The check engine light is on in my car. Although there is a limited warranty from the dealer a three hour drive away, the local Subaru place says that the general warranty ran out about 10,000 miles ago.
Local Subaru is checking it over now, they've given me an estimate, and they're (hopefully!) going to have the whole issue dealt with before the end of the working day. And then I go home, grab all the paperwork for the dealer where I bought it, dial up the salesman, point out how dangerous and ludicrous it would have been to drive for 3 hours in a heatwave with the warning light on, and start making "And how do you plan on making this up to me?" noises.
This is the second time I've had to repair something on this car in the less-than-two-weeks that I've owned it. The windshield might have been an Act of Rock, but there is no excuse for warning lights to be coming on. I bought this car in good faith, my parents intend(ed) to purchase a future vehicle from the same dealership, and I am, at the moment, a VERY unhappy customer. I won't start smearing their name until they have a chance to know what has happened and try to make it right...
...but having to deal with this at all Just Ain't Right.
My only question at this point is - should I contact the salespeople even before I get the call from the local Subaru? Let them deal with the issue "in house" as it were and hope to avoid any charges? Or will I have a stronger position when I'm at home, unrushed, with all their paperwork spread before me, able to say "And on this page I am guaranteed..."
ETA: Have taken the advice below and called the original dealer in PA, plus spoken to local dealer. Yay for cellphones! According to Subaru of Annapolis, the knocking sensor needs to be replaced and the front brake pads only have about 5,000 miles left in them. According to Steve Moyer Subaru, the knocking sensor is DEFINATELY covered by the warranty and the brake pads might be. SMS is calling SoA to talk about how SMS can pay SoA directly so that I am not out of pocket. I am waiting for a call back from SoA to hear what is covered and how the payment has been handled.
Either way, SoA promises that I can have my car back in working order by lunchtime. And if the brake pads aren't covered by the warranty, I have, by my calculations, 4 more months of driving (including the Canada trip) to deal.
Feeling moderately better.
Won't feel entirely better until I get through a full month with no car grief except routine gas and maintenance.
ETA 2: Kudos to Steve Moyer Subaru, who is paying for ALL repairs including brake pads, and to Subaru of Annapolis, who will return my car to me at the end of the day.
Much happier now. I can forgive a company for messing up if they're prompt in fixing it up too. Thank you to those who urged me to contact Steve Moyer's right away, as that was the proper thing to do. (Also proper was to skip my original urge to go to my garage, which is closer... but isn't in the dealer's loop.)
Local Subaru is checking it over now, they've given me an estimate, and they're (hopefully!) going to have the whole issue dealt with before the end of the working day. And then I go home, grab all the paperwork for the dealer where I bought it, dial up the salesman, point out how dangerous and ludicrous it would have been to drive for 3 hours in a heatwave with the warning light on, and start making "And how do you plan on making this up to me?" noises.
This is the second time I've had to repair something on this car in the less-than-two-weeks that I've owned it. The windshield might have been an Act of Rock, but there is no excuse for warning lights to be coming on. I bought this car in good faith, my parents intend(ed) to purchase a future vehicle from the same dealership, and I am, at the moment, a VERY unhappy customer. I won't start smearing their name until they have a chance to know what has happened and try to make it right...
...but having to deal with this at all Just Ain't Right.
My only question at this point is - should I contact the salespeople even before I get the call from the local Subaru? Let them deal with the issue "in house" as it were and hope to avoid any charges? Or will I have a stronger position when I'm at home, unrushed, with all their paperwork spread before me, able to say "And on this page I am guaranteed..."
ETA: Have taken the advice below and called the original dealer in PA, plus spoken to local dealer. Yay for cellphones! According to Subaru of Annapolis, the knocking sensor needs to be replaced and the front brake pads only have about 5,000 miles left in them. According to Steve Moyer Subaru, the knocking sensor is DEFINATELY covered by the warranty and the brake pads might be. SMS is calling SoA to talk about how SMS can pay SoA directly so that I am not out of pocket. I am waiting for a call back from SoA to hear what is covered and how the payment has been handled.
Either way, SoA promises that I can have my car back in working order by lunchtime. And if the brake pads aren't covered by the warranty, I have, by my calculations, 4 more months of driving (including the Canada trip) to deal.
Feeling moderately better.
Won't feel entirely better until I get through a full month with no car grief except routine gas and maintenance.
ETA 2: Kudos to Steve Moyer Subaru, who is paying for ALL repairs including brake pads, and to Subaru of Annapolis, who will return my car to me at the end of the day.
Much happier now. I can forgive a company for messing up if they're prompt in fixing it up too. Thank you to those who urged me to contact Steve Moyer's right away, as that was the proper thing to do. (Also proper was to skip my original urge to go to my garage, which is closer... but isn't in the dealer's loop.)