A 9-HOUR ROUND TRIP FOR SERVICING

Two proud Forester owners regularly embark on a 300-mile round trip for its annual service – a journey they feel is totally justified by the “exceptional” level of customer care they receive. 

A couple from Wales cherish their Subaru Forester XT so much that they regularly undertake a 9-hour round trip to get it serviced at their favourite dealership in Buckinghamshire. 

Although the Adams Brothers dealership in Aylesbury is 150 miles away from their home in the Welsh Valleys, Diane and Roy Townsend are steadfast in their dedication to taking their Subaru there for its annual service. 

Long-standing customer loyalty 

When they lived in Hertfordshire, it was a more routine (and almost local) trip for the couple. They’ve made the journey to the Subaru dealer every year, with several different cars purchased from Adams Brothers, for the duration of the two decades they’ve been together. As it happens, before they met, both Diane and Roy had also been visiting the Adams dealership independently – for 30 and over 40 years respectively.

When the couple moved back to Diane’s homeland six years ago to look after her ailing mother, there was no question in either of their minds about where they would go for their Subaru servicing. 

“We adore our Forester XT,” explains Diane. “We had another Forester before that too. It’s a fantastic car – so capable and reliable and you can feel the quality of the build. We’ve taken other brands for test drives, but nothing compares with the Subaru! It was an expensive purchase for us, so it’s important to us to look after it well. Adams have always been so considerate and accommodating for us that we’re happy to put our trust in them and to always choose to make the long trip.” 

She adds: “The trust we build up with the people there is so important. And we know, from years of experience, that the services are absolutely impeccable. When we take our car to Adams for servicing, it always comes out looking like it’s just come out of the showroom! They return it absolutely sparkling – it’s an unbelievable level of service.” 

A story of mutual respect 

“At Adams, they know how I feel about the car,” says Diane. “And they understand and respect that. And that’s really important to me. We feel part of the family there and so well looked after. They’re all very friendly and welcoming and they really make you feel valued. The result is that I absolutely trust them with my cars. Because I love my cars so much, that’s not something I say lightly! But I know they’ll be very careful and look after the bodywork as I do myself.” 

Diane and Roy’s annual servicing trip involves a lot of driving and a very long day, with traffic conditions and the small country roads they initially have to tackle playing their part in overall timings. 

“We’re typically up at 4am, leave at 6am and hope to arrive in Aylesbury at 11am,” says Diane. “Whatever time we arrive, they’re very good and will take the car in straightaway because they know we’ve got the return journey still to do.” 

Paul, the Subaru aftersales manager at Adams for the past 20+ years, takes it upon himself to personally oversee each service visit. And receptionist Sue, who has been with the business for a similar length of time, is also a very familiar face to Diane and Roy. 

“Sometimes, we’ll take a courtesy car just to drive around a bit and maybe visit a local friend while we’re waiting for the service,” explains Diane. “Then we’ll head back to Adams after 2 or 3 hours, have another coffee and a chat with them, take receipt of our Forester and drive home again.” 

Roy adds: “We’re usually not home much before 10pm. It’s a long day and it’s hard-going, but we get the results we want. And that matters more to us than the long drive.” 

Driven by exceptional customer service 

Diane laughs: “My friends think we’re slightly mad! But when I tell them about the service we get, none of them have experienced that level of care with the garages they go to. It really is exceptional.” 

She adds: “It’s what feels right to us, so that’s what we’ll continue to do. Adams have told us they’ve built the vast majority of their business on recommendation and you can see why. It obviously pays off for them – and we feel that it pays off for us, too.” 

Now a third-generation family firm, the Adams Brothers dealership was established 78 years ago and was voted Subaru National Customer Care Dealer of the Year in 2020. 

Managing Director Dane Adams is justifiably proud of the way his business has been built on referrals and recommendations. 

“We pride ourselves on our customer care and like to look after our customers for the long term,” he explains. “I’ve driven a couple of hours over to Edgeware this morning to pick up a vehicle, but that’s all part of the service here. We get a regular customer coming up from Southampton and a gentleman used to travel from the Lake District to us before his wife was taken ill, but Diane and Roy probably drive some of the furthest distance to us now – and we’re very grateful that they do.”