[idosubaru]

very expensive lesson - move on and ask here first next time.

But - you got a new clutch and proper timing belt job - pulleys, tensioner, water pump, etc. So you're hopefully good to go for awhile now.

Generally it's a good idea to consider EJ25 headgaskets if the engine has to come out for something else - like clutch in this case. Otherwise they shouldn't be touched without a compelling reason.

Since the timing belt has to come off to do the headgasket, it sounds like you were double charged for the timing belt labor - the original timing belt quote and then the headgasket quote. Normally you pay for a headagasket job and then just parts prices for a timing belt since it has to come off anyway - there's no additional labor at all to replace the timing belt during a head gasket job. An hour (or two if you're really lazy) to replace the sprockets, tensioner, pulleys, water pump, and seals tops....that stuff is all easy once the belt is off.

Headgaskets run $1,200 - $1,500 at Subaru, should be $2,000 with a clutch job and new timing belt (already has to come off so almost zero extra labor) as well. $800 in parts, and ancillary stuff you had done and it should have come in about $1,000 less than you paid in my opinion.

 

[idosubaru]

head milling is resurfacing the heads and yes they should be doing that.

it's already paid for and done so it was obviously reasonable enough for you to pull the trigger, so in some ways it was perfectly reasonable.

one thing about your engine is that those engines overheat randomly so while it wasn't needed it is nice to have it done assuming you never have headgasket issues.

colorado is a subaru rich state so they're everwhere. out here in the rust belt your car is getting old and they don't command as high prices, so the cost of the repairs seems higher too.