Subaru technicians on camera, wow
 

UPDATE: In accordance with some legal advice, I'm taking the link to the video away for now.

I brought my '14 BRZ Limited to the shop for the first time to see about the only two issues I have on my vehicle. Idle stability with A/C on and of course, the crickets. Neither of which cause me any concern Technicians then take my car out to lunch trying to replicate the issues I was having.

I know the video is a bit long. I wanted to jump-cut the video while editing but the passenger technician doesn't really stop talking for more than 10 seconds. So, uncut and full-length it is. Both of the technicians are aware they're being recorded. The recording device announces when recording has started, usually 15 seconds after ignition.

The driver seems to be the responsible one and does everything right. I have no issues with him. He drove safe, legally, and tried to replicate the issues I was having with my vehicle. He actually saw my RPM fluctuation issue but was dissuaded to pursue it by the passenger.

The passenger is a giant nozzle. I don't know if he was working on my car but I hope not. He's full of negativity and bitter as hell. I hope he finds this video and realizes how much unneeded trash he talks. That said, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I couldn't care less what he thinks of our cars and us as owners.

If this was your car, how would you feel? I'm not as surprised as I thought I'd be.

//VIDEO LINK REMOVED//

Before you get angry about this, you should make sure you are not in violation of Virginia privacy laws.

-alex

http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/virginia-recording-law

"Virginia's wiretapping law is a "one-party consent" law. Virginia makes it a crime to intercept or record any "wire, oral, or electronic communication" unless one party to the conversation consents. Virginia Code § 19.2-62. Therefore, if you operate in Virginia, you may record a conversation or phone call if you are a party to the conversation or you get permission from one party to the conversation in advance."

Not sure if that's a good source, but seems just as well. Not sure how well this applies to this as it's technically inside his car, which is his private property.

And that's my point. This can be evidence of a crime, and as much as we want to antagonize bad mechanics, this is not the proper way to go about changing their behavior.

If anything, it just reinforces their beliefs of us as car enthusiasts.

-alex

Not a knock against the OP but honestly, I would not care if he (or anyone else) throw stereotypical Asian insults at me. Ex: Asians can't drive, etc.

As long as they don't trash my car around, they can call me a huge whiner/complainer for bringing in the car for the most minute of issues.

I'm not sure if those are even issues to take your car in for... idle fluctuates a little when you turn on the ac anyway, because its drawing power. Crickets.. well that's also not a problem, its just the sound of the injectors.

As far as the technicians are, I wouldn't take my car to the dealer if I can help it only because I'm sure I know more of the car than they do lol. But I'd say its okay to take your car out as long as its not to joy ride but to trying assess your problems.

I honestly don't know if I would post something like that if it happened to me. Only watched a couple of minutes since at cottage and don't want to use too much data but from what I did watch I may be pissed enough to post. I do know I would have that video up in front of the highest level manager at the dealership in a big hurry. Not For revenge or to be vindictive but because I would be walking out of there with some form of compensation for such treatment even if indirect.

Even I make jokes about this, and I'm Asian myself.

I'd bring it up to the service manager; if you as an employee don't have respect for the vehicles you work on or the owners, you should find another job. I say this knowing what it's like to be a technician in a position where you can't replicate an issue, and you may consider it minor or non-existent. The driver in the car was respectful, and repeatedly attempted to replicate the issue. Passenger made several comments jokingly about wasting company and customer time and money. Having video of both clearly shows a good and bad example.

Totally not angry about what he said in my car. I completely understand your views guys. From my perspective, the technician driving the car did what he was supposed to do and he treated the car well. When they found nothing wrong, they didn't charge me a dime and I just said, "oh well". I expected that outcome.
@Wes @soulreapersteve You're right. The issues I brought my car in for were of very little concern. I just wanted them looked at, just once.

What's not in the video is an uneventful battery/charging system test and diagnostic test.

So far, I like what @Tcoat said and I'll probably just bring it up to their management. Even further I'd probably take it down upon their request. I'm not looking to have the technician reprimanded or even worse, losing his job. The last thing I want to do is be responsible for something like that.

I also don't want to make us enthusiasts look bad. It doesn't benefit anyone to get on the bad side of the mechanics that fix our cars.

If I didn't know about the crickets, I would've brought it in myself. :P

I couldn't tell from the driver's expressions and all that jazz, but how can one work with someone that negative? I've had a few negative Nancy's in the past and could not stand them.

Anyways, I do want to know what management's reaction is when you show them the video. If they simply blow you off, then that's an issue right there.

Did they end up changing your HPFP?

Nope. No action was taken on either issue. From reading the issue thread on the HPFP and if I were in their shoes, I wouldn't change it either. I knew the sound was non-detrimental to the car and that replacing it would yield an extremely small percentage of success.

