ComplaintsforPremier Subaru of Fremont

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date: October 18, 2024 Vehicle: 2014 Mercedes E350 4M Dealership: Premier Subaru Summary: I am filing a complaint against Premier Subaru for their failure to properly service and inspect a vehicle before sale, resulting in significant financial losses and environmental concerns. Background: I purchased the vehicle on October 12, 2024, for $15,099.90. The dealership claimed to have performed a pre-delivery inspection, including: - Pre-delivery inspection completed - Oil and filter changed - Tire condition and pressure checked - Tire(s) replaced - Antifreeze/coolant flushed/changed - Emissions inspection performed Issues Discovered:During my second drive, the vehicle overheated, and on the third drive, the engine light came on. An inspection by *************** revealed four critical issues that should have been addressed during the pre-sale service: Radiator Replacement: $1,986.64 Thermostat Replacement: $1,199.24 Tire Replacement: $1,066.00 Tire Pressure Sensor Replacement: $587.00 Dealership's Response: The dealership refused any mediation, appearing to have cleared codes without addressing underlying problems.Request for Resolution: I request that Premier Subaru take responsibility for their failure to properly service and inspect the vehicle and reimburse me for repair costs, as well as compensate me for inconvenience and distress caused by their negligence.Supporting Documentation: I have the inspection report from *************** and part transcribed conversation (complete communication, and recording on request) with the dealer (Ming) confirming that the tires were supposedly replaced during the pre-sale service.

  Business response

  10/30/2024

  Hi ******,

  
  Mr. ****** purchased a used car from us that was pre-inspected and all visible failures were repaired prior to sale. While we do pre-inspections, there can be unforeseen problems that cannot be known or inspected prior to sale unless it was active or present during the inspection and road test process.  I have a copy of the invoice from the inspection attached.  We did offer an extended warranty to the customer, I attached a copy of the extended warranty that was offered to Mr. ****** but was declined by him. Regarding the check engine light coming on, if it was on or cleared at the time during our inspection, we would not have been able to smog the vehicle.  I attached a snippet from a 3rd party website with further explanation on how this system works.  The direct link is, *******************************************************************************************************************************************************'t%20make%20it%20pass.  When we inspected the tires, they were at 5/32" and 7/32" which would indicate the tires were not worn out.  We replaced the spare tire due to age.  

  Customer response

  11/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 22442790
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The notion that a pre-inspection was done and honestly reported is laughable. I want to reiterate that during my second drive, the vehicle overheated, and on the third drive, the engine light came on. An inspection by *************** revealed four critical issues that should have been addressed during the pre-sale service:
  
  Radiator Replacement: $1,986.64
  Thermostat Replacement: $1,199.24
  Tire Replacement: $1,066.00
  Tire Pressure Sensor Replacement: $587.00

  What's worse is that the tires had already been communicated to me as replaced. I have effectively been sold a car with multiple faults and then told in no uncertain terms that they don't care at all. As for the warranty, it was ~30% of the cost of the car, it is completely unreasonable as an add on, this is such an incredibly poor and dishonest way of doing business. I want compensation.
  
  Sincerely,
  Dr ******
  ***** ******

  Business response

  11/09/2024

  Again, I have to stick with the facts stated in the previous response related to the vehicle not having those problems at the time of inspection and the check engine light not being on or we wouldn't have been able to smog it.  I understand this is an unfortunate situation but there is risk when buying a used car as there's only so much that can be seen and found during the inspection.  Again, it was the spare tire that was replaced, not the regular tires.  This information is stated in the used car inspection invoice.  Yes, an extended warranty on a 10 year old ******** is expensive due to the high likely hood that it will have breakdowns in the future.  I stand by the facts that we fixed the problem that were present at the time of inspection and the vehicle passed smog. 

