Carter Subaru

by ForesterLeo on 05/07/2016

" It was a great experience to purchase our first Subaru Forester here. David North and Wendy worked with us. I'd say they are professional, helpful and thoughtful. David North replied our email in no time, provided thorough information we asked for, and offered useful suggestions. He is really a down-to-earth, easy-to-work-with dealer. He made the process of purchase smooth and enjoyable. I would highly recommend him and this place to my friend, who is thinking of getting a new car and torn between Subaru and Toyota. I haven't got any service yet, hope it will be as smooth as the purchase. "

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by soren3 on 08/04/2015

I'm very happy I was able to buy my car from Joe. He's incredibly knowledgeable about Subaru cars. I've found him to be very professional in the way he treated me and his customers. We ordered my car to my exact specifications and I would no hesitate recommending him to my family and friends. Thank you Joe ! -Woody

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by sirpeter on 11/09/2014

Excellent support, very knowledgeable. Not pushy. Answered all our questions and then covered the subjects we should have asked.

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by edgecomber on 05/25/2014

Experience after the sale was not quite as positive. I had expressed concern about the jarring ride of the 2014 Forester, but based on a review of the 2015 stating that the ride had been made more compliant, we decided to give it another chance. After a (perhaps too) brief test drive, we decided to go ahead with the purchase and the sales experience was fine. However, after driving the vehicle home and on less than perfect local streets we are still not happy with the ride. It had been suggested that part of the problem might be the 18" wheels on the top of the line Touring that we purchased, so we called Frank back (within 3 days) and asked if we could test a Limited with 17" wheels and if we felt a significant difference, swap out our 18's for 17's. We didn't expect anything back even though 18's are typically at least a $500 upgrade when they are offered as on option. Frank called back in a couple of minutes and basically stated that Carter was not willing to do anything- our vehicle performs the way it was designed to and they don't ever sell vehicles that are not exactly as stated on the sticker. Hard for me to believe they wouldn't be able to command a premium on a Limited equipped with 18" wheels, but oh well. We're stuck with having just paid $33,000 for a vehicle that we find uncomfortable to drive. Our fault for not doing a more extended and varied test drive, but where do you find a dealership that will let you do that? And the issue could be resolved- Carter just doesn't want to. Nothing Frank could do about it- not blaming him. We'll try to find someone who already owns a Limited and wants to swap, but pretty disappointed in Carter.

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by normalex on 10/01/2013

We just bought Forester '14 with the help of David N., Chuck and other lady, forgot her name. David is The Internet Sales Manager. The way you can work with him is mostly through the Internet quote requests from Subaru Carter website. Other reviews that mentioned that he is the guy to work with, are right; he honored mutual agreement even when the dealer trade was much more expensive than the base model due extra options that were put on. Overall attidute is quite good, no pray jumping, relaxed attitude and all very specific questions about warranties, parts, financing, were answered. I do recommend to read through all documents in advance to get very familiar with even the smallest details in contracts, especially extended warranty, it's prices and different applicable periods. Keep in mind that Forester Base does not come with heated side mirrors, aka defogging mirrors. That might be a problem for foggy or snowy areas. Personally, if you have extra 2-3K you can go with Premium model to get rear-vision backup camera that is very handy with parallel parking, and automatic cargo door that can be opened and closed from a key remote control, with all other fancy wheels, electro seats and plastic bumper covers.

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by Gord_Wilcox on 08/19/2013

No pressure, no games - just an informative and educated salesperson who presented the alternatives and options openly, and never pressured me. I found the car I wanted at a price I was more than happy with.

