- Report: #66993
Complaint Review: Carr Subaru - Subaru Of America - Beaverton Oregon
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Carr Subaru - Subaru Of America
11635 Canyon Rd Beaverton, 97005 Oregon, U.S.A.
Phone:
503-672-3318
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Carr Subaru Subaru Of America ripoff- Fraud 2002 subaru WRX demo car with history of mechanical problems sold as new (w/16000mi) Beaverton Oregon
This is my third Subaru and the second one I purchased from Carr Auto Group. My family has bought several cars from this dealership since the 70's, but this may be the last based on my most recent experiences with this Subaru.
I am requesting that this lemon automobile be replaced with the new one that I originally asked for, or at the very least the dealer honor all future warranty repair work without the excuses and threats to not cover repairs, as they have done in recent months.
On November 27, 2002 I had my previous 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS (also purchased at Carr) in for minor repairs. I had been looking into the new WRX for a few weeks and had considered purchasing a brand new one. I tried to test drive a 2003 WRX but the salesman, Mike Jones, steered me to a used model because they don't let customers test drive the new ones.
While driving the 2002 I had noticed that first gear ground in while shifting at about 5 mph. I asked Mike Hey, what was that? My Subaru never did that!' the reply I got was Subaru beefed up these transmissions since your 2.5RS and they are known for doing that, nothing to worry about. Mike brought me into the showroom and set me up with the sales manager Larry. I informed Larry that I didn't want a used car I wanted a new 2003. Larry tells me no problem walks into some back office and comes back five minutes later and tells me I can't be approved for a new one but they could get me approved for the used one. Larry then assured me this used car was pristine and that it was a lease return.
We negotiated a payment amount, but I felt uneasy about buying a used car and I was by then late to an appointment. I asked Larry if I could test drive the car a little more before purchasing it by driving it to my appointment so I could also show it to my family. Larry told me no way, that is not allowed at Carr Subaru and the only way I would drive the car off the lot is if I signed the papers. Against my better judgment, I went ahead and agreed to purchase the car. Larry went ahead and set me up with Dupree Haney.
I went through and signed most of the papers when Dupree says you know this is a demo car and it will be sold to you as a new car. I informed Dupree I felt uneasy about buying a Demo model because they usually are beaten pretty hard. He then tells me I remember that car; it belonged to one of the Vice Presidents of Subaru. This was soon followed by I assure you the guy who previously drove the car was older and took the best care of the car and I don't think he would be the type to beat on the car.
All paperwork taken care of I went out to the newly purchased WRX and went straight home to pickup my girlfriend so we could go to the party. On the way we both started hearing rattles throughout the interior followed by a loud exhaust leak/rattle near where the turbo is. Since this was thanksgiving weekend I waited till after thanksgiving to take the car back.
After taking the car back the following Monday I explained to Larry my dissatisfaction with the car and that I didn't want this vehicle any longer because I still felt it had driven very hard and that it would be a lemon and that I felt the car had been rally raced off road (because of the rattles and dings in the vehicle) and that it had aftermarket parts such as a down pipe (explaining the exhaust leak/rattle).
Once again Larry assured me there was nothing wrong with this car and the only thing that has ever needed to be done with the car is the scheduled maintenance. Larry also assured me that if they had to replace everything inside the car to make it work properly that they would do so.
As I took the car into the shop to get the many various rattles checked out and the exhaust leak fixed. I began my conversations with Bernie Russnogle. I explained to Bernie that I didn't want to even drive this car off the lot, that this is my second new Subaru purchased thru Carr and that I needed to have something worked out. Bernie assured me that he would talk to the VP of Carr Auto Group and either get me into a new car or get my old one back.
Since the VP was not there I came back the following day and Bernie pretty much blew me off by forwarding me to the GSM who I haggled with for several hours and the best solution he could come up with is to take my new/used' WRX in as a trade for $4000 less that what I had just paid a few days ago and sell me a brand new on for $1000 more than I had paid for it. So not wanting to take a $5000 bath, I walked out of his office. About that time my car was finished getting serviced and I drove it listening for any possible rattle or leak. Yup! They are still there!
I took the car back again for the same problems and yet again explained to Bernie how dissatisfied I was and he asked me how my meeting with the GSM went and I informed him that I was dissatisfied with the GSM's response. Bernie pretty much told me that was the best they could do.
A couple months later I received some new speakers for my Subaru as a Christmas present. When I took the car to the local Car Stereo City for installation, they pointed out a massive amount of double sided tape that Carr's service department used to muffle the rattle I was hearing, an apparent substandard warranty repair as shown in the pictures below.