  Customer response

  11/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 22442790
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I specifically asked for the inspection invoice from the dealer (Ming) and was never provided with it. How was I supposed to know that only the spare tire had been replaced, when Ming explicitly told me all four tires were new? The facts are clear: this car was sold to me under false pretences. Now that everything has been repaired, it works perfectly, but it's hard to believe that two major issues occurred immediately after leaving the dealership by mere coincidence. This reeks of dishonesty, and at this point, they should compensate me for these blatantly deceptive practices.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  08/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a car on 7/20/2022 Two weeks after purchasing the car It Started having problems. They wouldnt take it back. Then Im told after purchasing the car that it had an engine replacement. Which they didnt tell me about before purchasing the car. Now its currently in the shop having the engine replaced once again.

  Business response

  09/13/2024

  Hi, this vehicle is currently in for service but is not getting the engine replaced.  I'm unsure of what happened in 2022.  Please let me know if you have any further questions.

• Initial Complaint

  12/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a complaint against Subaru Program headquarters, in **********, Subaru ********* and Subaru Fremont. I have written to each of them requesting to please refrain from bulk marketing to my address, to a woman who has not lived at this address for almost eight years! This is a fraction of the mail that I've kept to show the problem. I don't live at my address or go to my mailbox to have my time wasted by going through multiple mailings from Subaru. This is a unwelcomed nuisance and I don't understand why the dealerships are not respecting my boundaries for privacy. I am now asking for help. The program headquarters advised they couldn't help because each dealership is individually owned. That makes no sense. I want these businesses to stop marketing to my home.

  Business response

  01/11/2024

  Thank you for bringing this consumer's concerns to our attention. Although this particular consumer is not in our database, we did request that this address be removed from future communications from our dealership. This may take a few days to process, but should the consumer continue to receive such mailings from Premier Subaru of Fremont (we do not have any control over the other dealerships listed), they should feel free to email ******************************************** for further assistance.

   

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21018113
  
  I am rejecting this response because the response is just more "double-speak" that I have encountered with Subaru for the last year, and to which contributes to me having to take my time which I shouldn't have to do.  I have 1) personally mailed into the dealership (Fremont was among them) samples of the multi mailers.  I'm now being told my address does not appear in their database.  So, I'm sending the attached to show a tiny fraction of the Subaru mailers from Fremont alone; there are more that I didn't even include.  So, if Subaru Fremont isn't generating, maybe it's ***** and his disciples who are doing so.  The bottom line, is take responsibility for the failure to fix it when I first brought it up.   You shouldn't be bombarding residents with paper mail when you can market virtually with this thing we now call the Internet.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  11/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought my 2015 Subaru Legacy in for routine maintenance and oil change on 23Oct2023. I was told the upper oil pan was leaking and required immediate repairs. I was told that in order to fix it, it would require removal of the engine - estimated cost was over $3,000 and would be about a 2 week project. I was told I would receive a 10% military discount (estimated around $250). I wasn't able to get a loaner vehicle until 07Nov2023 so that's when I dropped my Legacy off. I was able to pick my Legacy up on 21Nov2023 just in time for the holidays. However, I was not given the $250 military discount. My debit card was not accepted and was forced to pay 3% surcharge ($90) for having to use my credit card instead. There's no reason why my debit card should have been declined. Additionally, i was told because my car is registered out of state, I did not qualify for financing options. I'm active-duty military; my credit score is excellent and I should have been approved for financing. Instead - I was forced to use my credit card and pay the $90 fee. My car was running when I picked it up so I didn't notice until a couple days later when I went to start it that it was making a strange noise. On 21Nov2023, I went to start my car to leave town for the holidays and my car wouldn't start at all. I popped open the hood and was frustrated to say the least. I attached a picture. After having my car for almost 2 weeks and charging me an entire paycheck for repairs, it's in worse condition than before. I'd like a refund for the services and the 3% surcharge for having to use my credit card. Additionally, I'd like to file a formal complaint towards this business. This is completely unacceptable coming from a Subaru dealership.

  Business response

  11/28/2023

  Hi ******,

  Here's a copy of a text I just sent to the customer to resolve their issue.

  "Hi ******, this is *********************** from Premier Subaru of Fremont. I received a letter from the BBB regarding your last visit. I'd like to get you a refund for the $250.00 discount that wasn't applied. You should have my info on the thank you letter in your invoice and from previous text messages, had you reached out I would of offered the refund. I'd also be happy to charge your debit card and then refund the credit card so you can avoid the 3% fee. Please feel free to reach out to discuss further. I'll be here for a few more minutes and back in tomorrow."

