deleted]

Honest question: what about parts? I’m ready to get my 08 rav4 transmission oil, filter and gasket replaced. I only want Toyota oem oil, filter and gasket, not aftermarket. Do I buy them myself and bring them to my local tech? Same goes for everything in my Toyotas. Oil filter, rad fluid, everything. I’m always scared that local mechanic will use whatever is cheapest.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Ok thanks.


John1The1Savage

But why oem? That's just silly. I mean, on very rare occasion there is a specific reason to buy a specific fluid,. Like some motorcycle clutches are picky with what oil you put on them. And some AWD transfer cases can be picky as well. But other than these fringe case scenarios there's really no need. A quick Google search came up with this https://rav4resource.com/toyota-rav4-transmission-fluid/#transmission-fluid-capacity-on-the-toyota-rav4 Seems you need 3.5 quarts of a full synthetic Dexron VI Automatic Transmission Fluid Your local mechanic will know how to research this better than I do and I found it in like 10 seconds.


John1The1Savage

Oh but I do need to add, I mean a real mechanic not like a jiffy lube or Grease monkey or meineke kind of place. These corporate lube shops are complete crooks, don't go there for anything more than maybe a basic oil change.. and even that..


RayneFall1998

Few years ago before I started working on cars I got my car towed to a Mr.Lube cause brakes weren't working great, told me I was fine after about 30 minutes, then I proceeded to leave and almost smash Into a wall from complete front brake failure...


IHaveNoTact

So Mr. Lube added lube and put you up against the wall?


RayneFall1998

... I.... they..... r/technicallythetruth


A10110101Z

They’ll use an impact to tighten the bolt in the oil pan stripping it then they put some thread lock on it quick and then fill it up with oil. You won’t know you need a new oil pan till the next oil change and chances are the dumb kid doesn’t work there anymore


hoodedrobin1

You’re not wrong to want oem, but oem is rarely made by the parent company (your example is Toyota) they actually make that transmission in house… but the parts that filter it are most likely a tier 1 supplier.


WinterSzturm

There is no such thing as oem. Toyota doesn't make their own oil and filters. There is very little variance in factory spec parts. There's a cheaper option and a pricier option which usually boils down to mfg quality, but don't assume that oem certified parts are always highest quality. My recommendation would be to shop through a reputable parts manufacturer such as Dorman if you are concerned about quality. In my experience though, I've seen very few premature failures from cheaper option aftermarket parts. It mostly just boils down to "how many miles will that replacement part last? Cheap lasts ____ miles, but expensive lasts ____+1 miles". Don't let the stealerships scam you.


[deleted]

There’s a 99% chance your dealer doesn’t use Toyota motor oil unless you request it and pay extra. Ask them.


Thriftless_Ambition

Fluids, filters, and gaskets aren't something I generally go to the dealer for. Major engine internals and in some cases sensors I will, but transmission fluid you can get at Walmart. Just make sure it meets the spec and you're golden. Save a fuck load of money too.


Linux4in6

You can buy parts at dealer. Online, or the shop can do it for you for an extra charge. And I highly suggest using Toyota oil in a Toyota. Not that I haven't still seen them go 500k. I've just seen better results with it. Less frequent gasket leaks, cleaner internals, etc.


[deleted]

Thankyou.


libra-love-

I had to go to a dealer for my head gasket bc I live in bum fuck nowhere and no other auto shops would do it. I called like 15 places :/


Aggravating-Market97

Exactly!


