Subaru (UK) chief executive Ed Swatman has hit out at a claim that the Impreza is the most expensive car to repair in the country.

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He said that findings used in a recent survey by independent provider Warranty Direct were so far removed from Subaru’s own warranty repair data that the car importer has asked for more specific details.


Swatman said that press releases from Warranty Direct were “misleading”.


He said: “We have asked them to supply the VIN numbers of the Imprezas they cover so we can check the origin and age of these cars. So far that information has not been given to us.


“It appears the majority of cars Warranty Direct is talking about are older EU specification Subaru Impreza STi’s which are, on average, over three years old and probably grey imports. Cars supplied by Subaru for the UK are still covered by our own three year warranty so by definition the figures cannot be accurate.”

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Swatman said Subaru (UK) had been told by Warranty Direct  that most claims are for engine and transmission damage caused by running with low oil levels. “These cars are driven hard and fast in all markets but in the UK where cars are regularly serviced under the conditions of our warranty we just do not get these problems.”

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