This review is for the Subaru Service portion of the Gregoris Nissan/Subaru Parts & Service center.
Starting off with the good, I have never had a problem with the parts counter at Gregoris Subaru. I have always been able to get fluids and small parts in a pinch, and ordering some other odds and ends like touch up paint via phone have never been a problem. I even got a discount on fluids once because I had to wait a few minutes for the adviser to hold inventory check in the back of the parts department.
Moving forward to service. I had second-hand experiences with this place shortly after I passed my road test. Friend of mine had an old Nissan 240sx years ago that had faulty seat belts, traced to wiring. But the service department would not touch the car without signing off on diagnostic fees, which my friend had to fight to be removed from the invoice. They refused to replace the seat belt motors, saying only the belts themselves were covered under warranty. The faulty wiring was corrected after troubleshooting the system, but not without some pain on my friend's end. The car was sold shortly thereafter, and now that car is part of history.
Now onto the present. This service center still provides service the "old school" way. Normal dealers allow for appointments to be set up. For example, with my Acura. I call a week in advance, speak to a courteous receptionist who takes down my VIN and name/number, and confirms me for an appointment at whatever time is most convenient for me. I drive up at the time of my appointment, the porter takes my car and keys, and I sip on one too many cups of the delightfully generic but pleasant tasting coffee in the bright waiting room.
Gregoris Subaru, well...no such appointments exist. You want service? Well the service center opens at 7:30AM. Want to get in and out as soon as possible? You drive up to the garage door EARLIER than 7:30, and wait in line. Yes, in the year 2015 where technology is abundant, you must wait in line like Oliver Twist, waiting at the mercy of the dealership. Right.
Okay fine, so I've been to this dealer twice now to complete recall work on my Subaru WRX, and the second time I tried to beat the system. Get this, I used Subaru's online reservation system to schedule an appointment, and was immediately greeted with a reply saying my reservation was confirmed for 8AM on a Saturday. For safe measure, I fell in line like the peasant I am in front of the garage door at 7:30AM, and was impolitely greeted by the service adviser at the desk inside the 1970's-esque, wood-paneled room (classy!). Cue heavy Brooklyn accent:
Adviser: "Oh we dun do recawls on weakendz".
Me: "I'm sorry Ma'mm, I scheduled the recall work online after receiving the "Urgent Recall Notice" in my email inbox and the appointment was confirmed"
Her: "Oh we dun use da onlyne system, we normally dun do recawls on weakendz, but I'll put yah through anyway, you gotabout 10 carz behind yah"
Both recalls were done in about an hour's time. It would have gone faster if not for the service technicians moving slowly as if they had not eaten breakfast. Perhaps I should have gotten him a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel. Even after the second recall was complete, I was still dumbfounded by the fact that this Subaru dealership doesn't seem to pay attention to something called The Internet. I was seriously about to ask the service adviser on the other end of the counter three questions:
1. What year was she living in where she was unaware of online reservation systems.
2. Was the word "reservation" present in her mental dictionary.
3. How old was the fake wood paneling on the walls of the service center.
At the end of it all, I'm appalled that dealers like this still exist today. The days of waiting outside in line should be long gone, and waiting rooms that look like your grandmother's basement should only be a figment of your imagination at this point. You figure for the way this service center tries to nickel and dime every customer that walks through the door, they could at least afford a Keurig that dripped out coffee that didn't taste like soil. (they tried to get me for a tire patch the first time I visited, went home the short stubby nail was in the "meat" of the tire and it was pulled right off with no problem).
I can't say I trust this service center. I never let my car out of my sight here. I end up going here to keep my recall work updated and consistent. All other mechanical work that I need complete, I go to an independent mechanic shop of my choice.
Good Subaru dealers are hard to come by in New York. If you must have your Subaru serviced, I recommend you look elsewhere. read more