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Don’t buy a Ford


Auburn Al

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If Ford ever wondered why they are losing brand value to the Japanese brands I have the reason. I’ve purchased three Toyota’s in 18 years and have put over 400K miles on them. I decided to purchase a NEW truck for the first time ever. I settled on the nearly 80K Ford Raptor as a 40th present to myself. At 6000 miles I started having oil pressure issues and transmission issues. The dealer I purchased it from said I should bring it in. I did that at 8,000 miles. I brought it in and must say that Grapevine Ford must be the worst service organization. The service group was lightly staffed on that day and had to search for someone to give my truck to.  The two service managers were not around, but I grabbed their cards. I left messages with both of them. One never called me back and the other’s VM says it’s broken so I need to text him, which I did. While I was waiting around I asked for some water and was told “there is a water fountain inside.” No attempts to say “let me go get that or offer a bottle water.” No attempts to go the extra mile when I clearly have major issues. The manager and I spoke on Monday and when I asked him about a loaner his response was “Did you buy that with the warranty?” Wow! Didn’t realize I needed to do that as I never bought a new car and quite frankly never had an issue with one of the Toyota’s in all those years. I would expect that you spend $80K on a car that would be the least they would do when it’s determined I have  head gaskets and transmission issues four months after purchase. I Ubered for a week and had great customer service. Upon picking it up on Friday I got in to find they had driven it for about 40 miles based on the paperwork. Did they fill it up with gas after making the repairs? Nope. Did they even wash it with all the dirt from having service guys all over it. No again. I asked about it and the response was astounding. “If you were my customer I would have made sure it was washed.” Really? So, the 80K I spent at Ford doesn’t constitute me as your customer. Ford just doesn’t get it. Fact is I WAS your customer, but will never return to Grapevine Ford let alone purchase another Ford. 

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Unfortunately Ford dealers are not Ford and truth is there is very little Ford can do about a bad dealer like that due to state laws.

What you can do is find a different dealer.  Factory warranty doesnt provide loaners but good dealers do.

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I bought a 98, 07, 2011, 2015 and now a 2020 on Order (your don't buy a Ford won't sway anyone).  Ford does not wash their vehicles (Lincoln does) and frankly since you keep throwing out this $80k number like it should make a difference...  FYI, Raptors start at $55k so if I bought one for $55k and you bought one for $80k because you optioned it more, you should get better treatment than I????   Exactly, so stop throwing out how much you paid, it does not make you any more special over any other person who bought a Ford.

I would never want a dealership's low paid recondition crew washing my vehicles and putting swirls in the clear coat.  Even on delivery I tell them not to wash it, they can detail the inside and dress the tires but that is it.

Ford does not pay for rentals (again, normal).  Some dealers have their own fleet of vehicles at their expense.  My dealership that I have been going to for 10 years now just started this last year.  Guess what you get for free...  and EcoSport.  Granted it is still free but it is also first come first serve.

If you buy Ford's ESP (I can get you one at cost), then you get a rental vehicle up to $50 per day covered for up to 10 days.  There is also a 1st day rental option for under $100 where you drive away with one upon drop off instead of waiting 24 hours.

What I don't understand is why you would drive 2,000 miles after the dealership said to drop it off with 2 major issues (oil pressure and transmission). 

Rental vehicles are covered in your manual/warranty guide that comes with the vehicle.  Sound like you haven't spent the time to read through it.  There is a lot of info in there, I'd suggest you read it.

Edited by blwnsmoke
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So, where DID you buy it and why didn't you bring it back there....I find it absolutely hilarious that you would come to a Ford forum and your very first post is "Don't buy a Ford"....my advice to you is to simply step off, but I will be nice and patiently await your reply...but I am guessing that you are likely a "one and done" poster, just here to bitch about something that clearly is a dealer issue...

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I took it to the closest dealer like I was instructed to do from the sales manager that I bought it from. They didn’t offer to help either so that’s two dealerships if you really wanted to know.

If you want to compete with the other luxury brands, which they do then you better train your dealers to have some customer service. 

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7 hours ago, Auburn Al said:

I took it to the closest dealer like I was instructed to do from the sales manager that I bought it from. They didn’t offer to help either so that’s two dealerships if you really wanted to know.

If you want to compete with the other luxury brands, which they do then you better train your dealers to have some customer service. 

I don't care if your Escape is a "top of the line Titanium model", it is not a luxury vehicle and is covered under a standard warranty which in your case, has expired....I am curious as to why the sales manager would tell you to go somewhere else for service....I am guessing you are what is referred to in the industry as a "toxic customer". But on a positive note, thank you for not being a "one and done" poster....so, which luxury GMC will you be trading your top of the line Escape Titanium in for?

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I'm not sure how the Ford dealer network is in Alabama, but in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it kind of sucks. Most of the Ford dealers are owned by AutoNation or by other large dealership groups and they pretty much all suck when it comes to service. I don't buy anything but Fords, but if I were to base what I buy based on my dealership experience, I would never buy a Ford. I've had to deal with other dealerships (Chevy, Kia, Mini, etc.) and they were all easier to deal with than any DFW Ford dealer. I did purchase my son't Mustang at a Ford dealer in Wichita Falls and that whole experience could not have been better, but it was privately owned, and you could tell.

