Problems with New Ford car Warranty

[brair]

You should follow your own advice. Get that anger management as well.

 

I have been to your dealers, I have inquired about your case.

 

Your claim was deemed "owner abuse" for a reason. You aren't happy with that reason so you're being a "squeeky wheel" here in hopes that it will change things. It won't. Mohawk even went so far as welding your seat frame, which they didn't have to do, and is not a Ford prescribed repair. but they went the extra mile, even though you had to pay the shop time. So, I guess you want them out of business as well?

 

So follow the advice of those here, persue Ford in court. If your case is valid, you will win. but if you really thought you had a chance, you would be doing that instead of arguing with people here, right?

 

Actually the only term Ford or its dealers said is 'excessive wear'.I didn't hear the word's' owner abuse' till I came on the forum.

 

If Ford feels sitting on a seat is excessive wear for an oversized person perhaps they could put a maximum weight sticker on the car seat and back it up with documentation in their ownwers' manual.

 

No mention of this problem when I bought the car.In fact my salesman at Airport Ford assured me that Airport Ford was a family run business and they and Ford would stand behind me for any warranty repairs.

The salesman and the the sales manager both saw my size and made no comment.

 

Thanks for pursuing the case for me at both dealers.That was kind.

 

Rergards,

Brair

[Critic]

Well it's a mute point now.

 

You no longer have said vehicle as per a post of yours, and I don't think it's a court case now, because of that.

 

IF the dealer repaired it for you, and your paying them is an acceptance of your request for a repair, that wouldn't work to your flavor either.

 

You came here seeking assistance and you found it, you also found rebuttal's to the problem. This is an open place where everyone speaks, just like 12 angry men.

 

Ford might pop in to read but highly doubtful the people you want to read it.

 

I just play a solicitor on TV, but not in real life.

[RaZor]

You seem like a very angry person.Since you don't want to help or even talk about the problem with the car I'll give you some personal advice.Try taking an anger management course.Even if it doesn't help you it may make life easier for those who have to put up with you.

Actually sir, I am not an angry person at all – but that would easily be a description of your posts in two different forums on this board on this subject - but I do have a problem with people who try to blame the world (manufacturers included) for situations that they are responsible for. Compacts (think about what that word means) are not designed (and my guess are not engineered) for "larger people". That's why they call them "compacts". According to your own description, you are not a compact person. If cost was a factor, as you said elsewhere, you could have chosen to purchase a larger previously owned vehicle.

 

 

Personally once the dealer told me that it was not covered, I would have taken it to an automotive upholster and had my seat fixed and upgraded to handle the situation. Dealers typically make repairs according to their manufacturer's specs and manuals(as OC pointed out). You want something custom – go to a custom shop. The fact that they went beyond those normal guidelines for you shows that they had the best interests for you (with some limitations). And yet you still complain and want them to pay for it

Also a question for you.Since you obviously have such a hatred for anyone overweight, I must assume one of the following two things.You are so tiny that even a game of chess is too physical for you and you were constantly being beaten by average sized kids throughout your whole childhood.I'm guessing your 5 ft. and 100 lbs and anyone larger is either a giant or overweight.

First of all, I am 6'4" and 205#. I have a 47" chest and a 36" waist – and I am 60 yo. I never lost a fight (not sure exactly what that has to do with anything) in my life. . . and to the contrary was a 4 sporter in HS and college, including playing hockey at the college level. Because of my size, I sorta was the enforcer for the team as they double shifted me from winger to defense. But instead of getting drafted by the NHL – I got drafted by Uncle Sam and pulled two tours of Viet Nam – one as a line grunt in an air mobile unit that was the point element for the Cambodian invasion and the second as a LRRP (goggle it). I have never got my arse kicked – just the opposite.

Two, you have been overweight and lost the extra poundage.Now you are a sanctimonious jerk and want everyone to be as unhappy as you are.

Yes, there was a time that I blossomed up to 235#, but lost the weight by using a proper eating regimen which anyone can apply to become healthier. I sent a link to you via PM so that you could gain the same knowledge – privately so as to not draw attention to it.

 

Many of my friends are overweight, or have been. Several of them gained knowledge and learned to reverse their condition when they saw the results of my experience. Granted, I was not seriously overweight as they were, but the improvement was easy to see. You see, around the mid-forties most men tend to develop a paunch. Yep, I did too and even though I only went up to a 38" waist(under my paunch), my profile made it very easy to see (and notice when it was gone). Now they are all very happy with themselves. . . and are much healthier.

 

 

I didn't offer the information, they asked me. And I told them how I did it. Every one of them thanked me profusely. If I were a "sanctimonious jerk" as you allege, I wouldn't have done that would I? But if it makes you feel better, you can believe it is so.

 

 

Every day when we arise, we make numerous decisions all day long. Do I start the day consuming 6 PopTarts (or several donuts etc) and a diet soda, or do I eat intelligently to the betterment of my own body/condition? Who is responsible for it? No one sir, except you. Yes, there are a very few medical conditions that can greatly influence weight gain (my brother has a thyroid condition - which is one of those), but almost all of those can be overcome – if one chooses to do so. Again, it is your choice. You make decisions every day. . . all day long.

 

 

The manufacturers of food and drink (and that goes for restaurants too) are interested ONLY in you buying more of their products. They are NOT concerned with your health. It is YOUR responsibility to become knowledgeable about maintaining your own health. . . to what you consume. Knowledge is the best prescription there is.

 

You now have a source for that knowledge, but only you can make the decision to do something about it.

Either way, why don't you take the moderators advice and only post helpful things?

