Bill Koch and Steven Mackie helped me purchase my first car. It was a great value 2010 Subaru Forester in fantastic condition at a competitive price. I chose Carter Subaru because of the great reviews - I felt like I could trust their used cars more than other dealerships. Bill and Steven were amazing from start to finish and provided highly professional top notch customer service. Very happy with how everything turned out!

Built the Subaru we wanted online and then contacted several dealerships in the NW from Portland to Seattle. Bill Koch was the only one to respond as personable and with no pressure or hint of a bait and switch estimate. He fairly priced our trade and laid out the figures in a way that was transparent and he worked to get the only one in the state and add the accessories to match exactly what we wanted. Worth the drive from Olympia! Bill and financing were so organized that we had financing locked down before we got there at a rate better than our own credit union. Would definitely buy from Bill again!

Lynette Rice was fantastic to work with. She was very low-pressure and made us feel like she had our best interests in mind the entire time. We really had her moving all over the place getting cars for us to test drive and we appreciated her excellent work from start to finish. We love the 2022 Outback Onyx XT!!!

Bill Koch and Carter Subaru of Ballard have hands down earned their 5 stars!I sent Bill probably 20 emails throughout the process of our car buying decision and to my surprise, I ALWAYS received a quick, friendly response with the answers to my questions attached. He didnt poke, prod or push us to make a purchase in any way. We originally planned to buy used but after a month of test drives and research, we decided on a new 2021 Subaru Forester Sport and thats when we contacted Carter Subaru in Ballard. We live an hour and a half away so Bill worked with us to make the transaction as seamless as possible and I never thought Id say this but buying a car from Carter Subaru was easy and even enjoyable! I brought my pup who made her fair share of friends, too, and was even welcomed with treats and a water bowl. Bill took the time to educate us and he was professional, honest and fair. We will HIGHLY recommend Bill Koch and Carter Subaru of Ballard to all of our friends and family!!Thank you Bill!

I had the most incredible car buying experience here with Maddy. She was super friendly and direct about what my options were. I didn’t feel any pressure to get something that wasn’t a 100% fit for me. I ended up with a car I love! And an overall really sweet experience with her and the staff. Would recommend.

The story begins with us taking west coast travel trip… Starting off in Los Angeles ending in Seattle… Part of the trip was done on the train… While searching for rental cars we could not believe the pricing of what the cost of rentals were going for in Seattle… In Los Angeles they were half the price… As we are Subaru owners.. we wish we could just rent a Subaru after a little googling to find out if any of the rental cars companies what does Subarus we came across the Subaru rental site… After plugging in information we come to find out that the Ballard car dealership was only 3 miles from our hotel they were part of a rental Subaru program… After comparing the prices we realized how much cheaper it was to rent the car we already own.. So we put our name and information down and decide to go for another Subaru Forester... As we are happy with the one already owned in New York.. ( 2020 forester ) not even a year old we have over 10k on it .. we arrived at the dealership early in the morning sign the paperwork and off we went… And off we went we sure did go first stop the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon… Off to Mount Hood… Timberline Lodge… Drove back to Seattle… Next day drove to the Canadian border the peace arch park and all over North Western Washington… The best part he was in a car we already knew… We were comfortable in it… Even though it was not the touring package that we have already it’s a great car with great gas mileage great comfort and a car we can trust in any kind of conditions we throw at it!

Everything was great about my car buying experience and the maintenance until I paid off my car loan early. I submitted an application in-person to request a refund, if any, for the gap insurance I paid for for the duration of the 5 year loan. Never heard back from anyone. Followed-up with a phone call around June/ July. Received a call acknowledging my application. Never heard from them again. Sent an email August. Never heard from anyone. Called this morning and call got dropped. Cmon Carter Subaru. You can do better than this. Not trustworthy- one star. But 5 stars for their service and maintenance folks, they are the best.

I dropped my Crosstrek off in the morning for some recall work and an oil change. Steve was so friendly and efficient! They got the work done as promised and in less time than estimated. And my car smelled great! Id def go back.

Buying a car is stressful and its hard to know whos on the level, so I think its important to give a good review when youve had a good experience. I bought a car here that I found listed online. I was helped by Bill Koch, who was friendly, easy to deal with, and made the process as easy as possible. I ended up getting a good deal here with no pressure whatsoever, and I would recommend Bill to anyone whos looking for a car.

Loaner car service is convenient and straightforward. Staff was incredible friendly and helpful, was specific and clear as to what work would be done and how much it would cost. Mini was very helpful with my check engine light fix.

My family and I have been going here for years to have our subarus purchased and serviced. I was so sickened in how I was treated by the staff here a few weeks ago when I got my oil changed. It’s been my experience and other friends I’ve spoken to that Carter’s offers loaner cars for service appointments. So when I dropped off my car I asked for one but the front desk man explained that was not normal and I suggested that I may have “cheated the system” by that happening to me in the past. He was incredibly short with me as I tried to reevaluate my plans. I told him I’d be back several hours later and that the vehicle was not in a rush to be finished soon. Luckily I didn’t have an appointment soon so I took a 40 minute bus ride home. I was able to get a ride from a friend back a few hours later though I hadn’t received a call saying my car was done yet. I arrived and the same man reprimanded me for having a full voicemail box and said he called me multiple times. I calmly apologized for the voicemail but explained I hadn’t received a single call. I also thought it was weird I didn’t get their calls. Again he reprimanded me about how I was late and he called me over five times. I never felt so spoken down to. The dealership was not busy, nor had I experienced any wait times that day so I am not sure what the issue was. I am so shocked at this staff members gumption to speak to customers so rudely. At this point I’d rather go to Jiffy Lubes for my oil changed if I’m going to be spoken to so disrespectfully.

