Subaru service event

[JRobyn]

Figured this goes better in here than in "Parts & Repairs"? And sorry, this is a long story to get in all the background.

Our 2015 Subaru Forester has had a driver's side wheel bearing going out for a month or two. Growling gradually louder and louder, and at a wider range of speeds. It's challenging for us to have any dealer service done, because we live at least 90 min away from any of the nearby dealers. I assumed that this would be at least a 1/2 day repair, quite likely overnight, so the issue was where to go where we could secure short-term alternate transportation. We tried the closest dealer - they hemmed and hawed around, took 4 days to call us back, and never would commit to a "loaner" or rental.

I had to be in Atlanta for a chemo appointment (way NOT the closest!). We do keep a little condo there, so if we tried to have it fixed in Atlanta, at least we'd have a place to stay within a short drive. On Wednesday morning, on a whim, and expecting to get totally shot down, I called the service department at one of the NW Atlanta Subaru dealers. Initially, they told me that the soonest they were currently scheduling for was after the first week of the new year, but she transferred me to the service "concierge" who was most familiar with the technician's work schedule. He said he thought that under our unusual circumstances, he might could fit us in for Wed/Thu. Made an appointment to bring it in at 1pm; he said if we could get it there earlier, it would help.

Then I asked about some alternate transportation. He put me on hold for a minute while he "checked" something, came back and said, "no problem, we can do a loaner/demo. I teased him a little that we had been considering trading up to a 2018 Outback, so if he could make that the loaner, we'd REALLY be pleased.

Wife delivered the car to them at 10:30a. They gave her a BRAND NEW 2018 Outback Limited loaner. They called us back at 2:30p; it was DONE. All totally under warranty. Zero charge. They also checked the passenger side bearing and gave everything on the vehicle a "once-over".

In 64 years of life, I have NEVER had any dealer experience that even comes close to the perfection of this one.

I assume it is not appropriate or allowed to state the name of the dealer or the "service concierge" on here, but you can easily figure out most of it with a little research.

 

[nybirdman]

Having owned three Subaru's;that mirrors my experiences.Should have been a warranty job.

 

[tomplum]

Good to hear. Here's to hoping the chemo appointment was just as spectacular in its outcome.

 

[shaeff]

Good to hear. Here's to hoping the chemo appointment was just as spectacular in its outcome.

I was thinking the same thing. Glad to hear they treated you well! I love my old, beat up Subaru.

 

[s219]

Great to hear. I have owned 5 Subarus and always been happy with their service. Much of it depends on the dealer, but the folks at Subaru of America (SOA) have a pretty good philosophy of customer service. I once sold my used Outback to my parents, and a few months later the clutch went bad. Was going to cost $1200, out of warranty. I called SOA and talked with a rep there, and Subaru ended up covering the entire cost as a goodwill gesture.

Years later I had what should have been an in-warranty repair on a Honda be denied, and the amount of stonewalling their reps did was amazing -- night and day difference from Subaru. It was like Subaru was trained to care and do the right thing show some empathy, and Honda was trained to use anti-interrogation techniques on their customers.

 

[Sigarms]

1- Hope everything goes well with the treatments. Had to take my wife in for some, don't wish that on anyone.

2 - Hopefully if you ever look at getting a new subaru, you'll give this dealer the last say if they can be with where you expect them to be.

3 - I bought my old VW up in Pa. It was a NC VW dealer doing warranty work that made me swear to never buy a VW again. Like everything else in business, you have good ones and bad ones.

 

[JRobyn]

Sig, we are negotiating with them now on a new 2018 Outback. I know they are highly motivated to do a deal before the end of the year, but they don't have *just* the one she's looking for in stock. Hopefully, our sales guy will do as well as their service dept. at both finding one and dealing a little on it.

 

[rekees4300]

In 64 years of life, I have NEVER had any dealer experience that even comes close to the perfection of this one.

Appreciate your post, thank you. Thinking of getting a new Nissan Rogue or Honda CRV this Spring. Will now add Subaru Outback and/or Forester to the shopping list. The new Ascent sounds like a possibility but don't understand when it will be available or if it already is?

 

[EddieWalker]

After my parents retired, they bought a Subaru wagon of some kine with a manual transmission that they pulled behind their RV all over the country and Canada. That was the most reliable, never needed any repairs, vehicle ever.

Last year my wife and I drove up to Wyoming to pick up a puppy and we spent some time in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado while on the way there. Right off we noticed Subaru's where everywhere. It became a game to see how many we could see at any one time. If there where five cars in front of us, three where Subaru's. While not scientific, or even accurate, we felt that there must have been as many Subaru's in the mountains as all other cars combined. They where EVERYWHERE!!!!

 

[jerrybob]

Subaru's are great vehicles......our daughter has one. Your experience with the dealer reminds me of our experience with my wife's Mercedes ML320. When it was under warranty......good service and free loaner car. Like you.....we live about 90 miles from a dealer.....one time they gave us a brand new c-class for a loaner.........it had like 15 miles on it. My wife and I went home via the entire Olympic Peninsula.......about 300 miles....had a nice drive and day.