I bought a new 2003 Outback from van Bortel and have had to deal with them for the usual leaking head gasket issue. This is a pricey fix and a known issue which Subaru will help with ONLY if you have been to the dealer for all the required maintenance. Miss one and your done.
Van B. isn't that bad for a dealer but you need to remember that your working with an ex-mechanic salesman who wants to sell you as much as possible and he'll tell you that they are worried about your safety.
Work with another good mechanic to help you maintain your sanity. Example: The support arm for the rear hatch failed and needed to be replaced. Fair enough. Their recommendation: replace both because the other one will fail eventually. Well, maybe it will and I'll handle that when it happens. You have to be constantly on guard against the upsell. They also try to terrify you into getting the work done. Again, work with another mechanic that you trust and get a second opinion.
The thing that really made me angry, however, was that I got a trade in quote from their business team as the repairs from the head gasket are large. 2003 with 83,000 and regular maintenance. The Edmund's value, even in rough condition is about $4k. Van Bortel value: $800.
They do know what they're doing and the prices are ok but they will try to scare you, upsell unnecessary repairs and they give really bad value for your trade int!
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