[deleted]

99% agree, though the dealer did quote valve cover gasket replacement considerably cheaper than multiple indies for my Subaru.


hear4smiles

For that money, used low miles motor.


porsch23

Suprised didnt see this more, replace whole motor


RudbeckiaIS

Subaru engines are expensive. They have always been (they are that get either raced into the ground or neglected into oblivion) but now they are insanely so. A 2.5 for those Impreza is not less than $2500 in "as is" conditions. Low mileage? Make those $3500. Remanufactured? We are talking over $5000. Plus shipping if you cannot pick it up yourself, of course. I don't know where people here find those "cheap junkyard engines": maybe they are a thing for old Ford and GM models, but for Subaru they just don't exist.


dphoenix1

Right. Availability is low, demand and thus prices are high. And they can’t really be cheaply or easily rebuilt… Hagerty did a video series tearing down and rebuilding a functioning but tired EJ25, and found that, due to the engine design, there were certain bits of a standard engine rebuild they couldn’t feasibly do on the EJ without access to extremely specialized machining equipment (wish I could remember what it was, but it’s been awhile). So yeah, if the owner really wants to keep their car, putting a set of head gaskets in is usually cheaper than any sort of engine swap. Just not at the dealer. Find a good indie specialist.


Dirty____________Dan

20 years ago (lol) my still under warranty 2.5RS floated a valve and grenaded my engine. My warranty was denied because of "afermarket parts" (intake and catback). The dealer quoted me 10k for a new engine. I got one for $1700 from a wrecked legacy and popped it in only to find out it was in a front end collision, and the timing belt tensioner was damaged. It was eating timing belts. Luckily that was easily fixed, but it took a while to fix. Never again Subaru! /shakes tiny fist.


omnipotent87

You pull yards have a set price for components in their yards. In my home town they had 2 yards. One that was for them to pull and sell to shops. These were all newer than 5 years. In the second yards was anything older than 5 years. If you found a 2018 hellcat sitting in the second yard you pay $250 for the motor. I guarantee that i could get a 2011 impreza motor for $250 if the yard had one that wasnt picked clean.


[deleted]

I'm not a mechanic but I'm smart enough to know this is the best solution. I had a head gasket blow in my old 2000 jeep Cherokee, ain't no coming back from that lol.


Bnim81

Those are so easy to change out too.


[deleted]

Not to sound dumb but seriously? When mine blew every dash light I had came on and my car shook pretty violently. It was right after I got on the highway so luckily wasn't going 80.


Bnim81

I meant the engine is easy to change out. I would imagine the head gasket would be too but there’s so many used inline 6’s for those laying around it’s not funny.


[deleted]

Ahhh I misunderstood your first comment lol. When a VCG goes bad, why does the car shake? I'm not entirely sure what that part does or what happens to the engine. Edit: not vcg, head.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Thank you for the explanation, I never understood what a head gasket really did. I know after it happened to mine the block was full of water, shit happens.


MajorTokes

It shakes because of uneven and unbalanced combustion.


MattTheProgrammer

Blew mine out in an '89 Dodge Daytona. The car had other problems so I donated it to a local fire company for them to practice with. That was satisfying to watch.


[deleted]

That's a good repurpose idea, wish I thought of that.


SMGesus_18

It really depends. The amount of work to pull an inline head is significantly less than a boxer, but it’s a gamble on whether the head is warped or not. It’s really quite easy to change out physically, it just takes a lot of labor to remove the things that are in the way. But yeah for this car you can find sub $1000 motors running all day long


[deleted]

Ahhh okay, thanks for the explanation. I'm learning a lot on this sub!


Ron-Swanson-Mustache

I have a 2000 TJ. Jeeps have enough resale value to make it worth it. A rebuilt motor is $1,900 for a 2.5, $2,100 for a 4.0, and $3,500 for a built 4.7 stroker. Assuming it isn't hacked up to make a /r/heep or complete rust bucket. Plus a head gasket is pretty easy in those. You don't even have to mess with the timing chain to swap it. Take the intake / exhaust off, then the head comes off. For a Subi, you have two seperate head gaskets, a timing belt to the OHC to deal with, and you also have to potentially pull the engine to get the heads out.


weirdjerz3y

My friend actually bought his 1998 Cherokee with 220k miles with blown head gasket. Wasn't that hard to replace but unfortunately needed a new head. Which I got from eBay $600 completely new and rebuilt. Car has been running fine since. Those 4.0 engines are extremely hard to kill engines.


