MoDrift

iTrader: (1)

I bought my WRX from Carlsen in 2002 and had some service done as well... was basically pretty happy - no hassles (they were actually great on my warrantied clutch shudder). Went back earlier this year to do some STi shopping and wasn't really impressed and got a general "bah, whatever dude. It's your privilege to be buying from me" kinda vibe. Called Santa Cruz the next morning and was driving my new car back home before lunch time. Amazing sales people, amazing service people - absolutely painless purchase... it's the only Subaru dealership around here that I want to give my money to.

Disclaimer of course, a lot of people have had great service from Carlsen, but to me it doesn't seem to feel like the Carlsen that they used to be. Santa Cruz Subaru rocks.

mexicanpizza

iTrader: (9)

I've had nothing but great things to say about Carlsen...but I've been hearing more and more bad experiences.

I think it's most likely due to the fact that they HAVE to be the busiest service department in California. Try to get an appointment and it takes 2 weeks...unacceptable from a business perspective. If you have customers lining up out the door you should hire more techs and stay open longer hours (or even on Sat/Sun like Santa Cruz is doing now!)

Anyway...

Kenn

iTrader: (1)

I used to hang around the BMW community a lot and I think the feedback works the same way: dealers get awards, incentives, and holdbacks from positive feedback, and a single "unsatisfactory" response requires 4-5 "excellents" to cancel it out. And it's NEVER anonymous - if you give bad feedback, dealers have been known to call and beg/bribe/harass/threaten you to change it. Your banning sucks, it sounds like it's part of the same kind of overemphasis on feedback responses to judge/rank dealers...

mmboost

iTrader: (2)

They [edit: Steven's Creek] prolly get bad feedback all the time and don't care because they lie, cheat and steal enough gullable people to make more than enough money over what they lose due to the same bad practices. Some businesses take pride in their reputation, and some would rather get away with being unscupulous... just like some individuals. So SCS doesn't give a rats **** about it. If a customer is dumb enough to keep coming back to a busines like that, more power to SCS. I would gather at one point they hurt their reputation with the manufacturer so bad that trying to regain a postitive reputation seems like a dismally long journey. But instead of opting to bite the bullet and treat people right they lie, cheat and steal to make enough money to make up for lost dealer incentives.

I'm sure every dealership fears being in that same hole. The way to avoid it is to provide excellent service. We don't know what was put on that report... maybe there were some choice words or some unreasonable things said. Honestly, on this board, I'm prone to think the 18-to-20-somethings who complain often are usually not telling the whole story - yeah, I could be wrong, but its not like I don't have cause to think this way American 20 year old males often have trouble knowing when to not claim their rights very loudly. Dealerships in general, however, have a bad enough reputation to begin with. That is why this manufacturer awards processes began. Whatever the original complaint, unless it was just blatantly filthy and untrue, the dealership should bend backwards.

jason

HellaDumb

iTrader: (3)

Yeah... they hooked me up with a scratch, too =). I'm 90% sure they broke my inner fender/fender mount as well when I had my clutch done, too =(.

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

I am VERY patient with these sort of things, and usually don't take stuff too seriously. But, my experiences with Carlsen Subaru's service department has conviced me to do two things:

1. Cash in my 6yr/100k warranty (you know, for something useful)
2. Have MPJ Performance do anything my car needs that I can't do.

I have HAD IT with the bs crap I have had to deal with at the dealership so far. Everything I want looked at ends up being a chess game to get something even done, and usually the end result is blamed on me since I do my own maintenance. I am very dissappointed to say the least.

Until this point, my complaints and etc about this dealership were always in brackets (ie: I went to [dealership] today) but after reading this, I'm done. I may take some time later on and recount as best I can the stuff I have been thru over there.

-Jacob

-j-

iTrader: (2)

wombatsauce,

Can you give us some tips on how to cash out that 6 yr warranty? I will be doing the same as you. I just left MPJ a note for my service that's coming up. Thanks!

wombatsauce

iTrader: (7)

Sure.. I just got my VIN and a few minutes to call and they are on EST hours and closed now.. Guess I will try tomorrow. I was told they pro-rate the warranty and credit you back any 'unused' warranty time. Since mine hasn't started yet, I am hoping to get the whole thing back. We will see tomorrow.

BTW - they did mention something about calling the dealer if you got yours when you got your car. I got mine ~3mos after on a promo from Subaru Added Insecurity so your results may vary.

-Jacob

-j-

iTrader: (2)

Thanks. I'll do the same. I just test drove the Magnum by the way. I am so bent out of shape with this whole thing. That thing is awesome!

BluBuru

It would be interesting to put some pressure on them...

Say: Unban buglerex and offer him a contrite appology, or I-club will send one member a week to your dealership with the express mission of torpedoing your evaluation average.

I bet that would get some attention.

M

bugelrex

.. but seriously, is any dealership worth 'begging' to "take money". I'm not going back to Carlsen, i'll take my money somewhere else. I just wanted to make people aware when filling in surveys

BluBuru

Hmm. you're on to something...

...include lots of personal flattery about the service manager!

Brilliant!

(joking),
Mike

mmboost

iTrader: (2)

Almost makes you wanna go MOPAR doesn't it? OK, not really. But it leaves a bad taste in my mouth for Subaru when I buy my next car. TT'ing a VQ35 in a G35 coupe sounds very, very tastey.

jason

-j-

iTrader: (2)

My thoughts exactly. I actually went to for a Magnum R/T test drive after I heard of this bull. That car is a brute! I was already dead set on getting a Forester too. Not with these crazy stuff going on.