  Regarding the declined financing, that's through a 3rd party company called ****** and we don't make the rules or decisions on who gets approved.  

  Regarding Picture of the dirty engine, that's her battery and not the engine oil leak.  The leak was on the bottom of the engine and has been fixed by one of my best techs.

  Please let me know if I missed anything, feel free to call or email me.

  Thank you,

  ***********************

  Parts and Service Director

  ************

  **********************************

  Customer response

  11/30/2023

   
  Complaint: 20904272
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  My Subaru was not having any issues prior to being told there was an oil leak that required over $3,000 in repairs. I have kept all my records and the car has never had issues prior to this repair. After spending 2 weeks in the shop and shoveling out the money, my car wouldn't start when I was trying to leave town for the holidays. I opened the hood and saw a completely corroded battery. The dealership provided me with a printout that stated everything was "in the green", including my battery. 

  To have the service department look at these pictures and video and to say their best technician worked on my car, yet they are able to visibly diagnose a corroded battery from these pictures proves they neglected to maintain this vehicle. This is completely unacceptable coming from a Subaru dealership. Even after replacing the battery, my car does not start the same and is not reliable. 

  The service department offered to reimburse me the military discount ($250) and the 3% credit card fee ($90). This barely scratches the surface. I want to be reimbursed the full amount since my car is not working properly and I was required to take it to another shop over the holiday weekend. The total amount I was charged was $3,165.46 and the new battery that I was required to buy was $545.29. I'd like to be reimbursed for that as well (total of $3,710.75).

  
  It's pretty disheartening to think customers have to check under the hood prior to driving off the lot to ensure the technicians did their job. Instead of taking accountability, the dealership is making excuses. Subaru failed to provide the services that they promised and that I paid for. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  12/09/2023

  While I understand this is a frustrating situation, please understand that the vehicle started normal while it was here.  There's some corrosion on the batter holder but none on the terminals which is where it could cause an issue with starting.  It seems like it's just bad timing on when your battery went bad.  We performed the recommended repairs to correct an engine oil leak, the battery issue is seperate from what we did.  No other compensation will be offered at this time. 

  Customer response

  12/09/2023

   
  Complaint: 20904272
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I have documentation that the car was in drivable condition when I picked it up. That was not the case. To see from a picture and be able to diagnose corrosion along the battery terminal after it was in your shop for two weeks and not say anything is neglect on the service department's part. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 4, 2023, I received a quote from a car dealership to order a new car from the factory (JPG attached). This included a dealer discount. The dealer informed me that I needed to leave a check with them as a deposit for the order. On May 6, I gave said check to the salesperson to order the car. He said that an arrival date could not be immediately determined, but it would be in July and that he would contact me with an exact date in about one month. When I had not heard back after one month, I texted him and he told me that he was no longer working at the dealership. On June 15 I called the dealership and found out that the car had never been ordered. The next day I went to the dealership in person and talked with the floor manager. He said that the salesperson had not been authorized to provide the dealer discount that he had quoted me. He added that he had instructed the salesperson to call me up to discuss this, which never happened. He then provided a new quote (PDF attached), which is an increase of more than $1,200 over the original quote, primarily because he reduced the dealer discount by $500 and because I no longer had the ability to order a 2023 model (the **** model price increased even though the car is exactly the same). I find this experience to be highly unprofessional on multiple accounts. If the salesperson was not authorized to give me that quote, then he should not have done so. I should never have been led to believe that a car was on order for over one month without anyone contacting me. Management also failed. If the salesperson was instructed to call me in order to explain the situation, then it is the management responsibility to make sure that happened. No one called. No one told me anything, even the glaring fact that the car was never even ordered.

  Business response

  07/17/2023

  To my knowledge the sales person dealing with the customer offered a discount that was not approved by management. The sales person was told to contact customer to let them know that the vehicle has not been ordered due to price not accepted. The customer's check was not deposited due to the deal not being accepted. Unfortunately, the sales person did not follow up and has since resigned from Premier Subaru of Fremont. To help resolve we this issue, Premier Subaru of Fremont is willing to give the customer the $2,500 discount on a new order but has no control over the increase in MSRP on the new **** model versus the 2023 model as we no longer can order the 2023 model.