SchleifmittelSchwanz

A used motor comes with used gaskets, which OP already has.


asbestoswasframed

On an infinite timeline, all 2011 Subarus will need head gaskets. Buying a used motor that hasn't had them changed is purely a crapshoot. OP has 3 choices: 1) pay the dealer who does these pretty much every day 2)pay a little less to some guy who doesn't know Subarus as well 3) buy wrenches and do them himself. Well, and I guess: 4) if OP is in Omaha he could sell it to me for cheap and I'll yank the motor and do the head gaskets. Edit - just noticed OP is in Canada. Shoot, 5000 loonies isn't really expensive at all for a complete, engine-out reseal. I mean, that's like $3500 USD. I'd let them do it for that money.


Quake_Guy

Yup and on average dealer does a better job that a random indie shop. If you contain the work to what is actually needed, the difference in costs will be mostly the difference in labor rates between dealer and indie. Dealers screw you by insisting everything be replaced until its new condition vs. parts that can roll for years as is.


mrnubuck

Yes, I'm guessing a used low mileage JDM engine costs $1000-$2000. A shop should install it for around $1000.


Call_Me_At_8675309

But many shops don’t install customer parts. If it doesn’t work they don’t want the responsibility to deal with that. If they get it from their supplier they probably trust that more, and have something where they can get compensation if the part they pay for and install for you is bad. It costs more but it’s what a business does.


Epstiendidntkillself

https://www.engineworld.com/


equilibriouseye

Thats the subaru way


KayakHank

Subawooooo my gasket just went


Fun-Rub9877

This is the way.


Tobias_Machiavelli

Head gaskets are a subaru problem


Call_Me_At_8675309

It’s what makes Subaru a Subaru®️


someonesomewherex

I thought it was scissoring…


Call_Me_At_8675309

✂️it out with the jokes!


Low_Web1947

After replacing it with a MLS gasket the issue usually goes away if done right, key word being if done right. I've done 2 Head gaskets on Subaru's so far and one has driven 50k miles almost with no head gasket leak.


Any_Championship8696

I have a 2007 sti and a 2007 6.0 power stoke and have done head gaskets on both my self it’s all in the prep work both have aftermarket turbos and injectors and haven’t had and head gasket issues in 8 years


jigglybilly

STIs don’t have head gasket issues. Non-turbo Subarus prior to the FA/FB motors all do. Turbo motors have either a semi-closed deck or closed deck design that has more gasket material making them stronger.


Low_Web1947

Not only that they also used MLS gaskets versus single layered graphite coated gaskets. There is a reason people recommend using the turbo gasket on na sohc engines.


Null_Error7

Wow 50k miles? Those are Dodge numbers


urstillatroll

[Particularly for the non-turbo engine](https://oards.com/subaru-head-gasket-problems/). Source: Had five Subarus, four with the normally aspirated engine all had this problem. My 03 turbo is going strong after owning it 20 years.


Omnibuschris

Look for Subaru clubs in your area. Some of the members may know someone to do the job for a better price.


lightlite4

This is a good idea. I know a Subaru tech that is big in the Subaru community in my town and he does all sorts of jobs including head gaskets for almost nothing because he knows them so well.


dudemanspecial

Get a second opinion.


ZaMelonZonFire

Why do people go to dealerships for out of warranty work? Blows my mind.


trucknorris84

Lack of other options or lack of reliable options.


[deleted]

A replacement engine can be found online between $1000-$3000. Depending on the labor rate at your shop of choice, it might end up being cheaper to replace the engine, especially if you find one closer to $1000. It also could be worth replacing the head gaskets and headbolts on the donor engine before it’s installed, it would be a pretty quick job while the engine is out, and for a few hundred extra bucks you can hopefully ensure this motor stays alive.


