Bad experience at Brooklyn Park Subaru.

Edited:

I took my Subaru, of 7200 miles in to get my tires rotated for the first time on Wednesday. Driving it home it felt like my car was pulling to the right. I didn't think too much of it because I thought it was the wind, although it felt kind of weird. I took it out again on Thursday night- my steering wheel was shakey over 50 mph, and my car was definately pulling to the right a lot. The next day I took it to the Subaru dealer who originally did the rotation and test drove. The service lady came out telling me that it was unbalanced on one side by 1 oz. and 14 something ???? on the other side? (I never had problems before the rotation, but there was no way I can prove it was the factory) and since it was a maintenance service I had to pay for it. I waited 1 hour and half, a pretty long time just for the balance (I thought). When I got into the car, for the 8 miles they test drove, it averaged 17.1 mpg. Even when I pushed my car, at 18 miles it averaged 23 to 24mpg. Maybe I'm over reacting but I thought I shouldn't have paid for the balance and 17.1 is a bit low for 8 miles on the highway. What do you guys think?

 

So you suspect they beat your can on the test ride?

 

I am scared to take my car to any if not ALL shops unless I know who's fixing it. I will probably take my PART to a shop.

 

winter gas is here

 

Write a letter to or talk directly with the service manager. I did this once after getting the runaround from 3 different people at a dealer (chevy, yuk= and they kept telling me no and I talked to the manager and got 150 bucks back!

 

She did tell me that they're unable to give out "information" on service stuff.....like torque specs.... etc..... viewing the service manual. It would be MY benefit instead of theirs because I would know how to fix if knowing the "spec" and they would lose me as a customer. BUT I BUY PARTS FROM THEM!!!!!!!!!!!

I get better info from Minnetonka now.

 

Well first of all what do you drive and where was it bought/leased? Personally I would go to the Service Manager, talking to this woman service writer is getting you nowhere. Explain the situation in a very calm manner and see what he says. If nothing good comes about your discussion your next step could be to talk to the GM. Finally if that doesn't go as planned tell the GM that you will take your service work else where and not refer people to this dealership. If you keep your calm through it then more than likely good things will happen.

While at the dealership this summer my car was broken into, the service department called me as soon as they found out and told me to come up there. After asking the service manager what the dealership was gonna do to repair my car and not getting the answers I wanted I went to the GM. After calmly explaining the situation to the GM his first words were we will order the parts a.s.a.p. and give you 50% off the parts. Well the following week I get a call that the parts are in and that it is no charge and that I can come get them anytime.

Ohh by the way welcome to MNSubaru!!

 

This doesn't make sense to me... How do you know that the rears were ever balanced? What you should do next is stop whinning about this and move on.

 

I think it was Holly. I obviously didn't push it as hard as whoever drove my car did. They did give me a discount. Which is great. But seriously, if you have own a new (08) Subaru Legacy, they have a on board computer that calculates the mpg according to how you drive. I set my tripodometer to 0 before I got out of my car and handing it to the service dpt.

Yup, I will take it to the Minnetonak Subaru from now on.

I bought my car in Whitebear. I will talk to the manager the next business day. Thanks. I finally got approve to post. Haha.

With 7200 miles on my 08 Legacy, and the way I've babied my car.. There is no way it was unbalanced from pot holes and sh--, cuz I've avoided everything I could have.

And let me beat the crap out of your car then, thanks.

 

Bielke, he has every right to be pissed off if something seems fishy. I'd be pretty pissed off too. I am not trying to rag on you or anything, just sayin.

 

I've worked service and warranty in my past. Just cause your so very careful doesn't mean somethings can't happen.

 

:+1: I've talked to Jeff about various issues with my car and he understands things do go wrong at times, but he's willing to help solve the problem (keep in mind, not bend over backwards and kiss your butt though). Give him a call or go there yourself and ask for him. He's a good guy.

 

anyone who knows cars knows you CAN and DO feel rear tires that are unbalanced.... you DONT feel them throught he steering wheel for obvious reasons (they arent attached to the steering rack etc) but you will feel your arse vibrating if it is bad.. even the car shakes more then if it is justa fornt wheel...

did you think that maybe by chance that a weight fell off during the rotate and they never saw it... although on the test drive they should have felt it.. but maybe it fell off after you left.. this crap does happen.... as far as 8 miles of test driving after a wheel balance... heck if it aint chaking once you hit 120 mph you dont need to go further... ha hah a I am kidding.. if it doesnt shake by 70mph then its golden... I can find that out in the first 400 meters... in under 15 secs on testing your car...

 

I really don't think you can rely on that trip computer to give an accurate average MPG for 8 miles. The one on our Tribeca is all over the map. It averages out over time, but 8 miles is just not enough distance to give a very accurate reading.

I'd be a little ticked if the tires weren't properly balanced from the factory, but as far as the mileage thing, imho, it just isn't enough evidence to get yourself all worked up over. If they had truly beat on the car it would have been a lot less than 17mpg.

 

I thought the trip computer was fairly accurate, when I first got my car the MPG reading was everywhere but after a few miles it was consistent. I was more pissed about the unbalanced tires, I do a lot of highway driving and very careful on local roadsl.

I was supprised when they took it for a test drive the first time they didn't noticed anything. Oh well, I guess sh- happens. It was just bad luck.

 

Keep in mind that area has a lot of traffic and lights depending on the route the test drive took they may have spent a bunch of time at lights or in stop and go traffic depending on the time of day. in that type of traffic the mileage display is worthless. As far as the out of balance tire yea should not of happened but wheel weights can come off, most likely to happen right after being balanced. Not to say I am pro any dealership but from personal experience I would rather deal with Morries than some of the others that are around here.

 

maybe you should have taken this issue a step farther with THEM and when/if they didnt figure out a way to make you happy you could come on here and start a hate thread (not just here, but on mnsc too) brooklyn park subaru and minnetonka subaru (me weeee!) support this club more then the other dealerships by offering discounted parts and labor, that doesnt mean you have to sacrifice service to get those things, but it sounds like you didnt really try to get them to resolve anything. ever hear of the phraze dont bite the hand that feeds? just my two cents.

 

Burnsville subaru ftw...
I know all the techs there, simply ask that you either ride in for the test drive, or do the test drive yourself...

and your wish shall be granted.

 

maybe a weight fell off.
no big deal..
next time do it yourself, it takes 10 min.

 

That's crap. Changing tires is a pain, 10 min my butt cheeks. But more than that, if I just got done paying ~$30-40k for a new car, I wan't some free tire rotations or something. Unless you have to pay for it, then it's questionable.

But I agree with awd, take your issues up with the dealer first, then bash. Not the other way around. It show's a lack of spine (somewhat) more so than being informative to us. I go there all the time for stuff like oil changes and they do fine work.