Is Ford's Quality Control and Poor Customer Service to blame for rapid declining sales?

[ncgrogan]

To whom it may concern and all who will listen,

 

Wednesday, January 17 I purchased a new 2007 Ford Ranger XLT from my local Ford Dealer. Everything was fine during the sale of the vehicle. The salesman was knowledgable, friendly and very helpful. The other staff at the dealership were also equally up to par. During the purchase I test drove the vehilce and walked around the vehicle multiple times with the salesman and my girlfriend checking for obvious defects in the truck. The truck was beautiful and the fit and finish of the truck were excellant based on my observation at this time. After the sale was completed, we stood in front of the truck admiring the passenger side and noting how well the detailer did on the truck.

 

Two and a half days later, I was walking to the truck out of best buy and noticed what looked like salt or dirt, possibly from the recent winter weather. Upon inspection I found this

 

 

 

I took the truck immediately back to the dealer and had them look at it. One of their service reps determined that the truck was not fully painted in these areas and the primer coat was cleared over. The paint is completely smooth and the clear coat is flawless. However someone forgot to paint a 3-4 inch wide 5 foot long strip of the truck .

 

As would be expected I was furious and at the same time nouseous. This is the first new car I have ever bought. I work very hard for a living and take pride in what I do. I do realize that we all make mistakes and I myself have made plenty of them. However when I do, I try everything to make my clients, customers, whoever satisfied with my work.

 

That being said, the best Ford is willing to do is strip the clear off the area which is unpainted and have the body shop respray the truck. I do not feel this is acceptable. I paid good money for a new truck, not one that needs to be repainted. I would have bought a used one of that was the case. You can argue its the same thing as a new paint job, but how do you know? This is a large area to fix and there is no guarantee that the body shop will be able to blend the paint so that it is as flawless as a factory paint job. And that is besides the point, I paid for a fully painted truck. I should not have to accept a repainted truck.

 

I do not think I am being overly whiney or picky. I am not complaining about a mis-aligned bumper or a few scratches from transport. I do expect however to get a fully painted new truck. If I was Ford, I would be extremely embarressed and do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. I have given the customer service department 3 options.....replace the truck with a new fully painted truck, give me a discount of the truck, or strip it down completely ship it back to Ford and do it right. Isn't the motto....quality is number 1?? Does that really mean anything?

 

Ford can do two things here in my mind. They can sweep this under the table and pretend like it never happened. And I will, for the rest of my life, relay to everyone I can what kind of poor customer service Ford has....they do not even fully paint their cars. They lose myself as a customer and possibly many more. Or they can step up to the plate, admit that this is a huge mistake and take care of the problem to the customers satisfaction. To buy back a Ranger and resell it as a used vehicle, providing me with a new truck, means nothing to Fords finacial bottom line. However, it means everything to their public perception and customer bottom line. You make the choice Ford.

 

As you can see from the following pictures, this is why it is hard to see the missing paint. The reflection of the clear coat makes it almost impossible to see at many angles.

 

Edited January 22, 2007 by ncgrogan

[MGallun]

how about first, let them attempt to fix it.. you would be amazed what these painters can do.

 

anyways, let them fix the area and blend it, if it dont work and look good keep hageling..

Edited January 22, 2007 by MGallun

[ncgrogan]

how about first, let them attempt to fix it.. you would be amazed what these painters can do.

 

anyways, let them fix the area and blend it, if it dont work and look good keep hageling..

Then if it is not fixed to my satisfaction, the "new" paint job will be subject to question....If there is something wrong with the new paint job, no one will care and they will send me on my way. As it sits now, there is no question about the fact they did not paint the truck fully

[NLPRacing]

I know you must be very disappointed, but let them try to fix it first, and be super picky when you pick it up.

 

When I first bought my truck, I had to have it back to the dealer several times because the make ready guys didn't know how to properly clean an interior. On the third try, the dealer threw in some free tinting and another full tank of gas. They will make it right as long as you're stern and respectful.

 

When I had an accident with my 01 F150, the shop that worked on it had to redo it twice, but once it was done to my satisfaction, everything was fine. It's been almost 5 years since the accident and you would never be able to tell what they had fixed even if I pointed it out to you.

[jd87]

I think repainting it would be all any dealer(Ford, GM, Toyota, etc) would do for a minor cosmetic defect like that, but since it's only been a few days, who knows? It's really not a big deal to paint it, though. I've worked in a body shop for years and something like that would only take 2-3 days. You DEFINITELY should demand a loaner pickup to drive while it's being worked on since you're the one that forked out thousands of dollars for a brand new truck from them. the only thing I would worry about is that dealers typically are not known for having the best painters, but it's not the sprayer that makes the paintjob, it's the body work, and since that truck doesn't even need any body work, It should be fine. Just scuffing the clear, spraying it, wetsanding & buffing and you're set. I would give it a thorough inspection after it's done before even leaving the shop, preferably in clear sunlight.

