The cleanliness and overall condition of the vehicle matched the premium paid for the vehicle. It was initially thought the substantial $400 Documentation Fee paid in addition to the purchase price was primarily for the $50 Car Facts and $250 vehicle inspection but it was later found that the vehicle inspection was already added to the purchase price. The vehicle purchased was a 2007 Subaru Legacy sedan although the dealer website still shows it being a 2000. The purchase was made Dec 20 2017, the day following a big snowfall throughout the region. Being picked-up at the Castlegar airport was helpful and saved a $40 cab ride. Two hours were spent: driving to Trail, performing a test drive, completing paperwork, and obtaining the Transit permit. Departure from Trail was at 2:30 PM PST (1:30 PM MST). The shorter Hwy 3 Kootenay Pass route was not recommended due to road conditions and not having mandatory winter tires so the longer route north through Nelson, Balfour, and the Kootenay Lk ferry crossing was recommended. 1.5 hrs was 'lost' when the ferry was missed by 15 mins as the sales staff underestimated the time from Nelson to the ferry terminal by the same 15 minutes. The 85 km drive on Hwy 3A from Kootenay Bay south to the Hwy 3 junction took nearly 2 hrs due one fuel stop and it being a slow, snow covered, winding resort road. Hwy 3 conditions were found to be worse as all motorists were advised to stay off the highways. Conditions east of Cranbrook to Fernie and thru the Crowsnest Pass were extremely poor so the Hwy 95 route north to Radium was chosen instead. Road conditions temporarily improved slightly. Hwy 93 was taken at Radium to the Banff Castle Jct. One half hour before reaching the Hwy 1 & 93 junction, steering control of the vehicle began to drastically deteriorate. Ten minutes later, the vehicle was pulled over on the shoulder of a flat section of icy Hwy 93. The time was 2:00 AM PST (1:00 AM MST). The temperature during the elapsed time of 11.5 hrs had fallen from 0C to -22C. Roadside assistance was an unlikely possibility. The problem was felt to be mechanical but it was decided to give the vehicle a visual inspection. Upon doing so, 3 tires were found to be inflated and 1 (LR) tire found to be completely flat. The emergency tire (donut) was found in the 'hole', along with the manufacturer's jack. It was not clear how to operate the jack so the Owner's Manual was consulted, the crank found, and removal of the flat tire began. A headlamp brought for the trip did not operate as batteries may have become frozen during the flight to Castlegar when the airline took all carry-on luggage and placed them in the cold cargo compartment. However, an extra spare flashlight was also brought which did operate. It was held between the teeth in order to free both hands for removal of the flat tire, and installation of the emergency spare. Replacement of the flat tire took approximately 1/2 hr until 2:30 AM PST (1:30 AM MST). The vehicle was successfully driven the remaining 2 hrs to Calgary with arrival at 4:30 AM PST (3:30 AM MST). Elapsed time was 13 hours from the Trail dealership. The next morning, the out-of-province inspection was performed. The failed tire was not punctured but the bead was blown. The bead was repaired and the vehicle passed inspection on the morning of Dec 21 2017. Later, tire pressures were measured. The repaired (LR) tire had an inflation of 32 psi. A 2nd rear tire had tire pressure of 18 psi. The 2 front tires had tire pressure each of 22 psi. The recommended tire pressure is 33f/32r. The front tires were 11 psi underinflated. The remaining rear tire was 14 psi underinflated. The sales staff member was twice advised of the difficulty experienced with the vehicle but did not respond.
The dealer response misses the point repeatedly. Also, the dealer boasted about "Full Disclosure" but DID NOT DISCLOSE the vehicle had been RE-WIRED to make all park lights come "On" when the ignition was turned on. The overall rating from this buying experience is downgraded from 2 stars to 1 star.