My new car shopping experience started out great. I researched the model and trim I wanted, how much I should pay, my credit score, car loan pre-approved and insurance quote. I checked local inventory and inquired online for a vehicle that matched my specifications. Shortly later, I was contacted by a salesperson. The car had extra options I wasn't considering, like a $1500 stereo upgrade, and $4000 additional dealer markup. When we negotiated a price I was happy with, I headed over to the dealer for a test drive. When I arrived at my scheduled appointment, my salesperson was waiting outside. He took a copy of my license and insurance and I waited while he pulled the car around. The car was dirty inside and out, had very little fuel, a door ding, scratches on the center console, and nearly 1800 miles. If you really want to sell a car: wash it, gas it, and pull it up front waiting your customers scheduled arrival. Not a good first impression, but I know the car will be washed and gassed for delivery, and I could ask for paintless dent repair. I returned from a short test drive with a few questions. The salesperson didn't seem very knowledgeable about this particular model. The mileage was alarming, but I figured it was a dealer demo. I negotiated the price down a little more and to have the dent repaired. At the time it wasn't disclosed to me that the car was a "rollback", i.e the car had been previously purchased, returned, and sold again as new. Had I known that, I would have brought the price down a little lower or get some parts like a fitted sunshade thrown in. The F&I manager did his thing trying to push the usual extended warranty, gap, prepaid maintenance, paint protection, etc. Finally I caved on the overpriced prepaid maintenance, finished the paperwork and took delivery. The detailers did their normal piss poor job washing the car. It came out dripping wet, with petroleum based tire shine slathered all over. I got them to deliver the car to my home. When it arrived, I pulled it into the driveway and left it alone for six days until the following weekend when I could do my own professional new car detail. During this time I got texts, calls and emails daily about giving them an exceptional score on their survey and reviewing them on social media. On one of the calls I asked about the sales paperwork I never got a copy of, and that I hadn't heard from the service department to schedule the dent removal. He emailed my paperwork and said he would contact service right away. I never did get a call back with any confirmation. I gave the car a proper wash and vac, used a clay bar to remove tree sap and other dark spots, polished out some swirl marks, waxed it and protected all the plastics, fabric and leather, inside and out so it would actually look like a new car now and be protected in the future. This is when I discovered that there are three rock chips in the front bumper and two in the windshield and I will need to spend more time claying the windows and rear windshield to remove significant water spots. The gloss black wheels are permanently damaged from an acidic cleaner or something. The roof needs more restoration. The drivers all-weather floor mat is missing, which was there during the test drive, and a tire valve stem cap is missing. I inquired about the missing floor mat and got a non-committal "I'll keep an eye out for it". I finally managed to get some miles of my own on it, and found out that the car is not tracking straight on the freeway. The tires are properly inflated, so I don't know if a wheel is unbalanced, it's out of alignment, or if there is suspension damage from the previous owner. I'll likely have to pay to have the service department check it out when I finally get the dent removed. I am used to red carpet treatment. My custom ordered cars come straight off the truck, PDI'd and gassed. I arrive with the documents already completed, no F&I dance, and pay 3% under invoice for a car with 2 miles and never washed. Although I did get a reasonable deal on a USED "new" car that is the exact model, trim and color I was looking for, I am a quite sour on the condition. Especially things like the wheels that cannot be repaired easily, poor drivability, and missing parts. I feel taken advantage of over the rollback status not being disclosed upfront. Overall the staff was friendly, and responsive pre-purchase. The young salesperson was lacking of experience, but I know Subaru's inside and out already. The whole post-sales experience only consists of daily spam about their stupid survey, which I never even received. Once I get the promised dent removal done, I will take the car elsewhere for service. I would be apprehensive of returning to any DGDG dealership unless they are the only one with a good price on my next new car. At least I will know what I am walking into. read more

