Go ask for David!! Wow. Never had someone put so much thought and care into my vehicle. He was so extremely thorough for everything he looked for and worked on, he was communicative and kind- fixed all my problems and really went the extra mile to help me. Highly recommend this shop, and please ask for David in the service department. 10 stars if I could!! Seriously give this guy a raise! Also big shoutout to the general manager Alex for all his help as well. David- thank you so much! read more

I wanna make a buyer‑beware alert about Subaru Solterra (same platform as the Toyota bZ4X). In a little over a year and under 13,000 miles, my Solterra has repeatedly failed to start because of a dead 12‑volt battery, even when the main traction battery was mostly full. Each time the 12 V drops, the car lights up with "system stopped," brake and ABS errors, parking brake unavailable, and other random faults, and then simply refuses to go into drive. I've now been stranded at least 7 times in a year. I've followed Subaru's instructions after jump‑starting: leave the car on for an hour to let it recharge the 12 V. Despite that, the problem keeps coming back. I don't leave high‑draw accessories plugged in, and this started very early in the car's life. At around 10,000 miles I reported the problem to Subaru during scheduled service, so there is a documented history. I've since learned that this is not an isolated fluke: Law firms and owners are pursuing class‑action cases alleging that Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X models have a defective 12‑volt system that lets the small auxiliary battery drain and die prematurely, leaving drivers stranded even with plenty of charge in the main pack. The lawsuits claim Subaru and Toyota knew about these issues but failed to warn buyers or provide a lasting fix, and that some owners have gone through multiple dead 12 V batteries in just a few thousand miles. forums and groups are full of similar stories: brand‑new Solterras and bZ4Xs with repeated 12‑volt failures, dealers blaming accessories or user behavior, and people being told to just keep jump‑starting and driving I bought this car specifically to have a reliable, winter‑capable vehicle in the Tahoe area, and instead I'm carrying a jump pack and now a solar battery tender just to feel semi‑confident it will wake up. Meanwhile, my 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse with almost 90,000 miles has been more dependable than this brand‑new EV. If you're considering a Subaru Solterra or Toyota bZ4X, Stop. please research the 12‑volt battery issue and the ongoing lawsuits before you sign anything. If you already own one and are having similar problems, I'm actively looking for other owners, forums, and legal efforts to join so we can push Subaru and Toyota to take this seriously and provide a real fix or buyback. If you want details on what I've seen, what codes and errors show up, or how to document incidents for lemon‑law purposes in California, feel free to message me. read more

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Subaru Capitola is amazing. They are very thorough and great customer service. I highly recommend their automobiles and services! The GM And Alex salesman are terrific to work with. read more

Stepped into a Subaru dealer for the first time in over 20 years and was greeted by Matt C. He was very helpful in showing us around and very knowledgeable with every car I sat in and test drove. I was also offered a good deal, even though I wasn't ready to commit to a Subaru. Thank you, Matt. read more

STELLAR, and WONDERFUL. The stars aligned when I bought my car from Carla--she really set the tone for the whole trip. I already knew there was a recall on the vehicle, but the team didn't miss a beat. They stepped up and agreed to handle it right then and there. I had the pleasure of teaming up with Davie R. (my Service Advisor extraordinaire) and the Service Manager, Brandon M. These guys are the real deal! They turned what could have been a chore into a total victory lap. read more

I recently had my Subaru serviced at Santa Cruz Subaru and it was a really nice experience. Dustin greeted me immediately and got all of the paperwork done quickly and efficiently. I've owned my Forester for 16 years and Subaru has always been a really great company to work with, but this last trip was even better than expected. My car was serviced and back to me earlier than expected. They even sent me a video of the inspection of my car! I check the car over after I get it back, and even the tire pressures were correct. Be sure to ask for Dustin when you need to get your car serviced. read more

Wow! I've never got service done to fast! All these error lights came on my new Forester so I made an appointment to take it in to the dealer. I brought my bike with me to cycle home after dropping it off and planned on not doing very much due to anticipating my car would be in the shop all day. But when I pulled up, Thomas came out and to check me in. He saw the error lights and he said he was familiar with it, it was a simple sensor issue, and he could fix it right then and there! He did and within 5 minutes I was back on the road. He saved me a 45 minute bike ride and allowed me to get my errands done that day. I've never had a car maintenance experience like that. There was another employee who was also really helpful and guided me when pulling out. I had to write a review for this one going above and beyond. I don't know Thomas personally, but I hope they give him a bonus or commendation or something. read more

