Subaru of Santa Cruz

Bought a brand new forester, bought custom seat covers from a Subaru dealership and they wouldnt help me put them on for less than 100 $! The seat covers cost 500 $! Bad customer service…

Most dishonest and impossible people in Santa Cruz County to ever deal with — What a bunch of bad business people! Incredible how they THINK they are doing someone a favor — Do NOT BRING your Subaru to them — Mine sat for over a month and a half, and was brought to them from ANOTHER Service Shop — once they got the car — WHEW — Open season — they spent, apparently, 12 hours trying to figure out a problem, when in reality, they could have REPLACED THE ENGINE in that amount of time, but when I was told that it would cost over $ 3800 to replace the engine, I laughed.
When I got the car back, finally, after threatening to report it stolen, I got it back FILTHY — with no gas in it, and the car STILL has the problems that it went in with.
No one in Service was helpful, no one called the other Service Shop back — I HAD TO INITIATE all contact — and it was ridiculous.
Now I am trying to get my THIRD ENGINE for the POS Subaru sedan that I have and this clown outfit won’t allow me to order the part!!! Whatever! Subaru of America is investigating and the local press is aware of my issues here.
Worst people I have ever come across. Don’t know how to communicate, claim they are fair and reasonable, lie to your face!
Suggest that you RUN — RUN FAST and go find another place to BUY, SERVICE and EVEN SHOP for a Subaru.
Good luck–

This review is for the service.
We have a Forester, which is currently close to 55k miles. We serviced the brakes in this service more than an year ago at 47k miles. We paid $ 600 or $ 700. Some months later I noticed that the car is shaking when the brakes are pressed and the speed is over 30Mph, but it did not seem like a big deal. I was thinking that the ABS is doing this. We are driving the car almost 100% in the town and vibrations were not noticeable at low speed. However a day ago I was on the highway and I almost lost control over the car when I tried to stop fast from 65 mhp. I brought the car to the service and they told me that it is very likely that the brakes rotors should be re-​surfaced again. I explained that they were serviced in April 2014 and the car has about 8k miles since then. This problem did not start today it was noticeable months after the service so 8k is even too much to say. I was just lucky to not not have a situation to really need to stop fast, that is why I did not realize how serious the problem was.
I have no idea if they did the re-​surface of the brakes rotors incorrectly or they did not do it at all. My guess is that they charged me for resurfacing the rotors, but they did not do it and just changed the brakes pad. I have no other explanation how it is possible re-​surfaced brakes rotors to last 4 thousand miles. I will see how they will handle the problem and will update the review. Mistakes happens, so if they made one, they have a good opportunity to fix it now.
I did not know that I have to check if the service did what they were paid to do. How the hel I can do this? I drove the car about an year with bad breaks and this put on risk me and my family. Think again if you want to have the same experience.

Don’t hesitate to bring your Mazda to this dealership. Took my car in for a oil change and they had it in and out in a few hours. No fuss and I think the car was cleaner when pick it up than when I dropped it off so double bonus points there. The manager was very informative and even showed me a few cool things that I didn’t know about my car. Cheers to everyone that made my visit so nice!

I just recently bought a new car from this dealership. I am a repeat customer and probably will be for life. I originally bought my car from Bruce in 1998. I sadly had to let my little legacy gt go. It’s been a good friend to me and never has failed me but it was time to give my daughter my car and get a new one for myself. I have had all the service done here at the dealership and have been very happy. The buying experience when you go car shopping can be very nerve racking unless you buy a car from subaru. I had a great experience from sales, to financing, and then service department. I got to choose from 30 different colors for my custom leather interior. They were quick in getting me the exact car in the exact color with the exact options I wanted. What really stood out for me was the exceptional customer service I received from Evan Schmitt. He took me through a detailed tour of my new car and explained all the new functions. He answered every questioned I asked and some that I hadn’t thought about asking yet. He was the icing on the cake. I was already very happy with my purchase and after talking to Evan, I really decided that when it’s time to get a new car, I’m going to buy my car here. Thank you Subaru.

