Is Anyone Else Tired of the SOA Information Blackout

[geb2391]

This will probably do little good execpt I might feel better for having posted this thread.

I have been buying new cars for about forty years and have never experienced what has been going on with the BRZ and SOA. First we are all hiped to buy the car, SOA opens up pre orders on March 1st. Between then and April 6th were all ordering cars with little info., actually ordering cars with options that now don't even exist on the Subaru Build Your Own site. We have no idea what the car really costs until April 6th, some were happy others were not. We have several, at least four I am aware of, versions of how the BRZ pre orders will be filled and delivered. Most versions ignore the basic business principle of first come first serve, but who knows, which is the point of this thread, WHY THE BLACKOUT OF FACTUAL INFORMATION FROM SOA.

SOA has to by now know the interest in the vehicle allthough the blackout seems to be causing the interest to decline. So one would think they have derived all there is to know from the pre orders how ever many pre orders there may be, so WHY THE INFOMATION BLACKOUT. I sometimes feel people in SOA are reading all these post on all these sites and laughing their backsides off.

SOA did not get where they are today by being stupid, SOA knows without a doubt when the BRZ's will be built, if they have been built, when they will be shipped or if they have been shipped, when they will arrive at US ports and how long they will be in port getting the port installed options completed or will be waiting to be shipped by, truck rail or whatever. They also know without question how the vehicles will be distributed to dealers. There is not a business alive that cannot answer those basic questions regarding there products, SO WHY THE INFORMATION BLACKOUT, whats left to gain.

Anything of value is worth waiting for, I for one will wait but truely do not like what SOA is doing with no information especially to those 1000 plus, if not more, of us that have pre ordered this vehicle based solely or in part on Subarus reputation or our experiences with the brand.


Well I feel a little better at least for the next hour or so.

[onbooSTi]

Preaching to the choir!

Although, I do realize where SOA is coming from. They don't really have control over when information is released. I spoke with SOA officials back in February and asked what the hold up is, their response was that they are ready to release the car immediately, but FHI will not allow it. It is weird how the system works with SOA and FHI. Since Toyota is involved, it makes things a little more complicated as well. In the end, SOA can get away with doing this, because the car will still sell no matter what. If one or two of us backs out of an order, there is someone behind that would love to move up a spot, if that is how the orders are filled.

[FoolCyclist]

Maybe its just me, but I dont really feel a lack of info. I placed an order and was told likely delivery is going to start around the middle of May. I have a price. I got the options I want. I can go online and see that my order does not have a VIN yet, so has not been built yet. My dealer can do the same thing. My dealer texts me at least twice a week to check in and try to answer any questions I might have. He sends me any updates he has.

Its a product that is being built on an assembly line. That means its a slow tedious process, and the US market is not first in line. You'll get your car, when you get it. Be patient.

Living close to Long Beach, one the largest ports for car deliveries to the US, I often drive down by the storage lots and see cars sitting there for weeks that dealers say haven't arrived yet in the US. When the Murano convertible was set to be released, my buddy that works at Nissan told me that there wouldn't be one in the US for over a month, yet I was seeing them in the storage lot. It's all a big timing game on getting these products to dealers and the public on set days. Its an even bigger game with two nearly identical products competing with each other. Just look at stuff like the releases for Apple products. We all know that places like Best Buy have boxes upon boxes of the product sitting there weeks before the release date. Its about keeping the manufacturer happy and playing by their rules. If FHI isnt divulging all the info up front, then SOA cant do much about it. I wouldn't call it an INFORMATION BLACKOUT. I feel like I have tons of info. There are hundreds of review videos and pics, we have pricing, we have options pricing, we have delivery times (maybe not exact, but a good estimate). I seriously doubt that SOA's biggest concern is making sure you know when you'll get your exact order.

Chill out, have a beer, watch some BRZ videos, and bask in the glory of the fact that you will get BRZ when it's ready.

[13UTBRZ]

Patience is a virtue young grass hopper

[geb2391]

The comments to my venting have been interesting to say the least. I wonder if some really read the post.

I note that some blame FHI for the lack of information concerning production and delivery. Do you truly believe that SOA has people that sit at ports and blindly wait for container ships from Japan to arrive so they can see what cars were sent to them by FHI? In this age of technology you don’t think there is some detailed communication between the two or access to relivent information?

