jp's performance

sorry to here about your problems,lemon law here in mass is the dealer get's 3 try's to fix the same problem no fourth try and after the 3 try i get a brand new car or they have to refund all payment's made or give me a new stang and deduct all payment's to the new car that have been made good luck and let us know when you get your new 06.

Donna

Wow. Sorry to hear about your problems. I would almost get the media involved on this. Don't give up on the new Stangs yet. You deserve one thats trouble free. Good Luck to you.

lodom

I hate to hear about the problems you're having. This is an excellent example by the dealership / Ford of how not to handle a problem and how to ruin any future possibility of a customer's repeat business.

VintagMustang302

Good info ford4v429 however, I feel I don't need to be doing anything like that. It's a new car. It should be right and they should be smart enough to fix it the first time.

I just want a new one or my money back. I'm not asking for much according to the receipts the dealer has charged Ford $9,000 trying to resolve this issue and people wonder why American car companies are losing market share. They sale a car at invoice and Ford has to pay to fix it. The only one making money is the dealership.

That's why I don't understand why the dealership is treating me like crap. They got my money when they bought the car and they are getting paid when the replaced everything under sun to fix it under warranty.

Ford would have saved so much money if they just asked for the car back and gave me another one.

All I want for Christmas is a working Mustang is that so much to ask.

Big-Foot

I really DO hope you win this case but I have to tell you that your open and shut case may not be the case at all...

I've been there - done that and am still wearing the T-shirt and battle scars..

I bought a brand new 150k motorhome in 1999. It was full of electrical gremlins and short circuits as well as severe engine issues (engine consumed 1 gallon of coolant every 300 miles - it never leaked anywhere except out the tailpipe).. In the first 24 months I owned it, it was in storage for 8 months and in my physical possession for 1 month being used. The remaining 15 months it spent at the dealer's trying over and over and over to fix the gremlins. I kept meticulous records. We had put 4,000 miles on it (roughly as one of the gremlins was the electronic dash kept shorting out and resetting the odometer).. I kept track of every phone call, every receipt, every incident. On one occasion I was towing our 5,000# trailer and lost electrical to the trailer brakes, exhaust brake (this was a diesel) and all lights in a blinding rain storm. I almost lost control of the rig trying to get it stopped at the bottom of an exit ramp. When the anti-lock brakes kick in on a 26,000# motorhome - you know you're in trouble.. That was the last trip and the last straw.
The attorney was the best in the state. He had worked for the big 3 defending them in Lemon law cases - now he was on his own working the consumer side. He had all the confidence in the world that there was no way we could lose this case. He had never lost a case.

Until ours...

That's right - a jury decided that 15 months out of 24 months that we had not given the manufacturer a sufficient opportunity to repair the coach. We lost!

What makes matters worse is that half way through the lawsuit process (which took over 18 months) I was laid off and could not find work and was selling everything trying to keep making payments, insurance etc..

All I'm trying to say is this - DON'T bank on the judicial system doing you any favors.. Prepare a fallback plan if possible and be ready to use it.

wjones14

It doesn't make sense that the dealership is treating you like crap. If you're respectful to them, they should be even more so respectful to you, since you paid your money and are just asking for a good product.

Have you had any fights with the dealership, or have the discussions ever gotten ugly?

VintagMustang302

Yes! They told me the car was fixed and it wasn't. I told them that I was not going to pick up a broken car. At every turn in this problem they would tell me the car was ready I would go pick it up and it was doing the same thing (or worse in most cases). They responded saying they need me to turn over the Rental car keys or they would have to involve the Police. They told me the car's vibration was acceptable and that there was nothing they could do. Almost like the whole thing was in my head. I asked them to ride in the car with me and then a new one to compare the two. They refused to do this and told me to leave. I was angry and my voice was raised but I didn't yell at anyone.

They gave me this comment that I just needed to take up my complaint up with Ford and there was nothing they could do for me. I called Ford and they won't do anything. They just keep referring to their Legal Department. So I'm in the process of dealing with the Better Business Bureau. They sent my demands, which are full money back, and I have to wait 14 days for a response.