I am very satisfied with the service I received at Capitol Subaru. My 1995 Subaru has seen better days and recently broke down due to a fuel pump issue. Instead of making the repairs necessary, I decided it was time to get a newer car. I have had my eyes and heart (because I am a Subaru owner for life) on a 2008 Impreza (hatchback) and was not able to find one in stock anywhere in the bay area. So I started to look at Volkswagen and was dealing with a dealer in the area, but I felt as if I was being forced into purchasing a car I was not going to be happy with. I was about to bite the bullet when the 2008 Impreza was listed at Capitol Subaru(and it was in my price range!!!). My boss has done business with Page at Capitol Subaru (VIP of Sales. Woot, woot) a few times and recommended that I contact Page (I had met him previously in August to test drive another 2008 Impreza and fell in love with the car). I called up Page and the car was in stock and I told him I would come in the next day to look at it. When I came in Page had left to another dealership (the job of the VIP manager) and Chip came over to talk to me. I informed him I was looking for Page, who was not in, but that I wanted to drive the car. Chip went in and discovered that the car was not in (it was out for conditioning?). Chip was very personable and helpful. I left and then the next day was Christmas so I waited until Tuesday to call. (I am so glad I did so on that day or else the car would have been gone) I set up an appointment to look at the car at 3pm. He told me he would have it washed and to come on in. When I came in, someone else was test driving the car (Damn! Shouldn't have had it washed). But Page informed his co-worker that the car was already in the process of being sold ("planted the seed" as Page said). While I was waiting several of the staff at Capitol greeted me (including Chip) and offered me beverages and what not (very hospitable). Once they were done testing out the car, Page took me for a test drive. This car is so zippy. You cannot help but smile when you drive it. I told him I wanted it and when we went in, the other people had left (deciding not to buy the car, Yeah!). Oh and while I was sitting there a handful of potential buyers came in to have a look at the car (but it was already spoken for, ha). I am a first time buyer with hardly any credit, and no co-signer. I had money down, but just enough to cover taxes, title, and registration. Page set me up with Gus, the finance guy. He was very helpful, and got me a loan, the APR is higher than what I wanted, but not excessively high. He also helped me get my payments to where I found to be acceptable (lower would've been nicer, but my credit and what not weren't helping). The process was painless and quick. As was the paper work with Steve or Steven(can't remember, sorry) who was very pleasant to talk to. Thank you guys! Page is the most chipper guy I have ever met. He is not aggressive nor does he have that stereo-typical front car salesman tend to have. He gave me a great deal (thank you Page) and the whole process start to finish with him was seamless. Page even spent about 15 minutes with me before I left making sure I was completely comfortable with all the features in the car, including how to use the radio. The people of Capitol Subaru go above and beyond with their customer service. To repeat myself, I very pleased with Capitol Subaru and would highly recommend doing business with them. read more

First, I am a former 'old school' car salesman who did not enjoy the game. Yet I know the inner workings of car sales and how the game is usually played, as well as how to get the best deal. I had already done my research and knew which car I wanted to buy, just needing to settle my decision with a test drive. Price was very important to me, as I was already stretching my budget significantly. I had already worked out what I knew to be a great price with another dealer about a 3 hour round-trip from my home.. I'd done enough price checking already, and didn't feel the need to negotiate further. The morning I was to go it was heavily raining, and I thought it might be a good idea to just call Capitol Subaru to have a backup plan in case something didn't go to my liking. I was put through to salesman Tommy Quash, who handles internet inquires and fleet sales. While I don't know the exact chain-of-command at this dealership, fleet sales staff are usually allowed to write their own deals without the usual steps of working a deal through the sales manager's desk. This can streamline the sales process, and avoid back and forth haggling. Without even telling Tommy the price I was offered by the other dealer, he gave me a quote that beat the other one by $250, and they were only 45 minutes from my home - really appreciated with the rains. I was concerned that the price over the phone might be a way to tease me in, and when I get there they would find excuses to not actually give me that deal. But Tommy completely held to his offer with no attempt to switch or up-sell. Also, they did not have the color I wanted in stock, but arranged a trade with another dealer. This is something many dealerships will do all they can to avoid, as it costs them extra time and money and transport risk. Tommy arranged this without complaint and without it affecting the price. I'm not going to say what I bought it for, but let me tell you it was an excellent deal. I'm sure the huge volume done at Capitol and their dealership group had a lot to do with what they could afford to give. Also, it being the last two days of the month when I bought, dealerships are striving to reach monthly sales targets, which can help further. The wait to get into finance for contract signing was quite long. Overall, the whole purchase process, including a test drive and working a trade-in on my old car, took about four hours. If you're looking for a sales person to charm you and make you feel giddy about paying more than you need to and buying a car that's not exactly what you want, Tommy's not really your guy. He is very straightforward and will not pull any wool over your eyes. He did make me feel great about the deal and show he really cared, both during and after the sale. Thank you Tommy! My experience with service has been limited to their Auto Butler paint & interior protection application. It went fine, and my car was totally detailed in the process. They gave me a 24-hour loaner vehicle at no extra cost, which was a beautiful Outback identical in model to the one I bought. Car looked super after the service, including dressing of the plastics. read more