I bought a used Subaru here and the experience was less than great. After telling me everything was good on the car I took it to a local mechanic who found some problems. When I took it back I was still told everything was fine and the negotiations to lower the price went nowhere. I had already fallen in love with the car and instead of walking I bought it. After I made my purchase the guy didn’t give me my ID back causing me to have to go back the next day. The salesman didn’t apologize when he saw me and handed me my ID.

I want to give a huge shout out to Jose. just a day after the purchase of my Suburu Outrek, I noted hard water stains on the windows. Evan the Service Manager told me he would get this fixed up for me. This is where I met Jose. He does all of the detailing, cleaning, etc. Not only did he remove the spots from all of my windows, he took an extra 15 minutes to clean the exterior of my car. What a great guy! Now THAT is customer service. Thanks Jose. I can see clearly out my windows. I want to get that product for the shower doors at my house. That stuff is magic.
Thanks again!

Requested a quote online from Subaru Santa Cruz, which the Internet Director refused to do because he first wanted me to send my lowest quote. This was the ONLY Subaru dealership out of 10 that I contacted, that requested this quid pro quo before giving me a quote. I understand that getting the best offer sometimes requires sending in another confirmed quote, but certainly it isn’t common practice to do that before you’ve even received an offer. After I declined, and reiterated my request for a quote, he thanked me for «my time and thoughts»?? Thanks for wasting my time! Getting quotes online directly from dealerships is generally the best way to get the lowest price, without going through all the haggling, but skip this dealership from your online search since they play the same games that you can expect while visiting a dealership in person.

Do not trust their service writers … They will lie to you about required services.
I was told that a transmission fluid service was a required maintenance item and the fluid needed replaced every 15k mile by them … According to the manual is only a inspection every 15k miles not replacement.
Of course they claimed no responsibility for the lie.
I found this out only after returning to the dealer in San Jose I bought the car from asking why it hadn’t been done since I had only purchased the car about a month and a half previously.
Oh and the «one hour wait» turned into 4 hours waiting for them.
As far as I’m concerned the only reason I would return there is to let my dog take a crap in their parking lot

although i cant say much for the first car salesman that approached me and my mom, we ended up with a great employee of subaru — jeff filiault. he was forthright and clear about the prices, where things came from, what they bought the car at, etc. Every single question was answered or at least sought for to find an answer. You dont find work ethic like this anymore.
Even though my mom and I left the dealership with no car, out of our price range, jeff kept in contact with us and made sure that he was doing everything to try to find the right car for us.
Although I dont know and cant review much about the site itself, this employee is well worth going to see. its comforting to be seen as something more than «a sale score» or «look like youre busy and talk (at) the customers…», jeff gave me and my mom that treatment — despite how annoying a first-​time brand-​new car-​buyer can be: P
jeff filiault is the salesman of this location. he’s respectful, smart, thorough, and explains things thoroughly, making me and my mother feel more secure during this expensive process.
good job jeff

