Opinions on Bloomington Subaru New Car Sales?

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by Jettisonednet, Jun 1, 2014.

  1. Jettisonednet
    Offline

    Jettisonednet Member

    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    13
    I bought my first Subaru Forester in 2012 from White Bear Lake Acura/Subaru. I wanted a Forester, but my family was desperate: we needed a car and had never bought new before. None of our relatives had bought new cars within the last decade. We went into the dealership expecting a smooth transaction, and while we walked out with a Forester at a fair deal that night, in hindsight I realize just how many things went wrong with the sales process: high-pressure sales, multiple paperwork errors on their part that took us weeks to fix, and an attempt by the finance guy to raise our APR without informing us.

    The short of it is that now we're looking to get a 2015 Forester. I prepped and researched. I cast out e-mails to all dealerships. Walser has left me more phone messages in the past week than my wife has in the past year. White Bear was curt in their e-mails and justified my unease. I've only recently started talking to Eau Claire. Morrie's seemed nice at first, but when I proceeded to inform the salesperson that I wanted the base model Forester with a manual transmission, she shut the conversation down, said the car was in high demand ("Motor Trend's SUV of the Year!") and that they wouldn't have any that met my needs, and put me back on the auto-mailer. I'm not against giving them another shot--maybe with a different salesperson.

    Bloomington Subaru has been polite, clear, and even personable over e-mail. There's no sales pitch. Just straight-forward talk with direct answers. However I've been lurking on these forums a bit, and I've read some terrible stories about Bloomington Subaru's service department. I can overlook that--I live 50+ miles away and won't use it outside of essential warranty stuff. For new car sales, though, I know that they're part of the Luther group that also runs the White Bear Lake Subaru, where I had the bad experience.

    Has anybody used Bloomington Subaru's new car sales and had a good/negative experience that they want to share? My needs from a dealer are simple: sell me the car that I want (or very close to it) for a going rate and, more importantly, don't torture my family with high-pressure sales or weeks of paperwork corrections. I searched these forums and couldn't find anything about user experience at Bloomington Subaru. Of course, I've read piles of reviews elsewhere online, but I figured those who are invested in Subarus would have different and more informed opinions.

    Thanks for your time and opinions!
     
  2. pillboy
    Offline

    pillboy Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    3,614
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Bought our 1997 Outback from Morrie's Minnetonka.

    Bought our 2002 Outback from White Bear Lake (Sam's Club transaction...or was it Costco...so long ago I don't remember).

    Bought my (still have) 2005 Legacy GT from Bloomington (it was a steeply-discounted left-over bought halfway into the next model year).

    All three sales were cash - no financing - and only the Morrie's transaction involved a trade-in.

    Can't say I have any strong feelings good or bad for any of the three purchases. I never find buying a car pleasurable, but so much hinges on the individual event, meaning the car in question and the salesperson.

    Having no issues means there is some responsibility on the buyer too. Make sure all the paperwork is filled out correctly, make sure you understand everything you are signing, and don't let your emotions get in the way of your common sense. Be an informed buyer and your problems should be nonexistent.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  3. fancyfootwork15
    Offline

    fancyfootwork15 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    211
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Last time I went to Bloomington Subaru to see what they had, one of the older salesman asked me flat out before anything else "Are you going to buy anything?". When I said "I don't know, i'm just looking", he went on to say "Then I won't be helping you". Needless to say I left right away and have never gone back.
     
  4. jdhunter6
    Offline

    jdhunter6 Member

    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    18
    I am now a subaru salesman in tyler tx and I apologize for the bad experiences y'all are having. To answer your question I would do as little business as possible with Bloomington subaru they had me fly from Texas to mn for a job and upon arrival the first thing out of their mouth was sorry subaru will not allow us to hire anyone right now. Second if they are a good salesman and really care and want you to have the vehicle you want they will go on subarunet and see if they can dealer trade before they make that kind of statement sounds like you need to talk to better salesman.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  5. slacker
    Offline

    slacker Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    203
    Bloomington is hit/miss. You can search the forum and see some horror stories. I worked with Dylan Duffy (and Peter Kirby) and have been pleased with their service. Find Dylan and Tell him Mark V. recommended you because you're a very picky customer and will only work with someone who can tolerate Mark!

    Hope this helps!
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  6. Jettisonednet
    Offline

    Jettisonednet Member

    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Peter's actually been the one that's been working with me. I threw him a staged question to see if he would upsell me (pretty much, "I drive stick, but that CVT sure gets good gas mileage...if only somebody would convince me!"). Peter didn't. He said if I like driving manuals, then I should stick with that. Dylan was listed on the True Car price quote as well, so I'll follow up with him.

    Thanks for the help and opinions so far!
     
  7. BroCo
    Offline

    BroCo Moderator Staff Member

    Likes Received:
    1,024
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Go to Morries of Minnetonka. Ask for Scott Putnam and let him know you found him via MNSubaru.
     