Got my forester hybrid back in April here and worked with Ben Teeples. He kept me up to date on when the car would arrive. Ben even picked me up (and I live over an hour away) to get my car when it arrived. Prices are good here, no additional mandatory requirement to add packages onto the out the door price unlike the other Subaru dealerships. Very transparent with prices here. Believe me, I talked to at least 6-8 other dealerships. Price negotiation was also easy here. I had a hard time finding my trim and color and none of the other dealerships bothered following up with me or if they did they kept trying to sell me on other models. Overall, best car buying experience I've had. read more

Great experience with Jeff. Reached out over email. He was super responsive and we agreed on all aspects of the deal shortly. I drove down few days later. The car was ready to go and I was in and out in 20 minutes. Thanks! read more

Sadly, I have had wonderful experiences with several other Subaru dealerships, but this one, no. Very abrupt and dismissive on the phone. Lady in the service department was rude and hung up before I could even say thank you for her time. I am patient & kind and that seemed to be the culture I thought Subaru embraces. Maybe a rep needs to come to Santa Cruz and help some remember how to embrace the culture again. Love our Subie, but can live without the icky vibe at Santa Cruz's dealership. read more

ZERO STARS IF I COULD I would not recommend the Subaru Santa Cruz Service department to anyone. They are in the business of selling new cars, and not interested in the upkeep of older models. I took my 2015 Subaru in for regular maintenance as my local preferred auto service center didn't have availability before I was heading out of town. I was informed during their evaluation, that my car had mixed fluids due to head gasket failure and that the only fix was a new engine (as noted on quote this is for a used engine 82k miles), while there was zero lights on the vehicle or issues with driving at all. When I was called to review this update, I instructed them to not proceed and was informed that I was "lucky" that they had called me before they started the work. For someone to think it would be okay to proceed with a service significantly over the cost that was estimated and signed for is beyond me. I was able to come and get the car and take it home to determine next steps. My father was able to help me further evaluate the car and reached out to Subaru for additional information and was informed that they couldn't provide answers to the questions he was asking (targeting their findings for head gasket failure), despite them knowing the mechanic they had working on the car who should have been able to answer them. They then quoted him a completely different price (additional $1k) than what was relayed to me when I had picked up my car, saying that they had "misspoke." Ultimately we were able to take the car to my preferred auto shop (Lloyds Scotts Valley) and after about 4-6 weeks of thorough review, online Subaru specialist discussions, and a step approach to getting answers - they were able to conclude that it was a cracked radiator vs an engine issue as referenced by Subaru. Had Subaru evaluated the referenced fluids being mixed, it would have informed them that it was transmission fluid vs engine oil, but they went solely on the look of the coolant container to make a quote that could break the bank for many individuals ($8k +). While the fix and evaluation with Lloyds was still costly (~$2k), I was met with honest and educated mechanic's who were transparent throughout each step. My car has continued 18 months beyond the initial evaluation with Subaru and the original engine has had zero issues with the additional 25k miles I've driven since. Current mileage hit 189k this morning, so I decided it was the right time to post this review. Please think twice before you take what this service department says at face value. Online forums have multiple claims regarding Subaru Foresters having head gaskets failing, however I wonder how many of these "fails" benefited a department financially vs being actually necessary. I saved this text message for additional support to show the mindset of the department, asking for 10s when they in fact deserve zero stars. For local car needs, look no further than Lloyds Auto (SV or Santa Cruz locations), as they are helpful and honest with their work ups. read more

Santa Cruz Subaru Service - Quote for "head gasket failure" - Car Dealers Near Me - Capitola, California

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Went in to pay off a lease. Was strong armed into to applying for credit to finance because they said we couldn't just pay for it outright. Sleazy and shady. Horrible customer service. Great cars pathetic salespeople. read more

