Please let me vent...


A month ago I took the car in for it's 20k oil change. They do it for free for me so what the hey.

I had the parking brake freeze on me in Dec and Jan. I figured I'd get them to look at the e-brake cable ends to determine if they
could replace the cables per the SB under warantee. They concured that the cables needed replacing, and that it would be a
warrantee repair. They said they would order the cables and give me a call when they came in.

Weeks went by and no call came. I
gave them a ring and they said the parts were in, and that I could schedule and appointmemnt.
I scheduled to drop the car off Monday evening, and figured I'd have it back by Tuesday evening.

I get a call Tuesday morning and
they are asking me why I'm leaving the car with them? I had to explain the whole thing to them. It was like they didn't have a
clue. They went on to tell me that they would have to order the parts! Now I'm getting ****ed. I had called and confirmend that
the parts were in, and now they are telling me no parts. I asked if I should have called two or three time to confirm that parts
were in next time since once wasn't enought... They assured me that they would have it done by the next evening.

Wednesday around 5PM I give them a call. I get put on hold for a few minutes, then I finally talk to the service writer and ask
him what the deal is. He says that he has to go talk to the tech. I get put on hold, then the call drops. I call back. Teh service
writer is not available (they don't know where he is).

Screw them, I'm riding down there. I want to talk to them in person. I get there just before 6PM (closing time). They tell me that
the cables didn't get delivered until about 330PM and that the tech had another car on the lift... basically my car didn't get
worked on for the second day!

I told them that this whole situation was totally unacceptable. That I was ****ed. That I had done everything possible to ensure
minimal down time and that everything went as smoothly as possible, and that they screwed everything up. They had my car for a two
hour job and that they couldn't complete it in two days.

They offered to "make it right" and offered to give my car a free detailing. I told them I don't want any "free" stuff, I just
want my car.

I told them that I would be there at 5PM tomorrow, and that I would be taking the car with me, done or not.

I realize this isn't the end of the world... but it's just ****ty customer service and I shouldn't have to put up with it. Screw them
and their free oil changes. There's a dealer that is even closer...

To top everything off, after I leave the dealership, I go to a gas station for gas, and there's a black vert mustang gt there
getting gas. It's a new car off the dealers lot (no plates and the dealer banner where the plates should be) getting gas. When the
lot boy is done getting gas he's rev'ing the engine, they he does a burn-out out of the gas station heading back towards the
dealership. Now I'm thinking, what the hell are they doing with my car...

Thanks for listing to me vent...

 

Sorry to hear the problems man..... I feel fortunate to have a good Ford Service Dept. in Longview

 

I had the same service performed on my e-brake cables. No problems, and they washed the car for me both times I brought it in. (once to diagnose, another once they had the parts) Maybe it helped when I drove up in my police uniform for work...

 

You forgot to tell us the name of the dealer so we can avoid them and they can be embarrassed as they deserve to be for their lack of professionalism and downright crappy business practices.

 

Yeah man, where did you go, that's obsurd. No one should have to deal with that stupidity.

How did you determine your ebrake was frozen? I had that thought that mine was suffering for this on a few really cold days. I stopped using it after that. For me, it seemed like the car was slowing down a little faster than normal when you would release the gas and not apply the regular brake.

What is the TSB for the ebrake?

 

In sub freezing temps my right rear wheel would be locked up solid. I would release the brake and I would drag the locked up wheel around on the ice. I had to remove the little retainer clip on the end of the ebrake sheath where it attaches to the brake caliper.



Here's a link to the SB:

http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb...%20freezes.pdf

I'll probably put the dealer name up here after I get my car back in the driveway.

Sam

 

In sub freezing temps my right rear wheel would be locked up solid. I would release the brake and I would drag the locked up wheel around on the ice. I had to remove the little retainer clip on the end of the ebrake sheath where it attaches to the brake caliper.



Here's a link to the SB:

http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb...%20freezes.pdf

I'll probably put the dealer name up here after I get my car back in the driveway.

Sam

 

If it's sub zero maybe best not to drive, and then have them look into that TSB
beats totalling off !

 

Sorry I just woke and reread all & I understand, which is one big reason I don't want to even take my unit in for an oil change ! what 20 mon job takes them 2 hrs plus becayse they bounce from one tow three jobs at a time No thanks I can do it my self way faster.
They need to get thier act together now Get you but out there and sweep up all that Rubber would yah !

 

A service department I delt with also jerked me around with parts not being ordered, and not getting the job done on time. Do you know what the mileage on the ODO was when you brought it in? I would check that when you pick it up as no one needs to drive your car to test the parking break. Sorry for your trouble, if Ford would fix one thing it needs to be these service departments.

 

i was missing tire sensors in my new 07 mustang gt. which was kind of stupid in the first place. but when i took it in they handled it pretty nicely. dropped it off and picked it up on the same day. and got a free wash. the dealership was pretty nice.

 

This is exactly why I do all my own oil changes (making sure to use only 5w/20...ya never know what anyone else will put in it), and any other DIY job.

You should make a real statement to the dealer's general manager or owner (don't bother with the service manager...he doesn't care anyway and would prefer you just go away). Tell him how they've inconvenienced you and how this will be making a difference on his bottom line in the form of SALES!! Nothing travels faster than "word of mouth regarding a bad experience".

Good luck in getting satisfaction...somehow. Let us know how it all turns out.

 

Sounds like a provacation just made for the exercise of second ammendment rights!

 

Bad dealers are a dime a dozen. There are probably 20 bad to 1 single good. It all boils down to caring. You can immediately tell if the people working at a dealership care or just care about getting your money. It's a shame.

I for one establish good relationships with local, respectable guys who own their own businesses. I'm not talking chains like Midas or something like that. I'm talking about single, one owner shops with good reputations and good general knowledge. Just because your car came from a dealer doesn't mean all the people working there know about your car. When you have a single shop with reliable guys that are there for the long haul, they remember whats been done, how the work went etc. Dealers, no matter how good they are just don't do that and bad dealers can put you in a tailspin over really stupid things. Not worth it. I took my car to the dealer one time. It was because of the squeeling brake TSB and I was a nervous wreck the whole day it was there.

1) Will it be done when they said it will?
2) Are they kicking it's *ss while it's there having fun?
3) Will there be grease all over the doors, seats and paint?
4) Will it door dinged while it's there?
5) Etc etc etc.

Luckily it went okay, but it hasn't been back there since.

 

I dropped mine off to get mirrors painted and one of their service workers backed into it.This was after they had it for a week when it should have been 2 days.It then took them 2 weeks to finish it. I got jerked around every day.Worst car experience of my life.I found out the name of a big wig there and sent a long letter.They were kissin my azz royally but I told them I was never coming back and I would tell everyone I could