Poor Dealer Service

I have been leasing my 2011 Subaru Legacy for 1.5 years now. overall I have been pleased with the car, especially the gas mileage, averaging about 30-32 mixed driving. Just before Thanksgiving, I had the misfortune of hitting a deer head on. Wrecked the front of the car. The car was at the body shop for almost an entire month, waiting on parts from Subaru. I followed up with the Subaru dealer that was supplying the parts to the body shop, and ended up with multiple stories about the delays. the main one being the Subaru NA parts warehouse was being relocate. Fine. But when I caught the parts guy in a lie, it makes me wonder. Some of the parts took 3 weeks. What pissed me off was they lied to me, and due to the delays, my insurance coverage for the rental ran out so I had to eat $500 in rental insurance. I ended up threatening the dealership after I caught them in a lie to get parts, or I would still be waiting. I work on cars as a hobby, this was a less than two week job max. Something I confirmed with the body shop.

I have not been impressed or pleased with the local Subaru dealers here in NC since I moved here a year ago. The one I dealt with in NY was great, but down here they all seem to lack interest in customer satisfaction. I am comparing this to the service I get from the Toyota dealership for my wife's car in NC. They provide what I would expect the dealer to provide, excellent service and do not BS me.

When the lease is up, I was planning on a Subaru Outback, but now am looking at other cars. I usually perform my own service, but when I do need the dealer, I expect them to be upfront and provide the requested services, not BS. Dealers usually never factored into my purchasing of a vehicle, but with less time to work on the cars myself, I now have to consider it when I purchase a vehicle.

Here's the form and phone number to contact Subaru of America and let them know that your dealer blows.

https://www.subaru.com/shopping-tools/contact-us.html

There's also an address if you want to send a "written correspondence" circa 1985.

Yep. You never know what you will get when you pull in a service department. I'm sure the insurance company was arguing with your service rep about the price of Subaru parts and other complications were going on behind your back. If the damage was over 70% of the vehicle value, the car should have been totaled. The other complication is if the vehicle was towed from the deer hit and sustained damage to the upper radiator bar or other structural part....the vehicle's car fax will record that. I'm sure your lease covers things like that, but I've never leased a car and personally would have to check that out. Since you are using Subaru parts, it shouldn't be a problem. The biggest problem is making sure the body shop you use gets everything right/straight.

Your body shop better have your car ready for parts install when the parts come in. Now you know not to use that dealer again.

Good luck. Sorry to hear about your car. Might be good if you go to a different brand of car. Sounds like you were pissed.

So many people hit deer on the road in NC and it often causes serious injury to the people in the car, so consider yourself lucky in that regard. It is a constant fear of mine when traveling on country roads. Deer season should be open in NC all year long. Good luck!

Rhett, thanks. My wife said the same thing. I hit the deer dead center and everything between the headlights was pushed into the motor, even the cranksft pully needed o be replaced. The deer jumped out of some bushes alonside the road and landed in front of me while I was doing about 50 mph. Hit the windshield (which held and did not crack). It was a 4 pointer I hit, one of his antlers was caught between the fender and hood after it crumpled and ripped from his head. I had a nice imprint of his head in the drivers side fender as well.

Hmmrdwn, yep I was pissed. I stopped at body shop multiple times and car was all ready, just waiting on certain parts from Subaru dealer. Parts came in dribs and drabs, sometimes dealer had for three days before it was shipped to body shop. What pissed me off the most, is the Subaru dealership lying to me and then I look at the shipping form and see when they recieved it and look at when the bodyshop recieved it (the dealer left one of the original shipping form in the box), and there was a three day difference from when they recieved it and the body shop recieved it. I am sorry, but none of the Subaru dealerships around Raleigh are especially busy or hard pressed with a hoard of customers that they could not process an order the next day. It makes me wonder what else sat around.

I especially loved when they told me there were no crankshaft pulleys in the US and it would take 2 weeks to get one. How many Subarus with 2.5 engines are there in US and there is not one dealer in US or warehouse in US that have the part. BS. I turned up the heat and finally he admitted he could get one overnighted from anther dealer. Which happened and I got my car back that day. I should not have to go ballistic to get customer service.

Originally Posted by norge2000

Rhett, thanks. My wife said the same thing. I hit the deer dead center and everything between the headlights was pushed into the motor, even the cranksft pully needed o be replaced. The deer jumped out of some bushes alonside the road and landed in front of me while I was doing about 50 mph. Hit the windshield (which held and did not crack). It was a 4 pointer I hit, one of his antlers was caught between the fender and hood after it crumpled and ripped from his head. I had a nice imprint of his head in the drivers side fender as well.

There is almost never anything you can do to avoid a collision with a deer. Occassionly, I see them on the side of the road and slow down, but even then sometimes the will t-bone the car. Good job not over correcting and causing a worst accident. It can be pretty hard to keep together when a big ass deer jumps in front of your car out of nowhere! I know of guy that recently hit a deer and the damn thing went through the windshield and it's antlers impaled the guy. He has since recovered but he was in bad shape for a long time.

I'd like to know the whole scope as to why it's taking SO long?!?

I've seen cars that looked like they should have been totaled, be completely repaired in ~10 days? You wouldn't think anything that's been around since 2010 would be so hard to source parts.

I worry about blasting dear all the time. I travel quite a bit of rural roads where this is a problem.

You could try the service manager then the owner of you don't get any movement. SOA won't get too involved in a lot of cases since these dealerships are franchises.

nadracer,

So true. Threating to post on Facebook, Twitter ete though gets their attention really fast.

i've had the similar issues with dealers in montreal and especially raleigh (Johnson) with waiting on parts. I also found out the service department works off commission. I always feel uneasy sitting in the waiting room now and watching the service rep kneel down to the elderly lady in the chair, explaining how she needs a new battery, gaskets, and everything else he can pitch to her.

See attached.

Wonka,

I have seen that at Southern in Raleigh too. I bite my lip everytime I see it. I do not like when they take advantage of people. I worked my way through college in a repair shop and learned every dirty trick used to get money out of people. Thats why I do most of my own work, because I know it was done right. Most dealers hate it when they tell me I need a something repaired, that I know is good and I let them know ok show me first. They then backtrack really fast if they are smart, the dumb ones just dig a deeper hole.

Well +1 for the safety of a subaru. As for you dealer experience I'm.sorry to hear yhat their proffessionalism has been subpar. Look at the positive side.of things in the fact that you and no one else was injured, the car howevee although its taking time took thw brunt of it and not someones life. Glad your ok in that regard. I always find dealerships intriguing. As in the fact you would expect id they took care of everyone equally word od mouth would hold more value and generating more business $$$. Rather than piss poor work and service only puts a sour taste in your mouth and then makes them look terrible. Hope it all works out. Glad you get it back
I recently had a hit and run to the side of mine. It should buff out and somesmall touch up, only thing I'm getting from the dealer is a new passenger mirror

Dealers here are a nightmare. I may own another Subaru but I will not be giving their dealerships any business.

I've owned everything from Ford to Mercedes and service at the Subaru dealerships have been the worst.

Ordering parts is annoying it seems they ALWAYS have to order the part and WAIT a month for it.
Every time they have ordered parts for my car i've never received a call that it had arrived.

I find their service more expensive than other brands. Other brands may charge you to inspect something but will include that cost in the services. Subaru here does not do that so you end up paying more for small service.

$350 to change air and cabin filter? really? I did it in 5 minutes and $40 in filters that are obviously better quality.

I've had them lie to me about causing a dent/chip in my paint and inspecting warranty issues.

They also make you pay for loaner cars here.