Kudos to the team over at Carter Subaru! They made the car buying experience very easy and patiently answered all of my many questions. They went above and beyond to set me up in the car I wanted. I am really enjoying my new ride and looking forward to working with Carter again when its time for service. Check them out if you are in the market for a new set of wheels!

We had a really awful experience at Carter Subaru. We went to look at a car, before it had gone through their workshop, and we were told we definitely wouldnt be signing any contracts, but wed have first right to refuse it if we wanted it. We arrived and were immediately pressured into buying the car, using highly dishonest techniques. For example, our salesperson said that she would go and print out a list of other dealerships for us to take a look at, and rather than coming back with this list, she instead came back with a printout claiming that there were no similar cars for sale worldwide! There happen to be around 10 similar cars within a 5 mile radius... They then threatened to increase the price of the car unless we signed a contract then and there. We declined, and they then, the following morning, refused to sell us the car for the price we discussed the evening before. All round, a terrible experience fraught with dishonesty.

My experience here was absolutely incredible. I usually go to Michael’s of Bellevue, but after moving to the West side I came here. Alex Paschal was my amazing service advisor who was honest, told me what I needed, and gave me an unrivaled customer experience. Alex, thank you for making my experience great, I will definitely be back!

Adjusting previous review... I brought my car in for a regular service and an additional battery test as it had died the week prior. They changed the fluids, did the safety inspection, and battery test. The battery itself was dead and they swapped it out. What they didnt mention was that there is a recalibration period where the car will idle rough for a bit afterwards if you change the battery. I had not been told and had a longer drive planned that I wasnt sure I was going to be able to do without damaging my car. I tried calling 10-12 times at different times of day and only was able to get through to a person in sales who told me to call back to the service desk. Fair enough, but theres no way to leave a message. No call back. No way to get in touch about potentially urgent issues. I understand busy, but I cant rely on this if I have an issue. Even if its just asking a question on the phone. This could be fixed by just having a way for them to call me back at the end of the day or next time they have a tech between services. If thats not an option, hire more people. Its clearly busy enough.Scheduling a service a month out is fine, but for everything else, might as well go elsewhere.

Lynnette Rice is an absolute gem at Carter Subaru Ballard. You dont just feel like shes got your best interests at heart; you realize she truly does! What an amazingly pleasant car-buying experience. Lynette is so low pressure and genuinely kind. And does she know her cars! Even about things you dont think or know to ask about.Finance guru, Jeff, was equally kind and low pressure.After shopping around, this was truly the place to land upon and this is the place I will recommend to any and everyone in search of their next vehicle!

I take my outback to this dealership for feul pump recall..after they replaced it I went to pick up my car but I found out that the service shop people forgot the sun roof open for about two days (in Seattle ✊✋) however the front disk man did apologise for the damage and promised to clean up vehicle in few days..now why you open sunroof first place when you know we’re in Seattle weather…I didn’t hear from Managment or person in charge….this is very disappointed experience and careless in their part

I went in for a routine service. I ended up being charged an additional $150 for a diagnostic to fix my Sunroof that would not close all the way. No big deal. When I left the dealership, the low tire pressure sensor went off. It was stated that all my tires had been checked for pressure and rotated. I came to learn that all four tires were well below the 33 PSI. I am not impressed by the customer service I received when I called in to let them know what had happened. Would not recommend.

