Subaru News (BLOG)

Welcome to Subaru News, Suburb Service’s monthly blog! Subaru News is meant to educate, entertain, and engage you in monthly musings on such topics as auto mechanics, Subarus, travel, auto repair, and driving and living in the Lake Forest Park and Shoreline area. Our blogs are released on the first day of each month!

Articles:

Five Dealer Options That Aren’t Worth the Money

At Suburb Service, we want to make sure Subaru buyers get the best possible value for their dollar. If you have made the wise choice to invest in a new Subaru, don't make the mistake of adding on unneeded extras. When you shop for your next Subaru, keep in mind this list of five dealer options that you can do without. Of course one thing you shouldn't do without is regular repair and maintenance. 1. Rust proof under-coatings, stain proof fabric protection, and other dealer-added chemicals. Modern vehicles ship from the factory with excellent rust protection. Modern car interiors are generally made of excellent materials that clean up easily without expensive dealer coatings. Worse, many dealers may purchase the same materials that you could from an auto supply store, and pay an employee to spray it on at a tremendous mark up to the ... read more

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Authorized Independent Subaru Emissions Specialist Now Available in Seattle and Marysville.

Authorized Subaru Emissions Specialist in Seattle! Suburb Service is pleased to announce that an Authorized Emissions Specialist is now available at both our Seattle location. If your Subaru has recently failed an emissions test, our Certified Retail Gasoline Specialists are ready to assist you with your repair needs, and get you back out on the road fast. Repairs can be Costly. Protect Your Investment by Using a State Authorized Emissions Specialist. Finding out that your car hasn't passed inspection can be a frustrating experience, and an unexpected expense, not to mention the inconvenience. In these difficult economic times, it might seem hard not to put off essential vehicle maintenance. To keep your car running as cleanly as possible, the Puget Sound Clean Air agency recommends regular maintenance, including frequent oil and filter changes. If you have deferred maintenance for too long and your car has failed an emissions test, bring us the printout from the emissions t ... read more

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Oil Maintenance Important to Environment

As much as 55 million pounds of petroleum enters Puget Sound every year. Some of this pollution comes from industrial oil spills, but oil from improperly maintained cars also drips into our watershed, at alarming rates. This toxic runoff not only directly harms fish and other wildlife, but also does significant damage to their habitat. Fortunately, you can be a part of the solution by keeping your Subaru clean and well-maintained. Prevent Oil Leaks with Regular Maintenance Just one quart of motor oil can pollute up to 250,000 gallons of water. Over time, any car that is not regularly maintained will eventually leak oil or other fluids. To prevent oil leaks and keep your car in top running condition, the ... read more

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What Kind of Gas Should I Put in My Subaru?

According to the Federal Trade Commission, using a higher octane gasoline than your manufacturer recommends does not offer any benefit. If your Subaru has standard specifications and does not carry a warning to use only premium gas, regular gasoline should not affect performance. However, if your Subaru engine is turbocharged, follow manufacturer recommendations and use only premium gasoline. The Forester, Outback, Impreza and Legacy offer a turbo option, for increased power and performance. Turbo Engines and Octane Rating What is a turbo engine? According to Subaru Drive Magazine: The turbocharger, commonly called a "turbo," is operated by the energy contained in the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas spins a turbine inside the turbocharger at an extremely high speed (more than 100,000 rpm). That compresses the air/fuel mixture into the cylinders, which creates higher power output. Turbo engines offer an increase in engine power wi ... read more

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Where When and Why To Service or Replace a Subaru Engine

The sun is out! It's one of those rare Seattle days when Mt. Rainier is in full view and it's time to go for a drive in your Subaru. You can forget about the car's rugged reliability for those days when conditions are rainy and terrible outside. Today is much too beautiful. You jump in the car, roll down the windows, and begin a beautiful drive. But then it happens... It begins to glow. The horrible "Check Engine" light comes on. Oh no. The Warning Light Take note, but you could be fine! Yes, it's important to not ignore when the light comes on. It's definitely there for a reason and will alert you of problems. But before you panic, take a few seconds for some important steps: First - take a look at your engine oil pressure and engine temperature gauges. Are they still in the normal range? If not, safely pull off the road and call for help. But if they still reading normal, go to step 2. Turn off your radio, listen to your engine for odd sounds, and check your vehicle for smok ... read more

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