The short story goes like this: I brought my brand new car in for its first oil change at the Livermore Subaru dealership. This is the same dealer I bought the car from. They crashed my Forester (probably into the brick pillar in the parking lot), and refused to pay for any repairs. They wanted their body shop to do the work, and said I had no choice in the matter. This body shop suggested using bondo to repair the fender, and stated they would have to paint the hood which was not damaged, in an effort to blend the paint job. The body shop tells me the hood will be prone to chipping, and the factory warranty will obviously be void. To top it off, this shop guarantees their work for only 1 year. After almost a month of arguing with Livermore Subaru, I had my insurance fix my car AT A COST TO ME of $1000 (to cover my deductible). I took it to the body shop Ive dealt with for 5 years. They were able to match the paint perfectly, and did not need to paint the hood, they have a lifetime warranty too. Had I bent over and let Livermore Subaru repair my car, Im certain I'd have a fender full of bondo guaranteed not to fall off within a year. After that year I'd likely be forking out to have my car repaired properly.
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Now here's the long story:
12-18-03
I brought my 2004 Forester in for an alignment and its first oil change at 2800 miles.
12-19-03
The dealership returns my car and pretends everything is normal. I look at the car and there are huge dents and scratches (matching the color of their building) totaling approximately $2500. They try to tell me the car was like that when I dropped it off, they went so far as to say "it was noted on your repair order". I looked through all the paper work I had been given, and there was no mention of body damage. I even remember the service writer inspecting the car for damage when I dropped off the car, there was obviously no damage. After about a week of me pestering them, they finally produced their repair order. ON THE BACK of the repair order were some notes stating "there was body damage before I drove the car, even ask Leo, I didn't do it". It was not written in the blank space designated for recording body damage, it had obviously been written after the fact.
The service manager Sam tells me; "leave the car with us, and the damage will be fixed by our body shop, "trust us", we will do a good job; oh and by the way, your factory paint warranty is now void", you will have to rely on our body shop to warranty your new car now, "you have no choice".
Obviously this raises a red flag, so I decide to take it to their body shop in person. This body shop suggests using bondo to repair the fender, rather than replace it. I'm also informed the paint on the hood will be more prone to chipping because they cannot bake the paint at the high temperature done from the factory. Their written estimate states their work is guaranteed for only 1 year. Having 4 complaints with the better business bureau does not inspire much confidence either. Had I blindly trusted Livermore Subaru's pushy sales manager, a fender full of Bondo and a 1 year guarantee is what I'd likely be dealing with. Livermore Subaru would have effectively done the cheapest repair possible and I would have no other recourse than to deal with their body shop. I can hear the body shops response now, "you get what you pay for". Since Livermore Subaru would be paying the body shop directly, I probably wouldn't even have a reciept.
I had gotten two other quotes from reputable body shops, neither would consider trying to repair the fender. In addition they are confident they can match the paint accurately, and may not need to blend the hood. This would keep the factory warranty in place for the hood, the most likely place for paint issues (especially with the turbo model). These shops have a lifetime warranty for their work, and I have dealt with one them for over 5 years.
So currently my choices are:
a) take my car to the bondo factory and "trust" they will do a good job, deal with a voided factory warranty on a brand new car, and hope the body work will last longer than the 1 year guarantee.
b) take my car to the body shop I've known for 5 years, hopefully keep the factory paint on my hood, pay my insurance collision deductible of $1000 and sue Livermore Subaru to get my money back.
c) continue to beat this issue into the ground, be complaint no. 9 on Livermore Subarus better business bureau report (hopefully changing their "satisfactory" status to "unsatisfactory") and file a complaint to Subaru of America and/or bureau of automotive repair.
d) use the internet to inform the online community of the poor treatment I've received.
e) everything except a
12-24-03
Still waiting for the head manager of Livermore Subaru to call me back, its been 4 days. I've called every day, but apparently he is a very busy guy. I just spent 25k at your dealership, and a month later this is the treatment I receive?!? Typically when someone wrecks your car, you at least get an apology.
12-29-03
Still waiting... its been 10 days
12-29-03 11am
I called the dealership and was told again "the owner is not here", so I left ANOTHER message with the secretary; AGAIN.
12-29-03 3pm
I stopped by the dealership and heard the owners name called over the intercom, they were paging him for a phone call!!!
I told the front desk girl to page him for me, she looked around for a second and finally paged him; "customer waiting". The owner never showed up, and one of the managers I had dealt with before took me to his office. He finally gave me an apology and "informed" me this issue is going to be resolved here and now. We had a yelling match for about half an hour, and he brought in the other manager to tag team me.
When I ask them about the "1 year warranty" they were so insistent their body shop had a "lifetime paint warranty", the two of them just kept repeating it over and over. Technically they are not lying but they are being extremely deceptive. My quote, and their quote clearly state IN WRITING "1-year work guarantee, 2 stage paint is warranted for life". A 1-year work guarantee basically means "We guarantee the bondo won't fall off within 1 year".
Later that day I called and told them to put it in writing that I have a "lifetime work guarantee", and the inside of the fender will match the color of the engine compartment, then I'll consider their bodyshop for repairs. They tell me "the lifetime warranty is already stated on my quote".
I asked if someone has filed an SR-1 accident report (required by California DMV for any accident over $750), Livermore Subaru claims this is not an accident, it's "lot damage". They way I see it, someone crashed my car into something, lot damage is the result of an accident.
12-29-03 10:40pm
Woops, someone leaked the story!!! I was waiting to buy a domain before this page went public.
Amazing, 276 views and 14 replies in 3 days, poll shows choice e) received 100% of the vote
http://www.i-club.com/forums
12-30-03
After dealing with Subaru one last time, I decide to take my car to the shop of my choice and pay my $1000 collision deductible. After spending 11 days fighting with the dealer, who would be stupid enough to trust them. Bottom line is this, Livermore Subaru crashed my car, I will not be forced into having my car serviced by a shop I don't trust. It is my right as a consumer when dealing with an insurance company to choose where my car is repaired. Livermore Subaru insists on paying for repairs themselves "keeping it off the books", off their insurance and off DMV records in an attempt to save some money. I'm not going to let this happen, I'm getting the insurance companies involved, DMV involved, and I'm going to let the world know what treatment I've been receiving.
Later that day I get a fax from Livermore Subaru's repair shop stating parts have been ordered to repair my car!?! WTF?!? I obviously didn't authorize this. There is a side note stating repairs are warranted for as long as I own the car. Well, at least they indirectly acknowledge it WAS only a 1 year warranty.
1-12-04
Got my car back from my Auto Body shop, they did not have to paint the hood, everything looks great. I've given Livermore Subaru one last chance to make this right before going to court. I explain to them that the repair job on my car only cost $1500, their own bodyshop's quote for the same work was $2200. They are completely retarded, why not make me a satisfied customer and save $700?
1-13-04
Livermore Subaru finally issued me a reimbursment check. Don't believe for one second this means Im a satisfied customer.
Sorry Livermore Subaru, you've lost me as a future customer. Rest assured you've potentially lost another
customers.
3-02-04
Success, 2 new complaints have been added to Livermore Subarus BBB report.
p.s. I believe the same "person" (being polite) owns Livermore Audi, Livermore Jaguar, and Livermore Honda.
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