Carter Subaru, in my experience, is a fundamentally and systematically dishonest company. I brought my car in this week because I was having problems with the key fob/alarm that they installed. Even though I was clear that I was there for the alarm, somehow they convinced me to swap out fluids, battery, and rotate tires - which I agreed to, even though I normally have this work done a few blocks away at JE Tires. But Steve at the counter went on, and now he wanted to switch out my timing belt - before I had even given them my keys/vehicle. I told him to stop talking about the timing belt. Then he claimed that my car was leaking oil, when I know this is not true. I tell him to focus on the alarm problem.Given these random, knee-jerk suggestions before even seeing the vehicle, it occurred to me that Steve is apparently getting some type of financial incentive, such as a commission, based off the amount of repairs/service that he was selling me. This seems pretty horrible - after all, a Subaru customer should be able to rely on a Subaru dealer as being honest, and recommend service/repairs based off what is actually needed for safety and performance, not just making things up. And yet, here was Steve firing off recommendations before hes even seen the vehicle; the only thing that apparently mattered was whether Id agree. I told him, again, he needed to focus on the key fob/alarm.Not sure why they couldnt get this very short list of work done the first day, but for whatever reason, they wanted the car overnight. Fine. Eventually, they finished the car the second day, and gave me an invoice where they were gouging me over $500 to replace a faulty key fob which they had installed a few years prior. They also just replaced the battery without checking if it was actually necessary (as had been agreed). I asked to speak with a manager by phone because the lobby was packed; they had people lined up right next to each other. But they wanted to have this conversation with me in the lobby despite how crowded it was. Their manager, Tammy, came out like a bulldog and immediately started talking down to me, rather loudly, as if I was the problem. Given the chaos of cramming people together like this (especially in a pandemic) some Karen-type woman right next to me started to engage with me and harass me that I was speaking too loudly (which, interestingly, she does by speaking even louder); I told her to not talk to me - that is all I said to this other woman. But Tammy used this as a pretext to mischaracterize the interaction, paint me in a negative light, and then kick me out - when in reality, she was the person who showed up and immediately started arguing without asking any questions and without making any attempt to understand the situation.And then this morning I get a call from the store manager Paul, again coming in like some bulldog. Why even bother me if youre not going to listen or ask any questions?!?! Indeed, he was just repeating the same falsehoods as before (ie: that the random, loud-mouthed, intrusive Karen-type woman was terrified and in fear of her life). This was all a massive farce that these people used to sidestep a difficult conversation about why they were just making up dishonest/inappropriate service suggestions and then stacking numerous fees, repeatedly gouging me several hundred dollars for a chintzy little key fob, but then not even accounting for why the last fob failed so quickly - other than to disparage the components that they themselves sold and installed. It is easier for them to just lie and blame me.This was the worst experience that Ive ever had anywhere for car service, and I called the USA Subaru Corp to explain. They were amazed by my accounting of things and actually gave me a $300 coupon. They told me that I could expect different service at Walker Subaru in Renton. Indeed, they were correct. My interactions with Kim at the Walker service counter felt reasonable and truth-based. Much happier at Walker.

I received extraordinary customer service when I bought my new Crosstrek!

Steven helped me buy a new car at the beginning of this month once my previous one gave up the ghost. I walked in knowing which car I wanted. He made the entire process very easy! He was polite, respectful, and listened to my needs and did his best to make it happen for me. In the end I walked out with a beautiful, almost brand new Subaru Crosstrek at an absolutely amazing price! Could not be happier with my experience.

The best dealership around! This is my first time ever leasing a car, and I’m going on 2 years with Carter Ballard. I’ve had nothing but exceptional service. They’re very attentive and will answer any question or fix any issue without making you feel like an idiot. I would recommend shopping and getting maintenance done here!

This was my first time buying a car and so I really needed the extra support and information that Steven Paredes and his team gave me. I am forever going to appreciate the dedication, patience, and service they provided me. Hands down my best experience at a car dealership!

My wife and I purchased our first Subaru from Carter this year, and the experience was all around incredibly pleasant. Hats off to their team for making vehicle purchases work so smoothly in the midst of a pandemic. The staff here are great - no slimy sales tactics, or pushing things you dont need or want.One thing I will note is to do your homework before coming in. Whether because the demand is so high right now that there is literally no time for them to go beyond the general walkthroughs, or perhaps theyre slightly less interested in doing so for people purchasing Certified Pre-Owned, I had to do a lot of research on my own to get all the details on the vehicle I eventually purchased.All told, I would recommend this dealer to anyone in the area looking to purchase a Subaru.

So I initially made an appointment to get my bosses car to have a hitch on it it’s a 2021 brand new Subaru and I had to reschedule the first appointment to a later time about a week later from the first initial appointment from the get-go no one told me that they needed to call me and confirm that they actually had the hitch in stock to do the appointment, so I show up for the appointment and this lovely gentleman behind the counter goes oh we don’t have the hitch in stockAnd have been having trouble getting them in but will call you when it’s available if it Is. So I drove 40 minutes for absolutely nothing and then to be asked if I wanted to pay another like $500 on top of what I already was to get something different this is just bad customer service across the board and people not doing their job. We won’t be back to this location

I had a poor experience visiting this dealer. This crowded office has no clear reception area and no place to sit while waiting. I waited 10 minutes for my agent to be available for my scheduled appointment. They spent so much time explaining why they had such low inventory that I didnt even get a chance to test drive a vehicle. The cars I at least go to see did not match my expectations - weird color combos, tacky interiors, and the cars were stuffed with add-ons by the dealer. I asked if I could take home a pamphlet or some kind of information about the model I was interested in. The answer was no because the pamphlet had cost them $20. They suggested I look up the information at home on my own. I didnt bother because I was so turned off of the Subaru brand after this poor customer service experience.

Steven P. seems to be the rockstar of these recent reviews and for good measure! This was my first time purchasing a car from a dealership and he was consistently kind, honest, and prompt throughout the whole process of test driving (and ultimately purchasing!) a CPO Forester. He was super patient with all of my questions and went out of his way so I could take it home that night. Im grateful for his help and SO STOKED for my new adventure vehicle. Thanks Steven!

Steven Paredes was amazing! As a woman at a car dealership, I feel like people will try to swindle me, but Steven was calm, open, understanding, and reasonable. I walked in hoping to look at some cars, ending up test driving one, and left with it! He got me a great deal and I’m so excited to take my new Subaru on all sorts of adventures! Thanks, Steven!