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by JohnB54 on 03/05/2013

David N. is a great salesman to work with. No games,means what he says and says what he means. He was fair and honest and worked hard to make sure we got what we wanted, with no pressure whatsoever. Try him,you'll like him! -John B

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by Subquest787 on 11/27/2012

I have been going to Carter Subaru for over a decade. Unfortunately, their focus on quality and customer has taken a wrong turn. I recently decided to purchase a new Subaru from Carter, but was concerned about the amount of cement dust from the nearby construction and wanted to make sure cars were not brushed or put through an auto car wash. The salesperson told me it was not a problem because they only did light power washing. It was cloudy on initial inspection of the car, so I did not see it right away, but once I pulled the car in the garage, I quickly realized the car was badly scratched over every inch, including headlight, taillights, paint, etc. After seeing pictures of the car, Carter had us go to a detailer and we also took it to a painter - both indicated the car had possibly been brushed with a contaminated brush and not enough water. I asked the salesperson about this and she e-mailed that car had not been washed with a brush or gone through a car wash. Carter was good about offering to take the car back, and I planned to order another car from them. After getting the check back, and before starting the process to order a new car, my wife and I wanted to better understand how the scratches happened, so we went to the lot to compare a few cars that had just come in (and still had some of the protective covering) to cars that had been in the lot for a while. Without exception – cars that still had the protective covering were in great shape, and cars without it were badly scratched. We then realized that we were walking past the wash bay. We watched as they drove a brand new car drove into the wash bay, applied a very small amount of water, and then scrubbed the entire car with a brush that was never rinsed or even returned to the bucket. In an instant, I went from feeling good about the fact that Carter Subaru would give me my money back for a damaged car, to absolute disbelief. I could not believe this was how the cars were washed. I could not believe that, even after I told them the professional detailer they recommended told me the car probably had been brushed, they denied it and would only say the damage must have occurred at the factory or in port. I certainly could not believe that I was explicitly told my car had not been washed with a brush, when it had been. We went back and asked for the Sales Manager and explained what we had seen in the wash bay. He asked us to go into a room so that we would not “sour other customers.” I then told him what we had seen by comparing cars before and after detailing. He responded “we’re not going to change our process.” I would hope that, even if some or most people did not notice the damage, he would still have wanted to avoid unnecessarily damaging the cars, especially as it could be remedied with simple improvements to the process. We asked one more question, but only received another harsh response. My wife and I got up and left. If at any point in the process someone had simply apologized and been honest about how the car had been washed, I would have been fine. I don’t understand why we were treated as we were, especially after we had been told one thing about the car washing process, and then saw for ourselves it wasn’t true. It also doesn’t make sense to us how, knowing the cars are being damaged, Carter Subaru won’t even consider making improvements to its detailing process. I tried bringing my experience to the attention of the owners of Carter Subaru, but my letter remains unanswered. After all these years, I am not so much angry or upset by this experience as I am sad to end a long relationship with Carter Subaru. I am actually writing this because I hope it makes a difference to future car buyers and saves others from going to Carter Subaru and experiencing the same thing. I would strongly recommend checking cars when sunny or with a light if buying from this dealership. We went to a number of other dealerships and were amazed at how much better cars looked elsewhere.

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by davebo on 08/17/2012

I just bought a 2013 Subaru Outback from Carter Subaru (just north of Seattle) and the positive experience was something to share (and I rarely share my opinions publicly). I spent the last 2 months reviewing, researching, and test driving 10 makes of compact SUV’s and interacting with many sales personnel. There have been nice sales people, lazy sales people, impatient sales people, poorly informed sales people, condescending sales people, and then there was Guy at Carter Subaru who was exemplary in patience, knowledge of the vehicle, trying to get the best deal for the client (and he really delivered here), and trying to figure out what is the best fit for the client. For example, this was my second test drive (the first one, just to get a feel for the car, was about a month ago) and this time Guy took me on a real test to show how the car handles under various conditions; up a long hill, down a long hill, accelerating on a curved freeway on-ramp, etc., and the 2013 Outback (4 cylinder) handled very well – clearly on par with more expensive makes. More importantly here, with respect to the sales experience, Guy wanted to know what my expectations and concerns were and tailored the test drive to address each of them; I was very impressed - of the 13, only one other sales rep at the other dealerships showed this level of attention to my concerns and expectations. The business side of my experience, I had to pay for the car, was also very nice and very professional. If you are in the market for a compact SUV, in the greater Seattle area, I strongly recommend checking out Carter Subaru. If you run into Guy, tell him Dave sent you.