This is an update after many attempts to let Santa Cruz Subaru remedy the situation. I have had my engine removed and timing cover resealed three separate times and each time it continues to leak oil. The last time the repair was done, I was told it was done by the shop foreman, in the process my AC condenser was bolted back on improperly and cracked, leading to an 839 dollar repair. The wire for my power steering pressure sensor was also severed. The timing cover also continues to leak oil and there is silicone coming out of timing cover bolt holes which indicates over application of gasket materials and will lead to premature failure of the gasket. Last week while driving the car it died, I had it towed into Santa Cruz Subaru, and I was told the battery was dead. Ricardo, the sales specialist who sold me the car assured me when I bought it that it had a brand new battery in it, it is why he couldn't bargain anymore on the price. I asked about this just to confirm if it was under warranty in that sense. I received a call later that day from Alex, one of the service managers. He was very aggressive and informed me that Santa Cruz Subaru would not be doing any of the many free things I was asking, even though I had only ever asked for them to fix what they had broken. He incorrectly stated that his people had fixed my ac. He also told me they had put more money into the car than what I had purchased it for. A reminder that the only free work ever done on my car was a timing seal cover, that was improperly applied three times, the same job three times. During the second time it was resealed, I even paid to have the water pump replaced. The third time it was in to be resealed they had to reseal that gasket as it was already leaking, on a repair that was two weeks old. I was told by Brandon the service manager that I would be given a check for the AC condenser repair, instead of calling me to pick my vehicle up and present these to me. I received a text message to come pick my car up as the service department was closing and the key with no check was left in an envelope at the sales department. And my timing cover still leaks oil, and they actually wrote in the service notes that the sensor wire that was severed "Tech inspected the broken wire from the power steering pump and found the wire at the pump broken is not affecting the vehicle". I guess Subaru just puts random un needed wires in its steering components. I have heard that Cypress Coast Subaru, and Stevens Creek Subaru are both better alternatives to Santa Cruz. I am angry and amused at this point, but I have had the worst experience with this dealer and the service department seems unable to complete repairs that last longer than a few weeks. read more

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Just bought a 2024 Crosstrek. The badass green one!! Came back for a brush tutorial on how to use the car with Evan!! What AWESOME service this place gives. Subaru is the way to go!! No hassle no games awesome service. Thanks Evan read more

Santa Cruz Subaru Service - Car Dealers Near Me - Capitola, California

The wife and I stopped by today to look at 3 different cars. We met Mark Penick and he grabbed the keys for each and showed us the models. We took 2 of them for test drives and after much discussion (like, hours, to be honest), the wife and I chose a new Crosstrek. Mark was very patient and not at all pushy. He offered dealer options and, again, was not pushy about them. We are very happy about the purchase and highly recommend Mark! The finance gent was also very helpful and our experience was excellent! read more

Thank you to Scott B (that's the name on my receipt) my car keys were both almost dead - took several times to even get into my car and dashed over on my lunch to get the batteries replaced. I walked in and he immediately helped me and I felt because I mentioned I was on my lunch break and feeling stressed about time - hustled to get the batteries replaced, charge me out and was so pleasant and nice the whole time. Have had nothing but good experience with the service center/product center! Thank you for wonderful customer service. read more

Had a great experience buying a car here. Benjamin was wonderful in helping us choose a car, and Ricardo made for an efficient sales process. What an asset to have this team in our community. read more

Been coming here for years. Never had any issues with them or the services they provided. Great staff and welcome waiting area with snacks.

Wow, what amazing service! I went because it had great reviews. Totally lived up to it too! I think his name was Sonny, greeted me by name as I drove up, 20 min. early! I was offered a free car wash after my car was serviced! My service was even covered by the warranty in full. They estimated 2 hours, so I sat and waited in comfy chairs, and could have had cookies, coffee, sparkling water or popcorn, etc. It was a beautiful drive from Hollister. They even finished 30 min. early. Who would have thought spending a a couple hours to take my car in for service would be such a treat. Even the man who brought my clean car to me was really nice...and the man drove by as I left had a huge smile. I bet it's also a great place to work too. I highly recommend. I will continue to buy Subaru's too! They are best car I've had to drive, and when they need service, it's not a hassle to take it in. It's actually a pleasant experience! Thanks so much! read more

Showed up initially just to look at 2 specific vehicles their website showed as in stock. Was approached by Luke and within 10 minutes of being on the lot had me behind the wheel on a test drive without an appointment or any prior contact. Got back and had a productive back and forth on pricing and got everything squared away to roll off the lot with a new WRX. Wouldn't hesitate to do business with again. read more

Santa Cruz Subaru Service - Car Dealers Near Me - Capitola, California

The service center was super helpful in helping me detect a faulty security system in my car that I bought from a different dealership. They sent me an in depth video report of my car inspection showing how everything was looking. Cindy from the office was also super helpful in updating me on my car and checking in with me before they charged me for any extra services. Thanks! read more

Santa Cruz Subaru service is rude always saying there is no problem with my brand new car. I always have to take my car somewhere else to verify that there is a problem. Then Subaru of Santa Cruz makes more problems. I take my car to capital Subaru in San Jose now read more

