RadBOSS

The rub or burn with a buy back is they prorate your refund based on the mileage you put on the car. In the end you still pay more ... that was the way it worked on our Mk VI LSC in Southern California.

Its a pity some of these dealers are inept and incompetent. My experience is they create more problems then they fix and won't fess up when they clearly messed up. For all those reasons I only bring my cars to the dealer when I am absolutely desperate.

Good luck with your replacement. Our replacement LSC was marginally better.

SteelTownStang

Get it fixed and trade it in on a GT. Once a lemon, always a lemon...

FordFun

I'm not so sure the Dealership was bad here. Sounds like you're
saying they kept on fixing and/or re-fixing the problems. But since
Ford is giving it the "Lemon" designation then it's Ford to Blame.

I'm glad you're going to start out with a fresh Stang and here's
wishing you good luck on the next set of wheels. Let's see you
become a happy Ford Customer.

Let us know the cost to do this and more importantly show us
the pics when you get the new one.

SilverBacon

Ray Man

I would ask for two new cars!

Seriously, good luck with getting this taken care of.

SilverBacon

So, I finally got to tell my local dealer what replacement vehicle I wanted for the buyback. I requested a 2007 Alloy V6 with automatic transmission and IUP with the dark charcoal interior. Sadly, just about every other color could be found in that combo, but none in Alloy. The dealer found me one with the light graphite interior, the only one within 100 miles of here and is currently talking with that dealer about getting it up here. I believe they are trying to get it from San Diego...too bad I can't pick it up myself from there...that would be a good excuse for a weekend in San Diego.

I was going to get a Tungsten, but I saw the Alloy some more and decided for it. We will see how long this process takes, but the dealer's option of ordering a car and waiting 9 weeks simple isn't an option. I need this car as my commuter vehicle and waiting till the end of January just can't happen.

I'll keep ya'll updated and hopefully I can post some pictures of a new 'Stang by next week!

Webba

Silver I can tell you from experience that buying back the car is your best option. If they dont and keep screwing with it you will never be happy. I got railroaded by GM on a truck I had once and they wouldnt buy it back because it was commercial. The thing was in the shop for over 6 months of the 3 years I owned it. I was never happy with it and never felt comfortable going farther than local trips. I got rid of the POS and will never buy a GM again. I would have bought ford but it was a 1998 and Ford was doing the redesign on the F-350 and I didnt want a old body style. Anyway good luck with the new one and I hope your luck is better with this one

inVERTed

man do i smile every time an import is subjected to my flyby....nothing better...losers!

SilverBacon

Right when you think the situation is being handled...everything falls apart.

So, my local dealer put in charge of getting me a replacement vehicle is unable to do so. No dealer has to trade with another dealer for a car, so that creates our latest problem. My dealer simply does not get V6 utomatics that aren't fully loaded...they mainly have plenty of GTs and a couple manual V6s on their lot. Well, that is the case right now, so I'm ticked off again. Ford owes me a equally equiped car, yet I can't get it because my dealer doesn't get them and I am not willing to settle on a different combo than what I want and have to pay extra money for the features not currently on mine.

The buy-back deal they made me is completely useless if they aren't able to get me a car. I never agreed to waiting 9 weeks for a car to be made when there are ones sitting at dealers in the state. The BBB Auto Line said Ford had 60 days to finish the offer, well, it has been about 2-3 weeks so far, so their clock is ticking. I called Ford Co. again and talked to our resolution lady about it and she's trying to get her management to talk to the dealer in San Diego.

I need a car with a working gas gauge, hood lining that isn't ripping because of the engine, and a working heater when it is 39* here (yes, it has been that cold recently at night and I am in Southern California)!

I have tried to play by Ford's rules so much, yet it is getting me no where. I keep trying to give them second chances, but how much am I supposed to take? Ford is turning me into one peeved customer...

Rash

Hey SilverBacon,

I'm having similar problems getting my car fixed, just different issues. I'm hoping some info from your situation will help me decide what to do. Just wondering - how many actual days was your car in for service? Also, what issues remain unresolved? Did you ever get to the point with any issues where the dealer said it's fixed and you disagreed?

SilverBacon

Hey Rash,

My BBB Auto Line claim had, I believe, 19 days out of service recorded on it. It would be in the shop now, but until they give me a new car they are not getting this one to try and fix. Currently, they are unable to fix the engine rubbing against the hood. Unable to fix the gas gauge, much to their dissapointment, and the heating system is still on the fritz. It became a joke with my dealer about "seeing them in a week" once I picked up my car.