After driving the car for a few miles, my friends and I noticed the transmission was grinding into fourth. For several months I tried to ensure it was mechanical and not my driving, and when I was certain that the most careful clutch techniques could not keep the transmission from grinding, I took the car back to Carr Subaru, AGAIN! I talked to Ryan Hertel.
They test drove the car a determined there was a problem with the transmission and that it would need to be overhauled. However, Ryan tells me that since this is the second transmission that has been in this car that the warranty rep would have to come inspect for customer abuse. My response was something like WHAT!!!! Back things up a second You mean to tell me this is the second transmission that this car has had!?! What other kinds of service has this car had that I don't know about??? Ryan went through the service records and found well, it had a stage 1 turbo kit, check engine light problems, and at one time lost all turbo boost. I had Ryan print off copies of all the service records for the car.
Once the mechanic got the transmission apart I got a call from Ryan who told me the transmission was most likely due to abuse. I immediately went down to the dealership and talked to the mechanics and looked at the gears for myself. I saw very light wear on the first and fourth gear syncros and one of the mechanics tells me its caused by the shifting forks missing a thick Teflon coating because the part was defective.
I talked to Chris Bradshaw and explained that this transmission has been doing this since new and he agreed it was a defective part. However he did tell me how reluctant they would be to warrantee the transmission in the future because it is most likely from resting your hand on the gearshift. He also assured me the car should be fine from now on and the guy who drove the car before would never beat on it. Well, the new shifting forks came in and were installed. The mechanic test-drove the car and OOPS those are the wrong shift forks. I had to wait a couple of days longer for the correct forks to come in. Finally I get my car back!
Just a couple weeks ago I'm coming to a stop down Scholls Ferry rd when my car suddenly dies for no apparent reason. I called roadside assistance and waited for about a half an hour for a tow truck to show up. When the tow truck driver pulls up he asks, Let me guess, your transmission went out? I replied no, but funny you should say that because this car is on the third transmission.
The tow truck driver quickly replied I tow several of these a week to the Subaru dealership because the tranny goes out. The car is once again towed to Carr and the mechanics look at the car and can't figure out what the problem is. They try a new crank trigger, no help. They try the timing, no help. Finally they get frustrated and get me into a rental car. I came back the next Monday and the problem was the fuel pump had gone out.
It has been a most unpleasant experience as a result of the deceptions from the time of sale and throughout the first 8 months of repetitive mechanical problems since that time. I believe the recently divulged past service records prior to my purchase are indicative of ongoing problems with this lemon, and with the dealership who has not been able to correct the problems.
I would appreciate an immediate response and resolution to this problem.
Jeff
beaverton, Oregon
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Subaru
I am requesting that this lemon automobile be replaced with the new one that I originally asked for, or at the very least the dealer honor all future warranty repair work without the excuses and threats to not cover repairs, as they have done in recent months.
On November 27, 2002 I had my previous 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS (also purchased at Carr) in for minor repairs. I had been looking into the new WRX for a few weeks and had considered purchasing a brand new one. I tried to test drive a 2003 WRX but the salesman, Mike Jones, steered me to a used model because they don't let customers test drive the new ones.
While driving the 2002 I had noticed that first gear ground in while shifting at about 5 mph. I asked Mike Hey, what was that? My Subaru never did that!' the reply I got was Subaru beefed up these transmissions since your 2.5RS and they are known for doing that, nothing to worry about. Mike brought me into the showroom and set me up with the sales manager Larry. I informed Larry that I didn't want a used car I wanted a new 2003. Larry tells me no problem walks into some back office and comes back five minutes later and tells me I can't be approved for a new one but they could get me approved for the used one. Larry then assured me this used car was pristine and that it was a lease return.
We negotiated a payment amount, but I felt uneasy about buying a used car and I was by then late to an appointment. I asked Larry if I could test drive the car a little more before purchasing it by driving it to my appointment so I could also show it to my family. Larry told me no way, that is not allowed at Carr Subaru and the only way I would drive the car off the lot is if I signed the papers. Against my better judgment, I went ahead and agreed to purchase the car. Larry went ahead and set me up with Dupree Haney.
I went through and signed most of the papers when Dupree says you know this is a demo car and it will be sold to you as a new car. I informed Dupree I felt uneasy about buying a Demo model because they usually are beaten pretty hard. He then tells me I remember that car; it belonged to one of the Vice Presidents of Subaru. This was soon followed by I assure you the guy who previously drove the car was older and took the best care of the car and I don't think he would be the type to beat on the car.
All paperwork taken care of I went out to the newly purchased WRX and went straight home to pickup my girlfriend so we could go to the party. On the way we both started hearing rattles throughout the interior followed by a loud exhaust leak/rattle near where the turbo is. Since this was thanksgiving weekend I waited till after thanksgiving to take the car back.
