Hi guys,

I was going away on a business trip when my gf complained about the breaks and high engine temp in her 2003 Subaru. The car has 100K on it, so we decided to bring it to the 90K service that was overdue. Before taking off I inspected the car myself and found the following:

- Brakes had to be replaced (pads + rotors).
- Something was not right with one of the axles. Sounded like a problem with a CV joint.

The sealership called one day later with an estimate of $5,700. In addition to the parts outlined above, they wanted to replace the head gasket and pressure test the head because the car "was leaking coolant." Coolant my ass -- the engine bay is dry! I was able to increase the temp of the engine by driving it around the block. No smell. No fluids of any kind seen in the engine bay. The temp went from low to normal. Then it went to high within a second or two, then back to normal within a short period of time (3-10 seconds max). In other words, it sounded like an issue with a thermostat. As somebody who has had a couple of blown gaskets, I know how cars smell and behave when the engine does not have coolant.

Of course all of this crap at the stealership had to happen when I was on an important business trip. When I called the mechanic who completed the work, I stated that we did not want to do any additional work on the car. My gf received a bill earlier this morning. $900 for the 90K service! Again, I was not there to argue with the guys. Apparently, they threatened her and would not let her go until she paid. When she asked about the hourly rate the dealership said that there was no rate as things "varied" depending on the amount of work. The list of replaced parts include the fluids, the wipers, some gaskets (not the head gasket) and that is it. $130 in parts. The rest is "labor."

Now the multi-million dollar question -- what can be done to dispute the charges and to check out the theory about a blown gasket? I know that the car is not leaking crap because the level of the coolant is the same. My plan is to get a new thermostat and see if it changes things around.

Any ideas are welcome. BTW, do not go to a Subaru stealership in Redwood City, CA. When we lived on the East Coast, we visited a mom-and-pop place that never ripped anybody off. My gf went there by herself without me having to check the car or look through all the claims that the mechanics have made. Apparently things are different when you hit the "pros."

Thanks!