  8. Legacy25GT
    Offline

    Legacy25GT Active Member

    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    93
    It really depends on the salesman you're dealing with at Bloomington, it sounds like you may have found a good one. Bought our 2004 Outback there, it was the last new one on the lot and the sale went pretty smooth even with trading in our 1999. I've talked to some other ones there that were pretty poor. You mentioned you were talking to Chilson in Eau Claire. I actually really liked the shopping experience there even though I didn't end up buying from them, simply because they didn't have the car I wanted. Very low pressure and more small town feel to the way they operate. Saint Cloud is pretty good that way as well. Walser is by far the pushiest place I have ever been. I flat out told them I would not be buying a car that day and was just there to look and they would not let up. I don't plan on going back there ever. I haven't been in White Bear for awhile, so I can't really say much about them. Give Morrie's Minnetonka a try, but don't waste your time dealing with anyone other than Scott Putnam as BroCo said.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  9. ShortytheFirefighter
    Offline

    ShortytheFirefighter Pokemans. I has none. Staff Member

    Likes Received:
    1,571
    Trophy Points:
    398
    This. This. This.

    Scott is a longtime member of the club and has helped us out in the past with events. I've also purchased a vehicle from him and it was the most painless process I've ever been through. There are several members of the club who work there. Contact Scott, and tell him you found him through the club. You won't be disappointed.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  10. JuStaWRX
    Offline

    JuStaWRX Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    661
    Trophy Points:
    298
    FWIW - I too have not had stellar experiences when I looked at Bloomington. Walser in Burnsville was really accommodating when I was looking at Foresters. However, from looking, to the service department, I have been really pleased at Morrie's Minnetonka.

    I did also stop in at the Rochester, MN dealership last fall when we had been looking at XVs for my wife, and had a pleasant experience as well.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  11. freeze2104
    Offline

    freeze2104 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    73
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I have bought a couple cars from Bloomington Subaru and have had good experiences on both. If you do go there, see Nate King. He's a good guy and will not pressure you into anything. I had them looking all over when I bought my WRX and they gave up their limited for my base model to a dealer in WI. They are good in my opinion.
     
  12. Nhibbs
    Offline

    Nhibbs Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    2,221
    Trophy Points:
    348
    I had a negative experience at Bloomington ACURA Subaru and I wouldn't go back there personally. The people I dealt with made it seem much more like an Acura dealership who happened to take in some Subarus.
    Go to Morries Minnetonka like others have said.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  13. Legsaucy
    Offline

    Legsaucy Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    384
    Trophy Points:
    148
    This again. I just bought a used outback sport from Morries Minnetonka a few weeks ago . The sales guy I got stuck with wasn't an all out douche but he was very high pressure and not very knowledgable about subaru's. Ask for Scott if you go. The service dept is also great.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  14. readymix
    Offline

    readymix ...Lest ye be trod upon... Staff Member

    Likes Received:
    2,883
    Trophy Points:
    473
    Morries MTKA. Scott Putnam.
     
  15. yamie700
    Offline

    yamie700 Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    103
    +1, forget the other dealers and go to Scott Putnam at Morries Minnetonka. He is a Subaru enthusiast, actually a rally co-driver and goes to races all over. He owns a new STI and is a great guy.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  16. Curry
    Offline

    Curry Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    906
    Trophy Points:
    198
    Its been said, but Scott Putnam. Besides Scott, another benefit of Morries is their warranty. Its better than the Walser version and IIRC Luther does not have at all.

    It looks like Bloomington Subaru is on the Costco car buying program so if you are a member, you might be able to squeeze a discount from them.
     
  17. Jettisonednet
    Offline

    Jettisonednet Member

    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Thanks for all of the opinions! Due to some sudden life events, we're postponing new car purchases, but when we restart, Scott will be our first contact.

    In the meantime, I'm sending my 2012 Forester into Morrie's Brooklyn Park for a high oil consumption test. Eek.
     
  18. Nhibbs
    Offline

    Nhibbs Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    2,221
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Rut roh, how much oil does it burn?
    How did you break it in originally? They need a nice hard break-in to seat the rings or you will burn oil forever!
     
  19. Jettisonednet
    Offline

    Jettisonednet Member

    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Thanks for the concern! When our mechanic noticed oil was being consumed 2 oil changes ago, I started monitoring oil levels weekly. In the 3,000 miles we drove between oil changes, I added 2 quarts of Mobil 1 0W-20. Yesterday at our oil change, we were one quart low, and I had topped off less no more than 2.5 weeks earlier (maybe...700 miles at most? It's been a busy month!). Our mechanic checked the TSB, and given that we've never seen oil leaking and they see no clear leak, we're bringing it in to the dealer for the official test. Just from description, Morrie's BP seemed to agree that it was a candidate.

