Toyota could learn from Subaru...

That's been my experience at Toyota many times. In and out. No runaround

 

I have a subie (5th one) in the driveway and they have been dependable. I am on my fifth Yota (4 4Runners and first Tacoma) and I purchased mine over the phone. It took a several phone calls, but I did not have the time to drive three hours.

 

It took about 4 weeks to get my White WRX 2020 STI but the deal was made over the phone and they never pressured me whatsoever for anything extra at all. Went to the dealership signed papers and left. Over the phone I optioned the car and salesman did not push anything additional day of the transaction. Whole process was maybe an hour tops once I got to the dealership and it was painless.

My Tacoma was much much much worse but that's a whole different story.... ordered a new TRD sport Magnetic Grey Metallic 6' bed..... they called me one evening to pick it up LATE... rushed prep on on a truck and tried to sell me everything under the sun stalling the transaction which seemed fishy and very annoying...... once I got the truck home (purposely had the truck backed up against a wall in the shop so I couldn't see the rear) I realized they had cut the rear seats with a razor blade, back bumper had a huge dent from porter backing it into a pole... absolute nightmare.... I actually returned it with 7 miles on it and demanded my 2012 SI back. The admitted knowing what happened and gave me 3,500$ off my current Silver Sky metallic 2015 Tacoma that I have now loved for 76,000 miles!! I guess everything happens for a reason but I won't ever set foot in that dealership again...

 

I suspect it isn't a "Subaru thing" or "Toyota thing," but more of an individual dealership/dealership employees thing.

My experience at they Toyota dealership last month was wonderful. It took maybe 2 hours, but the salesman I was working with wasn't there that night so I was working with a different person. AND there was the added delight of having recently been the victim of a fraudulent unemployment claim. All things considered, it went very smoothly with pressure to get extended warranties or fabric protectant or any of that crap.

OTOH, there's a Subaru dealership down the street from Toyota that I'll never set foot in again from being jerked around three times there.

 

Had head gasket issues with damn near every Subaru I owned....and there were 9 of them. I traded the last of them (a 2013 Forester) in for my wife's 2021 Venza.....and this was just 30,000 miles after I got my new short block. Was dripping transmission oil when I traded it, and this was about 3 months after a full tranny service after the lines blew out. Toyota's CVT transmissions are much more trouble free than Subaru and Nissan too. No belts.

 

I purchased the extended warranty. I bought it because I wanted it. How many midsize trucks does Subaru produce and sell?

 

Yeah, it seems there are a 1,000 different story's it seems. And I get that it's probably more the dealership than the actual mfg ....
OTOH, having bought a new Taco last Aug and a new Forester a couple weeks ago .. On both I got a follow-up phone call from both 'corporate' HQ. (Toyota and Subaru 'Of America' things) and I doubt any dealership wants you rating them as 'They were AWFUL! You couldn't PAY me to go back there!' kinda' thing.
Someone will 'own' the dealership (Franchise), but they still have to answer to a 'higher up'... (Corporate) so I would think ... They'd want nothing but 5 stars. Well, at least if I were running the business, I would...
But, I guess ya never know...

 

I've had the exact opposite experience. I'm on my fourth one now (And they all have basically the same engine) and not a bit of trouble from any of them. No head gasket leaks, no tranny problems at all. In fact the 06' Forester (Keeping as a spare, just replaced with a 21') has 180K on it and has had zero issues. I took it into a shop a couple weeks ago because the belt-tensioner was starting to squeak, and the Check Engine light came on. I had them replace the tensioner along with a new belt (OE equipment still) and the check engine light was because a plug wire was going bad. New plugs/wires and it was good to go. After 180K original miles.
Other than that, zero probs.

 

That was a pretty common Subaru issue back say, 15-20 years ago. I'm somewhat surprised it's still an issue hahaha.

Back when I worked in a shop in HS (2003-2005), the 3 big issues were 1) German Cars = Electrical Issues, 2) Subies w/ bad lights or blown head gaskets & 3) Dodges & Chryslers getting new transmissions