I'd like to share with you my story about Subaru customer service.

[fika84]

Originally Posted by Pat

I agree with you. It is important to treat everyone professionally and courteously. I have no doubt that is the case. Anyone here that knows me will not question me on that.
You assumed I took notes because I expected something bad to happen. Your assumption is incorrect. You go on to "bet" on that incorrect assumption, fabricating a false image of the situation. The fact is, your impression of the situation is way off base.
Pay attention to the facts as they are written. You seem to have a good imagination.

The facts state that you were told to never return to a dealership by the GM... you keep brushing this aside. It's in your notes and it's a very important detail. Only assholes that don't treat people professionally and courteously are kicked out of dealerships. And if my reason for you taking notes is incorrect, then please correct me. Instead of just stating my assumption is incorrect.

[Pat]

Originally Posted by fika84

Only assholes that don't treat people professionally and courteously are kicked out of dealerships.

I understand why you would think this. I used to think this, too. Then I learned it is possible for people that don't treat others professionally to be the ones kicking others out of their dealerships. In this case, treating others unprofessionally includes baseless accusations of a client lying to him (the GM). It doesn't get much less professional than that. Especially when it happens three times in one conversation.

Take a minute to read the part about that visit to the dealership again. You'll see the, "...GM asked me if I drift the car. I told him I did not. He asked if I race the car. I told him I did not. I told him I am a driving instructor with the National Auto Sport Association, but never drift or race. Around this point in the conversation, Matt seemed to develop a strong affinity for interrupting people. I pointed it out a couple times, and he confirmed it was rude behavior. Then he accused me of drifting the car, which I again told him NEVER happens."

That's about as unprofessional as it gets. I already had decided I didn't want to have that dealership working on my car anymore, but when he told me he didn't want to see me back there, I was shocked. It makes me wonder if he was embarrassed that the mechanic he claimed was "excellent" did garbage work yet again.

[fika84]

Originally Posted by Pat

I understand why you would think this. I used to think this, too. Then I learned it is possible for people that don't treat others professionally to be the ones kicking others out of their dealerships. In this case, treating others unprofessionally includes baseless accusations of a client lying to him (the GM). It doesn't get much less professional than that. Especially when it happens three times in one conversation.

Take a minute to read the part about that visit to the dealership again. You'll see the, "...GM asked me if I drift the car. I told him I did not. He asked if I race the car. I told him I did not. I told him I am a driving instructor with the National Auto Sport Association, but never drift or race. Around this point in the conversation, Matt seemed to develop a strong affinity for interrupting people. I pointed it out a couple times, and he confirmed it was rude behavior. Then he accused me of drifting the car, which I again told him NEVER happens."

That's about as unprofessional as it gets. I already had decided I didn't want to have that dealership working on my car anymore, but when he told me he didn't want to see me back there, I was shocked. It makes me wonder if he was embarrassed that the mechanic he claimed was "excellent" did garbage work yet again.

I think he didn't want you back because you seem impossible to please throughout your entire ordeal. You held them to unacceptable standards and he realized he couldn't please you so he told you to not return. It's not uncommon. In the end I think there were things that could have been handled differently on both ends, but if I were the GM, I would've done the same thing. You can't please everyone and sometimes it's best to cut the ties before things get even more out of hand.

[stugray]

Originally Posted by Pat

"...GM asked me if I drift the car. I told him I did not. He asked if I race the car. I told him I did not. I told him I am a driving instructor with the National Auto Sport Association, but never drift or race..

100% Positive that at his point the GM thought to himself "Yeah SURE".

Originally Posted by Pat

Around this point in the conversation, Matt seemed to develop a strong affinity for interrupting people. I pointed it out a couple times, and he confirmed it was rude behavior. Then he accused me of drifting the car, which I again told him NEVER happens." .

This is exactly the part that I KEYED UPON.
You clearly stated that you use the car for something that they consider "Not normal use".
Being a driving instructor in this car is NOT considered "normal".
That is WHY he began treating you this way.
I am certain that he considered YOU the one to be disingenuous (using the PC term here) at this point.

I HIS head using the car for driving instruction on a track is exactly the type of thing they consider to be in violation of the warranty.
Yet YOU continued to act as if it wasn't.
A NORMAL person would have understood this and bowed to THEM when they agreed to do the work anyway.
I am positive that the GM thought he was doing YOU the favor by working on the car at all at this point.
Then in their opinion, you continued to be an ass at every possible opportunity.


To the point of the warranty Using the car for driving instruction is precisely the type of thing that they deny warranty work for.
If not we should tell the rental place that rents 86s to "drive" on the nurburgring that their cars SHOULD be covered under warranty since they are not "racing".

[Premium 615]

Wow... thought this thread would've died by now lol

[strat61caster]

What's to argue? The relationship and past dealings are done, Pat has a part the dealership 'fixed' that is now operating worse then before and they will not stand behind their own work.