• Initial Complaint

  04/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On March 26, 2023, I went to The Premier Subaru of Fremont to purchase a vehicle. I was already preapproved for the vehicle through global lending services. I went to the dealership I test drove the vehicle and then decided to proceed with the purchase of this vehicle. I had already told the sales representative that I had a preapproval and when I begun my application I mentioned it again. I completed the application, and they ran my credit without my preapproval came back and said I was denied for any loans. I asked multiple times how that was possible and showed the sales rep my preapproval twice. My boyfriend spoke with them over the phone mentioned we would be filing a complaint and they were able to suddenly find my preapproval. They ran my credit and I would like any inquiries associated with this false credit inquiry removed from my credit.

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I just bought a 2022 Outback Wilderness On June 27 2022 and the car has the hight pitch noise on our way home from the dealership- Premier Subaru of Fremont. called the Fremont dealership right away, and I was told it is normal. Now that car is sitting at our local dealership - ****** **** Subaru due to the transmission issue. I spoke both to the dealerships and Subaru of Americal, no one really wants to take the responsibility. I ONLY had the car for a couple of hours and now they are telling me my car needs to replace the transmission right now. It appears the Fremont dealership sold us a substandard is with a new car price plus their own makeup since there is no car that would need transmission replacement out of the dealership. Now the Subaru of American want to go ahead to replace the transmission and have us take the fixed car back. I have strong reasons to believe it is fraud that Subaru sold to me. The car already had the transmission problem at the dealership, and I just didn't notice it until on out wat home on the same day.

• Initial Complaint

  07/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Purchased a used vehicle on 5/9/22, The headliner was sagging enough to touch my head when driving. Part of the contract was to fix the headliner. The headliner was repaired. Within days the headliner completely pulled away from the roof in the rear near the back window. It was so bad it was blocking almost half the rear window,I attempted to bring this to the dealership's attention but never got called. This went on for weeks. I finally spoke to *******************************, General Sales Manager. She said to send her a quote for the repair. I sent the quote on 6/7/22. I heard nothing for several days. ****************** texted me on 6/18/22 stating she "I will get to the used car manager" and look at the email with the quote that day. Three text messages later to ****************** through 6/24/22 and have not heard anything back.The estimate for the repair is under $600.00. This was the second vehicle I purchased from this dealership in 4 years. The vehicle is a great commute vehicle even though it was way overpriced due to the times.All I'm looking for is to get the headliner repaired as promised.Can you help?

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I took in my 2021 Subaru Forester for an airbag repair back in October of 2021 and I have yet to get my car back. Since the beginning I have dealt with more than 4 service representatives because they all seem to no longer be employed whenever the next one calls me. Every person I've spoken to promises to update us on a weekly basis, has not happened. We have been told multiple times that the service manager will call us the same day - never heard from them - I don't even know this persons name. It is completely ridiculous that they had us sign over/endorse our insurance check when the repairs have yet to be made. We received a text today from an unknown number informing him to contact Subaru of ************ of relations directly and to personally check on our "back ordered air bag part"...isnt this a part of the service I am paying for. When we did call Subaru of America they could not find any notes in the system from Subaru of Fremont.

  Business response

  03/21/2022

  Please see attached

  Customer response

  03/22/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I bought a car on May 30 and added additional items based on what the sales and finance people said was covered. The next day after reading the contracts I found that they had lied about what the coverage did and requested they cancel the Forever start and ********* They agreed to cancel and I completed all forms. After 8 weeks no credit had been applied so I contacted again and they said wait 12 weeks. I contacted again after 12 weeks, still no credit. Then the finance person left and they asked me to complete forms again mid september which I did. I contact them every few weeks and get no update and no credit, I want my money back for the cancelled services. I tried calling Subaru corp but the hold times are hours and when I request a call back which is supposed to keep my place in line I never get called back. It has been 6 months and I want my money back.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