Is $1500 too much for replacing a charcoal canister and vapor hose on a 2013 Subaru Outback Legacy?
I’m just trying to get a feel for if this price is fair. The mechanic said it’s only related to emissions, so it’s not urgent. But with the check engine light on, the cruise control won’t work, and it does need to be fixed eventually.
From what I’ve seen online, the charcoal canister costs somewhere between $300 and $700, and I’m guessing they’re using one of the more expensive ones.
I think the shop charges a lot for labor, but I don’t know the exact breakdown. They replaced the purge valve first because that was their original guess, and that cost $360. The valve itself is only around $50, so that’s about $300 in labor, right? My dad trusts the shop — they’ve done solid work before and came recommended, so I don’t think they’re ripping anyone off, maybe just pricey.
Originally they quoted $1200, but they refunded the $360 for the purge valve since it didn’t fix the problem. So when we go back to get the canister job done, it’ll be $1500 total.
I don’t know much about Subaru parts, but I’ve seen similar things with Jeep and VW parts — the shop often charges double what I see online.
So maybe the first repair was like $100 for the part, and $260 for labor. The bill should show how they split it. I’m a little surprised they changed out the purge valve without being sure — you’d hope they’d confirm the problem before swapping anything.
Quick tip — if someone keeps clicking the gas pump after it stops, they can overfill the tank and damage the vapor system. But if you just bought the car this year, that’s probably not the cause.
@Dax
My dad bought the car used in February — he hasn’t had it since 2013. The check engine light wasn’t on when he bought it, and it passed emissions testing with no issues.
As far as I know, the purge valve was actually broken. The invoice said it was stuck, either open or closed (I forget which). When the light came back after the fix, they did a smoke test and found the canister and hose were rusted out. They showed us a picture on my dad’s phone.
The invoice he got doesn’t list labor and parts separately — just the total price, a diagnostic fee, and the cost of the work.
@GregoryMesh3
They’d probably tell you their labor rate if you asked. That canister job might just be expensive because it’s hard to get to.
I read online that the canister in these cars is in a bad spot and can even go bad from driving through water. Some people bypass it, but depending on where you live, that might not pass inspection.
@Dax
So it could just be that this car was designed in a way that makes it harder to reach compared to other cars where it’s easier and cheaper to fix?
GregoryMesh3 said: @Dax
So it could just be that this car was designed in a way that makes it harder to reach compared to other cars where it’s easier and cheaper to fix?
Yeah, different cars are built differently. Some have easier setups than others. Maybe Subaru didn’t think this part would fail often enough to worry about how hard it is to get to.
I think a lot of cars are built more for easy assembly at the factory than for repairs later. Once the warranty runs out, it’s the owner’s problem, not Subaru’s.
A 2013 car is going to need things like this sometimes, but it’s still cheaper than buying a new car and making monthly payments.
One idea — put aside around $150 a month for stuff like this. Helps when surprises pop up.
And yeah, most good shops now charge at least $100 an hour for labor.
That does sound high. It used to be easier back when the canister was under the car. Now they’re in tighter spots. Check out this video for newer setups:
Shops can mark up parts by 200% or more. They might be using the $300 part and just charging you $700. If not through the parts, they make it back in labor.
