Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience
2765 messages, Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 10:16 AM
You are in the Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum. Your Hosts are car_man & kyfdx
|
Replying to: dcm61 (Aug 17, 2004 3:43 am) |
|
|
Tax depends on the state. In MD, you pay sales tax before the customer rebate. But if it's a dealer incentive and they pass it on to you, you are taxed only on the lower price. It can vary by state, though, many states do not tax you on the rebate amount. -juice |
|
|
|
|
The MSRP is $22,996- The dealer will knock off $3,350 ( includes $1,250 rebate ). Dealer called back today & was willing to drop another $500 because they low balled my trade last night. I am going to try & sell the car myself & then come back to the dealer for the lowest price. Also wondering about rust-proofing....I live in NYS and they use a lot of salt on the roads. I have not owned a Subaru before & don't know how much rust-proofing is done when they are built. Thanks in advance for your help- |
|
|
|
|
I bought a new 2004 Forester XT about 10 days ago. Made good deal on the car (thanks to shopping online first). My one regret is that I agreed to a window tint job, and its price was added into the sale and the loan. Now, having belatedly learned a lot about window tints, I have changed my mind. I know what kind of tint I really do want, but it is not what the dealer offers. The tint installation is not scheduled yet. This weekend I emailed my sales rep and asked if it was possible to arrange for the brand of tint I want, which is Huper Optik ceramic. I think this looks like a superior product to the Solar Gard film the dealer uses. I know it is more expensive. The response, which did not surprise me, was no. Their tint supplier doesn't carry it. "Never heard of it" was the actual response, which is not credible to me. I feel personal responsibility for agreeing to an unspecified tint job without researching it first, and I understand that this is a high-markup item for the dealer. Given all that, I didn't just say, "I've changed my mind. Please give me my money back." Instead, I suggested that they just cancel out the tint job and apply those dollars to a retail credit in their own parts/service dept. (I'm sure there are healthy margins there, too.) That way, since they can't provide the tint product I really want, I would just shop it independently. But they would keep the same amount of business on other accessory goodies. Seemed like a win-win deal to me. The sales rep first said that seemed reasonable, but then came back after checking with the bad cops (sales manager and business manager) and said no-can-do. They said the tinting supplier has already been paid for the job. <Rolling my eyes> I ended up sending an email to all three, saying thanks but no, I choose not to take delivery on the tint job. No matter what, it is now a net negative to me (even if it were free) because it would preclude installation of the higher-quality product I really want. I left it up to the dealer to rectify their own <ahem> accounting with the tint provider, and to give me whatever refund or consideration I may be due. If they think that is zero, then I asked them to just say so. I think this can be analyzed on several different levels: * What is legal? * What is ethical? * What sort of aftertaste will I have when I fill out Subaru of America's customer satisfaction survey? What do others think? |
|
|
Forester are already undercoated at the factory, to make the trip across the Pacific Ocean. No need for any more than that. Warning: I'm going to play Devil's Advocate as far as the tint goes. I am not sugar coating this at all. Technically, you ordered the tint and they might have scheduled it and pre-paid, or at least left a deposit. They have a good will relationship with their tint installer and probably just don't want to cancel it. Here's another thing - they may have made your deal with the profit margins for the tint job in mind, i.e. that might be a good portion of the only profit they made on your sale. From that perspective, a deal is a deal. You agreed to it and the only one breaking their promise, legally and ethically, is ... you. But let's step back a bit. What can/should you do? I have SolarGard film on my Forester, have for 6 years now. It's been great. No fading, no turning purple, no bubbling. It's been great, actually. I've never heard of "Huper Optik ceramic" tint, it sounds a bit like snake oil to me, so I don't think they were lying when they told you they never heard of it. If SolarGard has worked well for them all this time why wouldn't they stick with it? I saw the same thing about 5 years ago, people that paid more for metallic-based films kept saying my SolarGard dyed film would fade and turn purple. When? 20 years from now? I wish I'd made a bet. They'd owe me a cold beer right about now! Go with the SolarGard, why not? My wife had it on her 626 for several years and she had no problems, either. Ask for warranty information in writing, and make sure the tint installation is perfect. SolarGard is fine, looks great on my Forester. Here are some pics: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291908527&p=4243265717- &idx=17 This one shows it next to a non-tinted Legacy: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291908527&p=4257080942- &idx=11 -juice
|
|
|
Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 18, 2004 7:26 am) I would get the dealer tint, most likely it's a reputable installer that they use. I had my tint done aftermarket on my own but used my dealer-suggested shop. The shop the dealer used also happened to be the shop my friends with tint jobs recommended and the shop recommended on all the local discussion boards. But I would find out about warranties, most of the product suppliers offer a lifetime warranty. To me, and honorable warranty on a mediocre product is better than none on a great product. At worst, it's equivalent. Elissa |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 18, 2004 7:26 am) Let me just say that I am convinced by my own research that Huper Optik, http://www.huperoptik.com/Automotive.asp?cat=NaviAuto.inc a relatively new ceramic-based technology, is a superior product. Huper Optik ceramic tints tend to be installed on high-end BMWs, Lexus, Infiniti, etc., at a premium price. I'm sure Solar Gard makes a good product, but I don't think it is as good as the newer Huper Optik product. More to the point, the Solar Gard tint is not what I want. Given that, what is at issue here is the "buying experience" and what constitutes best business practices on both sides. In fact, you should know that the car deal was in no way contingent on the tint add-on. I know that the tint package is a high-margin item for the dealer, and I can't blame them for wanting to maximize their profit. But we first made the handshake deal on the car price with or without "Business Manager" add-ons. I do feel some personal responsibility for naively agreeing to the dealer's tint package. Shame on me for not doing my homework first. However, I think that in the ordinary course of business, the customer has a certain privilege -- if not a right -- to be fickle. I am now exercising the inherent right of any customer to say, "Thank you very much, but that is not what I want after all. What can you do for me in the way of a refund, credit or other consideration?" I doubt seriously that except for the hassle factor, the dealer has incurred any out-of-pocket costs with their outsourced tint supplier. Since they routinely do business with that supplier, I'm sure the bean counters can find a way to undo the order if money has, in fact, changed hands. My approach with the dealer, from the time I changed my mind, has been to seek some win-win way out of this that gives them something for their trouble. But all those suggestions have been rebuffed. The dealer's position is in effect, "No. We already have your money. You must accept the tint job you originally ordered." I took no offense at these negotiating tactics until yesterday, when they pulled the ploy of "we already paid the tint dude." Now I am more inclined just to say, "I've changed my mind. Please just give me my money back." Legally, perhaps I can't force them to give me a refund or dealer credit; I'm certain they can't force me to accept delivery of the tint job. Ethically, I think it's a standoff. Psychologically, this is turning an excellent buying experience into a very sour one. |
|
|
I don't think there's anything wrong with a little buyer's remorse and I think you've gone beyond the call to work the tint issue out with the dealer. I'd fax the owner and/or general manager and tell them that the situation is relatively minor but is fast souring your experience with the dealer. They can read between the lines that you'll tell everyone you meet about your experience. Jobs get cancelled all the time - the tint installer will survive. Try asking the salespeople over in Any Questions for a Car Dealer? too - often people say there's no deal until the car leaves the lot, but I don't know how true that is. Oh, the Window Tinting board has been reopened too  Steve, Host |
|
|
I agree that it shouldn't be a big hassle to give your money back or at least give you equivalent credit with the parts dept. But I also have to wonder why the big deal in the first place? What's wrong with Solargard? Sure Huper Optik makes their product sound wonderful but I'm pretty sure that the difference between the two products is negligible. Of course if you "MUST" have only the best most "gold-plated" version then I suppose it fits the bill. -Frank
|
|
|
I'd heard of Madico and Lumar also. Throw in 3M film while you're at it. Those are the more established brands (including Solar Gard). I saw the post in another thread that had a link to Huper Optik, so they're legit it seems, but I'd still never heard of them until today. OK, gotcha on the car deal, so it was done before you ordered the tint. Hmm, I guess the dealer could cancel the order and charge maybe a small penalty (a deposit maybe?). That seems reasonable, but I do still think it's up to the discretion of the dealer. Sounds like you want the best possible tint, cost no object, and you're convinced that the ceramic type is best, so go for it. Call 800-SUBARU3 and tell them about this, see if they can mediate and help you obtain a full refund. I really think the dealer just didn't make any money on your sale, but sort of recovered on the tint deal, and just doesn't want to give up what was likely the only profit he'd make at all on the whole deal. -juice |
|
You are here:
Forums
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Subaru Forester
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