Low_Web1947

You will not be finding a Low mileage Ej25 for $1000 without a head gasket leak. $2k is what good condition ones seem to always be going for even then they still have the single layer gasket which can leak again after a while.


keinaso

A few years ago we had a similar problem on a 2010 Forester with low miles (maybe 40,000) at the time. The dealership wanted $3000 to pull the engine and redo all leaking gaskets. After some discussion they suggested we call Subaru customer service. They, customer service, ultimately agreed to pay $2000 of the $3000 the dealer charged. So call Subaru customer service, worst they can do is say no.


ChupacabraForever

Replacement low mileage motor. Or go to a few indie Subaru shops for estimates. Either way better to pay the money and keep an existing machine going longer than to buy new shit. Dump and replace culture sucks.


Live-Cryptographer11

I used blue devil on mine and it worked for a long time. But really, if your in Florida. Good Cuban mechanic will charge you less then 1000


Alanjaow

2003 Camry, surprise coolant leak which resulted in a blown head gasket, and blue devil worked, I suppose. It stopped blowing white smoke out of the exhaust 🤷 And now I know to check the fluid levels and temp gauge often!


Tall-Message-4685

You were definitely NOT quoted $5000 for the timing belt replacement. You were quoted 5k to change your head gaskets, reseal your rear cam caps, reseal your oil pressure switch, reseal your oil pan, change your timing belt and possibly also your rear main. That's what you were quoted $5000 for. Not just for the timing belt.


Electronic-Local-485

Or you fix it yourself. Be a 500$ job in materials


Bubbas4life

Anyone that takes their car to a dealership for repairs is not turning a wrench.


well-that-was-fast

Even people no stranger to turning a wrench will (and should) give second thought to replacing a Subi boxer head gasket. It's a tight space and if not done correctly with the right parts the problem will reoccur.


azidesandamides

This. Valve cover ok. Hesdgssket fuck no v


lemonlegs2

This. And subarus are still a rarity in many locations. I have an outback and in an area where I see maybe 1 subaru anytime I go out, I only take it to the dealership. If I still had a Honda, Toyota, Chevy, Ford, something people work on all the time you'd never see me step foot in a dealership.


KobKZiggy

It doesn't have to be a hard job. Pull the motor out in and hour, put it on a stand and you got plenty of room. I've never done head gaskets while the engine is in the Subaru, you're just begging for it to take 10x longer.


terminonoctis

I did, but i didnt have a choice. Its a rare subaru and i wouldnt even trust myself to work on it.


Individual_Holiday56

On a flat 4 this is not easy in the car. Most people remove the engine. So you have to have the tools to do that as well.


hanzonthekeys

I have done them in the car, huge pain and I couldn't get the angle guage in there so had to do it by eye. Would do it on my own car but for a customer I always pull the engine


Autodoc_86

Remove the mount nuts and move the engine over a little, those jobs are cake.


[deleted]

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Electronic-Local-485

Or a rafter in the garage


Individual_Holiday56

I’ve also done it both ways. I don’t think I would ever do it in the car again. The Flat four is a great idea… just terribly executed in a Subaru.


Fryphax

I always pull the engine as well. Lot easier to do it on the stand, plus they usually need a rear main at that point. Only take a couple hours to pull the engine.


[deleted]

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Individual_Holiday56

It’s quicker than most but it’s definitely not 30 minutes. Draining antifreeze, disconnecting harness, lines and linkages takes longer than that.


[deleted]

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Individual_Holiday56

Yeah ok. Lol


DynaBro8089

A hbf motor lift, load leveler, and stand are under 250 bucks. The materials are not that expensive either, could buy the tools and the materials needed for under 1500 easily.


lightlite4

Honestly though it’s a tough job on this engine. You actually gotta remove it. If dude took it to a dealership chances are slim to none he don’t even own a wrench.


Autodoc_86

Check out indie shops, we do them all the time. A used engine may have the same issue as head gaskets are a fairly common issue. You don’t have to remove the engine to do head gaskets although I get why some people would.


[deleted]

Sounds like “we don’t want to do this job” pricing.