Here is a quick run-down of what they have done:

-Gas gauge: 6 attempts (not fixed)
-Heater: 1 attempt (not fixed)
-Electronic Throttle: 1 attempt (actually is fixed)
-Mystery warning lights: 1 attempt (actually is fixed)
-Engine/hood rubbing: 1 attempt (completely gave up on trying to find a solution)
-Battery leaks: 1 attempt (actually is fixed)
-Broken seat: 1 attempt (actually is fixed)

Oh, and I still complain about acceleration problems to my dealer, but they can't replicate it, so they claim nothing is wrong. I'm sorry, when I am on the freeway, I should be able to keep up with traffic my entire commute, not pull to the right because the car isn't accelerating anymore.

My advice to you is to pressure the heck out of corporate. Your local dealer probably won't want to do much until corporate gets into the game and tries to avoid a lemon lawsuit. Follow the instructions in the warranty book about sending an official letter to Ford, then the real stuff starts. This lemon law stuff is hectic and aggrivating, but in my situation it is the right thing to do. Make sure you have exhausted all other possibilities before making the decision to go thru with it. My first set of problems was May 31st...it is now December 3rd and I still don't have my replacement.

Bullitt995

I'm a little confused on your acceleration problem. Are you flooring the car and it isn't accelerating? A v6 isn't going to have much get up and go at 70 or 80 mph.

SilverBacon

The acceleration problems confuse me as well. Essentially, I will be cruising at a normal freeway speed with my foot on the pedal, but the car starts slowing down. So, natural reaction, press the gas, right? Well, all that does is...nothing, no engine power...yeah. Press it, nothing, release, press it, nothing, release, merge over, press it, works, merge back. Doesn't happen everytime, but multiple people in the car have noticed weird performance. It is the least of my concerns because it happens randomly.

metroplex

The accelerator problem you describe sounds like a bad throttle body/drive-by-wire motor or perhaps the sensor attached to the throttle pedal itself.

Rash

Steve,

Thanks for your advice. I'm giving my dealer one more shot. If it still aint fixed, I'll send the corporate letter and the BBB paperwork.

I've had my ring and pinion replaced 3 times and I still have whine/flutter. In addition, after the third ring & pinion attempt, at vibration started a highway speed. After trying to align the driveshaft with no success, they put in a whole new differential/axle assembly - still not fixed, still vibration and flutter. I'm at 21 days total now.

lodom

I'm amazed that Ford is having vibration problems with the live axle Mustang that is using a basic rear diff design over 25 years old. I don't think they'll ever be able to get an IRS car working properly for those that really want one.

I hope they can find your problem. Good luck!

metroplex

That's because the problem is most likely with the driveshaft, unless the supplier for the rear end really cheaped out (is it still Visteon? or is it Dana? Neither company is doing well in the financial area). The driveshaft looks like a new design for the 05-up S-197 GT. It has a CV joint and what looks like a balancer. I'm assuming that the dealership has indexed the driveshaft multiple times and the vehicle still exhibits vibration problems?

Rash

Yep. I just left a voicemail wioth the service director at Capital Ford, basically asking him what he'd like to do next. I told him I'd be glad to go for aride with him to let him hear/feel what I am (After thel ast rephase attempt, the tech said he drove another GT on the lot and there was no difference. Problem is, unless your driving on blacktop, you could mistake the rumble for just road noise). I also mentioned that, although I'm not a mechanic, it seems to me that the driveshaft may need replacing being that two attempts to re-phase it have failed. I told him that I'm still willing to give them a chance to fix it assuming they acknowledge that there is still a problem, but if they feel like they've done all they can ot that the issue is resolved, I'll take it up with Ford directly. I'm hoping that gets his attention.

I'll give him 24 hours to call me back. If he doesn't, I've got my letter to Ford and the BBB ready to go.

Bullitt995

That's exactly what it sounds like.

SilverBacon

The problem, for me a least, seemed to be with Ford itself than the dealer. My service rep and service managers were always on the phone with the tech line at Ford trying to find new solutions to the problems, but often ended up with the same solution they were told to do for weeks. My service manager even said he would back us up on the lemon law process and completely understood why were getting fed up.

As for my acceleration problems, I guess that makes sense about a bad throttle body or related sensor. I'm just worried about Ford trying to sell the car again after they buy it back without fixing anything.