 

I have to admit, though, that I find it hard to believe that no one noticed that when it was being assembled at the factory. A guy would think that the robots wouldn't have trouble painting the same pickup they've been building for the last 14 years. Good luck with it. These things can be pretty annoying.

[mrjones944]

You should have returned the truck for a refund as soon as you found the problem. I do not know why people do not use the law for their cause. Not saying that Ford isnt at fault for not doing a proper paint job but this didnt have to be your problem if you would have acted sooner.

[ncgrogan]

You should have returned the truck for a refund as soon as you found the problem. I do not know why people do not use the law for their cause. Not saying that Ford isnt at fault for not doing a proper paint job but this didnt have to be your problem if you would have acted sooner.

how soon? I can drop it off tonight

[cheri/ck]

I agree that you have every right to be upset and I would be too. And, on the other hand, the dealer is the one trying to make it right, so why not give them a chance? I do believe that you have a case with Ford though based on a de-valued new truck because of the paint repair.

 

If it were me, I would talk with the dealer about the problem and they will probably agree that a new truck should not need new paint due to a factory defect. If you can get the dealer on your side, let them do the paint work and have them go to bat for you over something from Ford. Maybe a nice extended warranty or after-market extras. I do believe that the new paint work has a good chance of working out well. And, if that is the case, make Ford throw in something extra for their mistake.

 

And, yes, you are right - it's not something that should ever happen from a major car manufacturer. And, then maybe you'll have good luck with your Ranger mechanically too. We have two of them now and they are both incredibly reliable irregardless of hard duty or mileage.

 

Good luck with the problem.

[Mark B. Morrow]

Then if it is not fixed to my satisfaction, the "new" paint job will be subject to question....If there is something wrong with the new paint job, no one will care and they will send me on my way. As it sits now, there is no question about the fact they did not paint the truck fully

 

 

They should be able to do a satisfactory job. After all they repair all manner of high end luxury cars when they are damaged. The painting technology has made great advances and the repainted area will certainly match the rest of the truck. The dealer should be willing to warrant the repair.

[FLLMTR]

Dude, press them to buy the vehicle back. It is a defect. Even if they do respray it, if you're like me, it will bug the shit out of you for as long as you own the vehicle.

 

I bought a 2003 Centennial Mustang GT Convertible. A week after the purchase I discovered that the driver door did not close flat against the body. I took it back to the dealer and they said trying to fix it would require repainting after the repair and that would lower the value of the vehicle. Since I worried that the car would come back with more problems than when it went in, I decided to suck it up and live with it. The happiest day of my life is when I traded in that car.

[terry5357]

If I am not mistaken, once you sign the paperwork the dealer does not have to take the car back, depending on the situation most will. Do not be misinformed that the dealer ship has to take the car back. This information comes from and an attorney when I wanted to do the same thing because I thought the truck I had purchased had been in a wreck.

 

The Dealer can tell you "tough luck buddy" if they are inclined to. You are basically at their mercy so use your manners and don't piss them off, Good Luck

[bec5150]

I am about as picky as they come and about as critical as Ford as well. I have never heard of something like this, but it's a truck. A Ranger. We're not talking about a 40K Lincoln so this whole "take it back, it's the end of the world" is a bit off of the deep end. I mean, if every vehicle was perfect everytime, then the warranty would be worthless, eh? Think about it.

 

If it were me, I would have them paint it and see how it comes out. If it is done right, it shouldn't devalue the truck in the least and you won't even notice it even though you know it's there.

 

They put the paint on so damn thin anymore (weight, cost, etc) that this doesn't surprise me. My Honda's paint will chip if you look at it sideways it's so thin.

[Eel]

To whom it may concern and all who will listen,

 

Wednesday, January 17 I purchased a new 2007 Ford Ranger XLT from my local Ford Dealer. Everything was fine during the sale of the vehicle. The salesman was knowledgable, friendly and very helpful. The other staff at the dealership were also equally up to par. During the purchase I test drove the vehilce and walked around the vehicle multiple times with the salesman and my girlfriend checking for obvious defects in the truck. The truck was beautiful and the fit and finish of the truck were excellant based on my observation at this time. After the sale was completed, we stood in front of the truck admiring the passenger side and noting how well the detailer did on the truck.