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by shanmcd on 04/10/2012

3 weeks ago I brought home my 2012 Impreza Sport!, love it! This is the 4th Subaru that my husband and I have bought from Joe Spitz in the last 15 years and as always he was fabulous. We Always go to Joe and we refer everyone to him. He is down to earth, tells you what you need and what you don't! Never a stressful situation, always fun and best of all he rocks! He would never steer me wrong. We buy cars based on sales people and mechanics and Joe is our sales guy!

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by nancymcm on 02/23/2012

I had not bought a car since 1997 and did not know what I wanted. So, I visited 7 different car dealers looking at all sorts of different makes and models. At the end of this lengthy process, I picked the most comfortable - a Subaru Legacy (all the cars I considered had excellent safety and efficiency ratings). The fact that it had AWD was also key. I chose Carter Subaru over two other Subaru dealers I visited because of Warren Haynes, who was by far the best salesman I met anywhere. Warren showed me the features of Subaru sedans and SUVs and always answered my questions fully. But, best of all, when I test drove a car, he stayed quiet except if asked something. Other sales people had "sales talked" the entire test drives, often leaving me no time to ask my own questions. Unlike some other sales people I met, he also did not contact me constantly to see if I had made up my mind. He never tried to push me into a more expensive car or persuade me that more and more features would meet my needs. Instead, he always suggested ways I could keep my costs down, while still getting the options I wanted. I ended up splurging modestly (but within my budget), thanks to Warren's helpful advice. The price negotiations were amazingly quick and easy, also a big contrast from another dealer whose car I considered seriously. Everyone with whom I dealt at Carter was efficient and helpful. When I picked up my brand new Legacy, Warren went over it carefully with me and even made sure that I got my cell phone hooked up with the Bluetooth connection in the car. I'm sure I would have figured it out eventually, but his help certainly did speed up the process! I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Carter Subaru. And, if you are looking for a helpful rather than pushy sales person, do ask for Warren!

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by risat0303 on 01/23/2012

I purchased my 2004 Subaru Forester in April 2011 from Carter Subaru, thinking I had found the car of my dreams for the ideal price, and finally from some honest car salesman. Although these men are very sweet, FIND A MECHANIC TO DOUBLE CHECK THEIR INSPECTION FOR THE CAR'S CONDITION. They told me my car was mechanically sound, and that their mechanics had done the "150 point inspection" and found no major issues, and that the issues they had found had been resolved. They did not provide me with any previous owner's records, but assured me that the car had had no major issues in the past, and that their mechanics had confirmed it was a great car in great condition. This was the first time that I had sincerely felt like there were honest, genuine car salesmen that existed, so, I took a chance and, feeling confident in my trust for these men, I purchased the car. After my purchase, I immediately headed for the gas station to fill up and begin my journey home. While at the station, the gas pump was clicking off every few dollars, even though the tank was empty. I thought it was odd, but little did I know this would be an ongoing issue that would cause further problems. It has now been 8 months, and I have been through my turbo cylander blowing up, as well as having to replace the entire gas evaporation system, totaling slightly under $2000, not including labor. These gentleman are kind, sweet, and seem genuine, but they are still car salesman. GET A MECHANIC TO MAKE A COMPLETE INSPECTION BEFORE PURCHASING ANYTHING FROM CARTER SUBARU!!

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by lovesuburu on 11/07/2011

I got an amazing associate named Jason Bennet made my time their quick and meaningful. While waiting I had a comfortable time. GAVE ME AN AWESOME DEAL FOR MY 2012 OUTBACK!