Update: The service manager called me to convey her sincere apologies for the mishap, and walked me through the procedures they have in place to prevent such occurrences in future. I appreciate them reaching out and offering to help make future service visits more effortless.Previous review:Took my Forester in for 12k service a couple of days ago, and received very poor service. Though I had an appointment, I was told it would be a couple of hours due to service volume and I waited patiently at the dealership. I checked in with the service rep more than an hour in and was told they were just starting work on my car. I checked in again at the two hour mark and was informed that they had lost the keys. This never came until I asked them. They offered me a loaner and told me they might have to order new keys if they couldn’t place it. Since this didn’t work logistically, I insisted on them looking for the keys and 45 plus minutes later, they gave me the keys back without having worked on the car. All in, I waited three hours at this dealership for no good reason. The manager and the service rep offered insincere apologies and told me I could bring it in another time to get it serviced for no charge. The lack of sincerity, transparency and honesty was just so off-putting that I will not be returning here again.

This week Steven Mackie and Carter Subaru in Ballard worked with us to purchase a new Outback. We love the car and were still stunned by the customer service Steven provided !! He was so focused on our satisfaction. Professional, polite, patient (no pressure sales games) honest. We have more superlatives than space here. A stellar communicator; phone, email, and even better in person. We love the car, and thank you Steven Mackie, and all the folks at Carter Subaru in Ballard for a Great Experience.

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Subaru cars with Steven Paredes as my sales person. He was so personable, courteous and knowledgeable. His communication following my initial visit was very professional and respectful of my considering other automobile manufacturers as well.I would definitely recommend any one considering buying a Subaru at Carter to contact Steven first.

Steven P. in sales is very helpful, friendly and promptly responded to all of my questions. He made the car buying process pleasant and efficient. Highly recommend!

A tip of the hat and a big shoutout to sales specialist Steven Paredes, who made my purchase of a 2021 Forester a very satisfying experience. The car practically sold itself, but Steven was instrumental in answering all questions dealing with the numerous controls in the vehicle, handling the financial aspects, and being very responsive to my concerns. In short, Steven closed the deal with his competence and genuine desire to address my concerns directly. Walked out of the dealership with a smile on my face (under my mask) that has yet to disappear.

This place is toxic and a menace in Ballard. Don’t buy a car here. Their workers regular harass and cat call people walking on the street. It’s not just me. I’ve heard this from other people who work in the area. I considered buying a car here but the creepy and disgusting behavior displayed by their employees has pushed me away.

Archie made buying our first Subaru a great experience. We felt like he was honest and friendly, and we knew exactly what to expect. Even after we officially closed the deal, he took the time to explain the features of our new car. The process was quick without feeling rushed. Definitely recommend Archie!

Tom Carter at Carter Subaru was very helpful and had an amazing hospitality that made me feel very safe and welcome! This is not you’re average dealership, it’s the best one! Get a car from Tom Carter!

Ive formerly had good experience here, but I dont know what happened. Scheduled a recall service, was told it would take an hour, arrived and was told it would actually take 7 hours. When I asked the clerk, she just shrugged, rolled her eyes and said you shouldve called then. No offer to help reschedule, no apology, no explanation of the difference. What a bummer.

Buying my very first car from a dealership was such a nerve-wracking thought for me, especially because I had no credit. Doing my research lead me to many places, but there was one place that just felt right. Carter Subaru in Ballard. Here I met the most amazing salesman, Ted. I honestly cannot put into words how wonderful Ted, and his team are.Expressing the concerns I had, Ted answered all questions I had with knowledge and patience.No pressure, no secrets. Ted was very straight forward, and helpful. He worked hard to get me exactly what I wanted, stayed in contact, and walked me through every step of the way! This customer service is five star worthy.Not only did Ted help, but also Tom! Tom went above and beyond to help me out. Knowing I lived a long ways away, he offered to meet me half way to finalize paperwork. You dont find these types of people often, but when you do, you become a loyal customer for life. Thank you so much to Ted, Tom, and Carter of Subaru. You made my dreams come true, and I absolutely love my new Crosstrek!

Happily purchased a car here recently. They were responsive to our interests and needs, didn’t try to excessively push added things on top of purchase.Came back several months later to get a tire patched up. All staff are wearing masks/ face coverings, they are sanitizing all surfaces every hour, and all staff we interacted with were helpful and jovial. Thanks!!

Alex, in the Service Department, was very helpful a.d considerate. He made sure the repairs were done timely. Much appreciated!

Front desk was very helpful (I think I talked to Patricia?) figuring out exactly what service my car needed. I was in and out and I got an informed, honest opinion without anyone trying to sell me anything. I guess Ive had bad experiences with dealerships in the past so I appreciated this a lot!

Great service. It gets busy but that is expected for such a great brand. Gratitude.

We had a problem with a vehicle we had been looking at, and Carter Subaru were extremely professional and courteous in the interactions. Id like to thank Donelle specifically for her kind demeanor and helpful manner. I would trust them for my future purchases.