Others say that we have all the facts. I certainly am not beyond making a mistake or missing something but I have seen no facts attributed to SOA in Cherry Hills that articulates a “reasonable time frame” as to when vehicles will arrive in port for distribution and more importantly how they will be distributed to dealers who have people that have made their pre orders. There was a posting running around from last February that tried to explain to dealers how distribution would work, you don’t think that SOA has refined that at this point since they now know, or have a better idea, as to the interest in the vehicle and how many pre orders they have to date. Maybe I was being to general in my original venting. I certainly understand that things can happen which can cause delays. However it would be nice to have something to hang our hats on other than a time frame for delivery from May to November along with a factual statement from SOA on distribution methods for pre ordered vehicles. That would certainly make the wait easier; at least there would be a clearer light at the end of the tunnel. My dealership has also supplied me with all the information they have and keep me updated weekly with the, your order still says wait list and the vehicle should be here sometime between May and July. At least SOA could supply their dealers with more information, which I still believe exists somewhere.

Some have generically said that FHI and SOA can do whatever they want with this vehicle since they now know that if some people cancel their order someone will buy it, this is absolutely true. In my venting I was merely asking that SOA show some interest in being loyal and forthcoming to those that have pre ordered this vehicle based on the Subaru brand reputation. I for one believe that Subaru produces a great product and expect the BRZ to be in that same mold.

Finally I did not want everyone to call SOA and tie the Customer Service reps up so others can’t get through. Those Customer reps do a fine job and have been very helpful when I have dealt with them in the past. They currently are doing exactly what they are supposed to do. I believe that they too are being kept in the dark. However an e mail to them asking for more information and that the request be sent up the “SOA food chain” does not seem inappropriate, someone has some better information.

I, as all of you, will continue to wait for this vehicle which I believe is worth waiting for. I was just venting in the forum and apologize for arousing the ire of some, I will now quietly go back and wait and revel in the anticipation of the arrival of my BRZ.

[SubieDriver]

Subaru has quite frequently been tighter than a government black-ops program. It's just their nature. They're a small company, so they don't want someone with a bigger budget stealing their ideas.

That has happened on numerous occasions with Subaru's concept cars, where others steal ideas from them before Subaru can put them into production. (though concept cars are a bit of a sore point with me: Subaru has had some great concept cars in the last 10 years, and very few of them turn into real products: B9 Scrambler, B11S, Hybrid Tourer, etc.) Why not?!?

[Carlsbad]

So, I talked to SoA today and they confirmed my order. Very nice people and quite helpful. It just happend that they didn't know much about the roll out. They kept pointing me back to the dealership. All they could confirm was the 500 unit per month in th efirst few months. No details on distribution. I guess I haven't said much that you don't laready know. I am hopeful that April 20th will mean something and we will hear something from SoA or our dealerships. Otherwise buckle up and keep dreaming.

[Doug]

I've never bought a car that's not already in production and on sale, so I have nothing to compare my experience to in pre-ordering the BRZ. But I can say I've found the long, drawn-out process with Subaru disappointing.

As you all said, Subaru knows this car will sell well, and whether a few pre-orders get cancelled by fed up buyers won't matter in the long run. It really boils down to corporate policy. For some companies it's important to keep customers informed - certainly pre-order customers who've committed to purchasing and advanced money. For others it's not a concern. Unfortunately Subaru's an example of the latter.

I still like the BRZ but I can't say I'm a die-hard fan of Subaru any more. If a better car came along, loyalty to Subaru would no longer play a part in my decision-making process thanks to this pre-order experience.

[SeeeeeYa]

While I can understand what people in the waiting room are going through, it's not like any secret game is going on here. The timetable has been up front for a long time. Dinner will be ready, when it's ready. Just because one is hungry doesn't change the cooking process.

Plenty of people, waiting far longer, for far more expensive and desirable cars accept the process for what it is... reality. When one is told to get in line if they want something, and are told when to expect that something, until the scheduled date of delivery has come and gone there is no place for negative comments of any kind.

Anticipation is part of the fun for adults...

[Doug]

I think the whole point of this discussion is that Subaru won't give anyone a timetable - customers, their own dealers, even SOA.

If you're pre-ordering a more expensive car, say $80K for a Porsche, you can be sure Porsche will keep you updated. They don't want to lose the customer. For $27K Subaru probably doesn't care.