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by dsarnov on 10/16/2011

I was in the market for a new car in the $20k price range. After doing my research I decided to go with the 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5l Base with CVT. I did inquire about pricing trough Edmunds.com and I got reply back from Carter Subaru of Shoreline, WA and couple of other dealers. The sales person who responded to my e-mail first was David North. What I noticed right away was that his e-mail tone was very friendly and he seemed eager to earn my business. Unlike your typical car salesmen, he was not pushy at all. In fact he invited me to test drive the car without even asking me when I plan to buy etc. After discussing with David what I was after, he promised me that he would work hard to give me the best reasonable deal and if I decide to shop around I should let him know and give him a chance to beat any better offer I might find elsewhere. Little did I know that he truly meant this! After few e-mails, I decided to lease a 2012 Legacy 2.5l with CVT, Premium and All Weather package. I told Dave that I have little spare time to close this deal and I prefer if we can make this as fast as possible and as hassle free as possible. David North asked me to fill out online credit up, explained my leasing terms via e-mail and sent me a final offer on the desired car. I sent this offer to other Subaru dealers to ensure that I am getting the best possible deal. The other dealers offered me to match the price, but could not beat David’s offer. Because David North was very patient and easy going throughout the whole process I decided to buy the car through him. He assured me that it would be easy and fast transaction, but I had my doubts based on previous car buying experience. I went to buy the car and this is where the magic happened. Everything was as promised. Most of the paper work was done. The price was exactly as David quoted me and the whole process took little over 1hr to complete. I was simply amazed to see that I did not have to renegotiate anything and there was no catch 22s, nor did the finance manager try to sell me extra packages I did not want. This has been the easiest car buying experience I ever had and I have bought quite a few new cars in the past. If you are in the market for a Subaru car, see David North of Carter Subaru in Shoreline. I assure you if you are honest and reasonable with him he will work hard to get you the best deal around. Your car buying experience will be very pleasant and you will be glad you chose David North to be your sales guy. I highly recommend David North to anyone who is in the market for a new car. A+ experience and very pressure free environment!

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by gvorauer on 07/01/2011

My parents needed a new car and decided to go with a Legacy Limited. I did all the leg work, found True Market Value with all the equipment and options wanted and let five dealers in the area quote me their best price. I decided to go with David North at Carter Subaru in Shorewood. This is why. He was the first to get back to me. He found the car I wanted and gave me a couple options of different colors and different option packages. What I liked was he didn't try and steer me away from what I wanted and confuse me. And the best part was when I chose the car with a few additional options, the price was still lower than the competitors. My total time at the dealership was maybe 2 1/2 hrs which included the first day of looking and tire kicking. We did a phone followup the next morning with the agreed price and that afternoon went in and did the paperwork. It was that easy. David also gave us Weather floor mats at no charge or change to the quoted price! My dad loved the car, as did my Mom. The best part was after getting home was we felt good about every aspect of our car purchasing experience. Nothing was left on the table!! THANKS DAVID NORTH YOU ROCK!!

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by risat0303 on 03/22/2011

I had been searching for my ideal Subaru for 4 months... Dealt with dealers throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada, and none compared to Carter Subaru (on Aurora, in Seattle). When I arrived, there was no 'vulture' feeling, like the salesmen are just waiting to pounce... It looked so big and fancy, but operated like a small, family-owned business, giving me the sense of genuine people throughout. I first met James Bennett, and would not have driven from central Oregon had he not made me feel so confident that they would be capable of finding what I was searching for. When I arrived, he was SO sweet and helpful, hearing out exactly what I was looking for, and pointing me in the direction of my perfect car. And when the time came that he needed to finish up with another client, he kindly referred me to John Sylvester. Both men were INCREDIBLE! John not only took the time to listen to what I was dreaming up, but repeated it back to me to make sure he was hearing it perfectly so as to help me get exactly what I was looking for! Talk about customer service... He let me test drive it, making me feel right at home, and even offered the keys when I had to leave to put some thought into it, just to make sure no one else snagged it while I was out. :) He made sure to meet me at a fair price, and when it came time to talk to the financing dept. Travis Bleken was the perfect man to take over. I had a loan pre-approved at another bank, and these gentlemen pulled off around half the percentage for me! AMAZING! Travis not only got every logistic handled in a short amount of time, but even made sure to explain everything clearly as we went along, and have a backup file just incase anything went differently than planned, since it was a weekend. I could not have asked for a better car-buying experience, better gentlemen, or a better car!! If you are looking for a new or used Subaru, any make or model, you'd be smartest to get it from Carter Subaru! THANK YOU SO MUCH FELLAS, I LOVE MY NEW RUBY!!!!! :)

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by fisheggs on 02/10/2011

While this dealer has a better than average inventory, it's worth the wait not to shop here. When I spoke with the internet sales person, I was not impressed. During the initial contact, he made me feel foolish for the options and vehicle color I wanted. During my second contact, he was not willing to negotiate on my trade-in and offered a far less than low book value. On my third contact, he seemed surprised that I didn't want to do business with him.

