had timing belt & water pump changed then changed garages. new guy checked belt & pump. they are OEM parts. new guy says belt & pump could not have been changed. they are OEM parts & OEM parts for a subaru just don't exist 7 years after the car was made. new guy says the 'job' (replacing belt & pump) was a put on. could he be right? if so, i'm out $358!!! regards, suze

Hi Suzanne, Question: When you had the services done did you inspect the replaced parts? [This is very important, and something you should always do.] However, if you suspect wrong doing / fraud, I would advise you to return to the original service location, ask to speak with a supervisor to review your service work and record with them, and to discuss your concerns. Within your service file it should show where your parts data, were they were ordered from, when they arrived, who did the actual work, etc... In most cases, original parts can usually be obtained from the dealer, if they no longer carry the parts, you can get them aftermarket. If your Subaru is only 7 years old, the parts should be fairly easy to get. Give the repair center the chance to show you proof of their work, if they can prove then did in fact do the work they claim to have done on your automobile[all-is-well] if not, then you can obtain their repair shop license number, contact the state, and file a complaint against the repair center, in addition at this point you will able to obtain the directives as to how to proceed to having your money returned to you. I hope that fraud is not the case, and that the work they claimed to have done was actually done. I have found that it some cases people will slander other people, and sometimes businesses do the same thing. Get proof. I sincerely hope everything works out for you Ms.Thompson. Gayle Clark

Greetings Suzanne, I just got off the phone with my Subaru parts supplier. He has OEM timing belts and water pumps for 1991 Subaru Loyales and this car is becoming a dinosaur in the Subaru family. You can rest assure that the parts put in by your old mechanic could indeed be OEM parts. Until you have the strictest confidence in your mechanic, you have every right to ask to have your old parts after an expensive fix. That way you know that the parts were indeed changed. Good Luck, Amy Mattinat

This is why you ask to see the old parts prior to paying. It will be difficult to go back to the first guy. If the problem is fixed then move on. BTW - there are tons of old parts left - I just found an old master cylinder for a 1929 BMW.

Dear Suzanne, I've never heard of parts not being available for a car less than 10 years old. If you are truly questioning the work, I would take your vehicle to a Subaru dealership and ask them to check it out. The timing belt is usually inside the engine, so he wouldn't be able to see it. I'd question how he was able to check this. Again, a Subaru dealer is going to give you the best answer because Subaru is all they work on, and the parts counter could tell you if you can purchase parts for your vehicle. It may be worth a phone call to see if the parts are truly available. Then, I would search for a more reputable service station. Lori