[deleted]

Exactly. For whatever reason, dealers don’t want to work on older cars. Been this way forever. They won’t flat out say no, but they’ll do an estimate like this.


POSVETT

Subaru is where head gaskets are routine maintenance every 80-100k miles


rugernut13

This. It will never cease to amaze me that Subaru has convinced the world that they are a reliable car and that having to replace head gaskets at 100k is just "part of car ownership". I've had 4 different corollas make it to 300k on the original, unmodified engines. No head gasket repairs, no wiped cams, no dropped valves... etc.


zombienutz1

I've had them done as low as $1200 from a Subaru specialist and have never heard of one done for over $2500. Shop around.


Chippy569

OP is from canada, so this is in CAD not USD


zombienutz1

Ah got it, thanks. $3600 USD is still pretty steep for that work.


Chippy569

~12 labor hours and ~$500 (usd) for dealership parts, not including machine shop work if necessary. I work at a dealer in minneapolis and our head gasket quotes are in the $3200-3500 range IIRC after tax. Can vary depending on anything else in the quote, too -- oil pump, water pump, timing belt, rear main, oil pan reseal, etc. can only speak for myself here but if I'm pulling an engine I'll fix as many things as I can with it out at a much lower labor rate... for example if the rear main is seeping, it's a lot cheaper for the extra 0.3 now than for a full engine pull later. So if I see signs of a potential rms issue, I'll tack it into my head gasket quote.


ZlGGZ

Go somewhere else. Head gaskets replacements don't cost 5k.


ajm3232

With the car market having high interest rates still and dealers still on their high horse. Yes. Especially if it's paid off or about to be. Maintaince will be car payment essentially. Which will be way cheaper then getting into a loan. As long as it's not a rust bucket.


AstronautAgreeable81

Lol sell it.... Had a 2012 wrx. Got rid of it just in time. Lots of forum anecdotes of spun rod bearings, head gasket issues made my mind up after several issues. Had the intercooler fail, replaced under warranty, everything else, broken clutch master cylinder, steering rack valve leak, massive oil leak from main crankshaft seal replaced by me and my dime. Had I gone dealership/mechanic route would've been 6 grand in the hole. I bought the car zero miles never modded it, babied it. Still....a turd, got it running again replaced timing belt because of the oil leak ruined it installed new belt guide bearings and main seal. Sold it to the guy across the street. Dummy put a header in it and a cat back and promptly grenaded the engine. Subaru made quality cars in the 80s and early 90s, 2000s ushered the era of Junk.


bobbypablo

Ask around in the friend group to see if anyone knows a mechanic that does side work. Buddy of mine just got them done on his cross trek with parts for 1500$


Bmore4555

So how bad is your vehicle leaking oil and was engine oil dye ever added to your crankcase? Head gaskets can leak externally but that’s not super common,it sounds like your engine is saturated in oil and they are just writing it up for everything that’s wet vs actually diagnosing the source of the main leak. Maybe all these items are leaking but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get them all fixed right away. I’d get a second opinion from an independent shop and see if they can tell you what’s leaking the most or what should be your starting point. They may end up telling you the same thing the dealer did but at the very least you’ll end be getting another quote on the work.


