We had a wonderful car buying experience yesterday in buying a new Outback from Wendy Cummings (sales) and Dan Lambros (financial director). I started by contacting Costco to use their car buying program. They said Carter in Shoreline would be the appropriate dealership and in short order Wendy called me to get things started. Everything was done in one day as we needed to view and drive many pre-owned and new cars before making a decision. Wendy was extremely diligent and patient, spending most of her day showing us options, discussing pros and cons of each and ultimately using her years of experience to help us make a decision. Dan stayed late on a Friday night to complete the paper work and get us on our way. Never ignored, pressured or disappointed in any way. Just a highly professional and first rate car buying experience. read more

Sadly we did not receive our $50 test drive gift card. We came in for a visit and spent a couple hours going over vehicle details with our sales associate. I followed up in a few weeks and nothing. It's been over two months now. Sad & Disappointed. read more

Horrible customer service. The salesman (young guy with dark hair) was so rude and treated me like I was such an inconvenience. I will never go back. read more

Alex Kessler was such a great help! He was so patient and gave great tips on all the new to me technology.

Carter Subaru stepped up and fixed the problems with the car they sold me. It was in rough shape and they took it on....even drove 50 miles each way to pick it up and deliver it. That is the kind of service I remember from the last time I purchased a car from them. I am so thankful to them for all the help and work they put in. They definitely went above and beyond what most other car dealers would do. Thank you. read more

Bought a new Crosstrek in February 2026. Salesperson John Sylvester was just the right amount of helpful; available to me when I had questions, and providing me with useful information. After purchase, Alex Kessler provided me with some very helpful information on how to use the technology that comes with a 2026 vehicle. read more

We just had a great experience with Alex Kessler of Carter Subaru. A month after our purchase of a new Subaru Outback we met with Alex to explain several features of the vehicle that were confusing to us. We were slated for a 30 min. meeting and ended up having all of our questions answered and then some that we had not even thought about for over an hour of his time. He was very thorough and did not talk down to us or hurry us out the door. Everything was explained to our satisfaction. We highly recommend Carter Subaru and their excellent employees. read more

If you're going to buy a Subaru, go to Carter Subaru in Shoreline WA and ask for Mary. I just bought a drop dead gorgeous certified used Subaru Outback Wilderness at Carter Subaru and Mary made the experience enjoyable and nearly effortless with her no-pressure, unassuming approach to sales combined with her comprehensive knowledge of Subaru cars. My 2015 Outback was nearing the point where it would require several thousand dollars of preventive maintenance, and worse for me it had become a stand-alone vehicle because the Starlink connected features were discontinued in 2022. I want to take some long distance road trips by myself, and I needed a car with modern connectivity. To add urgency to the situation, the wagon Outback design had been replaced with a boxier design that I hadn't grown to like yet, and those new Outbacks are rather spendy. So, I saw a particular recent year Outback Wilderness newly listed at Carter Subaru and I knew it was the car for me. It was trending! I knew I had to get to Carter Subaru quickly, so I dropped everything and just hoped Mary was there when I arrived. We had already met in years past when I had test driven a Subaru Outback 3.6 one year, and a Subaru BRZ another. Thankfully she was there behind her desk with no clients! I reintroduced myself and said I was interested in the almost-new Outback Wilderness. We went on a test drive, and she had a route memorized that quickly allowed me to experience the car in the city and on the freeway. She answered all my questions about differences between my 2015 Outback and this Wilderness version. Since I was trading in a Subaru that had been maintained at this dealership for the past seven years, they had the history of that car, and after an inspection they made me a trade-in offer that I think fairly represented the value of the car given the amount of refurbishment work that would be required to make it sale ready. I was right in my original assessment that several thousand dollars of preventive maintenance would be due in the near future. Mary and I chatted while waiting for the backlog of people ahead of me to be processed by the finance department. She answered more questions for me and showed me where the free snacks were located. The beef sticks are good, and the coffee is more than drinkable. Skyler the finance guy made going through the paperwork as pleasant as possible. Skyler was very knowledgeable and transparent as he showed me various warranty and financing options. I bought the basic extended bumper-to-bumper warranty which I thought was a great deal considering the turbo and the sheer amount of computerized electronics on this car. Mary then answered a few more questions, and I was off for home with my nearly new Outback Wilderness. I didn't wake up that morning thinking I'd have a new car by the end of the day, but Mary, the greatest car sales representative I've ever met, with Skyler's help, made the car buying process about as close to fun as such a process can be. read more