The wife and I recently went car shopping one weekend. We had just walked off two lots having felt the sales staff did not treat us with respect. The initial exchange and dealing with the salesperson was pleasant enough until it came down to the actual negotiating the price. At both dealers I became a prolonged event as they tried to tire us out hoping to have us simply give into their back and forth numbers & figures psycho-babble. It became indeed exhausting, but more frustrating than anything else for our sanity. The proverbial tactics came into play with multiple salespeople acting as if they had our welfare solely in mind. Then the head sales manager jumped into the fray and performed his circus act as if coming to our rescue to save us from the salespeople and make the deal of a lifetime; one we couldn't refuse. It was actually the same number-crunching tactic, which did nothing to lower the final price closer to their invoice cost. We finally told them that we weren't interested and walked away extremely annoyed. We decided to go to lunch and refresh ourselves before continuing on to the next dealership. As we drove, the wife happened to see a few vehicles that caught her fancy on the Capital Subaru lot we were passing and decided to take a closer look. We drove in, parked and strolled through a large inventory selection the entire time keeping an eye out for salespeople to come cascading down on us as expected from experience. Yet, even though we clearly saw salespeople in the immediate area, they at least provided us some time to checkout cars. That was a pleasant change. After a few more minutes, John Choi, salesperson, came over and introduced himself and asked if we had seen any vehicle we were interested in. We told him we were indeed interested in the Imprezza Hatchback model, but told him we would go to lunch first and come back to test drive one. John didn't stall us to keep us captives on the lot to make a deal. He simply smiled and wished us a good lunch and told us to ask for him when we came back. We came back and took a test drive with John. He answered all our questions in a polite way never pressuring the sale. We went inside the office and pleasantly worked out a very reasonable deal without any stressful negotiating tactics, which is so prevalent at dealerships. We experienced no painful arm-twisting methods. The purchase process was refreshingly painless. John was ever the helpful and friendly dealer representative throughout the entire time. We drove home the new car with a happy refrain. This was the only car buying experience where we have ever been treated with respect and professionalism. If car shopping is usually a necessary heartache, we must admit doing business at Capital Subaru was a pleasant surprise of taking the edge off the typical experience. We will not hesitate to come back there again and highly recommend others to visit the dealership when in need of a great product and satisfying outcome. We recommend you ask for John Choi when you go there and you will be in good hands. read more

I bought a 2013 XV Crosstrek from Capitol Subaru on July 1st, 2013. My experience here was phenomenal!!! Let me say first that I had shopped around several other dealerships to explore vehicle options and dealer pricing. At each one (Steven's Creek Subaru, Captiol Kia, and Captiol Mazda) I was greeted with sales people who were trying to do a pressure sale at the end of the test drive (even when I stated I wasn't going to buy right then), who were unable to answer my questions on even the most basic of questions (For example: what does your extended warranty cover?) and who were completely disinterested in being on the test drive with me (Specifically at Steven's Creek! The guy was texting on his cell phone the whole time we were on the ride). Details of my experience at Capitol Subaru: Sales Associate: Page Wallace, VIP Manager Purchased: 2013 XV Crosstrek, Dark Metallic Grey Pro's *Page was an encyclopedia of knowledge about the not only the Subaru's, but of so many other cars of various makes, models, and years! *The service was PRESSURE-FREE! which was a huge selling point for me. I need to come to my own decision, not be forced into one just because they need the profit. * Page was HONEST! Backed up by own research on the car mixed with the cross-examining interrogation that I put him through on multiple test drives. * Page is PATIENT. I witnessed first hand his patience with a very difficult customer and was impressed with his ability to handle her attitude and indecisiveness all while effectively multitasking with other customers (me) and the staff at Capitol. *Page is APPROACHABLE and ACCESSIBLE. He was kind, humorous, friendly, and was able to be reached via phone, text, email, or in person. His response time was quick and always courteous. *All staff were open, friendly, approachable, and courteous. *Dealership was clean and well stocked with a diverse inventory. Con: Getting the paperwork for the financing was slow, not by any fault of the staff, but because of the printer and computer interface issues. We had to reprint 6 contracts because of printer malfunctions! Steve in Finance was very patient with the process, even though you could see he was frustrated. He remained calm and worked through the issue with grace, even with 3 people backed up behind me (past closing time!) because of the printer. yikes! Overall my experience with everyone at the Capitol Subaru dealership was fun, light-hearted, and honest. I was able to interact with multiple members of the staff from Page Wallace, other sales reps who would answer questions or chat with me while Page was occupied, to the Service Department staff who spoke with me about VW's vs Subie's. The space was clean, the waiting area was comfortable enough, and the inventory was vast. I would purchase another vehicle from here again if I choose to buy another Subaru. Thank you, Page Wallace and the DGDG Captiol Subaru Team! read more