After taking the car back the following Monday I explained to Larry my dissatisfaction with the car and that I didn't want this vehicle any longer because I still felt it had driven very hard and that it would be a lemon and that I felt the car had been rally raced off road (because of the rattles and dings in the vehicle) and that it had aftermarket parts such as a down pipe (explaining the exhaust leak/rattle).
Once again Larry assured me there was nothing wrong with this car and the only thing that has ever needed to be done with the car is the scheduled maintenance. Larry also assured me that if they had to replace everything inside the car to make it work properly that they would do so.
As I took the car into the shop to get the many various rattles checked out and the exhaust leak fixed. I began my conversations with Bernie Russnogle. I explained to Bernie that I didn't want to even drive this car off the lot, that this is my second new Subaru purchased thru Carr and that I needed to have something worked out. Bernie assured me that he would talk to the VP of Carr Auto Group and either get me into a new car or get my old one back.
Since the VP was not there I came back the following day and Bernie pretty much blew me off by forwarding me to the GSM who I haggled with for several hours and the best solution he could come up with is to take my new/used' WRX in as a trade for $4000 less that what I had just paid a few days ago and sell me a brand new on for $1000 more than I had paid for it. So not wanting to take a $5000 bath, I walked out of his office. About that time my car was finished getting serviced and I drove it listening for any possible rattle or leak. Yup! They are still there!
I took the car back again for the same problems and yet again explained to Bernie how dissatisfied I was and he asked me how my meeting with the GSM went and I informed him that I was dissatisfied with the GSM's response. Bernie pretty much told me that was the best they could do.
A couple months later I received some new speakers for my Subaru as a Christmas present. When I took the car to the local Car Stereo City for installation, they pointed out a massive amount of double sided tape that Carr's service department used to muffle the rattle I was hearing, an apparent substandard warranty repair as shown in the pictures below.
After driving the car for a few miles, my friends and I noticed the transmission was grinding into fourth. For several months I tried to ensure it was mechanical and not my driving, and when I was certain that the most careful clutch techniques could not keep the transmission from grinding, I took the car back to Carr Subaru, AGAIN! I talked to Ryan Hertel.
They test drove the car a determined there was a problem with the transmission and that it would need to be overhauled. However, Ryan tells me that since this is the second transmission that has been in this car that the warranty rep would have to come inspect for customer abuse. My response was something like WHAT!!!! Back things up a second You mean to tell me this is the second transmission that this car has had!?! What other kinds of service has this car had that I don't know about??? Ryan went through the service records and found well, it had a stage 1 turbo kit, check engine light problems, and at one time lost all turbo boost. I had Ryan print off copies of all the service records for the car.
Once the mechanic got the transmission apart I got a call from Ryan who told me the transmission was most likely due to abuse. I immediately went down to the dealership and talked to the mechanics and looked at the gears for myself. I saw very light wear on the first and fourth gear syncros and one of the mechanics tells me its caused by the shifting forks missing a thick Teflon coating because the part was defective.
I talked to Chris Bradshaw and explained that this transmission has been doing this since new and he agreed it was a defective part. However he did tell me how reluctant they would be to warrantee the transmission in the future because it is most likely from resting your hand on the gearshift. He also assured me the car should be fine from now on and the guy who drove the car before would never beat on it. Well, the new shifting forks came in and were installed. The mechanic test-drove the car and OOPS those are the wrong shift forks. I had to wait a couple of days longer for the correct forks to come in. Finally I get my car back!
Just a couple weeks ago I'm coming to a stop down Scholls Ferry rd when my car suddenly dies for no apparent reason. I called roadside assistance and waited for about a half an hour for a tow truck to show up. When the tow truck driver pulls up he asks, Let me guess, your transmission went out? I replied no, but funny you should say that because this car is on the third transmission.
The tow truck driver quickly replied I tow several of these a week to the Subaru dealership because the tranny goes out. The car is once again towed to Carr and the mechanics look at the car and can't figure out what the problem is. They try a new crank trigger, no help. They try the timing, no help. Finally they get frustrated and get me into a rental car. I came back the next Monday and the problem was the fuel pump had gone out.
It has been a most unpleasant experience as a result of the deceptions from the time of sale and throughout the first 8 months of repetitive mechanical problems since that time. I believe the recently divulged past service records prior to my purchase are indicative of ongoing problems with this lemon, and with the dealership who has not been able to correct the problems.
I would appreciate an immediate response and resolution to this problem.
Jeff
beaverton, Oregon
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Subaru
