So when I bought our Outback, the salesperson and the manager both highlighted how much value I was getting out of buying at their dealership because they would do inspections for free for the life of the car (~$40/yr around here). However, when I showed up for my very first inspection this month, I was told that they will no longer honor their own offer for free inspections. Neither the dealer nor SoA corporate seem to care that they blatantly lied and are technically breaching a verbal contract made at time of sale. What can I do here?
Was anything about the free inspection included in a written contract? Can you find any advertising that suggests as much? If the answer is no, you don't really have much of a course of action. You can write some bad reviews about them if you desire...
I'm afraid that when it comes to dealers, 'verbal contract' is often precisely equivalent to 'no obligation whatsoever'. Just a vacuous statement.
Perhaps post a review on Google describing your experience. It may at least alert future potential buyers to the worthlessness of such promises. Just be careful to not come across as bitter or resentful, just state the facts.
You're better off without it. Often, "inspection" is merely a prelude to "sell unsuspecting owner a bunch of services that are high profit and really not needed".
Our dealer near the NH coast honors his "free annual state inspections" of any Subes purchased at the dealer........not sure why your dealer is so business-stupid. Having you come in for a free inspection makes add'l paying maintenance work more likely.......what kind of moron shoots themselves in the foot?
That news will get around....I'm aware of a dealer in Manchester that was just sold to a larger dealer group.....wonder if that's the guy in question?
A friend of my daughter has an Outback they purchased and had set up a standing reservation for scheduled maintenance. I believe the first and maybe the 2nd dates went without a hitch. They came back for the next one and found out the dealership had changed owners and they no longer honored things like this from the previous ownership. Adn made no attempt to provide any customer satisfaction. Needless to say, they have since changed dealerships. And they drove a fair distance and passed other dealers to work with that particular dealer. Not the way to maintain a customer relationship.
And anything you get in writing needs to be signed and dated by an officer of the dealership who is authorized to enter in to a contract for services.
I have found that when you go in to a sales negotiation like that then they get wary and very specific in how they deal with you. It is a little stressful but very similar in how you deal with any contract.
Contracts work both ways; they would not sell you a car without something in writing that agrees to the term of the sale.
This is how it works company X located in a building sells cars. They offer incentives only they will do. Then they sell the location to company Y who has no contract or verbal agreement with you. Subaru has no say or involvement at all. Thats a big reason direct sales would be nice Subaru then would have 100% control over its store fronts.
My local Subaru dealer told me to "prove it" when I told them what a competitor offered. So I did, I bought the car at the competitor and drove it home. Week later I rolled in for a slight allignment issue. The stupid looks were priceless.
Service department is run differently. I own a VW and a Subie now, and have been a loyal VW customer of the service dept since about 2010. I get free state inspections on my VW's and never bought one there. They told me to bring in the OB when it needs one. Same deal.
Salesmen at dealerships are nothing but a nest of snakes. Zero loyalty or regard for any of them. The service guy? He's the one that counts. When I had an out of warranty issue with my VW due to installing leather seats from a GTI ( module needed re-programmed) they took care of it for free. I bought in a dozen donuts for the guys. They always take care of me. Then again, I don't buy the stupiudly priced services either, so....