My family has been through the car-buying process many times over the past few years and our interactions with Capitol Subaru has been by far the best out of all of these experiences. My family and I had taken particular interest in the Subaru BRZ as it seemed like a great and fun car for me to take down to college. After visiting a neighboring Subaru dealership (who's staff was not nearly as patient, kind, nor caring as the folks at Capitol), we decided to try our hand at the Capitol dealership. Based on our previous interactions, we were definitely a bit skeptical...but not for long. After sitting down with our Sales Consultant, Michael Holm, we were treated with a great amount of patience and generosity. Unlike the previous Subaru dealership that we went to, Michael gave us our space in making our decision and did not rush us into purchasing the car the day-of. Even when we decided to take a few days to think about the purchase before buying, Michael did not constantly call us to heckle us about purchasing (something that the other Subaru dealership did). When we visited a second time to make a reservation on a BRZ Premium, we worked with Sales Consultant John Navarro (because Michael wasn't in that day). Although John was not present when I arrived, we were greeted by Financial Manager, Steve who made us feel so at home, the slightly elongated wait wasn't even a bother to us. He also constantly gave us updates about John, who was consequently stuck in a test drive. Much like Michael, John was super patient and very professional in our interactions. Never once did he pressure us to buy or make a decision and was able to answer all of our questions without fault or hesitation. We ended up making a reservation on a Black BRZ that was due from Japan on September 3rd; however, due to an early shipment, we were able to get the car a few weeks early on August 25th. There were absolutely no hassles at all with the signing and financial process as everyone worked with us with much (again) patience and kindness. Even after the car had been purchased, the crew at Capitol continued to surprise me with their care. As I had no knowledge on how to drive a stick shift car, Michael was kind enough to take me on a lesson in a used Outback so I was able to drive my newly purchased car home without worry. In addition to that, when I came in two weeks later to have a spoiler installed, I was again treated very well by the Capitol staff. Many props to the Service Advisor, Gil Portillo, who took care of the process from the moment I pulled into the lot to the second I took off with a new spoiler perfectly installed. Gil also had the servicemen take care of a few scratches that I noticed on my hood. All in all, my interactions with Capitol Subaru have been nothing but spectacular. I would not hesitate to recommend Capitol and their professional staff to anyone who is in the hunt for a new car! read more