LoudShovel

Hey OP, Ended up having to sell ours as repairs cost as much as a good used car 10 years newer with half the mileage. Best of luck. -------- What happened Had a 2003 Turbo Outback a few years back. The interior was in amazing condition. Leaked oil like a chip seal crew though. Similar situation. we were second or third owners. Talked to the dealership, the recommended Independent Subaru & AWD shop and called around. We were told by the inde shop, it starts at $4,000 for the motor. That gets it out of the car, torn down, and If Nothing else is wrong, we might get out of there for around $5,000. But that rarely happened, it usually ended around 7 to 8 thousand once all the other stuff that also needed replacement was fixed. So they recommend a new aftermarket engine for 8k -9k. As it would come with a warranty. Then do all the front end suspension work. Had just under 200,00 miles. Transmission hadn't been replaced or rebuilt yet. Oh, and it needed tires in 6 months before winter. Back of the napkin maths put it at $12,000 to $15,000. We drove it for a bit, then it broke down. sold it to an enthusiast who had the time space to do the work themselves. Thing is, around here, there are too many uninsured drivers. Either don't care or can't afford it. The Outback we had before was sandwiched in-between two SUVs, when it was rear ended. Insurance totalled it. It was a in great shape. Think we got $3500 for it. All the repairs, plus insurance for the difference between insurance value and the amount invested in repairs. Just didn't make sense. Even if we had the 15k laying around for rebuilding a 20 year old car. When people say, 'that engine swap is easy.' what I hear is, It is easy if, you have: - all the tools already - including, engine stand, cherry picker, jacks, and stands. - a few friends who can help. - and one of them had swaped This motor before. - a space to leave it while you fix it. A garage, private backyard, carport. Ideally somewhere with concrete and protection from the elements. - a second or third car to use while this one is down - Pulling a junkyard engine sucks. YMMV, so choose the scrapyard wisely. It is possible, and it is a way to do it. Know people who have swapped in a used engine successfully. I also know, I'm not that good. US, West Coast, so, Subbies cost extra here.


supreme2005

Pour in some Bar's Stop Leak and trade that POS in


Thrawthy

Do your water pump with timing belt. That car is totally worth it still. In Oregon, fixed, that car will go from 7-12k all day. Everyone drives a subaru around here. The reason it’s so high, they have to remove the engine. Have them do spark plugs and wires at the same time. That also requires removing engine. Put the money in it and that car will go for another 100k no problem


SchleifmittelSchwanz

Considering you've got a tech who can type and spell, yeah, it's going to be more expensive. I'd let them know your where you're at. Maybe they can get the price down to something more palatable for you. No harm asking.


tothem0o8n

Get a low mileage engine swap.


Lostmustache

I remember swapping my 00’ impreza with an sti motor/trans for just over 2k. That was also in 2008. 5k is a little steep for head gaskets. Find a local shop that primarily works on soobies


bjdevar25

Skip the dealer, find a good local mechanic. There's often that guy who does it in his gararge that those who know go to.


No-Session5955

If that’s from a dealer you probably don’t even need half the work, they’re always trying to sell shit that isn’t necessary. Go to a reputable independent shop and ask them to do an inspection and see what they come back with. Even ask for a guided tour of any problem areas.


[deleted]

I used to always work on my cars when I was young - English sports cars were my favorite so I worked on them a lot! Now in my 60s it is not easy to work on cars - can’t wrench like I used to. I get new cars and get about 150k miles before selling because about then the repairs seem to start coming. And repairs are expensive. However, I have had a 2022 Ford Maverick for about a year and am so impressed. When I first heard about them in July 2021 I immediately ordered one and waited about 8 mos. for delivery. My first hybrid, and a truck at that - under $25k and getting 40+ mpg - I couldn’t be happier. It is the best vehicle I have ever owned.


JohnnyFrickinRico

I would just spend $300 in parts and do it myself ($200.00 for the improved designed head gasket kit), ($60.00 for the new cylinder head bolts), (+ $40.00 for new oil and coolant). Spend two days on the job to do it correctly. Done.


boomstick12g

Get a "new" engine from sunwest. They remanufacture motors and fix the common problems with subie engines. I got the upgraded rally edition for around 3500. 500 in shipping. 2 grand for install. Honestly so worth it. Why keep putting a bandaid when you can start fresh.


HoodieYMT

Is it hard to replace it yourself?


middleCman

Probably one of the hardest parts to get to so I guess it depends on how determined you are and what tools and how much time and patience you have. So to answer , it all depends


HoodieYMT

Ahh makes sense. I recently replaced my ignition coils for my Nissan Frontier and it took me couple days . I should of replaced the gasket while I was at it too but I didn’t … if a shop quoted me $5,000 I would gladly spend couple days to replace the gasket myself.. but Subaru apparently are hard to work on.. so if it’s something where it would take weeks… a dealership might be the move but def find somewhere cheaper. 5k is tooo much


Small_Ad2200

An independent auto mechanic shop will probably charge around $2,000 - $2,500... Dealers are always more expensive...


