That's hogwash and I'll tell you why.

When the dealer has a car sitting on the lot for say, 3 months, before it's sold, do they tell the buyer they need to bring in the car for a first oil change in 90 days? No, they don't.

The car isn't driven and I've never heard of a dealer taking proactive steps to say a recommended service was purposefully skipped.

 

That's a valid point. I'm not sure what to do. I'm going to call the service manager today and get more info. I just feel like there's some scumbaggery going on to get my money.

 

Do you have the carfax or did they tell you they reported it? I can't imagine carfax even has a way for oil changes to be reported or even less for them to be unreported.

Sent from my V35-ThinQ using Tapatalk

 

I received an email from carfax and it says missed service reported. Edit: it says it was reported by the dealership as well.

 

Make sure they reported your last oil change, and reported it at the correct mileage. Cuz in my experience carfax bases those emails about service on when your last service was done.

 

Contact Carfax and request the error be corrected. Error Form.

I disapprove of nearly all Nanny services. I am capable of managing my own calendar, thanks.

 

That's a PITA.
But if it can't be changed, deleted, annotated; at least it can be explained.

 

I think all of my oil changes based on time rather than miles and I my last oil only had 2418 miles on it when it was changed. I opt to follow the maintenance schedule to make sure they can't use that to deny any potential warranty claims. But with that being said if they ever reported a missed service to Carfax that would be the last dollar of mine they ever saw. At that point I would tell them I changed the oil myself and suggest to them that they only reported it because they were butt-hurt over losing a sale.

 

What does your maintenance schedule say? Check the maintenance schedule in your manual or the separate booklet. Mine says the oil should be changed every 7500 miles or 7.5 months unless in driven in extremely cold, dusty roads or short trips. In which case it's half of that. However, the first oil change is supposed to be at three months or 3000 miles and the second is at 7.5 months or 7500 miles (4500 miles after first oil change). So if yours is the same as mine it looks like you missed a service if it's been more than 4.5 months since your first oil change. But unless my fingers are wrong, you have at least another two weeks to get the oil changed unless your first change was late and they are counting the 7.5 months when you bought the car rather than 4.5 months from your first change.

 

Carfax has a program they sell to dealers and or service shops that tracks services done on vehicles. Carfax uses their reputation in what is basically an advertising program for the service facility. I think you will find that if someone runs a standard Carfax inquiry on your vehicle at a later date, it will not report missing a service appointment with the dealer the same as an accident with the car.

 

I don't even know where to begin....
That's bloody outrage, it is.

 

Got my oil change done at 3700 miles in May. My car has 5500 miles on it today. It's a pretty low usage vehicle cause my wife doesn't go anywhere in it except for groceries. The dealership that I had my first service done at was contacting me and after talking to a service rep they told me I was good till 7500ish miles. After that another rep was emailing me about scheduling a service and I told them I wasn't going to bring in the car when it still has fresh oil in it for an oil change. The rep said it's every 6 months or 6000 miles. I feel like this changing my oil every 6 months when I'm only putting 3k miles on the car is a little extra. So they reported the car missed a service to carfax. Is this BS? I feel like the dealership is strong arming me or something.

Google it, plenty of article that go over what happens to oil in cars that aren't driven much or a lot of short trips. If I'm not hitting the mileage in a year, then yes I'd change it twice a year.

 

I drive 6000 miles a year and change it every 6 months. That said, he's only done 1800 miles in 4 months. My service book says 4.5 months between first and second oil changes. He should change the oil, but it doesn't look like he's violated the time requirement yet even considering short trips. It looks like the dealer was a little too quick to report a missed service.

 

So this is how the dealers are going to start making their money back on Carfax, by conspiring with them and blackmailing people into dealer services.

 

I really don't like Carfax but in all fairness it is not "blackmail" to sell a service reminder service to dealers.

 

Well then.... I do all of my own oil & filter changes on all all of my vehicle and have not ever gotten a notice from CarFAX that I missed a “scheduled service” The OP’s dealer is mining for gold and using a scare tactic. When has anyone ever been denied warranty for not having “scheduled service” performed at the dealer? Neglect of keeping adequate oil level in the engine that led to engine damage would. Some makes recommend 10k mile oil change intervals using synthetic oil. It’s doubtful subaru engines are more sensitive to extended intervals. I wouldn’t go to 10k but have no problem using mileage versus calendar intervals..... the engine is still getting lubrication - even when going over the recommended calendar interval.... JMO

 

That's the issues isn't. Is your opinion based on any actual scientific fact, or just a gut feeling?