I have purchased three brand-new Subarus at this location since 2012. Saying that I am a fan of Capitol Subaru is an understatement. Recently however, I have had a change of heart because of a single situation that made me question my loyalty. I have gone exclusively to the dealership for any and all repairs to all three of my cars. I have sent friends here, I have become familiar with the awesome maintenance guys and most of the time they have gone above and beyond what is necessary for me. My issue is this: when I bought my most recent car a couple of months ago, the finance manager told me that the NSD titanium package I was buying would cover windshield repair. It covered a lot of other little things, like paintless dent repair, 24 hour roadside assistance (which I already have), and limited key, tire, and wheel protection. He specifically told me that any cracks in the windshield could be repaired. Last weekend, we were driving in the BRZ to San Francisco for a two-year-old's birthday party and we noticed a small crack in the windshield, caused by a flying rock from the day before. Our hearts were in our throats, but we told ourselves "at least we bought that protection package". I called Subaru from the car, and they said that nothing could be done that day and then I need to call back on Monday to sort it out. She led me to believe that she would need to order a new windshield for me. Meanwhile, the crack was growing about a half an inch every 10 minutes, I'm assuming because of the rain and weather change. My boyfriend called back on Monday, and found out that the coverage was only good for cracks less than 6 inches long. We aren't covered. Subaru was disingenuous when describing their $730 plan to us. Without this coverage, the plan would never have been worth that much to us. What is far worse than that though is how they chose to handle the situation. My boyfriend was on the phone back-and-forth between Subaru and this third-party for almost 2 hours, when they proceeded to point the finger at each other and try to pass the buck. I called later on myself so that I could get some answers from people that recognize me, and I was transferred three times until I hit a voicemail. I even tried texting the maintenance manager directly, and I find myself on Thursday without a response and no call back, and my repair appointment is today. This is not how you do good business, and that is the third time something like this has happened. Most of the time they are always trying to make me comfortable and feel secure when I use their services, but getting absolutely boned three times is still inexcusable. I'm sorry but I don't like those odds. I will be parting with two of my cars this year and will go to somebody else for service in the future. read more

I am one of few consumers who actually likes to buy and sell cars. I bought a handful of new cars in the last 2 decades, domestic ones but mostly Japanese cars, for myself or for my family. So I can tell about the overall buying experience, and the one at Capitol Subaru was quite excellent. I recommend you buying your next car there, especially if you like Subarus. My Sales Consultant was Cory Avery, and although being a younger sales person, was very knowledgeable about the products, was very polite and attentive to my needs. The whole process was a breeze : test drive, review of the vehicles in the lot, review of my options and pricing/financing options, preparation and delivery. The setting at this dealership is very friendly, well laid out with a snack corner (waiting area), with a part/service corner, with a financing office, with several open booths and with the management corner. I've seen poor dealership floor plans with cold and individual cubicles with high walls, Capitol Subaru is in contrast friendly, warm and almost cozy ! They have a large inventory in the lot, I was shopping for Impreza WRX, and they have many models available, many colors, many trim options. I was delighted to see that for the same color, they have several trim options, so I could narrow down my exact vehicle in just minutes. It is quite impressive to offer such a large selection. Another key point, the vehicles are grouped together, so that customers can easily compared. I've been at dealership where the same car, with different colors and trims, was scattered at the 4 corners of the lot. This place at Subaru was well organized for an efficient lot walk-thru. Finally the purchasing experience is sensible and straight-forward. They put all the numbers on the table, in one glance, you have the purchase price, the financing and leasing options on the same sheet, easy to select your plan. Negotiation rounds went fast and seamlessly, no silly sales tricks or techniques that I've seen at other places. By the way, don't go at the Chevy dealer across the street, worse sales techniques ever there... Even the financing and service manager provided a good experience, they didn't try to sell extra and cumbersome warranty extensions etc.., but asked you to pre-pay the maintenance program, which was priced appropriately and which makes sense. I even got a lift from my sales consultant for the vehicle pick-up. To conclude, I had the best buyer's experience at Capitol Subaru, no non-sense sales tactics, no pushy tactics either, a courteous and efficient personnel, lot of vehicles to pick from, really a place that I can recommend as 5 stars out of 5. read more

