Argh! Dealers are out to f*** you and me!

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

Found a nail in my left-front tire merely 500 miles after last major service (85K) at dealer. PAID dealer $30 for rotation too, plus other diagnostics (that P0420 code and the rear suspension noise). They certified all tires have proper treads and brake linings are fine, all in green.

So I went to Big O, where I bought my tires. It's supposed to be free flat repair and all that. Thinking it was a simple 10 minute job and free and all that...

Guess what they found when they pulled the tire out... INSIDE of the tire is COMPLETELY cusped. No wear mark at all. ALL WORN OUT. Bad alignment somehow. Come to think of it, it has been over 20K since my last alignment. Then they checked ALL FOUR WHEELS, same thing. ALL are worn on the inside. In other words, either the dealer service techs are BLIND not to see the inside wear (and recommend an alignment), or they charged me $30 without doing anything! And this is in the past THREE visits!

The one with the nail can't be patched due to low tread, and the other three are on their last legs as well. I had to replace ALL FOUR TIRES.

Beware of this dealer! This is South City Ford in San Bruno, Caiifornia, just north of SF International Airport.

Hmm,

I'd be more suspicious of your tire dealer.

It would be very hard to wear out a tire in 500 miles, even with a bad alignment. (I think you are saying the alignment was out and the dealer didn't tell you. At least I read that between the lines.)

So I suspect that either the damage was done, already, or your tire store is shady.

What incentive does your dealer have to tell you bad tires are good. Ford dealers are selling tires now, so if they were bad, wouldn't they try to sell you a set.

Just another POV to consider, I wasn't there.

[EDIT] I didn't read carefully. The $30 for rotation doesn't give you a check of your alignment, but yes they should have noted that. However, that really wouldn't fix the damage already done.

TB

Yes, my point was the dealer SHOULD have spotted the bald tires on the INSIDE when rotating the tires, LONG before today! I can see how a purely visual inspection would have missed the inside, but they HAD TO TAKE THEM OFF to rotate them, THREE TIMES in the past 15K miles, if not earlier! They just rotated them BLINDLY without even looking at the tires!?!?!

"Welcome to the Ford Service Department where you and your car really don't matter, just your money." I've had my car in 5 different Ford stealerships for warranty work since I bought it and have yet to find one that is even halfway competent.

I refuse to take my car to a ford dealer. One time I took my car in for a recall, and while I was there I ordered two new window strips and one of the covers for the car jack point on the side skirts... total cost was like $60. Anyways, the dealer finished the recall fix, but the parts weren't in yet that I ordered so they told me just to come back and pick them up when they come in (I already paid for them when I picked up the car). The dealer told me they'd give me a call once they received them. A week goes by and no call, so I figure they forgot about me or something. I call up the dealer asking for the status of my parts that I ordered. Guy on the phone says, according to our computers the parts were already installed at the time of the recall fix.

I respond, "That's funny, my car is sitting in the driveway with two missing window strips and side skirt cover."

Go back to the dealer, explain to one of the managers what happened... manager talks to mechanics and comes back, "According to the mechanics they installed the parts when you brought it in a week ago."

Got screwed out of $60 b/c parts were installed that they didn't even have at the time and had to order for me. That's the last time a ford dealer has seen my business. Oh and on a side note, I had to replace the light bulb in my clock, napa didn't have any that fit... dealer says that I can't replace the bulb, I have to replace the entire unit! I found a place that had the bulb...

Ok - I'm not saying I've had fabulous experiences with Dealers, but, your comments have to make me ask.

Why would they try to rip you off in that fashion?
It's one thing for them to refuse to do work, or fail to discover your problems; it's quite another to simply fail to give you the parts.

I'd ask - is there something about your experience that is prompting them to do this? Were you rude? Do you come across as somebody trying to get something for free? Is there any history with you fighting/arguing with them about something else? Or is this particular Service Manager that much of a weasel that they have to screw you out of $60?

In any case, regardless of whether your signature is on a piece of paper saying you paid, you do have recourse; particularly if you used a credit card and particularly if it's quite obvious that the hardware is not installed on your car. Consider talking to the dealership manager - over such a small amount of money as $60, I can't believe they'd even want to waste the time it takes to talk to you. They'd just pay it and get you out of there.