 

I would most assuredly consider it blackmail. If you don’t service your car at the dealer on their schedule then they report it to carfax and potentially lower the value of your vehicle.

 

At no time has anyone confirmed that this information would appear on the standard inquiry to Carfax available to the general public.

 

This is why they are called stealership. They will lie like a cheap carpet in order to get you in for a service. It’s their bread and butter. With both our subies I have never had the full service schedule done there. It’s four hours away and if I’m not planning on being there at service time I do it myself or get the local garage to do it. If I were you I’d tell them to bugger off.

 

""""
Mobil 1 Extended Performance synthetic oil is recommended for oil change intervals up to 15,000 miles or one year, whichever occurs first.
"""
I had a little talk with my Subie and we arrived at 10K to mutual satisfaction. We both seem happy. That's all the science. This is 5-30 oil.

 

Good thing Carfax does not maintain oil change service records on rental cars ! So many of those miss services by thousands of miles. That is one qualification of a rental being sold at a Hertz/Avis/Budget named sales lot. Proper maintenance being done on time. Others that miss, go to auction.

 

IF/when a there's an engine failure associated with a internal component, it'll be very obvious with evidence of improper lubrication - either from low oil or overfill conditions. it'd take continuous neglect to get to that point. A onetime overfill would be obvious....no science needed.

 

Remove your Carfax account. They have no business monitoring on you.

 

NH has no compulsory insurance And because insurance companies have to compete, rates are much lower than neighboring states.... however, if you have not insurance, you are supposed to be able to post a $50k bond..... like that never happens. Also, get into an accident, you are considered at fault no matter the circumstances..... all policies issued in NH have uninsured/underinsured coverage. instead of righting off a loss to an uninsured driver, insurance companies are going after those uninsured drivers assets..... no assets? any judgement is good for 20-years and they will stalk anyone for 201years to recover whatever they can. In terms of putting someone in jail for nonpayment of damages, debtors prison was abolished a couple of centuries ago.

 

"Live Free or Die"! NH is an island of sanity.

 

Well, this thread got out of hand quickly.

 

I prepaid my first 36 months of service. I was told by the dealership if I didn't do service at 6 month intervals, I would lose my warranty. I own a new OB OYNX purchased in December 2019, 2020 year.
Being quarantined I only had about 500 miles on the car. I brought it in for service. All they did was change the oil,set the time on the clock and added air to tires. Still on my second tank of gas. It seems the 6 month service interval doesn't fit my new lifestyle.
I was told by paying up front for service would be less costly vs. pay by the drink.

 

I prepaid my first 36 months of service. I was told by the dealership if I didn't do service at 6 month intervals, I would lose my warranty. I own a new OB OYNX purchased in December 2019, 2020 year.
Being quarantined I only had about 500 miles on the car. I brought it in for service. All they did was change the oil,set the time on the clock and added air to tires. Still on my second tank of gas. It seems the 6 month service interval doesn't fit my new lifestyle.
I was told by paying up front for service would be less costly vs. pay by the drink.

General question about fluid change. My service manager “ suggested “ that I change front and rear differential and transmission fluid at 40 k. Is that normal for a Subaru Outback.

 

please identify the dealership so we know to steer clear

thanks

 

The only Subaru dealership in Tacoma WA

 

Subaru considers mostly short trip usage as severe driving conditions. I had my first oil change after 6 months....1500 miles...free of course....

 

My parents 2020 Legacy was at 384 miles at 6 months. I told Dad to change the oil. Subaru’s schedule is very clear. This post not only sours the dealer, but also Carfax, by being complicit.

 

By the way everyone. I love my Subaru. I tell all my friends to buy Outbacks. I wasn't trying to spark arguments on oil changes. It's one of those things that opinions vary. I just thought reporting my decision to not get the oil changed right at month 6 was a little shady. I'm new to dealing with dealerships and new cars. It's my family's first newnew car.. I like used cars lol. But after everything is said and done.. I paid good money for a good warranty. If something fails I don't want Subaru to have a reason not to honor my warranty. So I'll make sure the oil is changes every 6 months. However. I'll be doing it my damned self because I'm a mechanic lmao. But I'll be waiting to see how Subaru fights with me about not getting it done from them when I show up with a spreadsheet and receipts on my work if a warranty fix comes up. When my transmission failed in my 2012 Mitsubishi ralliart, Mitsubishi was like there's no service records?? I said cause I do all the maintenance myself. I'm a mechanic. I was also in my army uniform but I don't know. Either way they didn't ask me to prove ****. Warranty paid for the new trans. The work. The rental car. So that's my experience with warranty so far.