Here is my experience at this place:Requested a quote, a sales person got back to me with a good price. The car was still in transit. Waited for the car to arrive for a few days. As soon as the sales person informed me that the car was there, scheduled an appointment to see and buy the car. Arrived at my appointment, test drove the car, sat down to purchase the vehicle, signed a few papers, the sales person goes to speak to someone, comes back saying that the car was already sold a few days ago?!The only choice offered to me was to buy the same make/model car at the same price from Spokane dealership, and someone would drive it to Seattle. Technically Id be buying a new car with 300+ miles on it for the same price quoted to me for the brand new one I was there to buy in the first place. That was a no from me. Once I inquired about them ordering the same vehicle and me buying it, they said they can do that but the price would be higher.So thats the customer service this place offers. If you decide to go here, hopefully the employees will learn how to communicate with each other by then and you wont end up wasting your Sunday afternoon.

Went into the Ballard location today at 2:34pm to pick up a part for my partners 2021 Crosstrek (parts is actually across the street in the VW building, so account for the time to get to a crosswalk and then walk back). Nothing on the website says anything about closing early, but apparently they decided to close at 2:30. Four minutes late and they turn me down after spending that kind of money on their vehicle is pretty poor customer service.

We bought two cars from Steven Paredes within a month time frame. We were working within a tight time frame, while also purchasing a home and all of the stress that comes along with it. We weren’t completely sure if we would be going with the Atlas for my partner, but after having what can only be described as a weird, pushy, Icky experience at another dealership that afternoon, Carter was like an oasis. Both Steven and Chris Gans made it feel like we were hanging out with friends. No pushy sales feel, no uncomfortable harassing. Just getting down to business and also being friendly as hell. I knew immediately I wanted to come back to Steven for my car. It was above and beyond any car experience- it took most of the stress out of the big purchase of buying a car and it made me walk out of there so incredibly happy with my new Subaru- which I LOVE. I couldn’t be more grateful for finding them.

I recently purchased a new Forester Sport from the folks at Carter Subaru Ballard. Ive purchased many cars over the years and this was as easy a transaction as Ive ever had. The entire team was exceptionally helpful throughout the process...and that has continued since, checking in on the car, my experience, and making themselves available for any questions that arise going forward. On top of that, a great deal on the car itself! Many thanks to them - if youre in the market, Id be sure to put them on your list.

2020 a rough year for us all. Then my check engine light came on for my 2011 Subaru Forester. I took it in to get serviced at this establishment. Although all who I interacted with here was very kind, they diagnosed my car, and said the total amount of suggested repairs would be $5,000. No payment plan option. I went to get a second opinion at a different dealer and they came up with a completely different diagnosis that was only $1,600. So thanks Ballard Subaru for grossly overcharging me in the middle of the worst recession in modern history on top of a pandemic. Moral to the story: Covid isn’t the only thing we need to be protecting ourselves from America.

We were out sight seeing. I really enjoyed my visit there. Here in Ballard the people are very nice and kindhearted... Im going back there again..

I have had mixed feelings about the service team in Carter Ballard.Pros:1. Closer to Downtown2. Friendly front desk staff (Mini, Eunice are really great). They helped with urgent appointments, tire puncture care and explaining whats happening. Especially Mini is so friendly and caring3. Lots of appointments availabilityCons:1. Service Negligence (after scheduled oil change at 6k miles, the entire oil leaked in my garrage parking lot) - reason, bolt not screwed properly2. Service not thorough - Three services in two weeks showed two different results on Cabin Air filter 1st service, said I need change, 2nd service a week later says I need to change the air filter, 3rd service the same week, says its all clear3. Old products installed: Newly installed Fog lights (purchased separately) stopped working 5 months since buying a car - Reason : Old batch of productsWhile I bought a new car with them in June 2020. I do not really trust anything they do in service over here. If not for the front desk staff, I would have moved by business elsewhere

Went in looking for a forester today. Was low quoted for $12,000, went to the shoreline Subaru and was quoted for $18,000 for a trade in. I feel that we were judged by Craig and didn’t receive an unbiased quote. Asked to see a touring forester and still only let us test drive the limited package.

I am a healthcare worker with a long commute and was in need of a reliable vehicle with less mileage than my old Subie had, so on my day off I decided to check out Carter Subaru in Ballard. Steven Paredes immediately came to my assistance. He was friendly and knowledgeable and quickly helped me find the perfect vehicle for my needs and my budget. I am so happy with my gently used Forester. I was also impressed with how the staff seemed to be diligent in being as safe as possible during this pandemic. Thank you Carter Subaru and thank you Steven!

Sam took me for a test drive in a Honda civic and was super friendly and honest and not pushy :)

I worked with Ted to find a car for a big move coming up and it went as smoothly as you can picture. He was very clear and to the point and just wonderful to spend my evening with.Ted was down to earth and honest, not once did I feel like we were playing games and I really appreciated that. 5 stars, happy new owner here!:)

