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Old 12-11-2009, 11:40 AM   #18
Sinitron
Scooby Newbie
Member Sales Rating: (6)
 
Member#: 85206
Join Date: Apr 2005
Default This place is a joke.

Hi everyone,

I don't buy many new cars, and this was such a bizzare experience that I felt I should share it with the group. Back on 10/23/09 I was in the market for a new WRX (09 or 10') because I was losing interest in my 2008.5 Mazdaspeed3 GT. When I bought my MS3 it seemed like the better choice over the 08' WRX at the time and for good reason. My wife has a Subaru and I wanted to check out one of the new and revised models with more power, revised suspension, and other elements which is what I felt the car was lacking at the time.

Planet was referred to me by my in-laws and other locals who purchased some cars from them 3-4+ years ago, and they had a decent experience.

I sent Planet Subaru an email, and got a reply from their internet sales department (Deb and Scott). They had a 2010 WRX black base model listed on their website for $23,999. This seemed like a great price and exactly what I was looking for (a base model, and wasn't too picky on the color) and sent a few more emails about my possible trade back and forth. Deb mentions to me that the black one is sold... but a white one is coming in to fill it's place instead. This seems fine to me, all I want to do is check out the basics and the car itself, see how much space it has compared to my MS3, etc. I get an email saying that a new 2010 white base model WRX has shown up, but the price is now $25,100. - Because it is white - I find this a little strange, and decide to head into the dealership 2 days later anyway.

I show up for my appointment, and Deb is out of the office. Instead I speak to a rather unfriendly person named Scott Kielbasa who explains to me in short terms that the black base wrx for $24k is gone at a ONE TIME ONLY SPECIAL price to move a unit they had in stock. They do however have a white base wrx for $25,100 with no options. I asked the day before why it was more money and in his reply to me said - "The Black one was a special. It has sold. The white was swapped in at 2pm today so is not yet on our website. It is a base, no accessories added to it. White is a VERY hard to get color, so in turn requires us to pay for it. We cannot sell it for the same price as the black one.. Right. This is the same story I got in person as well.

So I'm at the dealership... with my crystal white pearl (a color which actually costs more money from Mazda) 2008.5 Mazdaspeed3 ready to look at a new car and make a deal, and I'm already instantly turned off from doing business with Scott or this dealership because I'm getting the runaround on a new base model wrx price and availability. So I say to Scott, "Well, I'm here - let's go outside and take a look at this car, you can view my trade, and here is my license in case you need to make a copy or do whatever you have to do for me to drive down the street in it." He looks at my license funny, pauses, and walks away. Two minutes later he comes back, flops back in his chair and says "Look, are you really serious about doing business today? Because if not it's a brand new white wrx with only 8 miles on it and I'd hate to put any more on there unless you were totally committed to making a deal happen this afternoon. It's a rare car and we ship them all over the world and (blah, blah, blah) I don't want to rack up extra miles on it. I stare at him for a minute, and while I'm thinking about him wasting my time and trip down to the dealership for nothing - what else I can ask for.

So I tell Scott that I understand his position on de-valuing this one of a kind rare 2010 base model white WRX, because honestly I just wanted to SEE the insdide of a revised WRX and maybe drive the thing around a little. I did not have to have super-duper white, it wasn't a big deal to me. This still did not motivate him to go outside in the overcast / drizzle to let me see the car. So I ask if in his dealer allocation system if he can tell me when the next one is coming in, and he replies with "Sorry, no I can't, I have no idea". He explains that I could order a new one, but that could take "up to six months. MAYBE as early as 90 days, but could take as long as six months". He also apparently couldn't tell me what any other dealership had in stock, or offer any genuine assistance to me in any way, shape, or form.

At this point I'm pretty disgusted. I thought I was in a car dealership, and not the Subaru Museum of America. I've never had a salesman flat out refuse to even open the door of a car for me to look inside. This wasn't a $36,000+ STI where I could see qualifying the customer before they move forward with the vehicle inquiry, this was a run of the mill WRX. I take my license back, and say thanks for having me over at the dealership and walk out. In all honesty, I'd like to thank Planet Subaru for completely wasting my time that day, my travel, and my experience in general.

As a result I walked out the door and called Mastria Subaru down the road on route 44. They had 3 WRX's in stock in various colors, invited me over lined one right up next to my current car to compare them side by side. They gave me the keys and a plate and said go take it wherever you want - around the block, up the I-495 highway, whatever. We'll be here. They worked with me on the price and on my trade in. Their complete dealership experience from bottom to top - phone reception to dealership manager was terrific, and I bought a black 2010 WRX the next day.

As with all things in the world, there wouldn't be an ironic conclusion unless I added the email I just got back from Planet Subaru today:
"date Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 9:46 AM
mailed-by planetsubaru.dealercrm.com
Good morning,
Just a quick note to see how your car searc is going. We do have a 2010 WRX wagon in black available again...at $23,998.
Let me know ifyou're still in the market.
________________________________________
Deb Brxxxxxx | Scott Kxxxxxxx
Internet Sales| Planet Subaru
"


Nope, I'm all set now, and for the rest of my life. Thanks guys.
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Last edited by Sinitron; 12-11-2009 at 12:10 PM.
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