I am on my 4th Subaru, my 3rd Outback....and I feel very confident about judging the various Bay Area dealerships, having purchased 4 Subies over the past 21 years. My salesperson was Jamie Cassady at Capitol Subaru- I was originally directed there with the AAA Buyers Program but I had them on my list of dealerships to try since their online inventory check and website was so user friendly. I already knew exactly what model and year I wanted, and was traveling 50 miles from my hometown ( where there is also a Subaru dealership) to test drive a few different engine sizes and check out options, plus I could return the rental car I was in a few blocks away. There were more cars to choose from at Capitol than the dealerships within 25 miles of my home ( and there are 7 to choose from!). I had spoken to Jamie on the phone earlier that morning, and while he couldn't be there to meet me at my 11 am preferred time slot, he had an assistant meet me there and provide the keys for 5 vehicles to try. By the time I had finished an hour later, he was there and we were able to finish the deal quickly. You like to think you have some game when it comes to buying cars, but in reality you maybe purchase a new car once every 5-10 tears, whereas a salesman sells several cars a DAY...so really, they have the upper hand. I never felt like anyone as pulling something over on me- I had my local dealership on the phone, and they could not match the deal I was being offered by Jamie at Capitol. When they offered me a used late model year with only a few thousand miles on it, he was able to pull up that car and find exactly why they were interested in dumping it. I closed the deal and Jamie had someone follow me to the rental car shop a few blocks away then take me back to Capitol so I could drive my new car back home. I'd go back in a heartbeat- I called 2-3 times later to ask questions about the Satellite radio, the Bluetooth connection, my service plan ( which I would normally never purchase from a dealership....but it has paid itself off after only 3 routine services, and I am alloted 7 total...) - Jamie was accessible and answered all my questions without making me feel like I was taking up his time. I was very satisfied with the deal I made, I still love the car a year later, and I feel part of my satisfaction with Capitol was because of Jamie Cassady. read more

Very helpful people in every department we interacted with. I Just finished buying a car from them under the rather confusing cash-for-clunkers bill. After a frustrating experience with a different San Jose Subaru dealer who gave me some very frustrating misleading information about what I needed to buy a car under that cash-for-clunkers program, they directed me to Capitol Subaru. The sales consultant I interacted with - Shaun Carlson - was extremely helpful and patient with me, explaining to me exactly how the process worked and exactly what I needed to bring in. I had incomplete documentation on my first visit, and he and someone else there (Ron?) spent a lot of time with me explaining all my options for getting what I needed from the DMV, my Insurance company, etc. When I came back at a later time and Shawn wasn't around, but a couple other people (dunno their roles) were extremely helpful as well, and seemed aware of the state of my partially completed paperwork and eager to help out. In the end, we completed the purchase more painlessly than I had expected. The only thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is that the new car's "tire pressure" light came on as we drove it home. Don't know if that's something they could have caught as the prepared the new car. Will call tomorrow and see what's the reason for that light and possibly edit the review then. But wow, compared to the other car dealers I've been to, these guys were the most patient and helpful Subaru sales people I've seen yet. [EDIT: First thing the next morning I called them about the tire inflation light. They mentioned that the temperature at which they were inflated can affect the pressure a little, and we both agreed that the light wasn't on until it got cooler in the evening. The sales guy on the phone got the mechanics to tell me the right pressure to inflate them based on the current temperature. A couple minutes later everything was fine. It was very nice that they walked me through this over the phone so I didn't even need to come in and have them take a look at it. 5 stars for their sales guys doing a great post-sales followup, and getting the time of their service guys to walk me through this]. Now a 100% satisfied customer. This turned out to be a very nice new-car-buying experience. read more

I heartily concur with the postive comments about Capitol Subaru shared here. "Remember one Robin does not a Spring make!" We were in the market for a New Car having tired of the gas mileage of our SUV - SOLD IT! Having owned a Honda Accord LX and a Subaru Legacy GT in the past - we went shopping ala the COSTCO advantage :-) . Drove the 2010 Legacy then crossed the street to drive the Honda Accord - compared apples to apples - compared our BEST dealer pricing. No comparison, LOOKS, RIDE, FINISH, PRICING pound for pound the Subaru had the Honda beat PLUS AWD and to make it neat heated seats! Better Warranty Too! All in all it was a pleasant 48 hours of think, cogitate, review and decide .. Jaime Cassidy, the Internet-Fleet Manager was always forthcoming, never pushy and willing to let us walk away - a very nice car buying experience! His associate Mr. Shepherd who took us for our test drive was also very knowledgeable and accomodating ... it must be a Capitol Subaru requirement that they 'own and know' their product :-) The finance manager Gus Van Vlimmeren, explained the contract, financing, maintenance and warranty options thoroughly - even when I became a bit confrontive with him he maintained his poise and resolve - GET THE MAINTENANCE package! I am still not so sold on extended warranties, with today's automotive engineering, I opted to mull it over - I think not :-) Love The Car and the Ride .... looking forward to being impressed with Justin (Service Manager) and his maintenance crew. Jaime Cassidy -The Internet manager is a gentleman and an astute individual. He was very patient as he explained the vehicle, it's options and was straight forward with the pricing. Today's Internet Age makes some of the shopping easier, but then you have to cross the threshold at a Dealership - We have no qualms with Capitol Subaru and their team, and would recommend them happily! P.S. Same town different dealer Stevens Creek Subaru, ah, but that is another review - STAY AWAY! And anything Carlsen Subaru has Capitol can get and easily match. Happy Car Buying. NOTE - read the Edmunds Auto Reviews! read more