Had a really bad experience with this dealership that I wanted to share so that others do not have to repeat this.  I contacted this dealership looking to  buy a car-making it clear that I really did not want to go in until everything was completely finalized due to COVID.  I set aside time to go to this dealership once we had moved ahead-with the caveat that I needed to trade in a car.  The sales rep I was working (Ted) with didnt say anything about this even though I asked for additional details or a rough estimate over the phone. When I got to the dealership- the sales rep took one look at my car and told me BYE. I had the money to buy a new car-i simply could not logistically handle 2 cars at once.  He was not willing at all to move ahead with this in any way, or continue our conversation. He told me I would never be able to sell my car  and literally just said BYE to me and walked away. I cannot get over how rude this was.  I understand that the dealership could not give me the price I was expecting due to cosmetic damage-but the way that he handled it  and talked to me was not appropriate at all. I wish he had just told me this over the phone so I could have known. I had asked about this specific information prior to coming in so that if this was not possible (1) They didnt do a hard check on my credit and (2)  I didnt have to go into the dealership during a pandemic and also waste time.  I waited to post this review until I sold my car (by the way for the price that I was expecting and I had multiple offers) and until I bought a new Subaru at a different dealership so that I could make sure that I was not in the wrong here. I was able to go to subaru eastside and they were able to handle the ENTIRE interaction online and also give me a better price. I have never been treated like this by a someone trying to sell me a car before before and I am a loyal subaru customer.

Carter Subaru is awesome, I recently purchased a vehicle through them. Micheal C. Helped me with the purchase of my used 4runner, he was very prompt to answer any questions and even though the vehicle had mild imperfections (because it’s a used vehicle of course), Micheal made sure to resolve any issues that I brought to attention. I highly recommend visiting Carter Subaru and working with Micheal!

I worked with Steven Paredes to purchase a Volkswagen Tiguan and had a clean, to the point, and welcoming experience. There was no tension and no pressure to buy anything I didn’t want to. Steven answered all of my questions up front and honestly. Overall, I had a positive experience at this dealership.

Michael was super pateint and got us a great deal on an Outback Touring XT! Need a subaru or VW? Go here. Easiest car dealership experience we’ve had in years.

Probably the most trusted service department Ive ever used.

Maddy made buying a car in a day, easy, efficient and fabulous! I really appreciate that she was an honest straight-shooter who quoted us a price that even ended up being slightly higher than what we actually paid (erring on the side of honest dealings since we didnt have an exact registration price when I got the quote). Its good to know theres good people out there not just trying to take advantage of people. Love the car!

Steven parades was amazing! Very professional and got my friend the car of her dreams!

3 weeks in a row, 3 attempts for them to find the problem and fix the car, only to get an absurd, unnecessary solution. Do not trust the mechanics here! We had been taking our 2010 Subaru to get regular services here since we bought the car several years ago. We were blindly trusting that they had our best interest in mind when working on our car. With the regular maintenance services, they were just fine no problems until we found out they did the same major 60k mileage service twice within 6 months. The customer service was great and they gave us a refund for the second one after WE found the mistake ourselves a month later and brought it to their attention. Still wondering if they were ever going to mention it since they could see it was done twice in their system.. but oh well that problem was taken care of. However, when we expressed that something was clearly wrong with the car during a minor service, they did not even TRY to fix it. The first visit after us explaining the problem, the mechanic said some flap was just dirty so he cleaned it off and claimed it was fixed. However, as soon as we got the car back and on the freeway, the check engine light came on (which had never come on before) and the lurching was way worse. Naturally we took it right back to them trusting they would fix it this time. We explained how the issue was much worse now and that we checked the code at an auto parts store finding it was cylinders misfiring. Later that week we got the car back with them claiming it was definitely an ignition coil which they replaced for free and that the lurching was completely gone when test driving. Somehow we still trusted what they told us and took the car back on the freeway. Sure enough, the lurching was still there, getting worse by the minute and the check engine lights immediately came back on. Turned around and took it back to them once more giving them the benefit of the doubt. After having the car for another week they again claimed they definitely found the problem now and it would be $4700 to fix it. At this point we are just laughing because we had already called an independently owned Subaru service center and told them everything, including the last test they did to find out what they now claimed the true problem was. We did not pay that absurd price for what they said was the only thing that could possibly fix this car. Instead, we took the car to our new mechanic who within minutes found out that the spark plugs were way too old and causing the misfires. They were able to replace the spark plugs same day for $150 and the car has been working perfectly every since (it has now been over 2 months - we wanted to make sure it was actually fixed before writing this!). So long story short, take it or leave it, but I highly recommend for you to NOT trust the Carter Subaru of Ballard dealership mechanics. They are just taking advantage of you not knowing everything about your car and trying to get as much money as possible out of you.

Great new car buying experience during Covid. Team was very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. Edin made it a terrific car buying experience and the finance team was able to provide me a better deal than what my bank had pre approved me for.Id highly recommend to anyone in the Seattle area looking for a Subaru.

We bought our first Subaru in 2019 from Edin and had such great service, he even email occasionally to check in. Yesterday I had amazing service from Kevin, he was so helpful! I’m a new mom and have been not getting out much but I felt very comfortable with my baby there and with how serious they are taking Covid precautions. It was great to also get the 2020 version of my outback to test out as a loaner car!

Got a great price on a new Subaru Corsstrek! COVID precautions are pretty good (everyone had masks, desks are spaced well apart, you can test drive alone if you have proof of comp/collision insurance). The salespeople tend to want to talk with you closer than 6 feet but the finance people are excellent at staying distanced! And the pick up experience of the car was super fast, we were able to skip all the heres the info about all the features stuff since I already knew about all the tech!

Purchased a car here from Carlos Valdez. The process went very smoothly. I appreciate that I wasnt pressured into anything, and Carlos took additional time to explain each and every feature to me. Very professional, and a good experience overall!