I have had enough experiences with this dealership to write a small book. I’ll save the fluff and just list the bad experiences I’ve had there over the past few years. To be fair, I’ll also list a good experience.
Like many others have said in their reviews, I’ve really wanted to buy a car from this dealership — they just can’t seem to make a (good) deal or a good experience.
Sales Experiences:
* I lost my Mazda pickup when a driver hit me on HWY 17. My wife was injured in the accident and was in physical therapy the day I went to this dealership to find a replacement car. They made an outrageously overpriced offer on a car and then tried the high pressure, two-​man power sale routine. The finance manager and the sales guy literally stood in front of me as I sat at the desk looking at a price I couldn’t afford and took turns telling me that I could make the payments happen. I told them I couldn’t and needed to pick up my wife who was recovering from an accident. They ignored my comment and kept telling me I could afford it. I walked out.
*After that experience, I returned a few years later in the market for an SUV. The sales guy, who started out pretending to be a really nice guy turned into a raging jerk when I wouldn’t accept any of his pricing options. At that point he told me that my trade-​in (a car I still love and own) was a «nothing car». I asked him for my keys back and he told me «I threw them on the roof». I should have reported this guy. I wish I had.
*I recently discovered «TrueCar» a no negotiations, excellent pricing program that is free to use online (I highly recommend it). I called the dealership on Sunday to ask if they honored TrueCar pricing. The sales guy could have just said no, but instead went on a rant about how TrueCar puts false pricing information on the internet, «they’re being sued», «I shouldn’t believe anything I see on the internet». I drove to Capitola Mazda, got the car at the TrueCar price ($ 1000 below invoice) with no hassle.
Service Experiences:
*I had money stolen from my car ($ 18 dollars in one-​dollar coins that I used for toll bridges). I called the service manager when I realized the coins were missing from the center console. The service manager was genuinely apologetic and explained that he reviewed my service record and found gaps in the details of who had been working on my car. I appreciated the honesty. He offered me a free car wash. I declined.
A Good Experience:
They gave me free license plate frames so I wouldn’t have to use the San Jose frames that I got from the dealership where I bought my car.

I take my Subaru and my Toyota here for service and maintenance. They are always 100%. They never try to offer you a service you don’t need. They are always friendly and trustworthy. Love them!

I just happened to read a couple of unhappy reviewers, and think they’re both over the top on their complaints. If the GM guy wants his GM fixed, he ought to go to the guy he knows. I drive from Morgan Hill to get my Subaru maintained. Thoughtul people don’t go to a top steak house and complain because they can’t get a hot dog. The outback guy seems to just have a string of bad luck with his outback, I do not see how the dealership is at fault for that. In 123,000 miles with my 2007 Forester, there are only three problems I had which were scary (1) on the road in Arizona, (2) in my church parking lot when I couldn’t get the car into reverse (3) and recently when I had an engine lite come on on the road. In each case, I was able to call Santa Cruz Subaru and immediately talk to a service advisor and get solid diagnosis, which in each case was accurate. I have the utmost faith in Mark, Cathy and the service advisors I have dealt with. They are all professionals and it is a blessing to have them care for our Forester.

Don’t buy your car at Santa Cruz Suburu—
What a waste of time. We went there to test drive cars and were given a price IN WRITING. We offered to put down a deposit and the salesperson said oh no you don;t have to. Thirty minutes later we got a call that «someone else came in and is also considering the car» — we offered to BUY it and they are waiting for someone else who is «considering it»…obviously at a higher price…
…then the salesperson said «he is only the messenger and can’t control it» and the BOSS made the decision… who is the BOSS I asked? NO name was given…
SO what .they just make up prices and then when you agree to buy it they say… oh sorry, and blame it on the BOSS… well whoever the BOSS is… we are telling people
DO NOT GO AND BUY A CAR AT SUBURU_​MAZDA SANTA CRUZ.
So tired of you guys, you have no respect for people, you are just horrible.
We try so hard to support local business in santa cruz… but not this one… What a pity…
—Final Note:
AND We bought our Suburau over the hill and will not be servicing it in Santa Cruz

Longtime customer of Subaru of Santa Cruz and have seen many changes including the dealership move from Soquel Drive to the Auto Plaza in Capitola summer of 2009.
What has not changed is their continued superior reputation as one of the best Subaru dealerships in California.
Mark Shultz and his team in Service are amazing. They work very hard as they have to deal with all type of personalities. I have had nothing but outstanding customer service from everyone especially Kathy and Saeed. Oh, and of course there is Mark, super awesome dude, who knows all. I like to sit back and watch these folks do their magic on my vehicles. Smile and say Hello these folks would really appreciate it.
When I went looking for a new Subaru I spent many hours talking with all the Sales folks, driving vehicles and getting to know my options. Don’t be shy ask for help everyone is super nice.
Thank you for all the years of amazing service! Subaru of Santa Cruz is truly one of the best dealerships around.
Justin and Laura

