My 2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium has about 120,900 miles on it now. I know very little about cars, so I have always gone to the dealership for oil changes and the majority of repairs, and my car has never had any issues beyond normal wear and tear. I’m also a very safe, relaxed driver that isn’t hard on the car (I’ve only had to replace my tires once so far), if this is relevant.
I need to look for cheaper options now and found one at a Monro service center that is offering a Valvoline Full Synthetic High Mileage oil that comes with a 300k mile engine guarantee afterwards, plus a free tire rotation. To me, this sounds amazing, as I certainly cannot afford a new engine anytime in the near future, and it could provide coverage for probably as long as I’ll have the car. However, Subaru advises against using anything with “additives,” which this appears to have. Do I need to stick with the dealership or is this a safe option? Thank you for any advice!
This is the offer, for anyone curious.
Stick with what the owner’s manual recommand.I don’t consider 120k miles high milage.
You probably should read the fine print. I’d be willing to bet that the 300k mile guarantee has a boatload of caveats and only applies if your engine has less than 10k miles on it to begin with.
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Use the oil type and grade (example: 5W-30) recommended in your owners manual. Is it synthetic?
Those “High Mileage” oils contain additives that swell seals, reducing oil leaks. If you aren’t leaking oil I don’t see the need for that type of oil.
How much is the cost of the Munro change vs. the dealer? I wouldn’t put much value in the 300k ‘guarantee’, I bet it’s hard to make a claim.
Is there a good independent shop near you that friends/relatives/coworkers trust? I’m not a fan of chains, I’ve had way to much unneeded services recommended at them.
It says you have to enroll by 125,000 miles, so it seems reasonable
You need to check out this shop before you take your car to them regularly. Do you know anyone that uses them? When we wanted a new mechanic, we asked everyone we know who they used and if they were happy with them. We found three and picked one.
The offer you described seems too good to be true, which usually means it is. As far as oil is concerned, 120,000 miles isn’t all that much. I’d continue changing the oil with the Subaru recommended oil at their recommended intervals. Replace the oil filter at every oil change. That’s worked for me. The last three cars I’ve owned had a little less than 200,000 miles when we sold them, and none had excessive oil usage.
I had my brakes, rotors, and tires replaced there a few years ago, and haven’t had any issues, so I’m happy with what I’ve experienced so far.
That’s good, then. Just make sure when you go in you know exactly what services you need so that they don’t sell you things you don’t need. Try them for a change and see.
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It sounds like you’ve maintained this car well. Which is the main reason engines will last a long time. So you’ve got that covered.
Since the car is well out of warranty, there is no need to keep taking it to the dealer.
I’d be leery too of this “guarantee”. The fine print will be written somehow so that the oil company will never actually buy you a new engine, if you ever even needed one.
I’d either keep doing what you’ve been doing, or find a local, independent shop to do the regular maintenance. Or if you really want to try and save some money, start changing the oil yourself. But then you get into issues of mess, time, and hassle. I used to change my own oil…but I’ve reached a stage in life where I’d rather sit in a nice warm repair shop and drink their coffee.
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Looked up the warranty and it’s a joke. Lots of loops and loopholes.
The legal print on this High mileage oils is several pages long . It also requires an oil change every 4000 miles . Plus it has addon charges that make me think it might not be cheaper.
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Yup!
" Coverage begins 18 months after you register.
- Change your oil with Valvoline motor oils every 3,000 – 4,000 miles"
They also offer a full synthetic oil change that does not have the high mileage additives. If you have the oil changed on schedule you will not need a guarantee. Most engine failures are caused by overheating/cooling system leaks, an oil warranty will not cover that.
If the price is right, use the Valvoline oil.
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Just about any motor oil is at least 25% additives. Subaru’s warning makes no sense unless they specify WHICH additives to avoid.
Forget about special deals such as those offered to you. Synthetic oils wear better and are preferred to regular mineral oils.
No one can really offer an engine warrantee based on the oil you use.
So, go ahead and use a high quality synthetic but expect just good service and performance.
Both my cars have Mobil 1, a high quality synthetic, but achieving high mileage will depend on my driving style mostly!
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I’d rather find someone in your area that knows Subaru’s, my brother’s been taking his 2006 Legacy to his Subaru guy’s since he drove it off the lot brand new.
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That’s very true, Subarus have their quirks, better to have someone who knows what to look for, like head gasket leaking, and also knows the difference between the engine oil filter and the transmission filter (they’ve been mixed up before, with bad results).
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