Ramsey Subaru SERVICE DEPARTMENT hack job

[wrx07LT]

Ramsey Subaru in Ramsey NJ. I bring my brother's 04 to them for a $800 timing belt job and this is what I get in return.

They lost the top three bolts and put the three bottom bolts in replace for the top but they are longer so the cover never closed properly. An left the bottom three with no bolts and a cracked gasket hanging out. Ramsey Subaru never mentioned anything to me. I paid the bill and left. That next week we replaced the power steering pump because it was leaking. Once removing the pump, I see a gap in the top of the timing belt cover so I go to investigate and this is what I found. The power steering fluid poured through the top and ran out through the bottom. So for sure the inside was soaked with fluid.

I right away called Ramsey Subaru to tell them the problem and the guy at the Service Department didn't seem like he cared and said to just bring it in and they will look it over and fix it. I said I want to speak to the Service Manager Stephan but supposedly he was off for the next few days. I kept calling day after day and they were avoiding me to talk to Stephan and kept saying that they will quickly fix it and that Stephan did not need to be involved.

I finally got in touch with Stephan because he actually answered the phone I told him everything (very angrily). He said to bring in the car and he will have a Tech look over it. I said no, I want you and I to look over it so I can point out the problem and then I will babysit the Tech so he can actually do the job right. He said that wasn't necessary and he will have his head Tech do it. Umm,, why didn't he have his head Tech do the $800 job from the beginning. I brought the car there on a day that Stephan was off so I said DO NOT touch the car until I show up tomorrow to meet with Stephan. But of course Stephan and the guys at the counter didn't listen and had the car done and finished with out me knowing. In the end they replaced the gasket and new hardware. I made him give me written guaranteed that belt will be covered for 100,000 miles and if the something happens to the belt which in turn hurts the motor, the motor along with labor will be covered as well.

Stephan refused to tell me the information on the Tech. He said the Tech made a mistake but that is fake because how can someone forget three bolts in the bottom and use the wrong bolts in the top, making the extremely tight and still leaving the cover loose? Stephan didn't have anything to say to that. I'm putting Ramsey Subaru Service Department out there because I want everyone to know how they truly are.

I bought my car there in 2007 and have had all my service to the car including oil changes done with the service department. I brought my brother's car there as well as convincing four of my friends to bring their Subarus to Ramsey Subaru for service. They all knew me there and it is upsetting that when this all happened, they didn't seem to care. I swear we will never go there ever again.

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[Supraru]

Ever think maybe you should have fixed the power steering pump before replacing the timing belt? Clearly you had a good leak that made the gasket swell. In those situations it can get to be a pain in the ass to get things to line up correctly. You sound like you're completely over reacting to something that's not that big of a deal.

[blackfang]

So let me get this straight. They made a mistake, was a little standoffish(hey who isn't now a days when people call and yell at them), they owned up to it and fixed it for free and offered you a warranty and you are pissed and telling people not to go there? What the hell is wrong with people now a days. I can see if they told you to kick rocks. Wow, maybe they should have.

What gives you the idea to think you have a right to know specifics about a companies employee? The Service Manager handled it and was right. BTW, the head tech doesn't always work on every single car in a shop. Work is distributed or dispatched in a shop based on scheduling and experience, etc. Otherwise there would only be 1 technician there.

[slates74]

(copied from my reply in the tri-state forum)

As far as I knew Stefan hasn't worked there in almost a year, unless he came back recently? Secondly, the way that he handled it after the fact of it going out bad seems to be fair in that they correctly fixed it and offered you a warranty. I totally understand you being upset about it being done in the manner it was in the first place though.
From my personal experience Ramsey has always treated me with amazing customer service. Even when I bought my pre-owned 08 WRX from Bell Mitsubishi whom totally screwed me over in selling me the car, Ramsey took care of all the work of getting it back to amazing shape from how the previous owner/Bell Mitsubishi had butchered it. I just want to share that because everyone in Ramsey has been a pleasure to deal with and Stefan in particular has gone so far out of his way for me. They helped me so much so that when my 08 ultimately ended up totaled from a flood I went straight to Ramsey to get my 11 WRX that the sales department, Corey, Jerry, and Josh gave me an amazing experience in purchasing.
As someone who's worked in a motorcycle dealership in all different departments for 11 years you get an appreciation for people who go the extra mile in customer service and professionalism, that's why I stand behind Ramsey in this way. I've always had two places of doing business with my WRX, AZP installs for all of my aftermarket parts/installs and Ramsey for sales/warranty/maintenance neither has let me down and in my own opinion they're some of the greatest people I've ever done business with.

[Kilya]

Sounds like you gave Ramsey a pretty good review. **** happens... They fixed it. Ive never had a problem going there. All my oil changes and service is done there.