Disgraceful regardless of how it was handled, the car owner could have taken a shit on the dealerships lawn for all I care, they have not performed quality work for a "paying" customer.

[2013GTRNate]

AutoNation has a very bad reputation. Many large companies conduct themselves as the OP has documented so well. I almost purchased a GT-R from AutoNation but for this kind of business. I sympathize with the OP and hope that he finds resolution to this issue. BUT PLEASE do not classify SUBARU as a brand as all bad because AutoNation is HOT GARBAGE... I have had excellent experiences with Frank Subaru in San Diego, CA and Heuberger Subaru in Colorado Springs, CO.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by stugray

100% Positive that at his point the GM thought to himself "Yeah SURE".




This is exactly the part that I KEYED UPON.
You clearly stated that you use the car for something that they consider "Not normal use".
Being a driving instructor in this car is NOT considered "normal".
That is WHY he began treating you this way.
I am certain that he considered YOU the one to be disingenuous (using the PC term here) at this point.

I HIS head using the car for driving instruction on a track is exactly the type of thing they consider to be in violation of the warranty.
Yet YOU continued to act as if it wasn't.
A NORMAL person would have understood this and bowed to THEM when they agreed to do the work anyway.
I am positive that the GM thought he was doing YOU the favor by working on the car at all at this point.
Then in their opinion, you continued to be an ass at every possible opportunity.


To the point of the warranty Using the car for driving instruction is precisely the type of thing that they deny warranty work for.
If not we should tell the rental place that rents 86s to "drive" on the nurburgring that their cars SHOULD be covered under warranty since they are not "racing".

Again... Its not about the transmission being replaced, because it was. In hindsight, Pat should have been told to "GTFO you're an asshole, you're breaking the rules and you're a horrible human being. You have a spring, you f**king imbecile." We get it. Its a black and white world, maaan.

The big problem at hand, again, is that Pat was treated poorly, period from the get-go. It's also how the situation was handled AFTER the warranty work was completed, i.e. the loud noises and how he was told to f**k off repeatedly when it was *their* work that caused the problem. This isn't a situation of just not being able to make someone happy, Its a problem with communication, accountability, and follow through.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by 2013GTRNate

BUT PLEASE do not classify SUBARU as a brand as all bad because AutoNation is HOT GARBAGE...

I believe Subaru of America has supported both dealerships decision to not stand behind their work.

If the corporate office won't stand behind their products or servicemen's work how exactly are we supposed to classify the brand?

Don't forget that this is a company that packaged an SCCA membership with their flagship performance vehicle and would have no problem denying any claim that looked to be related to autocrossing:

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news...makers-are-not

For a kick, this thread is from 2002:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183089

[Pat]

I have an update on the situation. After a few more incidents of terrible service costing me several hours of time, Subaru has determined the transmission they gave me last time is malfunctioning. When I spoke with the engineer about it a couple weeks ago I told him I thought the likely culprit was the input shaft being out of balance, but for whatever reason it took them a few days to come to the same conclusion.
I should have a new transmission in the car within a week. I am highly skeptical this will go smoothly based on my experience with them to date, but am hopefully they will finally correct the problem they introduced over two months ago.

[Pat]

They have now had my car for ten days. I just spoke with the service manager. They don't have the parts in stock to do the work yet, and still do not have a positive diagnosis for the problem they created two months ago. I learned this after making four calls to the dealership and speaking with five different people over the last week. No one seems to be able to call me after telling me they that they will.

[nisti]

I read your entire post and can say I support Pat.
Customer Service is not reserved for "cool guys" or "patient" people.
Everyone deserves the same experience regardless of background/history/or etiquette.

Being local to your area, I am glad to have avoided situation like yours.
Owning both "family" Subaru's and "performance" Subaru's.
Don't be discouraged by posters here bashing your personality and mannerisms.
There are many of us I'm sure who have read your post and hope you receive a swift end to this whole mess and move on to loving your BRZ.

Keep us posted.

[stugray]

So you took it back to the same dealer?
You dont mention that....

Originally Posted by stugray

Funny that the dealer that I said I had excellent luck with is less than an hour from you but you didnt bother to ask which one....

Your loss

And WHY ITF would you let the dealer have your car for a trans swap when they dont have the parts in stock??????

At the dealer I use, they diagnose a problem, tell me they will fix it, order the parts and give me back my car.

Then they contact me when they have all the parts in house.....

AND once when they got part of the way into a repair and realized there was another part they needed they put my car back together and told me I could pick it up because they needed to wait for the new parts to come in.

This seems like the dog that keeps chewing on shoes just because it craves the attention it gets when it gets the shit beat out of it.

Originally Posted by nisti

Everyone deserves the same experience regardless of background/history/or etiquette.

Interesting world you live in.

[tyrantcf]

Originally Posted by nisti

Everyone deserves the same experience regardless of background/history/or etiquette.

Lol what? Have you ever worked in the service industry?

Even if that's how things should be, that just isn't realistic when you're talking about humans.