Subaru Dealer Blacklist (Surprise markups and other shady dealings)

[Dark]

Originally Posted by aphonic

I'd add Carlsen Subaru in Redwood City, CA to the list.

The salesman, Chris Bowers, sounded scummy, gave a very rehearsed spiel reminiscent of other posts in this thread and confirmed they're charging $1k over MSRP.

Charging over MSRP is not the issue. We only list the dealers that dishonor the deal they said they would.

[LSxJunkie]

Originally Posted by Dark

Charging over MSRP is not the issue. We only list the dealers that dishonor the deal they said they would.

This. There is no issue until they PROMISE to charge X, receive orders, and then later say they will be charging X+markup.

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by RadChem

Im having issues with my dealer.

I put down $300 in January and was the first in line. I went in on order day and gave them all my info and they said they would put it in that evening. I asked them then if they knew what there allotment and whether it would be at msrp. Their reply was no info on allotment and price was unknown but it might be above msrp depending on demand.

Went in today and asked the same questions. Not only had they not put my order in they refused to put in my order because I mentioned that I talked with another dealer who would sell me the car at MSRP when it came out.

ugh...

If they didn't promise you MSRP, or a set price (ex: MSRP+$500) when you first put your deposit down, then they didn't really lie to you or change their mind. Only dealers who have gone back on their word/correspondence are getting added to the list.

[LSxJunkie]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

If they didn't promise you MSRP, or a set price (ex: MSRP+$500) when you first put your deposit down, then they didn't really lie to you or change their mind. Only dealers who have gone back on their word/correspondence are getting added to the list.

Yes, but if they don't give him his deposit back, I'd say put 'em on the list. That's obscene. I wouldn't want to ever deal with a group of scumbags like that. I'm of the opinion that the blacklist should be for dishonesty, period. They jerk you around on service? Blacklist. They promise you X and give you Y? Blacklist.

If they're forthcoming about their noncompetitive pricing, do the service that you request but doesn't solve your problem, or any other manner of issue where they have not lied, but you don't like the result, no blacklist.

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by LSxJunkie

Yes, but if they don't give him his deposit back, I'd say put 'em on the list. That's obscene. I wouldn't want to ever deal with a group of scumbags like that.

Agreed, we'll have to wait and get more information.

[Turbowned]

I spoke to the General Sales Manager at Planet Subaru in Hanover, MA and he was a car nut who was very helpful and straightforward about everything; spent about 20-30 min. talking to me and a friend. To him, it doesn't matter if they charge markup on the car; they're only getting 5 between now and Nov. and $1k over MSRP for 5 cars is more or less a drop in the bucket. However he feels the owner will expect that they do so simply because of limited availability, and it makes sense.

He likened it to Subaru's STi limited in 2007, where they offered a limited production run of just 800 units at the same price as a standard STi... There was no point in ordering a basic car if the Limited was the same price, so they adjusted it upward to "thin the herd", so to speak. At the time there was nothing else in that price segment to compare to, so it worked. With the BRZ however, breaking into the $30k range means all sorts of competition from cars with much more power like the STi, Evo, 370Z, Genesis 3.8, etc. Therefore they don't want to add too much markup and put themselves out of the competition. He also mentioned that Subaru of New England would announce their pricing a few days after Subaru of America, as they expect it to be a few hundred higher due to the "Boch tax" (Ernie Boch owns the distribution center for the Northeast, he gets a % of every Subie sold).

Bottom line: Planet Subaru is a safe bet for ordering a car and getting honest information and treatment. They're requiring a $2,000 refundable deposit to ensure that the first five orders will be serious buyers. I can agree with that seeing as some places aren't even requiring a monetary deposit, so I could see a lot of orders being dropped once info is released.

[aphonic]

Originally Posted by LSxJunkie

This. There is no issue until they PROMISE to charge X, receive orders, and then later say they will be charging X+markup.

Ah, gotcha. My bad. In that case, Carlsen's off the hook.

I'm sure it's not unique, but I still find it strange that a dealer within such a major metro area with ~10 Subaru dealerships spread around that they're willing to be the only charging over MSRP (from the 8 dealers I've spoken to so far.)

[tranzformer]

^ Love how he suckered you in to believing it was ok to charge a markup on the car. He must have been one smooth salesman.

[uspspro]

Originally Posted by aphonic

Ah, gotcha. My bad. In that case, Carlsen's off the hook.

I'm sure it's not unique, but I still find it strange that a dealer within such a major metro area with ~10 Subaru dealerships spread around that they're willing to be the only charging over MSRP (from the 8 dealers I've spoken to so far.)

I have the #1 slot at Carlsen... agreement was for MSRP.

[GodSays]

Subaru of Glendale. 5000$ mark up. $5000 dollar deposit. Need I say more?

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by GodSays

Subaru of Glendale. 5000$ mark up. $5000 dollar deposit. Need I say more?

Dealers have every right to mark up the car as much as they'd like. It's the ones that lie to customers and promise something different whether verbally, or in writing that we have a problem with.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by uspspro

I have the #1 slot at Carlsen... agreement was for MSRP.

Have you talked to them recently?

They might get on the list afterall..

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

Dealers have every right to mark up the car as much as they'd like. It's the ones that lie to customers and promise something different whether verbally, or in writing that we have a problem with.

Yeah, although a thread of dealers who are charging crazy markups can still be mentioned, but maybe in another thread? If nothing else it saves people the time of bothering to call them. Not that I'm looking for a dealer but if I were in his area his post would have saved me the effort of contacting them.

[Dark]

Originally Posted by tranzformer

^ Love how he suckered you in to believing it was ok to charge a markup on the car. He must have been one smooth salesman.

I was told by a saleman markup is ok. I suddenly walked out without even saying anything.