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By the way, Whenever I need tire or alignment work done (which my shop is not tooled up to do), I always use local tireshops, because they will at least let me stand right there so I can babysit them through the whole process. That way, I can walk under the car and make sure the guy is doing it right! FORD would NEVER let me even go 'back there' into their sacred work area due to insurance regulations (They must use a different insurance company than tire shops). Another good reason to babysit them is because untrained retards always try to jack the car up on the ground effects (WARPING THEM). I swear, I seen one guy start doing that to mine, and good thing I was there to stop him before they got ruined!
'95 CONTOUR SE
-Enkei 16s
-SVT wannabe
-Dual escapes w/ 2 1/2" stainless tips
-True LED taillight conversion
- Audi Xenon Projector Retrofit
-Mp3 deck, dual 10s
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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I get my oil-et all done at Campbell Ford here in Ottawa. They are the cheapest for this type of stuff in town, and they openly tell you that you are welcome in the service bay, and to feel free to ask any questions.
They also did my steering rack The car had a few greasy fingerprints on the rims when I picked it up, but nothing that couldn't be washed off. The service advisor was couteous, pleasant, and very explicit about what was being done, and a couple of things to look out for. And the car never handled better
My experience with another local dealer, Donnelly's was much less pleasant. I went in for an alignment on my old T-Bird SC, and they told me I needed a bunch of suspension work (bushings, et al) and that it NEEDED to be done to make the car safe. This was THREE DAYS after I had had the car safetied. They said the right lower control arm was bad (it was replaced as part of the 3-day old safety check!), and that my left upper control arm was bad. I called them on it, told them to give me my car, then I went home and re-torqued the control-arm bolt the tech had loosened to make it seem like I had a sloppy suspension.
I guess there are some good and some bad shops. I still prefer to do my own work, because it's cheaper, and I know if I have done it right.
98 Silver Frost SVT
97 BMW 540I Sport, six speed
"Blue is for sky, black is for soil, and white is for simplicity, purity and hope for the future"
"A coveted car should never stunt your life, but should make it more rich and interesting."
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,580
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Jun 2000
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"FORD would NEVER let me even go 'back there' into their sacred work area"
Dealers are independent franchises, NOT Ford Motor Co.. I had my share of bad and good dealers, if they give you problems, then complain to Dearborn. If it's out of warranty, then it's a dealer problem. Even Import car dealers have their share of *&^%$#@'s
I'm NOT saying you don't have valid complaints, just take it out on dealer, not the whole industry.
Also: "I have caught them (Ford Dealer) hot rodding my car..."
Who is to say that an independent shop won't "hot rod" a car?? I've heard of horror stories with gas stations and repair shops, too. It's a matter of finding one you trust. It so happens I trust my Ford dealer near me. (Doesn't mean I trust 'em all!)
Last edited by NavyZX5; 10/24/02 03:51 PM.
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8 SE, Code Red. '00 Tropic Green Ford Escort SE [Contour's little cousin]
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,718
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Posts: 3,718 |
Originally posted by 2000v6SE:
"FORD would NEVER let me even go 'back there' into their sacred work area"
Dealers are independent franchises, NOT "FORD" or Ford Motor Co., like everyone is saying....
I think most of us understand this, but Ford absolutely needs to step up to the plate and realize the consistent and damaging black-eye they are receiving due to dealer service. It's the SOLE and ONLY thing that has driven me away from ever purchasing a Ford again. Independently-owned franchises or not, Ford as a publicly traded entity is LOSING market share (my next car purchases until I'm in the grave)from myself and others like me due to THIS EXACT REASON. If something is causing people to go to your competition for products and service, an intelligent businessman that wants to stay in business FINDS out WHY and DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Period. Otherwise, welcome to the world of falling stock prices as well as stagnant and sliding sales...
IMHO, this is one of Ford's core problems and issues with dealerships. It's the "not my job" mentality of Ford pushing the ownership of quality of service onto the dealerships and the dealerships having little to no oversight and responsibility of their level of service (apart from a BS customer survey that you may occasionally get). All the present measures that I'm aware of to ensure proper service are simply fluff.