Dont get scammed into buying GAP insurance or a warranty. I got them when I bought my subaru used so in case any brakes or if I get in a car accident I have the costs covered. I got in a ascendant and the gap coverage did nothing for me. I had to pay every penny.

Friendly, not pushy sales person. Choice btw Subaru and VW maked for interesting options.

Very friendly service and always helpful. We have always experienced efficient and friendly service here. And during COVID, we are especially happy about how well organized their space is. Everyone is wearing masks, plenty of hand sanitizer stations, and clearly marked spaces to stand in order to maintain adequate distancing. Thanks for caring about your customers and staff!

Service was awesome. In and out in less time than expected. Excellent!

Carlos Valdez was so wonderful to work with! So professional, kind and thoughtful. He made the buying experience an easy and stress free experience for us! Straightforward and accommodating.

I wish there was something lower than one star. We leased a car and they were nice and helpful while we were there, but when we had questions (the next day) about the numbers in our contract they refused to take our calls. My advice; take your time and read carefully what they ask you to sign. Double check everything because the numbers the sales person give you are not the same they put in the contract.

Well, I will say that Elliot, the customer service rep in the service department is spot on. Diligent, kind and a great personality, but thats where my happiness stops.Made an appointment for a 12k mile tune up and an issue with the seats. Told when I made my appointment that I would have a shuttle ride to and from the shop, no issues. I get there @ 9:30, and check in, told that the shuttle will leave in minutes, have a seat and they will find me. 1.5 hours later, I have to go and ask Elliot where the shuttle is. They have no idea, and finally find someone to drive me home (after I had to approach them, I would have been there all day.) Then told my car would be ready about 4:30, I recieved a call at 3:30 and told that my car would be ready about 4:30. I hear nothing and call at 5:30 and then told no, no shuttle will pick me up, its late and no one will be there for you?!?!?! No one would have called me if I hadnt called them (there is a pattern here), no doubt. So I have to pay $30 to have an uber come get me (which with my recent job loss was not something I would have paid for if I had a choice), after being told I would be taken care of by the dealership. I get there and asked rudely what am I doing here, what can they do for me? Uhm, I am here to pick up my car, was told that I had to come down asap to pick it up? Was then told the lot was locked, a bunch of frustration and anger, they charge me, and I then get my car. I was furious. I will never be back. They also didnt clean my car or vacuum like most dealerships do, which isnt a deal breaker, but it would have been nice. Other than Elliot, the fantastic person in customer relations, it was a horrible experience. What an awful, painful and angering experience, dont waste your time.

Excellent service! I brought my old outback in after being told by other mechanics that it was breaths away from dying - turns out, that wasnt entirely true. Alex P was super helpful and answered all my dumb questions without making me feel dumb for not knowing things about cars; I felt very taken-care-of. The staff was communicative and friendly;10/10 would return again due to Alex and the other staff.

We had the best experience buying our beloved Subi here two years ago. Bill helped us and everything went by so smoothly. We come back for every oil change and enjoy the location.

Eric Holmstrom was easily the most helpful, standout service adviser I have ever worked with. He went above and beyond to take care of my key issue. He saved me a ton of time and hassle and I cant thank him enough. Because of Eric, I will always come back to Carter subaru. ask for Eric!!!!

Subject: Carter Subaru Ballard/Outstanding Car Buying ExperienceMy wife and I recently visited Carter Subaru in Ballard. Our goal was to look at 2020 Forester’s. Carter sales consultant, Lynnette Rice, assisted us through the process. What struck us immediately about Lynnette was her pleasant and professional demeanor and that she clearly listened to what we were interested in.Lynnette gave us the space to talk amongst ourselves and view cars, in private, and answered our questions when asked. There was never a hard sale. What we received was a no pressure, consultative sales experience.During the test drive, Lynnette explained various features of the car, showed us some of the unique capabilities of the Forester and answered our many questions. Upon returning from the test drive we knew that we would be leaving with the car.We appreciated that we never felt any pressure from Lynnette. She was confident in herself as well as her product. We did not expect this type of car buying experience but we are grateful for having Lynnette guide us through the process.Thank you Lynnette and Thank you Carter Subaru!Best regards,Mr & Mrs HDS

Steven paredes was awesome very helpful made buying a car very easy and very friendly

Carlos Valdez was excellent and made leasing our new Subaru Outback as pleasant and easy as I could have hoped for. He was patient, polite, knowledgeable, and had an answer for every question. Were very happy to be driving a car we love.

Absolutely over-estimating the time needed for repairs, which at $155/per hour is basically a robbery in a daylight.

Our experience was a bit poor, we paid for oil change and tire rotation, asked them to look at passenger front tire as it was loosing air. The rep told us “no problem found” even though we have been refilling the tire every few days. A few days later the same tire is low, in the same position. So, not only did they have poor or no observation they also did not rotate the tires, that we paid for. I love Subarus and try to always go to dealer for service but I’ll be steering clear of this one.

I just worked with Carters Internet sales rep, Carlos Valdez. He was very helpful, taking me through test driving 3 different models, even driving one to my home to see if it would fit in my 1940s era garage! Very knowledgeable of the different features of each model - made sure I got the right model for my needs. When I picked up the new car, we drove around, showed me all the features and made sure I knew how they worked. Just a great experience with Carlos!