Lastly, consider complaining to the Better Business Bureau. Make the threat during your next talk with them, and if they don't help, FOLLOW THROUGH on the threat. Make sure they hear from others about your concerns.

Hmmm, about the bulb for the clock. I had zero problems buying a replacement bulb for the clock on a 95 MTX SE a couple years ago from a Dealership. For such a tiny item it was expensive ($5?).

Mike

Too funny I had to post this:

I just called the local Ford stealership this morning to get listed mechanic time and approximate quotes for swapping out the clutch and flywheel. The moron at the service department asks me "Is it manual or automatic trans?" hahah Then, after I already told him twice it was a 2000 CSVT he asks me if it's a v-6? Last time I checked they didn't make a CSVT with anything else! Man I would NEVER take my car to this morons for even an oil change!

Oh boy! This is scary! Even though not all Ford dealers are SVT certified, we would at least expect them to be aware of Ford products...

Did they ask you if it is a coupe?

Dude, dodge dealers don't even know what an SRT-4 is. "is that a truck or somethin'??" Take your car to get the oil changed and you have to put down that has a 2 liter engine with SOHC and that it's an sxt. Talk about lack of knowledge.....

But will agree that all Ford Dealers suck too, I wouldn't join the SVTOA in Atlanta just because I hated their sponsor dealer soooo bad!

My family has been in the newspaper business since 1960. The one SURE-FIRE way to deal with crap like this is to say you'll contact the local media consumer advocate - TV, newspaper, or radio. They'll jump.

My dad used to say, "Never get into a pissing contest with people who buy ink by the barrel.".

Originally posted by mmilner:

I'd ask - is there something about your experience that is prompting them to do this? Were you rude? Do you come across as somebody trying to get something for free? Is there any history with you fighting/arguing with them about something else? Or is this particular Service Manager that much of a weasel that they have to screw you out of $60?

Hmmm, about the bulb for the clock. I had zero problems buying a replacement bulb for the clock on a 95 MTX SE a couple years ago from a Dealership. For such a tiny item it was expensive ($5?).

Mike

It wasn't so much as the dealer was scamming me out of $60, but more of that their computer systems listed the parts as installed. So from their viewpoint everything was taken care of. Plus you have the manager asking the mechanic if he did something a week ago, so who's to say that he would remember doing something like that? They just kind of took the attitude that I was trying to get free parts off of them b/c as far as they could tell, they had done the work for the car. As far as the bulb... that was no problem finding a new one and replacing it. The person on the phone saying I have to replace the entire clock b/c it's broken just shows that the person at the Ford Dealer didn't have the knowledge of the product, and that the mechanic department isn't all that organized for screwing it up with my parts. I wasn't going to get into a battle over $60, they've just lost my business for repairs and buying new vehicles. This happened over 2 years ago and I haven't gone there since. (If this post seems to ramble it's b/c I'm busy at work and typing it out quickly, sorry)

Update. Decided to try Peninsula Ford of San Bruno (on El Camino Real). They are almost as bad as Souty City Ford.

As I said before, my coolant light is coming on, and I don't spot a puddle on the ground somehow, so I took it in. My appt was for 8:15. I got there a LITTLE late. They didn't even TOUCH my car until 1130AM! If you can't touch the car for 3 hours what's the point of having an appointment?

About 1130AM, the junior tech jacked it up and did a pressure test. I see drips coming out the bottom. Looks like time for a new pump as the leak's around there some where. Checked the computer... $115 for a PLAIN pump. Hello! The one with METAL impeller is only $65! When I asked the parts guy, he didn't even KNOW the impeller is made of plastic!

Then the service advisor came along. I don't know what he ate in the morning, but he sounds as if he's still asleep, and has the "see if I care" attitude. No pleasantries at all. Then he dropped the bomb: you need a new pump, and we don't have time to do it today. We'll give you a shuttle ride within 10 miles, you can come back tomorrow.

I told him I need the car today, he basically reinterated the whole thing. He even went as far as claiming the car was already disassembled when all the guy did was removed that "Duratec" cover to look for the leak.