The only reason the car is back at that dealership is they put in a defective transmission that doesn't shift and the fact no other dealer will take it.

Big-Foot

Ummm... Ya know - unless your warranty has been voided by Ford, I don't think a dealership can legally refuse to work on your car... When you bought that car, you bought it with a bumper to bumper warranty that is good at ANY FORD dealership regadless of location.

Is there more to this???

packhater

I think you are being ENTIRELY too nice! Where are your *****?

Go kick some **** DAIMIT!!!!!!!

packhater

Also Flame the dealership EVERYWHERE AND ANYWAY YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's their fault....not Fords!!!!!!

lodom

Any progress updates?

Zastava_101

Try selling car. There is high demand for new Mustangs, I'm sure you won't have any problems selling it.

VintagMustang302

Well Ford is still trying to fix the car by putting a 3rd YES that's right 3rd transmission in it. They have a FOrd enginer at te dealership looking at the car. trying to get it working. I have made 2 payments on the car and not had it in my garage.

Long live Ford Quality and Repair Excellence.

Meanwhile back at the ranch. I'm still working the legal end of the problem. As of yet Better business bureau has to give Ford 14 days to respond to my demands. That's my full money back or a new Mustang. At this point the money back is starting to look alot better.

the cable guy

I believe they have already used up their time under most lemon laws. Especially considering they promised you a replacement and renigged on it.
They will run you around in circles as long as possible hoping you give up and make a half-*ss repair if they can get away with it.
The better busines bureau has no teeth; all they can do in most cases is moderate between you and Ford, trying to make everybdy happy. Don't be surprised if it takes a lawyer to get a fair solution.

lodom

You really should have a new car already. I agree with Brian. You're being jerked around. At least the 14 days are ticking away, but I hate to hear you're paying for a car you aren't able to enjoy. To put it mildly, this sukz......

Hollywood_North GT

Yeah, you're being totally jerked around. This scenario is unconscionable and part of the reason so many people no longer buy domestic vehicles. Bad cars...bad dealer service...no corporate support.

IMHO, I would push the legal option into the red...WHATEVER it takes. You might also want to see if there is a PR consultant living in your area, and pay a little money to start a negative campaign against that dealership AND Ford - if they force you to go the distance legally, that is. Get the word out everywhere you can. You could even start by putting a negative posting about your experience on Craigslist.org - which gets HUGE traffic (ranked #37 on the web!)

Ford is in a very serious financial situation right now. They can ill-afford the negative publicity a focused campaign might bring.

VintagMustang302

Seems that the only way I can get them to do what is right. My Brother used to work a local radio and News station here in town. I'm going to make a few calls and see if I can make this a story on the daily news and or the radio.

What they seem to forget is I am member of the Mustang club of America and the local club here in Charleston. I could have been a good customer but now I'll be the worest. The Negative press is going to cost them dearly.

GottaHaveIt

I was curious as to the dealership (name)you purcahsed it from and would you happen to have thier Dealer number you know one that was with the customer # and car ID I'd maybe like to ride on this wave. Ed

Hollywood_North GT

Seriously, dude, a full legal assault is the best recourse open to you right now. On the heels of that - if they won't play ball even with legal pressure - then you want to do everything you can to frustrate sales for that dealership, and it sounds like you've already got a few ideas.

I remember reading someone on this site posting a story about a guy who had bought a SportTrac, and experienced similar poor service and had the vehicle in multiple times to fix an apparently unresolvable issue. He plastered "LEMON" all over the car with yellow stencil letters and fixed yellow balloons to the vehicle too. He then parked it adjacent to the dealership where all customers coming in could see it.

They don't need that kind of bad publicity, believe me, and if you're on public land, there's nothing they can legally do about it.

VintagMustang302

NEW UPDATE

BBB Auto line just contacted me. They informed me they requested that Ford buy back the car. They have two days to respond. If they don't respond or say no a Arbitration hearing will be scheduled. If there is not a resolution with in this hearing I'll have to take Ford to court.

Palmeto Ford of Charleston, SC