Great local Subaru dealer. Very good service. They go above and beyond to help you. I highly recommend this dealership.

Carlos Valdez was my car salesman in my buying experience. I never felt pressured to purchase a car, and he was dedicated to finding exactly what made me happy! The staff was very helpful and knowledgable throughout the process. Would recommend!

Very realistic about the condition of your car, and honestly assess the situation. Quality service and solid Subaru support.

The best experience working with a dealership that I have had. This was my first time leasing and Mark was knowledgeable and accommodating without being pushy.Start to finish the process went quickly and smoothly, could not be happier.I worked with Mark Fry and recommend asking for him, if he is available. Honest and straightforward, will always use him in the future if possible.

My experience with Carter Subaru Ballard has always been straightforward, no runaround. The people here are very knowledgeable about Subarus! A small difficulty might be getting an appointment, as this location is usually busy

These are the nicest people!! They do great work and make it easy to get what you need done

Very friendly and efficient staff. Always have a good experience.

Writing this review on behalf of Bill Koch at Carter Subaru in Ballard - what an exceptional experience I had!! No pressure sales, patient, personable and all around awesome salesperson. If you are in the market for a new Subaru, do yourself a favor and go visit Bill!! I called several dealers, made a few visits and landed on Carter because Bill went the extra mile to be fair, kind and find me exactly what I wanted. He even made sure my dog had water and treats during our visit :-) Five stars.

Isaac handled my service and he was absolutely great. An unexpected problem came up (which cost me a lot more than expected), and he was empathetic, kind, and professional.Unfortunately, while my spouse (they/them) was waiting for me outside (did not come inside due to covid), another employee loudly made fun of them and called other employees over to laugh. This went on until I walked out (5 minutes+). It was mortifying to me. My partner was standing on the sidewalk minding their own business and being bullied from inside. I should have stopped it, but I was too embarrassed. Also, as an adult and middle school teacher, Im not used to having to stop adults from bullying others, especially my spouse. My middle schoolers do not even act that way. Disappointed, but will ultimately return because its about the service for my car.

I went to the dealership to have a part on my car replaced and never got any calls back. I was needing work done before I moved out of town and was assured they could get the part in and have it done before then. But instead I think the employee who helped me originally didn’t even put in the order for the part I needed. After leaving him multiple voicemails I called the parts shop who said there was no order for my car. I tried to get ahold of him many times in various ways and was never contacted. The only explanation I could think for this behavior was that the employee didn’t request the part, realized he messed up, and instead of admitting his mistake he just never called me back knowing I was leaving and moving. Extremely unprofessional in every single way possible. I would not recommend them for servicing your car.

Excellent service. Very impressed with salesperson and vehicle. Helpful sales staff.

I bought a roof rack for a Subaru that was supposedly new. Opened the box and found it had already been partially assembled, and the bag with the nuts, bolts, and other pieces needed to install on my car had clearly been opened and taped shut again. Several important pieces were missing, making it impossible to install on the car. The racks themselves were sloppily taped together clear packing tape with a handwritten label on them, so they obviously didnt come from the factory that way.If Carter Subaru is going to sell used parts, they should either inform the customer or charge accordingly. Instead they sold me a used and completely non-functional part at full-price, without my knowledge.

They went above and beyond. I was having problems with my new to me Honda Odyssey that I purchased from Carter. I was getting nowhere with the Seattle Honda dealer. Carter fixed the problems and went to bat for me with the extended warranty people. They gave me a loaner car while they straightened it all out. At the end of the day, they showed they really do care about their customer’s happiness and doing right by them. It’s rare to find such integrity.

My partner and I went to Carter Subaru Ballard to look for a used car. We worked with Craig Sanderson, who is by far the most knowledgeable, helpful, and down to earth sales person we encountered in our car search. Craig answered all of our questions in depth and helped us consider a variety of options with our complex search image (and not just for Subarus!). He was a strong communicator and was very generous with his time and support. If you are looking for a new or used car and want someone with knowledge and expertise you can trust- seek out Craig! Cant recommend him enough.

Very helpful very kind pretty nice people to work with there.

The sales staff was super friendly, helpful, and extremely informative. Highly recommend buying any vehicle from them.

Bought a vehicle from Carter in August 2019. Overall, it was a good experience aside from the typical extended warranty hard sell from the finance folks.Received an email that my vehicle was due for the 6k service. Enclosed was a 15% off coupon. Presented it at the time of service only to be told it wasnt able to be used for some inexplicable reason. The 6k service was not in the exclusions section nor was it restricted to certain services as with other coupons. This isnt a matter of not reading the fine print, as per the fine print this should have been allowed.Theyre entitled to run their business how they see fit, but I certainly hope the $13 was worth losing a customer over.

Disappointing. Normally Carter delivers great service. This time they fell short of the mark. I called a week in advance to schedule an appointment to have a driver side rear view mirror replaced. A week later I dropped the car off and they didnt have the parts. It seemed common sense to me to pre-order parts for a service scheduled for a customer. I would advise calling ahead before you take time out of your day and make plans to drop your car off and make sure they have the parts needed.