Again, remember my statement that the DEALERSHIP is most likely the only point of contact that a customer EVER has with Ford. Why can't Ford see this and lay down more stringent measures on service quality, issue penalties against repeat offender dealerships, put in place a QOS (Quality of Service) rep structure that has employees randomly visit shops and converse with customers? Heck, why not take a service manager off of the dealership payroll, put him on Ford's and have him report DIRECTLY to a QOS management structure on any issues? Have his pay/commissions based on shop performance and I GUARANTEE you'll see results, as long as he's got the authority to lay down the law.
Most dealerships prove daily that they need to be babysat by someone that can spank them hard when they get out of line, in terms of service. The above may be extreme, but if it was my company and my money on the line, I'd damn-sure make changes fast before any more customers head somewhere else other than Ford for their next car.
Ford does make some really good automobiles (and this is coming from a die-hard GM fan, though I'm almost manufacturer-neutral anymore). The new Cobra is flat-out awesome. The Lightning, GREAT! I still like the Taurus for daily driving use and their trucks, while not to my aestetic taste, are pretty damn tough.
Why risk a great product set with a$$-clown service!?!?!?!?!?
If anything, the below quote needs to be hung on the wall of EVERY Ford service department:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
-Aristotle
There are two things companies live and die by, everything else is icing on the cake:
1) Quality of Product
2) Quality of Service on that Product
They aren't mutually exclusive at all. Ford desperately needs to figure this out.
JaTo
e-Tough Guy
Missouri City, TX
99 Contour SVT
#143/2760
00 Corvette Coupe
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Posts: 506
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To some degree the "franchise" line is bull. Ford has the right to take over any and all parts of a franchise if they feel it is necessay. As long as the money is rolling in Ford looks the other way about complaints.
'98.5 SVT E1
T-Red, Midnight Blue
All stock
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,132
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Originally posted by 2000v6SE:
"FORD would NEVER let me even go 'back there' into their sacred work area"
Dealers are independent franchises, NOT Ford Motor Co.. I had my share of bad and good dealers, if they give you problems, then complain to Dearborn. If it's out of warranty, then it's a dealer problem. Even Import car dealers have their share of *&^%$#@'s
I'm NOT saying you don't have valid complaints, just take it out on dealer, not the whole industry.
Also: "I have caught them (Ford Dealer) hot rodding my car..."
Who is to say that an independent shop won't "hot rod" a car?? I've heard of horror stories with gas stations and repair shops, too. It's a matter of finding one you trust. It so happens I trust my Ford dealer near me. (Doesn't mean I trust 'em all!)
There are good and bad dealership service departments I am sure. I will always think of my car being hot rodded when I think of Ford service department. That was quite a few years ago but I will never forget it. That is why I now intentionally buy only used cars with no warranty is because I want to avoid Ford service departments. I hope this does not happen often. I am not critisizing all Ford Service. I am sure there are good and bad service departments. The hot rodding happened in the Ford Dealership lot. That seems bad that the employee did this without fear of being caught. The last time I took my car in for recall work to a different dealership the service was excellent. 
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,445
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2000 Contour SE Sport
Originator of the Beowulf Headlight Mod and the Beowulf CAI
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,198
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Does anyone else here hold their breath on the way home from the Ford (or any) service center, wondering what is focked up with the car?
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 391
CEG\'er
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 391 |
Not really, I've never had a problem with my stealer, alway got me the parts I needed and car always has ran better when I picked it up. LOL but I do go to Mandan (which is right across the river) the one in bismarck sux...they overcharge for everything.
Alan
93 Acura Integra LS 5spd
Horizon Gray Metallic
-------------------------
-96 Gl Zetec ATX- Totaled as of 11/29/03 at 4pm
Champagne Metallic CC
Pics
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 652
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Originally posted by Beowulf:
Yes, the infamous dirty mechanic fingernails...why do you think I took a desk job? 
I'm not far behind you! I'm currently taking classes at a training center in the evenings to study for the A+ cert, Cisco systems cert, and MCSE certifications. In 6 months to a year, I should be able to terminate my current job and look for the clean fingered one 
'95 CONTOUR SE
-Enkei 16s
-SVT wannabe
-Dual escapes w/ 2 1/2" stainless tips
-True LED taillight conversion
- Audi Xenon Projector Retrofit
-Mp3 deck, dual 10s
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