I was shopping for a certified used Crosstrek Wilderness and live in Southern California. I searched across the state for the model and color I was looking for and negotiated with several dealerships. Santa Cruz Suburu, specifically Tony and Jeff, came thru for me big time. They made the purchase easy and provided the best deal in California. The description of the car was exact and the entire process with everyone in the office was awesome. I could not have been happier with the entire purchase. I drove over 400 miles to purchase the car and it was well worth the drive. I will be coming back for my next one for sure. Thank you gentlemen. read more

After my daughter agreed to a price on a car and prepared to go pick it up, the sales manager sent a text, saying that another party was also on their way to buy the car and they would have to sell it to them, if they arrived first. Fool that I am, I drove the thirty eight miles to the dealership like a bat out of hell, endangering everyone in the car, including my two year old grandson. When we arrived, the car was there and nobody else ever showed up to buy it. I let the sales manager know how I felt about him playing this little trick. You be the judge as to whether you want to do business with a dealership like this. read more

I would caution anyone from doing any business with this dealership. Talking to Alex, the sales manager, felt like I was talking to Danny DeVito in Matilda. People go to a Subaru dealership because we're supposed to be able to trust the quality of the car, but it felt like I was at Wormwood Motors. I was sold a car that they said they had just fixed the head gasket on, which was a big selling point for getting the car. But by my first oil change (about 4,000 miles in), the head gasket was leaking. Santa Cruz Subaru diagnosed the car as having a leaking head gasket, but refused to fix it because "it's an old car", and then said it would be a $7,000 repair or that they could give me $2,000 to trade in for another car (less than half what my car is worth). I declined any of these options, called around to other mechanics, and realized it was only about a $3,000-$4,000 repair. Other mechanics I spoke with were shocked that Santa Cruz Subaru would sell a car that they had badly fixed and then refuse to fix it (when I had driven less it less than 10,000 miles). Alex, the sales manager, wouldn't stand behind their own repair OR their own product. This was profoundly disappointing. I would never buy from this place again and I would recommend the reader of this review never do so either. read more

Surprise! "Jeff" and "Aaron" never call back, or god forbid, pick up when you call. Their responses to the complaints here are fake. Avoid this dealership. They are predatory. In retrospect, it realize that I fell for a "bait and switch" when I bought my car here. Of course now they don't want anything to do with me. I called Cypress Coast Subaru; they answered my questions in the first call, including giving me service price quotes. read more

Shady dealership do not get work done here. Absurd prices and misdiagnosing cost us thousands. They mask this with free rides and snacks

THIS PLACE IS A COMPLETE SCAM AND WAS THE BIGGEST CAR NIGHTMARE I HAVE EVER FACED. Ironically enough someone else posted basically my exact experience a few days ago. I went there to get the valve body replaced on my 2015 subaru forester because my warranty still covered it but after the service was done they tried to say that I had a blown head gasket and that it was going to cost basically 9 grand. I had no symptoms whatsoever of a blown head gasket and the shop i took it to prior informed me that it was only the valve body that needed to be replaced. Needless to say if the head gaskets were blown that would have destroyed my car and my life. I had it towed to my trusted shop but had to wait a couple weeks to get it looked at. I was having panic attacks for basically 3 weeks until my trusted shop told me that it wasn't a blown head gasket but a malfunctioning pcv valve that was causing oil to go into my coolant. They fixed it for not even a fraction of what the subaru dealership was trying to charge me for. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU. If your warranty covers the service there get it done and then get your car out of there before they try to ruin your life. read more

Worst car dealership ever! Tim was extremely rude and condescending, I would never ever do business here. This place is a joke! Don't ever buy a car from them. read more

When I walked in at 7:30pm, without an appointment, Shania was welcoming, professional and expressed a non-rushed persona (closes at 8pm). Shania not was able to clearly explain the differences between the 2023 Forester Wildnerness and 2023 Outback Wildnerness. I decided on the Forester. Never once does I feel pressured. Shania was knowledgeable about details between the two models. I ask LOTS of questions, and Shanoa was not only patient, but also confident in her ability to answer or research and answer my questions. I made a purchase of a new Forester Wildnerness. It's been one week, and I'm so glad I decided on the Forester. My crazy mountain terrain best fits the ground clearance and wheelbase of the Forester. It was an easy experiince working with Shania and Capitola Subaru. I am now a Subaru person... shift9ng from a long-term Jeep driver. read more