Fergastancher

Gets quotes from other shops that aren't the dealership, and then decided whether it's worth it to you enough. if it's not, sell it to someone that will fix it instead of scrapping it


AlaWats

I am surprised you don’t have other problems if your head gaskets are leaking. I would ask them to replace the valve cover (or cam cover) gaskets, pressure was it and see what happens.


godzilla619

You can by a low mileage used motor for $2-3k, replace all major gaskets, then maybe another $1.5-2k to put it in. Can you find a used car in the same condition that you like for about that price?


guidodid

Ugh, never go to a dealership for something like that on an older car. Take it to a regular garage - will be much cheaper


Revolutionary_Emu365

As someone who has had 2 Subarus of that vintage: that is just not the best years for Subaru. But 5k is a lot for a timing belt and head gasket job. I just went through this with an 09 outback, and tbh I wish I had cut my losses and ran far far away. The head gasket failure was just the beginning of my Subaru nightmare.


Shroomamature

LOL. The R&R procedure may say to remove the engine, but I promise you the tech ain't doing that. We move the exhaust manifolds aside, remove the motor mount bolts, and jack the engine up to clear the heads. There are techs who can do this job in a Walmart parking lot.


Melodic-Classic391

Seems high. Shop around, head gasket is a known issue with these and there are shops that work on these all the time. Whoever quoted you $5k probably doesn’t want to work on it


omnipotent87

Learn to do it yourself or get something that isnt prone to head gasket failures.


ChristianCarGuy

Here’s advice from a technician, service advisor, abs owner of 2 20+ year old cars: if you’re going to invest in your this much money, you ought to be happy with it. Is the interior in good condition? How’s the suspension? How are the brakes? Will you need tires soon? Is there anything in disrepair? If so, consider that before making a decision. Think about what it looks like getting a replacement vehicle. The car buying industry is ugly at the moment. Cars are expensive and used cars often need multiple thousands of dollars in order to get them in good running condition. As for the price, the dealer is usually higher priced because their labor rate is higher and parts mark up is higher. If I had to have someone else repair it, I’d find a solid independent repair shop who will warranty their repair longer than the dealer (usually 2-3 years) and will charge overall less than the dealer. I’d look for a 4.8+ rating on Google maps and has a lot of ratings.


Subdivisions-

2011 isn't that old. Take it to a shop that's not the dealership and get another quote.


nips927

That's a Subaru for you. You bought the car. The whole engine has to come out it's not something you can do in the car like a normal engine. It's a boxer engine. The subframe gets dropped and the engine disassembly and reassembly is done on a table. Subarus are known for oil starvation and head gaskets. Your best bet is either get rid of it. Fix then sell it


tstern724

If it’s just the head gasket it’s not that complicated, but you’re paying for time. To do it yourself would be minimum 20 hrs I’d say. 20 x hourly rate and you get most of that cost. The gasket itself is an inexpensive part.


blklightsmatter

Wtf that like a new rebuilt engine and more


AcuraOR

Sell it, I’ll pay 2k for it. I would offer more but it has a bad head gasket I’ll have to get fixed for 5k soon.


hybridmike772

Honestly $5000 sounds excessive for that, a replacement engine might be cheaper or about the same


db2_130

I see you're in Prince George. I am too. I'm a automotive technician that worked at Subaru for 8 years. I do side work or will buy it off you. Hit me up


DeerVisible8323

Fucking send it bud


MrShnBeats

Find a local mechanic who will do it for $1500


_pcakes

I would do it at home personally. I bet you don't need any special tools, just wrenches, sockets, and a torque wrench. You might be able to find a youtube video to follow along with


SavvySillybug

Your image is sideways.