Subaru Buy Back... not so amazing

[Boomer84]

OK, so I'm back to disappointed...

 

I just got off the phone with Subaru America and the Rep told me that my 6 month Old 2013 Forester XT sold at $32000 is only worth $25000 on the Buy Back program in excellent condition. The value is based on the car being owned for a year and would have 15000 miles on it. Plus the Buy Back is not held and could actually drop even more by the time I actually have a year on my car in October 2013.

Additionally, the dealer does not have to offer you the buy back, unless you ask for it.

 

The Subaru Rep told me the Buy Back program is for the Dealers to help move Inventory. It's not about the customer at all. I can't believe I was naïve enough to think the Subaru Buy Back was something special. It's nothing more than a marketing ploy to give people to feel a false sense of consumer loyalty and security.  Now I find that Subaru is not any better than other car makers.  

 

It took me 20 years to decide to buy my 4th Subaru. I fell for the Warm Fuzzy Subaru Love marketing.  Maybe some of the engineering is better than other car companies, but right now I am thinking a Honda, Hyundai or Ford would have been a better place to spend my money.

 

I know there are a lot of very happy Subaru Owners. Hopefully that feeling will come back to me again.

 

[86BRATMAN]

I hate to say it, but people with your mentality are the reason the auto industry is what it is. You believe all the hype that the latest and greatest is just that, Take the 13 Ford Escape, people poured over these things when the new body style came out. They are junk, ask any Ford mechanic the road noise after a few thousand miles can barely be canceled out with the radio halfway up. I don't mean this as a personal attack on you at all, just believe me you don't want to fall for the gimmicks of a new model before they've had time to shake out the real world issues that all new models have.

[MR_Loyale]

Are there any consumer reporters on your local tv stations? See if you can get one of them interested in your case. Nothing car dealers hate more than bad publicity. If you are really mad, make a big sign saying "This dealer screwed me. Will you be next?" put it on your car and park on the public street next to the dealer lot.

[88wacaroo]

Well, I"ve been off the New Car GiG Since the 80s So I"m Not Surprised that People are finally Beginning to Figure this Program Out...I Was a Fact. Ford Tech. For 3"1/2 Yrs. Back in the late 80s { Drove A Subie Then Too } And I Didnt Like All the New Junk Coming Out Back then Either!! The Guy on UTube Says it all about Dealers-It"s Warranty Work...No more Repair Work $$ Because the Factory wants All The $$$ !!! Why do you think the Factory Offers The 10Yr. 100K. Warranty on new Cars...It"s so they don"t have to Pay the Techs the proper amount of $$ to fix it-25.Hr.  Warranty work is $6-8Hr. Hence the Kick A*s Warranties they Offer-Joke!! Look at the New Subies Now- Theyre Getting on the Recall Wgn. Now Along with Everybody Else...Sorry, I Have No Faith In The Factorys Anymore....

[Boomer84]

Geeze Bratman.  Yes, I fell for the Hype, Not because I am stupid, because I let my guard down and wanted to believe that Subaru was better than other car brands.

Please don't blame me for all the greedy, lying, worthless auto executives and advertising scum who use every opportunity & ploy to trick consumers. 

I am just a human being. I made a mistake. But my mistake clearly points out that Car dealers & Automakers must split about 1/3 profit for any New car being sold.

 

By the way, I do not hate the local car dealer and the local news station (with the best consumer reporter} drives Foresters.  LOL

I will still post & gripe about this topic for another few weeks on other Subaru Forums & blogs. At least that makes me feel a little better.

[86BRATMAN]

I'm sorry if I came off as calling you stupid, it truly was not my intent. I do understand that it's a human weakness to want the newest and "best" thing out there. I guess this subject is still a little sore spot for me because my ex wife did it all the time. So if I deferred that onto you I'm truly sorry.

 

At the end of the day business is business though, just remember that you have one of the last of the really good looking foresters, new ones are a little too in stream looking in my opinion.

[man on the moon]

Another factor to keep in mind is that dealers do not always work for the manufacturer. It is more like the own a franchise, with some support from the parent company, but have a lot of leeway and decision making they can do on their own.

I don't know where the Buy Back falls in the scheme of things, but my guess is that it's dealers trying to move stuff and Subaru doesn't really care how they do it, as long as they do.

 

Anyway, just a guess, so take it with a grain of salt. (And if it is Subaru pushing the buy-back, it may be marketing and not engineering, or a corporate big-wig who is clueless about other things...etc...isn't necessarily a company wide thing even if it markets that way. Which is silly, but appearances can be deceiving, etc).

[man on the moon]

And I second the "ranting makes me feel better" bit. Sometimes it really makes me feel better to sit down and gripe for a few minutes, even if I know it isn't going to change anything (except maybe my outlook). Feel free to rant, but maybe try to preface it a little more clearly in the future; chances are we'll join you

[Flowmastered87GL]

Subaru had offered me a guaranteed trade in value years ago on my baja.  I held on to my Baja, but the price they offered was irrelevant.  Even if they could offer me something above book value like $15000 today, it wouldn't mean anything because the dealer could just pad the price on the new car and refuse to negotiate.  Not to say they would, but without something along the lines of $XXXXX for your car AND new car at invoice, it means pretty little.  Also makes me think of a somewhat unrelated, but similar marketing ploy by a mattress store.  We will beat anyone's price or the mattress is free.  Its NEVER going to be free.  If the store down the street is selling the mattress for even $1, this store will sell it for 99 cents.  There is a reason I didn't go into marketing.  I hate it.

[Boomer84]

Off the rant stuff. I am just amazed by how big the "BRAT PACK" is on the forum. Now that's a vehicle Subaru should reconsider bringing back.

I guess I do have the Last Forester with a Hood Scoop and in Sage Green.

Hey Bratman... I re-read what you said and No Worries. 

 

We all have Bigger & better things to do with life than complain about stuff we can't change. I won't be wasting any more forum space on this rant.

[scole665]

Yeah, the Buy Back is a giant marketing ploy. All the manufacturers play the game in one form or fashion. Subaru is in the business to make money in the end, it's pure capitalism at play. But, you have a terrific car that should last you a very long time and you have a new dog too, from what I understand. Enjoy the Subaru. The 2014's will be old in like 6 months, so don't worry about it and enjoy the ride. :-)

[spazomatic]

This is another reason ive never bought a brand new car. As soon as you sign the papers, that car is worth thousands less.

Why would you even buy a car with the intent of selling it back to the dealer? I buy a car and drive it till its not worth fixing.

If you want a new car every year, why not lease?

[subeman90]

This is another reason ive never bought a brand new car. As soon as you sign the papers, that car is worth thousands less.

Why would you even buy a car with the intent of selling it back to the dealer? I buy a car and drive it till its not worth fixing.

If you want a new car every year, why not lease?

I buy new cars b/c I am tired of fixing some one else's POS that they didn't give a fudge about when they bought it.  My new car is my daily...my used cars are "toys"