This is for Eugene Levins and Nicole Lerner, they were the people that made our experience bearable and got us to buy our first Subaru. I personally have great hopes for this car, but it still remains to be seen. The review rates as a 5-star, although there is plenty to complain about: 1) I started by going through the American Express Auto Purchasing Program, powered by TrueCar. My advice? Don't ever fall for that, its's not working. All you get it's false hopes and misleading directions. Anyway, I got recommended three participating dealers from Amex: two in Oakland, and Capitol DGDG, in San Jose. Out of these three, San Jose had the least professional reply, but then again, who goes to buy a new car in Oakland? In the end it came out Capitol Subaru does not even recognize Amex's program, and couldn't care less about it too. Great way of doing business, my congratulations to DGDG! 2) Nobody in the parking lot, and not even very well lit either! 3) The offices are crowded, kind of old, and not exceptionally clean, or well organized either. No business coffee machine? Not even a vending contraption? Again, way to go DGDG! 4) Personnel wandering aimlessly, but with purpose, all over the place. Hardly having time to greet you, not to mention asking about why you stopped by. Not surprising, though, they were car salesmen after all. Considering the season, and the ongoing sales promotions, a little bit of planning might have been appropriate. Point for DGDG, again! 5) Asked for a manual transmission, answered; we don't have it, and it might take up to 10 weeks to get it, if ordered. Seriously? Asked about the preferred color, when only two available and in stock. One more then the traditional Ford answer, that is. I felt like all that was a big nasty joke, but hey, I got in on my own will, and kept going at it no matter what. Finally, Eugene, and then Nicole. Just a couple of normal people doing their jobs as best they could. I want to thank them for that, it really saved the day for that big corporation. Truly exceptional service. read more

I finally got around to checking one of my peripheral email accounts and found a message from Rick Boyd of Capitol Subaru thanking me for the review I wrote after purchasing my 2007 Outback from them the end of June. So I thought I would reread the review for the heck of it, but couldn't find it anywhere. Finally I found it had been "filtered" -- probably for my reference to a competing dealership that to Yelp I guess made the entire review seem questionable. I get it; I really am disappointed that businesses would write fake reviews for themselves or about competing businesses; so Yelp is doing the best they can to prevent consumers from being mislead. This is a such great consumer-support site, and it is too bad it can be so easily manipulated. BUT, BECAUSE I REALLY DID HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE AT CAPITOL SUBARU, I AM GOING TO TRY AGAIN. My car was totalled in a parking lot, so suddenly I needed a new vehicle. I used Yelp extensively to find reputable dealerships all over California. I eventually googled Pre-certified Subarus and got a list of cars I wanted to consider. That's how I ended up at Capitol Subaru: using Yelp's reviews and Capitol had a pre-certified vehicle. I received a quote over the internet for the car I was interested in. The car was actually misquoted or mis-advertised for a lower price than what they were supposed to sell it for by someone in the communication chain, but when I drove there in the evening Eugene stood by the internet quote, giving me quite a deal for a fantastic car. Everyone stayed very late to finish all the details and paperwork, and when the 2007 couldn't be properly detailed because the service department was already closed for the night, they let me drive home a 2010 and had my 2007 Outback delivered to me the next day. Eugene was great to work with: easy-going, honest, kind. For a single woman suddenly stuck with the daunting task of buying a "new" car, Capitol Subaru made it easy; and they were respectful, conscientious, and supportive. What more could one ask for? read more

