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Putnam, Burlingame, California (do not order!)

35K views 140 replies 36 participants last post by  subiesailor 
#1 ·
In late June 2015, I finished a series of back and forth emails with Putnam Subaru (and other dealers), and Putnam had the lowest quote (via email and phone). I requested that Putnam order the 2016 model, which he did on July 2. He provided a VON shortly after, I got the sunglasses promotional gift, and all seemed well. I did have to call SOA to find out about the VIN, which SOA provided, because Putnam became non-responsive to email and phone calls. On Monday, Aug. 24, Putnam emailed and said the car had been delivered. He also said not to come get it because he was trying to sell it at a higher price and it would be gone soon! No response to any further emails or calls.
8 weeks of waiting for a special order - and nothing!
 
#2 ·
Putnam Dealership/Salesman ? Honor





It sounds like the dealership/salesperson made a deal in order to put another car on their lot, when it came in they didn't want to honor the deal. It sounds like they called and if you wanted to purchase at the price that they wanted they would of sold it to you, if not, they will sell it for a known higher price that they know they can sell it for. :surprise:


They used you to get another car on their lot in order to sell at a higher price.
It sounds to me like they are playing you in order to get a larger piece of the Subaru $$$$$.$$ Pie.


They are probably telling Subaru you backed out of the deal, it also sounds like the Subaru Quality Questioner goes the Purchaser of the car.


Did you put a deposit down on the car??
 
#4 ·
I suspect this is a growing trend given the limited supply and most dealers for a long time now #1 complaint is a lack of vehicles to sell. If we had direct sales and you purchased through your Amazon prime account you would have had free 2 day delivery and be driving your car right now! I can't stress this enough people need to start speaking up about needing a direct sales model.
 
#6 ·
If you have a VON and a VIN, you need to call SOA like yesterday!!! Too bad the jerk didn't leave you a voicemail, or email. That would have been soooo awesome to have undeniable proof of his ignorant move. No matter what, SOA needs to know of this, Subaru takes stuff like that, VERY seriously!
 
#8 ·
Oh, he sent an email:
The Outback showed up today. In order for us to secure it for you to fly up, can I over night the paper work to you? This will be a finance deal correct? I can do financing for 48 months at 1.9%APR. I just do not want you to fly up here and it be sold. In order to secure it we have to have some sort of deal done. Let me know what you think!


Anthony Pedersen
Putnam Subaru | Internet Sales Manager
85 California Dr.
Burlingame, CA 94010


Problem is, he's been ducking me ever since. No sales contract, no return email, no return phone calls, and hangs up his cell when I call.
 
#7 ·
If this dealer is located in San Fransisco, here's their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Putnam.Subaru.Burlingame?fref=nf
Best thing to do is complain on there about what happened to you. If the dealer is decent, and finds out one of their sales people is pulling this crap, they might fire him, and hold your car for you, unless the slimeball has already sold it. Either way, you'll raise a stink around the right people.
Don't blame the dealer, until you give them a chance to make this right. It could just be a jerk salesman...
 
#9 ·
"We have to have some sort of deal done". Really? When they ordered the car for you was that not "some sort of deal"? Did you place a deposit? Did you sign anything? Did they sign anything? I'm thinking others are correct, it was just a way for them to get an additional car...but, geez can they do that without "some sort of deal"???
 
#10 ·
@ncJim, did you place a deposit when you placed the order? If it makes you feel any better, my dealership has tried almost every trick in the book so I would not take delivery in order for them to sell it to someone else @ a higher price (my dealership is a low allotment dealership).

If you placed a deposit, contact SOA. Heck, even if you did not place a deposit, contact SOA with your VON. Dealerships have to explain to SOA in case a special ordered vehicle with a VON was not sold to the original purchaser.

Knowing this could potentially be an issue, I made my dealership staple my receipt to the VON sheet (while I waited for the sales consultant to place the order and print it) and then have the Sales manager signed the VON sheet with agreed pricing (VIP - 2% below invoice + tax, title, registration + Dealer Doc fees of $479 and NO OTHER DEALER ADDED OPTIONS OR FEES). I made sure the last part was included clearly because my dealership charges a $895 "vehicle preparation fee." Do let us know how you make out.
 
#12 ·
how is this not a type of bait and switch? - they met the 'minimum' requirement to order a vehicle (probably lying to Subaru about having a deposit or w'ever) - then, they make certain NOT to take any money so they can skate thru a loophole (likely) about NOT having a 'deal'.

I bet your State AG or similar office would like to know about this.


My BIL ordered a Prius the year they were introduced. Got a VIN number, kept calling about arrival, put off, "we don't have it yet....blah blah..." Then he spotted it! Got close enough to confirm HIS VIN - AT THE STATE FAIR !!! The dealer kept it to put on display at a coupla functions!
 
#14 ·
Re Deposit on an ordered car:

Believe I've read that SOA requires a deposit with an ordered car to prevent dealers from playing games with inventory.
Correct. @ncJim, you may still be able to get SOA to intervene. SOA requires a deposit in order for VON issuance (they audit dealerships to ensure this is followed but not all dealerships may engage in this practice). If the dealer placed an order for you with a VON, then the dealership is representing to SOA that you placed a deposit - and the car was ordered (and allocated) for you. The sunglasses promotion receipt is confirmation that the dealership placed an order for you.

I would speak with SOA customer service and ask them to intervene sooner rather than later. Who knows, SOA may prevent the dealership from selling the car to someone else by stating that doing so might violate the dealership's dealership agreement w/ SOA.
 