Nope. False advertising at it’s best. Having seen the huge «we service GM vehicles» outside the dealership I thought to myself «oh hallelujah! I can get Michael Keaton worked on in sc instead of making the trek to San jo!» So I called to get more information. Well whoever the girl in service is pretty much ended any chance of me ever coming here. Ever. Called and asked about GM maintenance, «we don’t do the recall work. Call a GM dealer» well thanks for listening to my questions! My car doesn’t have recalls just regular oil changes. If you need a good reliable honest GM service center I highly recommend Ken Kelly at Capitol Buick Gmc in San Jose. The best part of this lesson is that we are very close to buying honey a wrx. Guess where we won’t be going? So thanks for the s&@! Attitude you saved us a huge hassle

Great service here. You pay a little extra at a dealership than you do with a mom n pop mechanic but what you get for that at this place is terrific service. Free wifi and coffee while you wait, a great shuttle service that is prompt and will pick you up and excellent service staff.
Had my tires done recently and the car felt out if balance afterwards. My service manager apologized, got me in the next morning and rebalanced the tires at no extra cost. No arguing or fuss; just great service. A great contrast to other places I’ve been where they always want you to pay to make it right. Kudos to Kathy and the service dept for turning a problem into a pleasant experience.

Nice guys but not the place to save money. I was looking for a used Subaru Outback. Their prices were about 3K too high according to retail KBB. They claimed «they overpaid», not my problem. Bought the exact same car in San Jose for 3K less.
They were pleasant enough and seemed to be good guys but I work too hard to give away my money. I’m sure buying a new car would be less of a hassle as the invoice cost is easy to find online.

A fantastic place to buy a car! My family has been buying cars from Dave for years and he always gets us a good, fair deal and zero hassle.
Great selection, with both Subaru and Mazda’s putting out fantastic cars these days. We ended up buying a Subaru XV to replace our trusty Outback and can’t be more thrilled.
For great sales people who won’t waste your time, head here!

** This is a review for the SALES DEPARTMENT ONLY***
After 7 years with a Toyota, I decided it was time to get a Subaru. I went to Subaru Santa Cruz to test drive some vehicles and I found a great 2011 Outback. I wanted it but I hated the color. Fear not, I was told by a friendly salesman: «We can find your car in the color you want!»
I mentioned (to the salesman) that I had been looking online and I saw that the going price for the Outback was about $ 700 under invoice. I asked him if this was inline with the prices Subaru Santa Cruz was able to offer. He said yes.
So fast forward to the next day. The salesman calls me and tells me that the car I want has arrived and I immediately head out to make a deal. Or so I thought.
I offered them around $ 400 under invoice (MORE than the going rate) because I wanted to make a deal, keep my business in Santa Cruz and be reasonable with them since they went through the trouble to locate and bring the perfect car to Santa Cruz. I figured that they’d be relatively happy with that price and it would be smooth sailing.
Boy, was I wrong.
After the salesman went back and forth between me and his manager several times their final offer was $ 425 OVER invoice. In addition to the horrible price, the manager also wrote nasty comments all over my sales quote.
I got up, walked out, drove to San Jose and bought the exact car in San Jose for $ 950 under invoice.
I would have loved to keep my Business in Santa Cruz, but Subaru Santa Cruz made this impossible.
In addition to the horrible sales experience, they also fed me false information to make it seem like the car they found for me was the ONLY similar car around. Definitely not true.
Bottom line: Don’t bother going here because if the same manager is on duty, all they’ll do is bully you and try to rip you off. Get a great price, enjoy buying your new car, and go somewhere else.