A friend of mine just had her 3 month old car wrecked by the dealer who was doing a k service on it (basically an oil change) while “test driving” it. The dealer did not let her know, just put her in a rental car when she dropped it off for the service, then strung her along thinking it was just taking extra long to perform the maintenance. After it was all fixed they called her up to let her know she could pick up her car…. At the body shop. It looked like a backhoe ran over the front.

It is one of the larger Subaru dealerships in the area but I will not name names, as I don’t know if that is appropriate. She is not accepting the repaired car. The owner of the dealership and the GM yelled at her on the phone saying she was being unreasonable for wanting her car replaced. Since declining the car, they took away her loaner and she has had to arrange for her own transportation. She purchased this car from them and it was her first new car. They got her for the extended warranty and everything, which is why she was getting it serviced with them and not someone else in the first place.

Just wondering if those of you who practice law work on these sort cases. If you do shoot me a pm with your contact info so I can pass it along. I am sure she would really appreciate it.


Thanks in advance,
Waide

 

you can name the dealer so others can avoid...I would not consider this a flame thread...just a factual account of what happened...you should contact Subaru regarding the dealers actions and non-disclosure in this matter and get an attorney to write a letter to the dealership...do you have a local tv station that does investigative reports...they would love to have something like this

 

I know they have contacted one of the local news investigators, Ask Jessie of King 5 news. He actually interviewed her and filmed her making the call to the dealer and the conversation in which they were rude to her. So yes there is plenty of ammo against them. I am going to try and look up the Subaru US contact info unless someone on here knows it?

I have herd of this happening at out local pcar dealership with a gt3. But that is a car that cost six times more then hers at a dealership that is used to picky customers. I know cost shouldn’t matter but it always does. Plus I am sure the average gt3 owner is more inclined to have a close lawyer contact where as the average Subaru owner is more likely to have a REI membership and a frequent granola eaters member card.

If I had any litigation experience or time I would help her out, but I don’t. I know we have a couple of awesome lawyers on the board who like cars and can understand where she is coming from.

 

In Cali all auto dealers are licensed under DMV...if it is the same up there make sure your friend files a complaint...the Cali DMV website has a complaint form in pdf format...your DMV probably does as well....I am not clear if they attempted to hide the damage and repair from her completely (which is fraud) or if they explained what happened and said here it is we fixed it for you (which is not fraud but doesn't make it right since she now has the equivalent of a used vehicle with a carfax history)

 

Also contact the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint.

 

Best bet call her insurance, & let them know, she did not authorize the repairs, & there is a loss of value on the car. She might also file a police report about the accident, & get the dealerships insurance involved & get a rental car from them.

Yea, it would not hurt to "lawyer up". She can get all the lawyer fees paid when she wins. There is no way a dealership is allowed to fix a customers car with out their knowledge of damage they caused.

 

good thought Stealth

 

I was going to suggest Jesse Jones from King 5, but you're already ahead of me. Talk to Jag or John E. (I don't think he's on the forums much though). They might have some advice for you.

 

Jesus,,, sorry to hear about the mess, but I have no doubt the justice will raise her hand at the end.

 

Get a lawyer. Not sure if you read the thread on M5boards where dealer crashed a E60 M5 and said the damage was $2500, turned out to be $30+K and it got totaled.

And I dont think they can repair the car without the owners consent.

Call Jag.

 

Is it Chaplins? If so, I'm not surprised. When I worked at Toyota, I would hear cars from over there screeching tires and the lot attendants driving way too fast.

 

That is horrible! Just a couple weeks back we had a Pontiac GTO go airborne landing in my office parking lot. I heard it was a near by mechanic shop "test driving" the car trying to pinpoint the whistling noise the customer was complaining about and apparently felt the need to take the turn at high speed.

 

Wtf??!!

 

Park the car in front of the dealer ship with lots of signs on it and note explaining the dealers actions. Make sure it is on public property. They will want it out of there fast. Hit them in the pocket book because that is all they understand. MB blew be off until I started parking in front of there dealers. They replaced and 05 with an 06. My dealer Phil Smart did not care a bit. But MB of Bellevue cared. Wanted to know why I was there. My dealer was closed and the problem was with MB. They called MB and bingo, lots of action then. New car burned a quart of oil every 400 miles and smoke more than my diesel. MB said that was acceptable. Wrong.

Lesson #2 -I have cost Phil Smart MB over $500,000 in sales since 06.
I send them to Bellevue. Bellevue loves me and calls me all the
time thanking me for sending customers there way.

Lesson #3- I will never own another MB period! F em. Bellevue has tried
to win me back. MB has the worse customer service I have
seen. Very similar to my Dodge dealer at the time surprisingly.