Just had time with Alex Kessler delivery specialist at Carter Subaru Shoreline. He only added to my respect and appreciation for the knowledgeable experts at Carter. He clearly knew the functions of the car but wanted to be sure he dealt with my questions first. Clear concise and professional. Thank you Alex. read more

I met with Alexander Kessler today at Carter Subaru so he could show me some of the features in my new 2025 Forester. He was very thorough and I left with a good understanding of how things worked. He spend a long time with me. I enjoyed my "training session." Alex encouraged me to call him with questions anytime, which I'm sure I will do. My experiences at Carter Subaru, including when I purchased my car from James Bennett to the service appointment to replacing the mirrors, have all been very positive. read more

I visited Carter in hopes of getting my side view mirror on the passenger side replaced, as it was broken, mirror shattered and not working. Carlos inspected my car and confirmed the replacement was straightforward, requiring only a new mirror & bottom piece. He was able to get the parts and replace everything within the hour. He also allowed me to watch him replace it. He was knowledgable and patient with all the questions I was asking. Didn't think I'd be leaving with everything fixed, so was pleasantly surprised I was able to. Glad I had a smooth, quick and great experience from Carlos! read more

John A and Carlos was able to assist me in returning my loaner, as well as picking up my Outback that was being serviced. Even though I arrived 10 minutes past closing time (don't recommend) , they reassured that it was alright and helped me pick up the car. Phenomenal service, especially the two gentlemen mentioned. read more

Bought new Subaru last month with help from Wendy Cummings. She was great! Very helpful and easy to deal with. Went back yesterday and had tech lesson from Alex Kessler. He was so smart and nice - I walked away thoroughly understanding the entire dashboard. Thank you Alex and Wendy! Desmond also did a good job on his end. Really enjoyed Carter Subaru Shoreline! read more

Carter Subaru's Alex Kessler came to the rescue today, quickly diagnosing and correcting problems with operation of the windows and the rear hatch lid, plus eliminating a strange beeping sound inside the car. He's helped me with numerous issues over the years. And he's so patient and good natured. I hope he never leaves Carter Subaru. read more

I purchased a new Crosstrek from Mary in January and absolutely love this car. Mary and the entire sales and finance team I dealt with were professional and did not try to talk me into things I already knew I did not want. Alexander spent time with me showing me all the tech this car has inside and I remain totally thrilled with my purchase. I would do business with Carter Suburu in Shoreline again and again (if I wasn't already determined that this would be my last car). read more

Our overall experience with Carter Subaru was the easiest car buying experience we have ever had! From start to finish had been seemless! The assistance doesn't stop either when you leave the lot. Alex Kessler is just a call away if you have any questions learning about your car, which is amazing! Especially when you are an older adult not familiar with all the new technology. You can schedule a video, in person or phone call appointment with him anytime and he is so knowledgeable about all the new technology he can walk you through it and get you all set up! What a great experience overall. Thank you! read more

It gives me no pleasure to write this review, having been a satisfied customer for over a decade. I recently took my car in for a "drain and fill" of the front and rear differentials. The original quote was $180. When I arrived, they upped the estimate to $220, which, ok, probably included disposal fees and taxes. While the work was being performed, they called and offered to clean the battery terminals and apply anti-corrosion rings, at a cost of $40...I declined, as I can easily do this myself in about 15 minutes. When the work was finished, the bill had magically increased to $280 and no explanation was offered. I examined the bill later and noted that an additional $40 was charged for two gaskets, which seemed unnecessary for a simple flush and fill, which usually requires a couple of inexpensive crush washers, and I couldn't identify where the rest of the increase came from. When I called and questioned the charge (which curiously matched the charge for the declined battery service), I was told that it was a routine part of the service. Ok, assuming that they did in fact change these gaskets, why was this routine part of service included in the original quote, which was a full $100 short of the final bill? I am disappointed that Carter was not forthcoming with me in the original estimate and revised arrival estimate, and I am also disappointed that the explanation I received after the fact seemed dismissive and made-up. I am contemplating my next car purchase, and for this and other reasons, Subaru may not be an option I consider. read more