I've been going to Santa Cruz Subaru since 2019, and driving 30 miles out of my way from Marina to do so, because they had always given me such amazing customer service and reliable mechanical service. Unfortunately, they're quality control and customer service have both slipped hard over the last year. My last service they quoted me one price, then sent a text message to confirm that price but failed to communicate this was for for EXTRA services that I didn't consent to. No one verbally confirmed with me that they were doing an extra $700 worth of work, so when I went to pick up my car my bill was $1,400 as opposed to the agreed upon $700 that I was originally quoted. After many email exchanges with the service agent Liam, they agreed it was misleading and only ended up charging about $300 extra dollars for the parts. I was satisfied enough that I thought I'd give them another chance. Well, today I popped my hood to check my oil before a road trip, and discovered that during my last service they didn't bother to put the bolts back into my intake manifold after changing the filter! So unbeknownst to me for the last few months my intake manifold has just been sitting there unbolted and completely unsecured. Thank god I checked before my trip. I've cancelled my road trip and am currently sitting at Cypress Coast Subaru, where I've enjoyed amazing service from Gilbert and the rest of the guys here, and getting the sloppy work of Santa Cruz Subaru cleaned up. I hate to write this because I've been a very loyal customer of Santa Cruz Subaru for many years, and Brennan in the service department is a great guy, but there's no way I'll ever trust them or bring my car there again. Their sloppiness and carelessness has lost them a customer for life. read more

Their service department is typical of why mechanics have a bad reputation. My daughter brought her car in because her warning light was on and they charged her $250 to tell her why. NO other Subaru dealership has ever done that before. She moved to Santa Cruz for college and in the end she paid $250 to learn that the price to do her brakes was $600 over the next most expensive place. She could've taken it to a variety of places that would've done the diagnosis for free, I do not recommend this dealership for your service. read more

Follow up to my last review....since the initial issues, I have place several calls and was sent to vm to various managers...none returned my calls....Sandra, who is one of the sales folks has been the one thing I can say GREAT things about! Along with most of the service staff, car washers and receptionist, she has been SO helpful and I have her on speed dial! If you are looking for a great, no pressure, HELPFUL individual, ask for SANDRA!! She has my number on her phone, always calls to see how I'm doing and if there is anything she can help with! Thank you Sandra and all those who are helpful and courteous! read more

So far so bad. Here in the lobby, told my oil change should take 2-3 hours. The EXACT same amount of time they had me wait when I had an appointment! (Edited) They did the job in 1.5. You win this time 4 stars. Thank you read more

Our last experience here was less than positive. So disappointing because we've really liked traveling here to bring our car in for service. Appreciate the shuttle service & area with snacks. read more

Had an excellent experience at Sanra Cruz Subaru! Initially got an oil change and the representative Tom was super nice and kept me in the loop as to when my car would be ready. Once it was over, he advised me on a new set of tires so I came back later in the week. Now only was the shuttle driver Kip super friendly and even checked on the status of my service when I returned, but Tom helped me get a much better deal on the tires at the end of it all which, when combined with the excellent customer service, truly made my day. I greatly appreciate my interactions with the staff, they truly made me feel like a valued customer! read more

Since I retired I haven't been using my car much so it's been awhile since I had been here. It was nice to see Brandon as the Service Manager, very nice, honest and a follow it through kinda guy. Kudos Brandon, Thank you Cindy for taking care of my car and me durning write up and Katy in parts for helping me with my tires and other needed parts read more

Glove box on my 2008 Forester suddenly would not latch closed. Unable to fix myself, so made an appointment, figuring I'd need to order a new latch, then return again for installation. Service advisor Thomas brought one of the tech mechanics over for a look. He found a piece of plastic stuck into latch, removed it and, Voilà! - latch now worked, much to my delight. I've been a loyal customer at this dealership for 23 years. They have yet to disappoint. Terrific customer service, very respectful. Highly recommend. Thank you, Subaru Santa Cruz for taking such great care of my Subies over many years. read more

My first contact with Santa Cruz Subaru goes back to January 2019, when I was looking to order the new Crosstrek Hybrid. I first reached out to the Bay Area dealer where we had purchased our 2017 Impreza, but they were asking for $5000 above MSRP. I called several other dealers in the Bay Area who were also asking for more than the MSRP. But Santa Cruz Subaru was happy to let us order one for the MSRP and we have been very satisfied customers since, trusting them to handle service on both our Impreza and Crosstrek. The service staff is alway friendly and efficient. read more

Santa Cruz Subaru Service - Our Subaru Impreza, a great little car that's fun to drive. - Car Dealers Near Me - Capitola, California

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I went to get my tire fixed, as it had a nail in it. Not only did they repair my tire, they checked under the car and under the hood for anything abnormal, sent me a video of it AND they washed my car, all for $45! read more