 

Two and a half days later, I was walking to the truck out of best buy and noticed what looked like salt or dirt, possibly from the recent winter weather. Upon inspection I found this

 

I took the truck immediately back to the dealer and had them look at it. One of their service reps determined that the truck was not fully painted in these areas and the primer coat was cleared over. The paint is completely smooth and the clear coat is flawless. However someone forgot to paint a 3-4 inch wide 5 foot long strip of the truck .

 

As would be expected I was furious and at the same time nouseous. This is the first new car I have ever bought. I work very hard for a living and take pride in what I do. I do realize that we all make mistakes and I myself have made plenty of them. However when I do, I try everything to make my clients, customers, whoever satisfied with my work.

 

That being said, the best Ford is willing to do is strip the clear off the area which is unpainted and have the body shop respray the truck. I do not feel this is acceptable. I paid good money for a new truck, not one that needs to be repainted. I would have bought a used one of that was the case. You can argue its the same thing as a new paint job, but how do you know? This is a large area to fix and there is no guarantee that the body shop will be able to blend the paint so that it is as flawless as a factory paint job. And that is besides the point, I paid for a fully painted truck. I should not have to accept a repainted truck.

 

I do not think I am being overly whiney or picky. I am not complaining about a mis-aligned bumper or a few scratches from transport. I do expect however to get a fully painted new truck. If I was Ford, I would be extremely embarressed and do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. I have given the customer service department 3 options.....replace the truck with a new fully painted truck, give me a discount of the truck, or strip it down completely ship it back to Ford and do it right. Isn't the motto....quality is number 1?? Does that really mean anything?

 

Ford can do two things here in my mind. They can sweep this under the table and pretend like it never happened. And I will, for the rest of my life, relay to everyone I can what kind of poor customer service Ford has....they do not even fully paint their cars. They lose myself as a customer and possibly many more. Or they can step up to the plate, admit that this is a huge mistake and take care of the problem to the customers satisfaction. To buy back a Ranger and resell it as a used vehicle, providing me with a new truck, means nothing to Fords finacial bottom line. However, it means everything to their public perception and customer bottom line. You make the choice Ford.

 

As you can see from the following pictures, this is why it is hard to see the missing paint. The reflection of the clear coat makes it almost impossible to see at many angles.

 

 

 

I had an experience that may give you more faith in the dealer. Back in 2003 I took my new GT to the dealer for an oil change. A guy working for the dealer backed an Explorer into my new car's front bumper. I was nice on the outside, while burning up inside.

 

The dealer ordered a new bumper, painted it and installed it. The quality of the work was fine. The paint matched perfectly. Another positive was that upon doing a Carfax on the car a year later, the repair never made the record book.

 

Additionally, the dealer provided a Mach 1 chin spoiler for free. And they installed it just like the factory. I was very pleased.

 

Give the dealer a chance, you may be pleasantly surprised.

[J-150]

your dealer is an asshole too.

 

Do you honestly think that all of the people that touched that truck didn't notice? Hell yes they did and they gave it to you anyway. If they pointed out the flaw to you before signing for it, you would not have accepted the truck. And they also get to make the money off the repairs. Nice.

 

 

So like I have said many times... the dealers are the weak link here. This just proves it further.

[TheLemon]

your dealer is an asshole too.

 

Do you honestly think that all of the people that touched that truck didn't notice? Hell yes they did and they gave it to you anyway. If they pointed out the flaw to you before signing for it, you would not have accepted the truck. And they also get to make the money off the repairs. Nice.

So like I have said many times... the dealers are the weak link here. This just proves it further.

 

Wow! It's strange that I agree with you on this one!

[ebritt]

It should have been obvious while the truck was on the hauler to be delivered.....

[macattack]

Take it back and have a talk with the sales manager as to why they would sell a vehicle like this........MOST honest dealers would let you trade this truck for another in stock due to the error made by the dealer for taking delivery of this truck from ford in the first place and secondly selling it to you. I had a similar issue and the dealership was willing to work with me on this in this manner. If your dealership fails to try and work something out for you i'd still drop it off with both sets of keys,take your plate off and leave. Then next call fmcc and inform them(they will waste no time to tell you that you can't do this and in doing this your credit rating will be in trouble) tell them gmac will gladly handle a new car loan for you...for a vehicle that is NEW in every way. See what happens then!!! ps. if fmcc threatens you with court action tell them you'll see them in court with your photos in hand/i don't think they would like that kind of p.r. considering fords financial posture as of now!

