Strut and wheel damage. HELP!

[moviemadness]

OK well here goes..

 

Issue 1:

After going to Santa Monica Subaru a while ago for an oil change and alignment, they told me that the front left strut was out of wack(?), and that it was not able to be aligned properly. They told me they did the best they could, but it wouldn't go straight anymore. I took it out for a spin, and the car continues to veer to the right slightly. Their theory was that either it was a pot hole or the aftermarket suspension that caused the damage. I have Tein S Techs. I asked them how much it would cost to fix, and the said around 600.

 

Issue 2:

After some spirited driving when I was down @ Warner Springs, the next morning I realized that the front right tire was lacking a lot of air. I thought it was just the spirited driving so I put air in (tire was less than 20psi when I filled it back up) and then forgot about it. A few days later, the tire was close to flat again. I suspected that I might have a flat. I took it to a tire shop, and they found out that the front right wheel had a crack in it. He submerged it underwater, and I saw bubbles coming out from the 1 inch crack in the inner wall of the wheel.

 

I didn't hit any bumps when I was at Warner Springs, so I don't think it was caused by my trip down there. Instead, I'm suspecting the beautiful streets of LA where it's actually hard NOT to hit a pot hole.

 

I went to the dealer (Timmons Subaru) today, and they said that I'll need a new wheel, but the tire looked fine. The quoted me for around 340 for the wheel. If I order tomorrow, they'll have it for me by Monday.

 

On the way back home, I called them up to see if the wheel might be able to be covered under warranty. They said that it's a rare case where the wheel cracks by itself, and that I should stop by tomorrow morning for a thorough inspection. If there is no external damage present, then they said it would be covered under warranty. As soon as I got home, I checked the wheel and there is damage on the outer side of the wheel, but it's mostly from hitting curbs.

 

 

 

SO!.. here are my questions..

 

1. If it costs 600 to fix the strut problem, should I just invest more into aftermarket coilovers? Since I have Teins, will the strut fix not be covered under warranty?

 

2. What should I do about this wheel issue? Should I just order it from the dealer? Should I go aftermarket? Should I find a different place that's selling the stock wheel cheaper? Is anyone selling a stock wheel in the SoCal area?

 

Thanks for reading. Let's see some good ideas !!

 

Tony.

[PGT]

1. get Bilsteins.....same cost for a set as one OEM strut (if you can do the install yourself

2. getting it done under warranty would be a gift...running Teins, technically, it's on you. people sell spares all the time, but whatever you do, do not drive on that wheel! use the space saver spare...the cracked wheel is NOT safe.

[moviemadness]

are you talking about the spec B bilsteins? how much are they?