I just want to take a moment to thank Bini at Carter Subaru for an absolutely awesome car-buying experience. I had heard great things about Carter Subaru, so I decided to make the hour-long drive--and I'm so glad I did. From the moment I arrived, I felt like I was in the right place. Bini was personable, kind, upfront, trustworthy, and thoughtful throughout the entire process. I never once felt pressured, and the whole experience was seamless and efficient from start to finish. He took what is usually a stressful experience--especially for someone who is short on both time and funds--and turned it into a great one. Even though I had a strict budget, Bini made sure I got a safe, dependable car that I also enjoy. I can now confidently go up into the mountains and feel much safer driving on snowy or rainy days. Bini showed me several options within my budget, walked me through all the financing and package details clearly, and even went out of his way to pick me up from the nearby Enterprise since I was in a rental. That kind of care and attention made a big difference. I ended up with a certified pre-owned Subaru that had been fully inspected and clearly well taken care of--I was honestly shocked it was used, because it looked and felt brand new. I drove away with a car I love, at a price that worked for me, and with full confidence in the purchase. If you're in the market for a car, I highly recommend Carter Subaru--and especially Bini. He truly went above and beyond, and it made all the difference. Bini, I can't say thank you enough! read more

In additional to having an easy, low-pressure purchase experience, we had an excellent experience when we met with the Delivery Specialist, Alex. He was friendly and professional. He answered all of our questions (we had many) regarding the features of our car and really helped us better understand all the tech. So thank you, Alex, Garrett and the rest of the Carter Subaru team. Customer service done right! read more

Carter Subaru Shoreline - 2025 Subaru Forester Touring in Brilliant Bronze Metallic - Car Dealers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After a car accident, my 71 year old mother was anxious at the prospect of having to purchase a new vehicle. We were so grateful for Mary and the Carter Subaru team. Mary was empathetic, patient and professional..the entire process was easy and stress free. She employed her experience in helping my mom select the right vehicle based on her needs and spent a significant amount of time going over all of the features with her..making sure she was comfortable, answering all of her questions.. A five star experience! Thank you Mary and Carter Subaru Team for providing my mom with a happy outcome after a stressful month! read more

Terrible experience on car, paid $1100 to get it out and move to deferent shop. Charge parts but not installed, charge multiple diag and multiple oil change. The time we pick up out of the dealership our car is torn apart and missing parts. Unbelievable service we got. Doesn't even deserve 1 start read more

Best car buying experience we've had with Carter Subaru! John Sylvester got in touch on a Friday via text (Best feature they offer since I am in meetings all day), told him the car model I want, year, trim and new. He immediately replied about stock, appointment set for a Saturday. We were basically in and out of there. John was a blast to work with, we definitely recommend you go see him for your Subaru! read more

Carter Subaru Shoreline - 2025 Subaru Crosstrek - Car Dealers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Took my (new to me) 2017 Forester into its first 6 month service today. Pulled into the service area and was greeted by the lovely Darlene. She gave me great tips about my Subaru before sending me to the service advisors. I followed Darlene's instructions on where to park and had the super nice and knowledgeable Joel, as my Advisor. I loved the text updates, I could watch my car's process through the Tekion platform on my phone. It was a wonderful visit! Thank you for taking care of my Suburu! I will be back! read more

We have purchased multiple vehicles from Carter Subaru over 15+ years. Typically we have had a great experience which is why we continued to do so. We have even had multiple family members and friends buy vehicles from Carter Subaru over the years. However, our recent experience was very disappointing. We were interested in the new 2025 Forester. We had a 2019 Forester that we were looking at trading in. We had about $5000 in equity. We were never told or explained that the equity would go towards the new car. In the past, we had been given equity back via a check. It felt dishonest and deceptive to not explain that to a customer. We also had many empty promises regarding getting a tow hitch installed. We were told it would be ready in two days. turns out it was going to take 5 days, which thankfully the sales person was able to squeeze in an install! Which was much appreciated. Finally, two weeks after our purchase my wife inquired about the $5,000 equity check, at that time we were told the equity was rolled into the purchase of our vehicle. This was not something we agreed to and we were not informed of this when we signed our paperwork. It was in the paperwork, but they mentioned nothing about it when explaining other details of the loan. After many conversations, Carter is leaning on the aspect that we signed the paperwork and that it was all described in there, but we were not told that at all during the paper signing. Arturo was more concerned about getting us into our car quickly and making a sale. This is completely dishonest and deceptive. Carter Subaru claims that they never have paid out someone when trading in a used car with equity towards a new lease. We have done this with them in years past with no issue. We will never buy another car from Carter Subaru. We will also always tell everyone possible not to buy any vehicles from Carter Subaru. Their customer service has gone down hill over the years and they are more interested in making a quick sale over being honest and trustworthy. read more

