Balise Subaru

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I purchased a new 2011 Subaru Outback at Balise Subaru at the end of Oct, 2010. I am very dissatisfied with my purchase experience and certainly would never consider buying another vehicle from Balise Subaru.



As discussed at length with sales manager, I feel that there was willfull misrepresentation made as to the details of what I was buying.



Specifically, when ordering the various add-on options for my new vehicle, I specified to the salesperson that I wanted the all-weather package, the all weather floor mats, splash guards, rear bumper cover and last but not least the bluetooth connectivity kit. I had the Subaru 2011 Outback brochure in my hands and was reading from the page that lists the various options the are available in the base, premium, and limited models. I had already reviewed these options at the SUBARU web site using the "Build Your Outback" tool.



The morning after I took possession of the vehicle, I went to pair my phone with the bluetooth system and noticed that the bluetooth kit that had been installed was not the Subaru Bluetooth Connectivity option but an aftermarket option! Not only that, but this aftermarket option was installed on the passenger side of the center console, not within clear reach of the driver, and looked like something that one would get from some third rate 'back-alley' garage! Certainly not what one expects to see in a brand new vehicle!



That evening I stopped by the sales department and spoke with the sales manager.

I explained to him that I was very annoyed with the installed aftermarket bluetooth kit, that it was not the SUBARU kit I had expected and that I wanted an explanation.



The sales manager stated that as I had not specified that I wanted the Subaru OEM Bluetooth Connectivity Kit, they had instead installed an aftermarket kit and that this was their standard practice.

The sales manager took the position that it was unreasonable for me to assume I was going to get Subaru OEM options: "You assumed wrong".



He also stated that I had "negotiated a price so low that he was going to make very little if anything off this sale"; that included giving me the options I had asked for 'at cost'. He stated that when during the negotiations, the salesperson came back to him to say that I wanted a better deal, the only way he could do that was to use the non-OEM bluetooth option. Clearly, therefore the original price offer, even in the sales manager mind, was based on the OEM part.



Neither he nor the salesperson ever stated that lowering the price even further was contingent on substituting the SUBARU OEM Bluetooth kit with an aftermarket kit!



After much discussion, some of it heated, the sales manager stated that he would give me 2 options:

1) if I wanted the SUBARU OEM bluetooth kit, he would have it installed, but it would cost an additional $200 or

2) he would have the aftermarket bluetooth button 'moved to anywhere I wanted it moved'.



In either case it would leave a hole in the dashboard where it had been installed.



When doing business with Balise Subaru, let the buyer beware!

We found a vehicle we were interested in on the Balise Auto website and placed a call. From the very beginning, we were treated with a level of professionalism and honesty rarely encountered when purchasing a vehicle. Our salesman William was upfront and honest in answering all our questions. He put is so at ease that we didn't hesitate to make the hour and a half drive down to see the vehicle. From the moment we were greeted at the dealership, the staff was over the top in making us feel welcome and that it was their sole concern that we were comfortable throughout the purchase. The vehicle itself was detailed to the nines, unlike other dealerships we had gone to where the vehicle isn't "gone through" until someone has agreed to purchase it. We received a fair amount for our trade and the vehicle we purchased was priced well. We were able to finish the deal in one visit and drove away in our new (to us) vehicle the same day. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this dealership to anyone in the market for a new or used vehicle.