    We broke it in as we thought normal--it did a lot of highway driving (65mph in western WI/eastern MN), first oil change at 3,800, then almost every 7k as recommended there after (won't make that mistake again!). It was a vehicle that sat on the White Bear Subaru lot for quite some time--when we bought it, there were only 2 new 2012s left in MN. Maybe that has something to do with it. More likely, it's just pipe dream. I hear the post-2014 Forester engines have worked to eliminate the high oil consumption issues (although they do consume oil faster than many cars).

    Anyway, if Morrie's finds something along the lines of the high oil consumption TSB and issues with the pistons as many have reported, it's well within warranty miles and has the documentation to demonstrate good care. Just a lot of time to repair...
     
  20. AWDimprezaL
    Offline

    AWDimprezaL has more posts than you

    Likes Received:
    1,818
    Trophy Points:
    573
    Its a known problem with some of the FB engines. Seems to be no specific reason as not every car does it, subaru is working on a fix.
     
  21. Mintyfloss
    Offline

    Mintyfloss Member

    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Peter Kirby helped me as well. Had some issues with nobody in financing office later at night, but they sorted everything out in a timely manner. I worked with peter to source my car from another dealership up in Duluth. Speedy responses to email and phone calls. Overall great experience there, didn't try to push extras on me too much, just trying to do their job.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  22. Russo
    Offline

    Russo Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    103
    Most dealerships don't want to deal with the hassle of trying to locate a base model manual Forester because they're very rare, and they're also extremely hesitant to order a car for a customer because right now orders are backed up between three and six months. They'd rather get you into a car that they already have on their lot, or one they can easily find close by.

    If you're willing to go a little further for a great car and great customer service, call Grand Forks Subaru and ask for Kevin. I worked for him for a year and he consistently amazed me with his level of customer care.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  23. EricS
    Offline

    EricS Nooberator

    Likes Received:
    1,060
    Trophy Points:
    248
    [​IMG]
     
  24. boyler99
    Offline

    boyler99 Member

    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    13
    I just wanted to add another data point on Bloomington Subaru Acura. I visited twice over the last few weeks and experienced very poor service. Very little attention was paid to me, they didn't want me to take an extended test drive on my own, and they wouldn't give me their "best price" without haggling (and they said I had to buy by the end of the month -- which was a couple days later). Not a fun place for me. I then went to Walser Subaru just a few minutes south on 35W and had a fantastic experience. The staff there treated me great, answered all my questions, let me take several test drives (including a one hour drive alone with my wife) and they gave me their best price right away. Their best price did not depend on the "time of the month." I ended up buying today (couple days after the end of July) and their price was the same as it was last week. So now I am a happy first-time Subaru owner and quite happy with my experience at Walser Subaru. Morrie's also seems like a good option, but it turned out that their "best price" was nearly $800 more than Walser for the exact same vehicle with the exact same options. Both Morrie's and Walser offer a free extended powertrain warranty. Morrie's also offers three years of free oil changes which would end up saving me around $400, but I don't really live close to Morrie's so it would be a hassle to take advantage of that offer. I must say, the "no haggle" approach is definitely the way to go. I am sure it's just a matter of time before more dealerships in the Twin Cities catch on.
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.
  25. pillboy
    Offline

    pillboy Well-Known Member

    Likes Received:
    3,614
    Trophy Points:
    348
    Ever since Walser got their pee-pee slapped by the Minnesota Attorney General a number of years ago, I have had a hard time patronizing them regardless of what their current business practices are. Once a douche always a douche when it comes to car dealers. Paul Walser's advertising spots with Tommy Barnard a few years back would make me throw up a little whenever I heard them. I know I shouldn't paint all of the Walser employees with the same brush as the tar filled one I have for the group's namesake.

    Minnesota:
    • The Minnesota Attorney General’s office and the Walser Automotive Group in Minneapolis
    settled a case alleging concerning what the Attorney General’s office characterized as
    “industry-wide practices.” The case was based on complaints that stores sold contracts
    without consent, required service contracts as a condition of sale, and misrepresented the
    scope of warranty coverage. Provisions in the settlement requires car dealers to tape record
    all finance and insurance (F&I) transactions, and provide copies of the tapes to state officials
    upon request and offer a waiver to customers.18
     
    Jettisonednet and Nhibbs like this.
  26. Vector
    Offline

    Vector Rally Organizer

    Likes Received:
    392
    Trophy Points:
    268
    I dealt with Walser a lot in the 2000s, and they were good to me (the Nissan dealership, in particular). However, that rapidly declined about 5 years ago and I'm done with them. The service writers, in particular, know less about the cars than I do.

    I bought my WRX from Morrie's, and was always very happy with them. Parts guys rock too. Scott Putnam has long supported the enthusiast community locally and was responsible for getting me into the rally scene 12 years ago (hmm, that might be a strike against him...)

    Another option would be to look at Muscatell Subaru in Moorhead if you're up for a bit of a trip. They have been key sponsors of the Ojibwe Forests Rally for the last few years. http://www.muscatell.com/index.htm
     
    Jettisonednet likes this.