I've spent 25 minutes watching this video, I wouldn't have even bothered posting it up, just a typical blue collar worker venting and more concerned with getting his next fill of whatever gets his jollies off (Arby's, traveling to Italy, cigars, hookah, vape, getting a laugh from a 'wise'crack). Some guys like the sound of their own voice more than others and nothing he's said is of consequence so far.

Here's what I've heard so far "they cheesed out on the interior" "this car sucks, rides like a pogo stick"

He should replace Clarkson with commentary like that. :lol:

As if it wasn't obvious enough that some people will never 'get' this car.
:burnrubber:

Edit: Finished the video, grew up around guys like him, work with guys like him, I'm RELATED to guys like him, nothing you do will ever change his attitude. Maybe I missed something, idk, I'm more impressed somebody actually tried to diagnose an issue, then again you could have been assigned the other guy to drive and you wouldn't have even gotten an effort at finding the problem.

"This guy monitors his car more than I monitor my..." what? Humid oil? Human oil? I can't make it out.

"_____ off" Around 10:00. What did computer say?

Anyway:

I'd write to Subaru HQ and send this in too. That dude is unprofessional. Least, he didn't donut your car. Venting is ok, but not in a customer's vehicle. He seems to lack the energy to do his job as well...imo.

Racist commentary... I think we all guilty of it. From Mexicans, Asians, Irish to White... I wouldn't care either...well I would...but just not make much of it.

Passenger has ADD imo. OCD or something... Complains so much. I feel like smacking him.

Send what in? At first glance, without at least one of the two people's consent in the car, this is a crime in Virginia.

-alex

just saying, i'd send it in. If it was mine. That's all. :cheers:

I do not let dealerships work on my cars. They typically don't care. Worse - most dealerships have morale and attitude problems in their service departments.

I pick my shops and let enthusiasts do the work. I also take care of my mechanics - bringing in coffees, sending holiday baskets etc. This approach has never been a problem for me.

Pick a good shop and be a good customer.

Humidor. It's a humidified storage box for cigars and tobacco. Or, you know, "other" stuff.

"WiFi" off. The camera has wifi built in so I can adjust the angle of the cameras with a preview, change settings, or pull clips. It's a BlackVue DR650GW-2CH.

My first order of business, before this video goes further, is to determine if it was legal for me to even record this in the first place. One could argue that if they didn't want to be recorded, they could have just switched it off, I made it really easy to do that.

My interpretation of that law that @kodyo quoted is that they are both one party, and I'm the other party. I could be very wrong about that so I'm contacting a lawyer about this.

Doubt you're considered a party as you weren't part of the conversation. Although I also don't think its illegal as its your property. Still doubt you will get anything or whatever it is you're trying to accomplish. Absolute best, I guess if its what you want, is he might get disciplined or fired.

Not sure what the big deal is and unless some type of physical damage or abuse happened to your car when they were driving I would not even show it to the dealership. Freedom of speech, the Techs can say what they want in private, as long as they get the job done.

Also in Virgina...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...ad0_story.html

I don't think he deserves 500k if his procedure went fine.

I think you have all missed the biggest revelation from this banter.
Do Ipods even still exist?!

I want to know more about Johnny who falsified the emissions test... Seems like a good guy to know if you live in VA lol

Edit: To listen go to 13:23

lol I know exactly where this is!

I changed my mind, find a lawyer sue the dealership for slander, pull the video down now so you have the chance to offer some goodwill and try to keep the guy anonymous.

That shit was pretty funny! Technicians are usually crude and that's all you have proof of. There is a reason they don't typically talk to customers nor would they want to. You basically wasted 30 minutes of their time, I would've been mouthy too!

I didn't watch the whole video but the parts I did watch didn't seem bad. I question why the passenger was even along for the ride though. He seemed like more a distraction than anything. Doesn't he have actual work to do?

lol, what? I don't think I'm ready to ruin people's lives just for money.

I unlisted the video this morning so it's not searchable on YouTube. I'm not doing anything until I'm sure I haven't violated anyone's privacy.

I believe most dealerships send two people on test drives as a method of reducing any abuse to company time or customer property, idea is that two co-workers will keep each other honest when they know they are both replaceable.

That comment was 75% a joke and 25% a suggestion to not sink your own ship if you plan on getting any recourse.

On a side note ...... it would seem to me that it would have been more productive for the owner/driver to drive (or at least go along) to point out what he/she is sensing .....:popcorn:


humfrz

trust me, it could be worse... depending on how my conversation with the GM goes on monday, I may post the vids here.

The point is dealerships sucks