Then I dropped the bomb on him: I asked him to close the car up and fill it up with coolant so I can keep driving it for a day or two. He looked as if I hit him with a sledgehammer. He tried to tell me I'm wasting time and money... I insisted. Then he just said "If that's what you want to do, that's what we'll do." Then he turned around and went to close the ticket without another word.

I STILL ended up paying $100 "diagnostic fee" for that pressure test when they're not even 100% sure it's the pump that's leaking!

As a "gesture" they put a gallon of premixed coolant in my trunk "just in case". That deserves an extra point.

This dealer experience is about 2 out of 10. Pretty abysmal.

I need a shop recommendation for my plain "Jane" LX/V6 in San Francisco please... No more than 15 miles out would be preferred.

i knew the light for the clock was gonna be expensive..i had one for the door panel lock(it was i think the same size but green), cost me $6.00 well i went to a local auto parts place and got one for 50 cents and it worked fine...
if i ever need the colored bulbs i would just go to radio shack and buy some paint for bulbs.. comes in small bottles if they still sell it, if not then another electronics store might stock it......

Originally posted by Kasey Chang:

As I said before, my coolant light is coming on, and I don't spot a puddle on the ground somehow, so I took it in.

About 1130AM, the junior tech jacked it up and did a pressure test. I see drips coming out the bottom. Looks like time for a new pump as the leak's around there some where. Checked the computer... $115 for a PLAIN pump. Hello! The one with METAL impeller is only $65! When I asked the parts guy, he didn't even KNOW the impeller is made of plastic!

I STILL ended up paying $100 "diagnostic fee" for that pressure test when they're not even 100% sure it's the pump that's leaking!

Whhhhhaaaa...cry me a friggen river. If anybody is an idiot here, its you! Stop taking your car to the dealer for every single minor little problem you have. Everybody knows the dealership charges the most for repair and parts service. Everybody also knows the dealership is ten times busier than your local auto repair shops. Dealerships usually have a ton of warrenty work being done all the time, which means they are swamped. Don't want to pay $115 for a waterpump from Ford, then go to a local autostore and get one for cheeper MORON. If you have any ability at all, which it sounds like you dont, you could put it on yourself. But if not, why take it to a dealer instead of the local garage? I guess people working the parts counter at Ford are suppose to know every single part made for every different model car, and also know if the components are metal or plastic, GET REAL! Sure a lot of dealerships have less than average service, not to make any excuses but they are the most busy, JUST GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET YOUR CAR FIXED AND STOP WHINNING! Just like how the Ford dealership doesnt want to listen to you whine, neither do I!

You do know this right?

Coolant light FAQ

if you don't mind can you tell me where you found the bulb for the clock and what it is? thank you

Originally posted by todras:
You do know this right?

Coolant light FAQ

Intimately. I overfill the overflow reservoir to EXCESS of 1 inch above the max line. The car is on LEVEL ground. The light is still on.

Originally posted by BURNTU2:

I guess people working the parts counter at Ford are suppose to know every single part made for every different model car, and also know if the components are metal or plastic, GET REAL!

Exactly! I work a parts counter at a motorcycle dealership. We carry 5 different brands spanning 30 years. Worse yet, the microfiche is in B&W. How am I supposed to tell the difference between plastic and metal? You're going to know your particular car (usually) better that someone who has to keep up with many different cars. I can't know everything about everything we sell. Funny part is, I usually still know more about a particular bike that my customer does (and he/she owns it).

Originally posted by klavender:

Originally posted by BURNTU2:

I guess people working the parts counter at Ford are suppose to know every single part made for every different model car, and also know if the components are metal or plastic, GET REAL!

Exactly! I work a parts counter at a motorcycle dealership. We carry 5 different brands spanning 30 years. Worse yet, the microfiche is in B&W. How am I supposed to tell the difference between plastic and metal? You're going to know your particular car (usually) better that someone who has to keep up with many different cars. I can't know everything about everything we sell. Funny part is, I usually still know more about a particular bike that my customer does (and he/she owns it).

What motorcycle dealership do you work at? I live in Lugoff and come to Columbia more than often. I may know where you are located. Is it the one on Two Notch Road?

-Bishop