My wife's 2013 Toyota Venza Limited was nearing 120k miles and so we started doing some research on a replacement car looking at Mid size or Compact Hybrid SUVs. After 3 months of visiting many dealers locally, and doing a lot of online research, we decided and ended up purchasing a new '25 Forester Hybrid Touring on Sept 30. Thanks to the team at Carter Subaru Shoreline, the buying experience was so easy. the Sales person Sam C and the Finance Manager Skyler was super helpful to make the journey a very pleasant one!! 3 weeks after the purchase, I scheduled a follow up with Alex K and I could not be more excited about my 30 minutes with Alex going over the car's features. He was thorough and super knowledgeable about the car and also gave us very useful tips. And he was such a pleasant person to speak with. Really felt his love of cars ( JDM!!) through our conversations. That was one fun session that I will remember for a long time. While I have been primarily a Toyota owner for over 30 years ...my recent experiences at Toyota dealerships have not been stellar. I think they've just grown so massive that the people there can only do so much to give personal attention with their customers and prospects. It's really unfortunate. So far, we love our new Forester Hybrid and the total experience that we have had with Carter Shoreline. I've always wondered why Subaru owners are all so loyal ... Now that I know, it's almost a no brainer. I'm looking to possibly replace my 2006 Acura TL (that I dearly love) next year and at this point, I am fairly certain I will look at Subarus again. read more

Alex Kessler is the tech specialist, and I certainly needed his expertise to explain all the technology on my new Subaru. I dropped in without an appointment, and Alex addressed my concerns immediately with patience and the ability to break the information down so it was very understandable. He has a thorough understanding of the technology the makes this a great car. read more

I cannot express how impressed I was with Carter Subaru in Shoreline. Within 2 hours of arriving at the dealership, I drove my new car off the lot. Not only did Garrett Farr make the transaction as painless as possible I was able to return 3 weeks later for a free demo on all the car's bells and whistles. Alex Kessler showed me how to disable a couple of features that were driving me nuts and setup some I didn't even know I had the ability to manage. I believe I heard "welcome to the Subaru family" multiple times during my interactions with this team and I truly feel that sentiment. Buy your next Subaru here! read more

I loathe the car buying process. The back and forth "negotiating" and such is not my idea of a good time. So, when my car was totaled by a reckless driver, I wasn't looking forward to having to deal with car buying again. But then I experienced Carter Subaru Shoreline. From the first email getting information until just today when I had a complimentary check in with their Star Delivery Specialist, Alex, the process was amazingly smooth and stress free. We worked with David North, who is their internet sales dude. He is kind and honest and very down to earth. Any question we had, he answered. We took a test drive and he trusted us to go off on our own to do so. His honesty was refreshing and his personality put us at ease. He truly worked WITH us to get me the car I truly wanted. The finance department was very open and transparent about what all our money was going towards as well as what additional add ons were and weren't necessary. They (and I can't remember the lovely human's name we worked with there) were efficient and kind every step of the way. David took the time to go over many of the features of my new Subaru Forester before we drove off the lot. He made sure we understood what everything did and gave us some helpful insight to how features worked. Today I had a phone meeting when Alex, who made sure I was comfortable with all the features of my car and let me ask any questions. It is a complimentary service Subaru offers and it was worth the half hour of time it took. He highly recommended keeping his number handy and shooting a text over with any future questions. So nice! If you are looking for a great car, awesome customer service, a pleasant experience and respect as a customer, I can't recommend them enough. read more

Carter Subaru Shoreline - David North knows his stuff. - Car Dealers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'm sitting and having lunch with my brand new Subaru Crosstrek parked outside, ya'll!! Bill at Carter Subaru was exceptional! Of the dealerships I visited he was the most helpful and informative. I've never bought a new car. In fact, I've been driving a 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup for the last 15 years and features have changed a bit. He patiently led me through everything, we had a delightful test drive in the pouring rain, and when I said I wanted a different color, he took me to another lot so I could see the color I mentioned in reality, tracked one down at the other dealership, and had it ready for me in a day and a half! Woot! Thank you Bill! Also shout out to Yeng who explained all of the warranty options to me and kept it real. Without a doubt I recommend checking out the sales folks at Carter Subaru if you're in the market for a new car. read more

Last year, Mary Phillips sold my Mom a car. I was there to help my Mom. The whole process was wonderful. Mary and the rest of the crew made my Mom feel welcome, comfortable and important. After the sale, my Mom met two times with Mary to talk about the car's features and one time with the tech team. They have been patient and welcoming each time. How terrific is that? So, when I needed a new car, I called Mary Phillips. She was as sweet and patient with me as she was with my Mom. After the sale, she spent a lot of time explaining all the car's features. Between Mary and the Sales/Finance Manager, the buying process was a breeze with no surprises at closing. Oh, the car is great too! read more

