Subaru Manufacturer Buyback Vehicles

What is a "Subaru Manufacturer Buyback Vehicle?"
Subaru of America can buy vehicles back from customers who have had problems with a new car. In some cases, Subaru is required by state law to buy the car back because of a recurring problem. In other cases, Subaru does it because it's the right thing to do for a good customer. After the problems are corrected, Subaru offers these vehicles for sale exclusively to Subaru dealers.

What is a "Previous Manufacturer Buyback Vehicle"?

Sometimes our customers trade Manufacturer Buyback Vehicles back to us for a newer Subaru, often another Buyback. These cars have generally been driven for years without issue, which shows these cars are just as reliable as any other car we sell.

What are the issues that trigger the buyback?

Causes are often minor. Some of the problems aren't really problems at all, they're just characteristics of the vehicles that certain people don't like. We buy these cars nationwide, and certain states have very low statutory thresholds for requiring manufacturers to repurchase cars. We'll tell you exactly why each car was bought back (and what was done to address it), with a signed disclosure.

Why does Planet Subaru sell these vehicles?

They're a great deal, typically about $8,000 less than the sticker price of a brand new car, and $2000 to $4,000 less than a comparable used car that had not been repurchased. We pay less for them when we buy them from Subaru because most dealers don't want to bother with the disclosure, and we pass the savings on to you.

What does Planet do to make sure the cars are really fixed?
We research the service history of the vehicle to identify the work performed, and our certified technicians inspect and drive the vehicles to confirm the repair. We observe that Buybacks experience no more repair frequency than any of the other Subarus we sell. Many of our team members purchase Buybacks for their use, and sell them to their family and friends because of the outstanding value.

What do these Buybacks say about Subaru quality?
Subaru sells over 700,000 new vehicles per year in the United States. Subaru buys back a tiny percentage, just a few hundred cars per year. Overall, Subaru quality is among the best, and arguably THE best in the auto industry. Don't take our word for it...visit Consumer Reports or any other arbiter of vehicle quality and they all rave about Subaru.

Will I get less for the vehicle at trade-in time?
Except for a few classic exotics, all cars depreciate, including Buybacks. The Buyback history can sometimes lead to a different valuation in the secondary market compared to vehicles with a regular title. However, we price our vehicles significantly lower than comparable models to account for this factor, providing you with substantial upfront savings. The savings you receive at the time of purchase offer a compelling advantage: most Subaru owners drive their vehicles for 100,000 miles or more over many years, and the closer a vehicle is to the end of its expected life, the less impact the history will have on the value. And to the chagrin of our used car manager, many older Subarus are never traded at all because they get passed on to family members. When you're ready to sell yours, we routinely and happily purchase Buybacks from customers at current wholesale market value whether you're buying another car from us or not. We stock our retail inventory with the newer ones, and support our auction business with the older ones.

Does the buyback occurrence show up on a Carfax, AutoCheck, or other vehicle history reports?
Yes. As part of the purchase, we provide you with a copy of the Carfax report.

How about warranty coverage, extended service contract eligibility, and finance rates?
You get all the same warranties that would apply to a Subaru that had not been repurchased. Buybacks are all eligible for our comprehensive extended service contracts, too. All of these vehicles are Planet Certified and the newer ones are eligible for our exclusive Passport Program. And the Buyback history does not affect your rate from our lending partner.

Are these cars "lemons?"

Technically, yes. See the title below, from an actual buyback vehicle at Planet. It reads "Returned to manufacturer under lemon law or other proceeding." Many state automotive consumer protection laws use the colloquial term "lemon law" to describe their statutes.

How does Planet properly disclose these vehicles to purchasers?
We will tell you exactly why the car was bought back and we provide a written disclosure at delivery so there's no confusion.