This past weekend I attended the Sebring 12 Hour race and met up with a friend that I see every year from NC. He owns a very large furniture manufacturing company. Guess what? Very few pieces of furniture are designed to withstand 300#, without greatly shortening its life. Maybe that is why professional athletes (football, basketball, etc.) have to have just about everything custom made for themselves. I have never been able to buy a suit "off the rack" because of my physical size. Did I think that it all was a big conspiracy to make me have to pay to have everything professionally altered? No. It was just a fact of life.

 

 

If every car manufacturer had to design their compact cars for that range (as normal), or as an analogy, if every airline had to make all of their seats 3 or 4 feet wide – instead of 2 feet wide, in order to accommodate "larger people", I think that you would agree that there would be a much greater cost to everyone(through elimination of seats). Personally, I would like them to eliminate a couple of rows and give me additional leg room for my long legs. Don't you think that is an awful amount to ask from everyone else? All of those women/men that are 100 to 175# must pay extra to appease your comfort, or so that you don't have to pay for two seats (with some airlines) . . . or eliminate a couple rows of seats and add the lost revenue from those seats to everyone else – to accommodate my long legs? Guess what. . . they have that in first class don't they?

 

 

Sometimes in life, help (helpful things as you put it) comes in different forms. Sometimes it is just a comment to awaken another that maybe one needs to look to oneself for the answers why things seem to be against them in life . . . when in fact, they are of ones own doing. Realization of reality is oftentimes a tough pill to swallow . . . but sometimes is exactly the right dose to turn things around.

 

Good luck to you, brair and if you a legitimate claim as OC put it, you will prevail. If not, then maybe it's time . . .

[OAC_Sparky]

Just a point of clarification. The dealer didn't use the specific term "owner abuse", although in the eyes of Ford "owner abuse" and "excessive wear" are synonymous.

 

And in the end it comes down to the same end -- Ford denies the claim and if the dealer doesn't charge you, they're out the money.

 

I bought a new car from Airport back in the '90s, but I didn't like the service department there so I normally don't go there for anything except parts. But that said, they followed proper prescribed procedure to replace the damaged frame and were going to charge you accordingly. I would pretty much guarantee that Ford would not want just anyone welding seat frames -- were the weld to fail while you were driving that would end up with a whole slew of other issues.

 

Mohawk, like I said, (kindly) offered you a second option; which you took advantage of that, knowing in advance what the alternative is -- either not repair the car and wait until you fight it out with Ford, or payout the (IIRC) $1400 Airport was going to charge you.

 

And as one of the dealers put it, while it is unfortunate that you aren't happy, you're welcome to buy that Toyota or Honda because, and I quote, "we get those in here as trade-ins and their seats are no stronger than ours".

Edited March 21, 2008 by OAC_Sparky

[sullivanbob2000]

I could remember reading somewhere that all car seats are to be able to support a person that weighs 500 lbs. and the seat belts as well. This is a general rule per the US Dept. of Transporataion, required of all manufacturers.

[brair]

Well it's a mute point now.

 

You no longer have said vehicle as per a post of yours, and I don't think it's a court case now, because of that.

 

IF the dealer repaired it for you, and your paying them is an acceptance of your request for a repair, that wouldn't work to your flavor either.

 

You came here seeking assistance and you found it, you also found rebuttal's to the problem. This is an open place where everyone speaks, just like 12 angry men.

 

Ford might pop in to read but highly doubtful the people you want to read it.

 

I just play a solicitor on TV, but not in real life.

 

Comments coming back to me were now upping my weight ,which I reported accurately at 295 lbs,to 400lbs. and either me or the Ford Focus were referred to as clowns or clown cars.I just put that in about the Toyota Camry as bait for the "Flamers".Based on the hatred that I bought an import generated, I guess I caught a few.

 

I still own the car.I probably will for a while for a while as its value has decreased to just half in a little over two years.

 

I am currently seeing a dietician and working on an exercise program.Thanks for your support.

 

Regards,

Brair

[Noah Harbinger]

Well it's a mute point now.

 

Sorry to be an English Nazi but it's a "moot" point. It sounds like a cow's "moo" plus a T.

[dfs]

There is a misconception that customers buy their vehicle from Ford. They bought from a dealer who has the responsibility to manage the customer's owning experience.

 

The dealership determined that the seat damage was not a warrantable condition and Ford service employees agreed with their assessment. Contacting Ford only opens up a customer contact that is forwarded back to the dealership for handling.

 

In 99% of the issues, the best source of resolution is the dealership. Go back to your salesperson, the sales manager and the General Manager/Dealer and ask for consideration (if the service department won't assist.) When you go around the dealership, they assume they have lost you as a customer, and therefore they have no incentive to try to help any further.

 

The best course is to reinforce that you would like your selling dealership to be your long term source for all your vehicle and service needs. They will be more inclined to request Ford's assistance in an unusual situation and participate in the cost of the repair. When a dealer goes to the Ford and says "We have a good customer that has a concern that is outside of basic warranty. We would like to help, and we will cover 30%- 50% of the cost of the repair. Will Ford also assist in the repair cost?" Ford almost universally agrees. The dealership has demonstrated their commitment to maintaining the customer. And Ford will support their customer (the dealership.)

 

 

On the other hand, when the dealership gets ongoing "open concern" reports from Ford to handle and the customer says they will never buy another Ford, they say to the Ford personnel, that this customer is lost and none of us should spend any more time or money on them. And if you say that you are going to sue, then all conversation stops. Your lawyers can talk to their lawyers.

 

Generally the customer sets the tone for the ongoing relationship. If you start off threatening or demanding instead of managing the relationship, you are shutting the door on yourself.

Edited March 22, 2008 by dfs