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by newsubaru1 on 12/31/2010

I requested an Internet price quote, and David North responded by email and phone. He was very helpful and answered all my questions. Not high pressure. He gave me a great price; the only reason I didn't buy from him was that I was able to get an even better price at a dealership closer to home. Would definitely recommend David North to anyone looking for a car.

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by outback10 on 11/06/2010

I recently purchased a used Outback from Carter Subaru in Shoreline and had a wonderful experience. The sales associates with whom I worked, Warren adn James, were both wonderful. The experience was painless and quick. Best of all, I love my car and feel like I got a solid deal. I would go there for my next car in a heartbeat!

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by xwesx on 02/05/2010

I approached this dealership (internet sales manager) knowing in advance what I wanted. I wrote the manager with the specs of the car and simply asked for a price. The price was given along with the stock # of the vehicle (first buying experience) and time frame for delivery (second buying experience, when I factory-ordered the car). I was sent a sales order, reviewed it, signed it, and gave a deposit. I then spoke to the financing department (which I did not end up using for the first purchase but did for the second) and had a no-pressure, low-key discussion with the rep. Once that was sorted out, I was sent all the purchasing paperwork for my signatures and then sent it back. A few days later, the car's MCO (manufacturer's certificate of origin) was sent to me. I took this to my local DMV and walked away with my license plates. Once I arrived at Carter, I was greeted by the ISM who (quickly) showed me my car and reviewed features with me. I gave him my plates, which were then installed on the car, and drove away. Simple. Until the ISM leaves Carter or their pricing changes such that closer dealerships become competitively priced (Carter is 2200 miles away), I plan to buy all of my Subaru vehicles from this dealership.

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by avoidcarter on 07/02/2008

I recently purchased a Subaru Tribeca. Safe to say that I am very happy with the vehicle and that I did not purchase the vehicle from Carter Subaru. Why not? Rude and utterly incompetent sales staff. My experience at Carter started with a call to inquire into their used Tribeca (2008 model) inventory. My question was relatively simple - what do you have and what is the price. I was told that they had 4 units in stock. I repeated my question and was given the same answer. So I asked for specifics - price - model and mileage (they only had 4 - 2008 models in stock). I was told that I was just given the details, that I should not waste their time and need to come in if I want to talk price, which I did to my regret. The sales associate was rude, did not listen to what I asked and told me that if I did not negotiate with him, I shall not receive the best price. I told him that I do not want to haggle and would like to know the bottom line price. He then started to explain to me that it is part of his job to haggle with customers and this is the value that he brings to the transaction!? At that point he ran off to grab his manager. All made sense to me then (the manager sets the tone -worst than the sales associate). He told me in contradiction to his "sophisticated" sales associate that the price is the price and is not negotiable - "What happened to the so called value - he brought to the table 2 minutes ago?" The manager then tried to intimidate me by telling me how complicated the import process is (to Canada) and that only they can do it well and that many other companies have failed at this. I responded by saying that it is a relatively simple process. He response was that it is only simple if you have done it before and he then proceeded to question me, whether I have ever imported a vehicle before. When this tactic did not work he tried to intimidate me by saying that they do not accept bank guaranteed drafts - that you have to wait ten days before he would release any vehicles even with a bank guaranteed draft - as if I ever offered to purchase a vehicle. He then proceeded to give me his business card and told me that I had to phone him before the end of the day to qualify for any used vehicles!?. I returned his card, asked him to keep it and informed him that I shall go where the sales process is civilized and where customers are treated with respect. I have to say that I had a very pleasant buying experience at [violative content deleted] - what a world of difference 30 miles make. The sales associates at Carter Subaru are stuck in a 1970's time warp of the "Sleazy used car sales people", their to rip you off and at the same time telling you they are doing you a favor and saving you from extinction.

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