A
Anonymous
This is a great site. First of all, let me say that I have been a Subaru fan for many years, and I used to be in management for another Japanese car company, which is and remains excellent. Being a 2001 Forester owner has really changed my opinion of Subaru; its image, quality, customer service--you name it. I think it is sad that they are tarnishing their image, and they seem to have forgotten what they stand for.
All car companies have issues of course, but it is how they handle those issues that separates the good from the bad. I just had an experience with a Subaru dealership at which I questioned my repair invoice, thinking I had been somehow triple charged for labor, in the job and the estimate--mistakes do happen. Their response is to tell me not to question it. When I asked to see the Service Manager's boss, he said he is THE boss. When I told him I wasn't going to pay for the repair until I talked to someone, he said he's going to file charges against me. Well, I still haven't paid, and the Director of Operations called me to say they were filing charges. Please note, no one has offered to explain my bill to me. I have taken my complaint to Subaru of America, and they have assigned a case number to it--it sounds like I'll have two case numbers.
I am in awe of a company that has a known design problem with a part, and proceeds to gauge you on the repair. Although I'm out of warranty, 5.5 years, I only have 41k miles on the car. Both of the rear bearings are shot (never off road with this car, short trips on good roads). One bearing I would say is a fluke, two bearings are a problem. The service rep at the dealer said my wife must have hit a pothole. Then I saw the TSB #03-50-02 that said basically there has been a durability issue with these bearings and their replacements (until the they changed the design). I saw that the TSB called for 1.5 hours to change out both bearings and I know from the sign in the dealership they charge $85/hr. I know they have overhead and everything is expensive theses days--no problem. When I get my phone estimate for both sides they qoute $910. I thought these must be some heavy duty expensive bearings. I tell them I need my car. When I get my final bill, I'm charged for 5 hours on the bearings, not the 1.5 hours noted on the TSB. I thought there must be a mistake somewhere, but no one at the dealership will even discuss the invoice.
So Subaru and their dealer's method to handle a known design flaw is to gouge their customers on the repair. I've owned my own business though I'm now semi retired. I know how a customer should be treated (by the way I bought two cars from this dealer within a two year period). With a known problem, the dealer should have said, "Sir, we have had an ongoing problem with these bearings and we'd be willing to work with you on the repair expense." But no, they deny the problem and say my wife must have hit a pothole. Then they gouge me on the repair and won't even discuss my questions regarding the bill.
Since I've been researching this issue, I've also come across the cylinder head problem. Yes, I was naive enough to think that the cooling system conditioner was something to help the cooling, not just a fancy stop leak. Now I'm resigned to the fact that I will never really feel comfortable taking my Forester on any long trips with any real feeling of confidence and dependability. Isn't that what we bought Subarus for in the first place (yes we love the all wheel drive, we love it for the confidence and the dependability). What the hell is Subaru thinking. It seems that Subaru is designing their vehicles for their dealers' benefit, not the end consumer.
All car companies have issues of course, but it is how they handle those issues that separates the good from the bad. I just had an experience with a Subaru dealership at which I questioned my repair invoice, thinking I had been somehow triple charged for labor, in the job and the estimate--mistakes do happen. Their response is to tell me not to question it. When I asked to see the Service Manager's boss, he said he is THE boss. When I told him I wasn't going to pay for the repair until I talked to someone, he said he's going to file charges against me. Well, I still haven't paid, and the Director of Operations called me to say they were filing charges. Please note, no one has offered to explain my bill to me. I have taken my complaint to Subaru of America, and they have assigned a case number to it--it sounds like I'll have two case numbers.
I am in awe of a company that has a known design problem with a part, and proceeds to gauge you on the repair. Although I'm out of warranty, 5.5 years, I only have 41k miles on the car. Both of the rear bearings are shot (never off road with this car, short trips on good roads). One bearing I would say is a fluke, two bearings are a problem. The service rep at the dealer said my wife must have hit a pothole. Then I saw the TSB #03-50-02 that said basically there has been a durability issue with these bearings and their replacements (until the they changed the design). I saw that the TSB called for 1.5 hours to change out both bearings and I know from the sign in the dealership they charge $85/hr. I know they have overhead and everything is expensive theses days--no problem. When I get my phone estimate for both sides they qoute $910. I thought these must be some heavy duty expensive bearings. I tell them I need my car. When I get my final bill, I'm charged for 5 hours on the bearings, not the 1.5 hours noted on the TSB. I thought there must be a mistake somewhere, but no one at the dealership will even discuss the invoice.
So Subaru and their dealer's method to handle a known design flaw is to gouge their customers on the repair. I've owned my own business though I'm now semi retired. I know how a customer should be treated (by the way I bought two cars from this dealer within a two year period). With a known problem, the dealer should have said, "Sir, we have had an ongoing problem with these bearings and we'd be willing to work with you on the repair expense." But no, they deny the problem and say my wife must have hit a pothole. Then they gouge me on the repair and won't even discuss my questions regarding the bill.
Since I've been researching this issue, I've also come across the cylinder head problem. Yes, I was naive enough to think that the cooling system conditioner was something to help the cooling, not just a fancy stop leak. Now I'm resigned to the fact that I will never really feel comfortable taking my Forester on any long trips with any real feeling of confidence and dependability. Isn't that what we bought Subarus for in the first place (yes we love the all wheel drive, we love it for the confidence and the dependability). What the hell is Subaru thinking. It seems that Subaru is designing their vehicles for their dealers' benefit, not the end consumer.