[ebritt]

Take it back and have a talk with the sales manager as to why they would sell a vehicle like this........MOST honest dealers would let you trade this truck for another in stock due to the error made by the dealer for taking delivery of this truck from ford in the first place and secondly selling it to you. I had a similar issue and the dealership was willing to work with me on this in this manner. If your dealership fails to try and work something out for you i'd still drop it off with both sets of keys,take your plate off and leave. Then next call fmcc and inform them(they will waste no time to tell you that you can't do this and in doing this your credit rating will be in trouble) tell them gmac will gladly handle a new car loan for you...for a vehicle that is NEW in every way. See what happens then!!! ps. if fmcc threatens you with court action tell them you'll see them in court with your photos in hand/i don't think they would like that kind of p.r. considering fords financial posture as of now!

I agree.

[ncgrogan]

I spoke with the owner of the dealership yesterday afternoon late and by 6pm this afternoon I now have the exact same truck....same features, options, etc. its even the same color ...just a different vin #. The owner is definately the one who made things right. This afternoon when I went into the dealership the service manager was extremely appologetic and cordial. The general sales manager was there and appologized as well for the inconvienence. I even got a free bed liner out of the deal. We all went and inspected the truck very very carefully. There was a small scuff from transport or whatever but Im really not all that picky. I just ask that the whole truck be painted. The service manager said he spoke with the QA rep in the region and they were looking into what happened on the line to allow this to get to the dealer. Whether that happens or not I dont know but at least things were made right in my mind. Thank you Huntersville Ford

[macattack]

That advice is great. If you want to owe FMC money AND hurt your credit.

Not true.......they may claim you owe them because you took the truck however in this case it's apparent the supposed "NEW" truck was faulty from the get-go and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words....in this instance you'd either be off the hook for the truck or something other than a paint job would be worked out. Because of the state of ford's financial status...ford or the dealership for that matter wouldn't want any embarrassment of this kind...settling this would be much easier......he should go for it!!!................glad to see everything worked out...most people are honest if given the chance.

Edited January 25, 2007 by macattack

[NickF1011]

I spoke with the owner of the dealership yesterday afternoon late and by 6pm this afternoon I now have the exact same truck....same features, options, etc. its even the same color ...just a different vin #. The owner is definately the one who made things right. This afternoon when I went into the dealership the service manager was extremely appologetic and cordial. The general sales manager was there and appologized as well for the inconvienence. I even got a free bed liner out of the deal. We all went and inspected the truck very very carefully. There was a small scuff from transport or whatever but Im really not all that picky. I just ask that the whole truck be painted. The service manager said he spoke with the QA rep in the region and they were looking into what happened on the line to allow this to get to the dealer. Whether that happens or not I dont know but at least things were made right in my mind. Thank you Huntersville Ford

 

If only every dealer treated customers like this, Ford would be just fine.

[Drake]

I had paint coming off my front bumper about a year after I got my Explorer. It was a Saleen part. Saleen is a total joke when it comes to fixing something wrong with any off their stuff. They laid a second color on top of clear coat and it starting peeling off. My dealer stepped up and repainted the bumper for me. They quit selling Saleens their because of them not honoring their warranties. Some dealers are definatly better than others. Congrats on your new Ranger. They're tough trucks.

[mrjones944]

how soon? I can drop it off tonight

In michigan you have 7 days unlimited miles to return a car...I believe... with no penalties.

[Deanh]

I spoke with the owner of the dealership yesterday afternoon late and by 6pm this afternoon I now have the exact same truck....same features, options, etc. its even the same color ...just a different vin #. The owner is definately the one who made things right. This afternoon when I went into the dealership the service manager was extremely appologetic and cordial. The general sales manager was there and appologized as well for the inconvienence. I even got a free bed liner out of the deal. We all went and inspected the truck very very carefully. There was a small scuff from transport or whatever but Im really not all that picky. I just ask that the whole truck be painted. The service manager said he spoke with the QA rep in the region and they were looking into what happened on the line to allow this to get to the dealer. Whether that happens or not I dont know but at least things were made right in my mind. Thank you Huntersville Ford

Glad you are satisfied and cudo's to the dealer for stepping up to the plate and making the situation right...AND quickly....Cheers.

[Deanh]

your dealer is an asshole too.

 

Do you honestly think that all of the people that touched that truck didn't notice? Hell yes they did and they gave it to you anyway. If they pointed out the flaw to you before signing for it, you would not have accepted the truck. And they also get to make the money off the repairs. Nice.

So like I have said many times... the dealers are the weak link here. This just proves it further.

Check the resolution...was dealt with correctly and expediantly...