My husband were recently on the market looking for a new or used car. I was on Capital Subaru's website and was looking at new Subaru's because of their advertised low apr financing. Then I decided to look at their used car selection. I found a 2006 Volvo s40. Then, I realized that it was awd. We live in South Lake Tahoe so that was a major plus. So I sent over an email to John Navarro with an offer. He accepted my offer and the next day we were on our way to San Jose. My husband and I were so excited. Then when we saw the car it was love at first sight. The car was practically new. So we went inside and worked the numbers with John and realized that we had to make a down payment to qualify for the loan. We were not prepared to put anything down. Then it was suggested to get a newer and or possibly cheaper car. Which only made the situation worse. So we walked outside and John came after us and invited us back in. We tried some other things but to no avail. So went left a second time with heavy hearts and disappointment. Not to mention the 4 hour drive home. My husband and I hardly spoke the whole way home. But, to my surprise the next day I noticed that we had received email from John. What impressed me is that he had sent it to us at 1:45am. Which meant that he must have felt bad about what had taken place. So I thought wow how thoughtful. So I called my husband and said that I think this salesman really wants to help us. We should call him and see what we can come up with. So I did. He told me that he was just talking about us to his manager to see what they could do. In the meantime, my mother-in law had said that she would give us the money. So now I had something to offer. So in the meantime, the car was held for us until we had reached an agreement. Which we did. Micheal in financing along with another gentlemen pulled the deal together as far as the financing goes. But, John was with us every step of the way. So when you go to Capital Subaru remember to ask for John Navarro. read more

Went in yesterday to buy a 2013 Impreza hatchback. They didn't have a vehicle on the lot that matched what I was looking for, so I put a reservation in on a vehicle in an incoming shipment. They price they quoted was reasonable, and the sales guy, Jamie Cassady, was helpful and not pushy at all. This was a vastly better car shopping experience compared to my previous vehicle (a different, much slimier dealership). The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is that I'm pretty sure I could have haggled for another $150 or so if I cared terribly much about nickels and dimes and because there was a minor problem with the shuttle service. I ended up stuck at the Caltrain station for longer than expected. But let's be honest, the reason everyone hates car salesman is because they have way more information than you do, they've got tons of negotiating leverage compared to you, and a good percentage of the time you end up feeling intimidated and pushed around in the price negotiation. I'm used to car salespeople opening with a price that's three or even four thousand away from what I want to pay. Jamie didn't do any of that, he was really friendly and helpful and gave me all the information I needed to make an informed decision. So I was pretty happy overall with the whole experience. I'll update the review if my opinion changes after I take delivery of the vehicle. Edit: Despite the one hiccup earlier with the shuttle, I now feel a lot more comfortable giving a 5 star review. The car came in a week ahead of schedule. Jamie made sure to pick me up personally from the station, he was right on time, and everything went smoothly during delivery. When we ran into a minor difference in the price originally quoted due to a tax issue, Jamie just knocked off the $25 or so to make the cashier's check match the amount so I wouldn't have to pay extra. read more

Thanks Guys! Service Reps: Kris Yee, Gus Banvlimmerman and Steve Sarich I had been shopping for a used Mazda for about a month and went to about 8 different dealers in the Bay Area without running into a single sales rep who wasn't pushy or absurd about the cost of purchasing a used vehicle. I was pretty much at wits end when i came across a used Mazda 3 in the Del Grande auto group. I called the Mazda dealership, thinking that was the right thing to do but was met with probably one of the rudest sales reps during my entire purchase experience. Luckily, i had heard good things about the sales team next door at Capitol Subaru and thought that they could help me out. I called Subaru and their sales rep, Kris Yee was more than happy to detail the process and concerns about getting the Mazda over to their lot. A day later I came down and drove home in what turned out to be a great purchase. These guys were really helpful about getting me all of the relevant information i needed for my credit and being a first time buyer, the process can be a little daunting without and help. Kris showed me the vehicle and led me through a no pressure sale that I didnt think i would see compared to the pushy and fatalist tactics used at a lot of dealerships in the bay that I had become accustomed to. I've learned to say NO pretty easily during the process of buying a car but the guys were reasonable and willing to help me work out something that fit into my budget. I think theres something to be said about a sales rep who's patience supersedes their financial motivation and doesn't use other interested buyers as a threat to the customer or utilize some sympathy driven pitch. Thanks alot Capitol Subaru, I recommend no matter what make or model of vehicle your looking at you try to go through these guys! read more