Figured this goes better in here than in "Parts & Repairs"? And sorry, this is a long story to get in all the background.
Our 2015 Subaru Forester has had a driver's side wheel bearing going out for a month or two. Growling gradually louder and louder, and at a wider range of speeds. It's challenging for us to have any dealer service done, because we live at least 90 min away from any of the nearby dealers. I assumed that this would be at least a 1/2 day repair, quite likely overnight, so the issue was where to go where we could secure short-term alternate transportation. We tried the closest dealer - they hemmed and hawed around, took 4 days to call us back, and never would commit to a "loaner" or rental.
I had to be in Atlanta for a chemo appointment (way NOT the closest!). We do keep a little condo there, so if we tried to have it fixed in Atlanta, at least we'd have a place to stay within a short drive. On Wednesday morning, on a whim, and expecting to get totally shot down, I called the service department at one of the NW Atlanta Subaru dealers. Initially, they told me that the soonest they were currently scheduling for was after the first week of the new year, but she transferred me to the service "concierge" who was most familiar with the technician's work schedule. He said he thought that under our unusual circumstances, he might could fit us in for Wed/Thu. Made an appointment to bring it in at 1pm; he said if we could get it there earlier, it would help.
Then I asked about some alternate transportation. He put me on hold for a minute while he "checked" something, came back and said, "no problem, we can do a loaner/demo. I teased him a little that we had been considering trading up to a 2018 Outback, so if he could make that the loaner, we'd REALLY be pleased.
Wife delivered the car to them at 10:30a. They gave her a BRAND NEW 2018 Outback Limited loaner. They called us back at 2:30p; it was DONE. All totally under warranty. Zero charge. They also checked the passenger side bearing and gave everything on the vehicle a "once-over".
In 64 years of life, I have NEVER had any dealer experience that even comes close to the perfection of this one.
I assume it is not appropriate or allowed to state the name of the dealer or the "service concierge" on here, but you can easily figure out most of it with a little research.
Our 2015 Subaru Forester has had a driver's side wheel bearing going out for a month or two. Growling gradually louder and louder, and at a wider range of speeds. It's challenging for us to have any dealer service done, because we live at least 90 min away from any of the nearby dealers. I assumed that this would be at least a 1/2 day repair, quite likely overnight, so the issue was where to go where we could secure short-term alternate transportation. We tried the closest dealer - they hemmed and hawed around, took 4 days to call us back, and never would commit to a "loaner" or rental.
I had to be in Atlanta for a chemo appointment (way NOT the closest!). We do keep a little condo there, so if we tried to have it fixed in Atlanta, at least we'd have a place to stay within a short drive. On Wednesday morning, on a whim, and expecting to get totally shot down, I called the service department at one of the NW Atlanta Subaru dealers. Initially, they told me that the soonest they were currently scheduling for was after the first week of the new year, but she transferred me to the service "concierge" who was most familiar with the technician's work schedule. He said he thought that under our unusual circumstances, he might could fit us in for Wed/Thu. Made an appointment to bring it in at 1pm; he said if we could get it there earlier, it would help.
Then I asked about some alternate transportation. He put me on hold for a minute while he "checked" something, came back and said, "no problem, we can do a loaner/demo. I teased him a little that we had been considering trading up to a 2018 Outback, so if he could make that the loaner, we'd REALLY be pleased.
Wife delivered the car to them at 10:30a. They gave her a BRAND NEW 2018 Outback Limited loaner. They called us back at 2:30p; it was DONE. All totally under warranty. Zero charge. They also checked the passenger side bearing and gave everything on the vehicle a "once-over".
In 64 years of life, I have NEVER had any dealer experience that even comes close to the perfection of this one.
I assume it is not appropriate or allowed to state the name of the dealer or the "service concierge" on here, but you can easily figure out most of it with a little research.
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