This Could Happen To You: Subaru Paint Flaws
Apr 18, 2024 4:00 AM
THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU: SUBARU PAINT FLAWS
"This is Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell, and This Could Happen to You." When Rabbi Jeffery Feinstein first laid eyes on the vehicle, he fell in love. So, he stated he bit the bullet and spent more money than he probably should have on the car, but he looked at it, he loved it. But a few weeks later, something caught his eye. He was looking at it more closely. And he saw these spots where the paint was defective on the hood. He took it back to Subaru, and they took photos of it. After about three or four weeks, they came back to him and said, “well, it’s not their fault but we’d like to offer you this. $2000 towards the repair at a Subaru approved automotive painting partner.” But wait a minute… their facility wanted $6000 to paint the car, hood, and the roof wall.
He was between a rock and a hard place. He certainly can't afford the $4,000 extra to fix what he doesn't think is his fault. That’s when a reporter, a rabbi, and a TrustDALE certified automotive expert came together to solve the case of the mysterious car spots.
They asked Mike, the expert, now that he had seen the vehicle, what he thought was going on here? Mike stated, “It did not look like a factory paint defect. It looks like something was dropped on the hood; I would guess it came from a transporter. They’re all kind of quarter-sized, big droplets, so I think it’s some sort of chemical.”
They told Mike their consumer received an estimate from Subaru for $6000 to fix it. They asked him if that was an accurate estimate or could it be done for less?
Mike stated their customer was sent to a boutique body shop; you know the ones that give you cappuccino while you’re waiting. He said, “I don’t know how they get away with charging these numbers. It’s crazy.”
Dale responded to Mike, “I think you gave me Bud Light in a Dixie cup once.”
All jokes aside, TrustDALE contacted Subaru, and they agreed to get a second estimate on the paint job. That estimate was much less than the first, and the car was repainted at no additional cost to the rabbi.