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31 minutes ago, NLPRacing said:

I'm not sure how the Ford dealer network is in Alabama, but in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it kind of sucks. Most of the Ford dealers are owned by AutoNation or by other large dealership groups and they pretty much all suck when it comes to service. I don't buy anything but Fords, but if I were to base what I buy based on my dealership experience, I would never buy a Ford. I've had to deal with other dealerships (Chevy, Kia, Mini, etc.) and they were all easier to deal with than any DFW Ford dealer. I did purchase my son't Mustang at a Ford dealer in Wichita Falls and that whole experience could not have been better, but it was privately owned, and you could tell.

Conglomerates like AutoNation, CarMax et al. are ruining the good names of fantastic privately owned dealers. The only thing they care about is volume, they couldn't care less about customer service. 

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13 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

Conglomerates like AutoNation, CarMax et al. are ruining the good names of fantastic privately owned dealers. The only thing they care about is volume, they couldn't care less about customer service. 

To be fair though there are a LOT of crappy privately owned dealers out there too.   I have 2 in my area that I've bought from - 1 is fantastic and 1 not so much.

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13 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

Conglomerates like AutoNation, CarMax et al. are ruining the good names of fantastic privately owned dealers. The only thing they care about is volume, they couldn't care less about customer service. 

Add Lithia to that pile...they are slowly entering my region when they bought out the regional chain of automobile stores.

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19 hours ago, Auburn Al said:

I took it to the closest dealer like I was instructed to do from the sales manager that I bought it from. They didn’t offer to help either so that’s two dealerships if you really wanted to know.

If you want to compete with the other luxury brands, which they do then you better train your dealers to have some customer service. 

As stated, Ford is not luxury and not trying to compete with Luxury.  That's what Lincoln is for.  That is also why Lincolns get free rentals, free car washes, and a longer warranty.  Same reason Toyota has Lexus, GM has Cadillac, VW has Audi and Porsche, Nissan has Infinity etc.  

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An occasional troublesome vehicle out of millions is plausible, but you would have had more credibility here if you didn't make it into a Toyota commercial.  America was not built on the backs of foreign trucks.  I think there's millions of Ford trucks out there working every day with several hundred thousand miles on each of them.  Ford has nothing to prove to a Toyota fanboy.

 

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Been a Ford owner, including 1 Merc and 1 Lincoln for 39 years, which stopped in Nov 2015. 

The Ford Dealers in Mpls/St Paul are arrogant, insulting and won't give a decent deal.
I know it's not Ford's fault but it's too bad they can't have more control over who sells their product.

 

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On 6/3/2019 at 9:43 AM, akirby said:

To be fair though there are a LOT of crappy privately owned dealers out there too.   I have 2 in my area that I've bought from - 1 is fantastic and 1 not so much.

This is also true. The dealer closest to me is awful. They don't ever have any good deals. I'm amazed they do the volume they do when there's 3 other dealers within 15 miles, all of which are much more willing to negotiate and make deals. 

Edited by fuzzymoomoo
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On 6/3/2019 at 8:43 PM, jniffen said:

Been a Ford owner, including 1 Merc and 1 Lincoln for 39 years, which stopped in Nov 2015. 

The Ford Dealers in Mpls/St Paul are arrogant, insulting and won't give a decent deal.
I know it's not Ford's fault but it's too bad they can't have more control over who sells their product.

 

I have found the sales team at North Country Ford/Lincoln in Coon Rapids to be excellent.   

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11 hours ago, brucelinc said:

I have found the sales team at North Country Ford/Lincoln in Coon Rapids to be excellent.   

since I'm on the southwest side it's a bit of a drive, how's the service department?
Also after I bought my Volvo S60 I went to Bloomington Linc and they seemed to treat one as an adult, not having to go along etc.
That was the main reason of buying from Borton, you were treated as an adult.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 6/3/2019 at 7:55 AM, NLPRacing said:

I'm not sure how the Ford dealer network is in Alabama, but in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it kind of sucks. Most of the Ford dealers are owned by AutoNation or by other large dealership groups and they pretty much all suck when it comes to service. I don't buy anything but Fords, but if I were to base what I buy based on my dealership experience, I would never buy a Ford. I've had to deal with other dealerships (Chevy, Kia, Mini, etc.) and they were all easier to deal with than any DFW Ford dealer. I did purchase my son't Mustang at a Ford dealer in Wichita Falls and that whole experience could not have been better, but it was privately owned, and you could tell.

My local Alabama dealer, Long-Lewis Ford is decent.  Their service group is good, and they seem honest.  I don't have them do much service because my F150s have not needed much service.  Current 2015 at 110k miles and exactly one service visit.  My 2010 was sold at 130k miles and needed one service.  

 

Ted Wilke

1992 Mustang LX Convertible, 527RWHP

2015 F150 supercrew platinum

 

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  • 1 month later...

As with anything else there are good and bad service providers.  My local Ford dealer is privately owned and has been great to work with.  In process of buying a 2020 Explrorer from them now.  Subaru on the other side has gone down hill.  Had to get a repair for the wifes car and they couldnt be bothered since it was a recall.  Another 30 mins away was more than happy to take it in the next day.

 

 

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For me it’s can’t buy a ford, not don’t buy a ford! Been a Ford/Merc sedan owner since my 1959 Merc. Owned Fairlanes, Galaxies, LTD’s, etc. Now on my last Fusion Hybrid, end of the sedan line for Ford. Future, Subaru???

 

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  • 1 month later...

As mentioned you have to find a good dealer. I had multiple disappointments with one in Dearborn, down the street from Ford HQ. Never going back. Found another one and so far I have been treated well with all issues taken care of the first time. I drive a little further but it has been worth it.

Edited by Hard Driver
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