This is our second purchase from a Carter dealership, 5 years apart (last time from Ballard). After going to Eastside and not loving the experience, we came here and bought a new car right away. Jacob was friendly and the staff all smiled at us throughout our visit. It's funny how when they aren't pushy you end up buying the car. And in both experiences at Carter, we were told that they don't need to be pushy, Subarus sell themselves. I agree! read more

We recently purchased a new Subaru Crosstreck and last week had a follow up apointment with Alex Kessler, the Love Encore Delivery Specialist. Alex greeted us with a smile and made us comfortable. My wife and I are both seniors and slow with new technology. Alex patiently answered our questions and explained some of the new features of the Crosstreck in a way we could understand. He also gave us several useful tips. Overall, we are enjoying our first Subaru purchase. Alex invited us to visit him again if there are any questions, and we will take him up on it soon. read more

Mary Philips was an amazing consultant; Walked me through all the details of the purchase and helped me find the perfect car! I was nervous to make the leap and her confidence in the vehicle ensured me that I was making the right choice! read more

Carter Subaru Shoreline - New Car! - Car Dealers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love Carter Subaru Shoreline! I have been going here over 20 years now, and just realized I have never left a review. This is really a great organization. Honest, caring, and really want to do the right thing for their customers. Most of their service department folks have also been here quite a long time. How many places would tell you they nicked a cable that you would never see, and would probably never cause a problem, and then order and replace it for you? If you can't think of one, then you should be heading over here Also, they have free loaner cars if you buy your vehicle from them! Shout outs to Carlos(All round great individual/parent), Kelly, Joe, and Benny in the service department! They have always done right by me. Also, John Sylvester(Internet manager) is solid if you are looking to buy a car. read more

The people at Carter Subaru make a great team by taking time to ask questions and following-up to ensure I'm getting what I came in for. A shout-out to Tim in Service, Travis and Debbie in Sales, and Alex Kessler in Tech Training Support. I'm impressed. read more

Reply* It's very nice of you to play it off like I wasn't there with my friend trying to buy a car. Yet you emailed them separately saying "that doesn't sound like our salesman" We have decided that this review will stay as it is and we are ending this right here. We are done. Very disappointed in the way this was handled. This is a learning experience for you. Instead of trying to disprove someone and saying one thing to someone and another to someone else, just accept that Carter Subaru did us wrong. Have a wonderful day. read more

Alex Kessler did an excellent review session with me for my new car. Also, Kevin, the service manager, and Garrett, my salesman, did an excellent job when I had a major problem with the air conditioning. read more

I have enjoyed my 2025 Forester Limited for almost 2 months now. I had the most comfortable, easy, non-pressure sales experience with Debbie Phillips. Just this week I had my follow-up appointment with Alex Kessler, the Encore Delivery Specialist. Alex is very friendly and professional and answered my question. He also provided a few tips. I didn't feel rushed during my appointment . Overall , I am very happy with my first Subaru purchase and enjoying the ride. Carter Subaru is making my transition from being a pickup truck owner all my life, fairly smooth. read more

6 out of 5 stars for the Service department of Carter Subaru in Shoreline. Benny, their customer experience manager, deserves a raise, no matter what they're paying him. He moved mountains and worked magic to get my 2020 Subaru Ascent sub-frame fixed after battery acid leaked on it. (Thanks, Ballard Carter.) I would also like to send a shout-out Melisa for finally making me feel like a human being when it came to my battery replacements. And the same goes to Charlotte; she's awesome too. Carlos is a great guy too. So yeah - if you absolutely need to take your Subaru to a dealer - this is the place to go in Seattle. Ask for Charlotte or Carlos. (I'm not sure if Melisa works there anymore.) If you have an issue, ask for Benny. They are all honest-to-goodness great people who care. (If I'm being 100% honest, I feel a little lukewarm about a couple of the other male service advisors there. One in particular was a little dismissive of my "indie shop" and their report of unusual rust on the subframe. I didn't like that feeling. It reminded me of how dismissive the Ballard folks were of my battery issues. (Look up the Subaru Ascent Dead Battery Club and/or the class action lawsuit for Subaru batteries more information there.)) Not to end on a downer -- I just want to reiterate that this is the best dealer service department in the Seattle area and say, "Thank you so much, Benny. I still owe you and your team doughnuts!" read more

After purchasing our 2024 CrossTrek at the end of last year, we met with Alex Kessler who is a Specialist in all the details. He spent 30 minutes with us explaining all the bells and whistles as well as the basics so we could confidently drive our new car. He was such a good teacher! I highly recommend Carter Subaru in Shoreline and Alex, whose expertise we greatly appreciated. Judith Shahn read more