#19 ·
I'm local and I can say that with the SF housing prices and tech employer boom going on the buyers our Bay Area dealers deal with are probably far more informed than your non bay area typical buyer. As such I would hold their feet to the fire. I have a rental in SF which my wife and K lived in for 12yrs. Were in the top public school dist out side SF now yep $$$$$$$ for housing though we bought at the bottom in December 09 ;-). The city in the past 5yrs has really changed for the better due to tech employers moving from the south / San Jose to SF. The City is the place to be when your single even in 98 it was the place to be. This SF dealer needs to be taken to task, and held to their word. By the way Burlinggame is big money Realestate we have have a few friends that live there. I know the dealer but other than a test drive have not done buisness with them.
 
#24 ·
I find this thread disturbing and feel obligated to respond. Actually ncJIm, your vehicle has been in our inventory for over a week now and we still have it available (see pics). We have had several interested/potential buyers that we have turned away as this was "your" vehicle. How long are we supposed to hold a vehicle for a customer. It seems you placed orders at multiple dealerships so I guess we should sell it? We have been waiting this whole time for you to pick up the car and you have not made any plans to come to our dealership. Your original price quote will be honored should you choose to actually come in to buy the car you ordered from us.
 

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#26 ·
They replied, but not without a retort. So the question they asked remains; did you place multiple orders? Would like to get the whole story one way or the other.....
 
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#27 ·
As always there is probably some gray areas on both sides that are not exactly clear in whats really taken place. Non local ordering a car who needs to fly in to pick up and probably some confusing and unclear communications from the dealer given I have not had very clear dealings with any dealer via email and rarely by phone. Which case I can see a non local person being hesitant to purchase a airline ticket to fly up to get his car if the comms with the dealer is really misleading.

I suggest both get on the phone and the dealer get someone with awareness of the vehicles status and authority to make proper decisions and have a professional discussion with the customer. Another words not your jr staff with a part time paycheck speaking on the phone representing the dealership.
 
#28 ·
It very clear and straightforward. The vehicle is here and has been for over a week. We can't continue to hold a vehicle for a customer if they have not made the necessary arrangements to proceed with the purchase. As you all know, the Outback (especially with Eyesight) is a hot car and believe me when I tell you we could have sold this on multiple occasions (for substantially more than the agreed price). I am not a Jr Staff member w/ a part time paycheck. I sell 30-40 cars a month (many of which are orders) and am in the top 5 sales in the entire state quarter after quarter. My CSI rating is the highest in the NATION for the past 3 quarters so customer service is my priority. I think we are getting a bad wrap and feel its unfair to get just one side of the story. We have made multiple attempts (via phone, email, texts) to get the sale finalized but the bottom line is, customers need to be present to take delivery of the vehicle and sign paperwork. The fact that multiple orders were placed seems that we really don't have any commitment..sooooo......
 
#30 ·
About a year and a half ago I flew 1000 miles to pick up a car. If the seller had said anything to suggest he had other buyers knowing full and well I was investing $$$ to fly 1000 miles to pick up the car after agreeing on a fair price etc I would have reservations about paying for the flight and making the trip also. I'm not sure why a professional Dealer would even need to mention such thing unless they had hopes that the buyer would back out thus enabling them to flip the car to another buyer for a higher price?

Nope my seller was 100% honest and great to do business with and the car was exactly what they said it was. 1000 mile drive home was nice in the new ride. The guy I sold to that flew 1000 miles to pick up my vehicle never was told that I had other buyers either.
 
#32 ·
maybe I missed it, but, did the dealer mention or the contract mention a time limit until deposit is refunded and sales contract is canceled? If so, the burden is on the buyer to finalize the purchase. Then, if the car isn't removed from the property in a timely manner, the dealership has every right to begin charging a storage fee I'd think.

still, I'm not clear exactly where the problem is now. Just go get the car.
 
#33 ·
The OP obviously got caught lying. I just joined this site and was looking for info about dealers but it is clear that most of this is biased. There was zero deposit on this car, and you are acting like you have already purchased it? Pictures trump anything he is saying and like the guy above said this should be deleted and that user should be banned. Although he will probably just create a new account and do the same thing when something does not go according to his plan, since the world revolves around him. Also I'm sure that dealership should wait hand and foot on someone who blasts them on a forum and post someone's name and information. The OP should post all his info if he is putting someone out there like that. Bad form man, bad form.
 
#36 ·
#35 ·
So where is the OP in all of this? The longer this goes without his reply, the more this story stinks. There are two sides to every story, and this one deserves a final resolution.
 
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#37 ·
So where is the OP in all of this? The longer this goes
without his reply, the more this story stinks.
Yeah, whata nerve! He left you dangling for all of
12 hours and 3 minutes. Maybe someone should
file a missing persons report -- or demand a live
audio-video feed from his GoPro.

Looby
 
#43 ·
FWIW I don't see this as straightforward as some of you seem to. It's clear we aren't getting the whole story, but I'm reserving judgment until we get more information.

And there are plenty of innocent reasons the OP could have not gotten back to us yet. Maybe the OP has a *job* and doesn't have time to sit around forums all the time? Or maybe the OP was telling the truth, and is trying to decide how to deal with a shady dealer hopping on here and making things seem questionable? Or maybe it really has just been a series of failure to communicates, and the OP is pursuing the deal one-on-one with the dealer before updating us here?

Now that there's more to the story, give them some time to sort it out before jumping to conclusions.
 
#44 ·
Questionable? The same car that he ordered, proof is in the pictures, is still at the dealership. But he is sitting on here making somebody look bad. OP why have you not gone and picked up the car? Let me guess different state, or just priced an entire state and have to find out how you are going to get there?
 
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