In a bid to reduce whole life costs and insurance premiums for its performance models, Subaru (UK) Ltd is slashing parts prices by up to 56%. The company says the permanent initiative affects 200 part numbers and most models. IM's Subaru parts manager Matthew Davies has confirmed dealers' existing parts margins will remain intact.

Items covered by price cuts include common service and collision repair parts such as timing belts, oil, air and fuel filters, water pumps, brake pads and discs and body parts such as wings, bonnets and bumpers. Typical examples include a timing-belt for a 1992-98 naturally-aspirated Impreza 2.0 litre reduced from £77.47 to £35.85 – a cut of 54% – and an oil filter for an Impreza, Legacy or Forester 2.0 litre reduced by 56% to £4.50.

Brake pads for a 1997-8 Impreza 2.0GL will now cost £48.53 instead of £71.52 while a rear bumper cover for a 1999-2003 Legacy estate will retail for £152.28 – a 43% reduction (all prices are excluding VAT and fitting).

Subaru (UK) Limited has an inventory of more than £3.0 million with 21,000 stock lines. All dealers will be supplied with a parts kit to ensure 'off-the-shelf' availability, while genuine Subaru parts are available for overnight delivery.

Subaru finished bottom of the UK league for running costs in the latest Auto Express Driver Power 2004 survey of over 37,000 readers of the car weekly, but apart from this week's parts prices announcement, Auto Express tells readers to look forward to lower running costs on the new Legacy with its longer service intervals.