Town Square Ford dishonest Lincolnton North Carolina
I called the dealer to make a service appointment for a Service Engine light that was on. They told me I could drop it off the folowing morning. When I took it in to drop it off, They asked if I wanted anything else, I said as long as it was in do the oil, rotate tires, she asked if I wanted new air filters and said the repair would run about $300. I said OK.
At 4:45 we went in to pick the vehicle up, I paid $313. I get in the van and the service engine light was on. I went in and talked to the servie manger. He pretty much told me it was my fault. His person did not write the check engine problem down on the service order. He said he can't work on it unless it is written down.
Since I do not fill out the repair order, I did not see how this was my fault. He said they can only work on things they are authorized to do. They told me several different stories. The mechanic didn't see it, they didn't know, I spoke to a different service writer when I made the appoinment, etc.
When I get back to work, I notice the hub caps are gone,(dealer rotated tire) also it was not $300 to fix the check engine light, that is just for rotate the tires and change the oil, it did not include fixing the light.
For the hubcaps they told us that they were on when we left so it is not their fault. But if they put them on wrong, then it is. They were the last people to put them on. They said they would replace them with used ones, but without any timeframe.
Still don't have them, in fact they were on when we left, so the told us they would but never gave them, but every time they are confronted they say they offered. So where are they? Also they are very observant, they notice hub caps on cars when they leave, but they don't notice "check engine light" on when it is in the shop.
They said, it goes off when it tries to reset, they said the machanic didn't see it, they said the machinic seen it but it wasn't on. So we are just really not sure, all we know is it was on when we dropped it off, and it was on as soon as we got it and it had never gone off since.
Then we are told we need to bring it back the nexy day.
When we went back the next day, they told us they could not work on it they were busy, we would need to drop it off for the day.
Then they call back two hours later and tell us to bring it in again.
They explained that they had a breakdown in their process and that the service writer failed to write down the item from the appointment log. But since the tech never seen the light on, in fact he insists it was never on, and since the hub caps were on when I pulled away. It is my fault and I am trying to get something I shouldn't. So I paid $313 to this dealer for an oil change and new filters + $100 for new hubcaps, over $400
But I called three other dealerships and the highest quote I received so to repair the light is $150.
So beware they like to blame on you, they can't reproduce the problems, as seen in another report on here, and they like to accuse people of trying to rip them off, but remember they have your money.
Tim
Lincolnton, North Carolina
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
T
L,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
No, don't try to switch blame to the parts store
#6Author of original report
Thu, July 20, 2006
Bottom line
I took the vehicle to the dealer for an oil change and a Check Engine light and walked out without $300, hub caps and didn't have the Check Engine light repaired. So it is not the fault of Autozone in fact I never said Autozone. It is not the fact that there was $300 woth of service done to the vehicle, just not the servicve that was requested or authorized by me.
Say you go to the counter of a fast food place, say to the person I am so hungry I could eat a cow, now i'm gonna start with one of them big burgers and as you are walking out yuou get a bill for $3000 for cow. Are you taking it home with you? Are you paying the bill? Of course not, that is not what you ordered. Now maybe you could use one, it would save you a lot of money in the future, reduced cost of beef. blah blah blah.
I didn't ask for it to be done unless it was part of fixing light.
Tim
MONTROSE,Colorado,
U.S.A.
HERE WE GO AGAIN
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, July 19, 2006
OMG, you took it to Autozone for a free scan, and they told you that you needed an EGR valve. Boy, this ought to be interesting now. I think this was covered in a recent report allready. Now your saying they flushed your radiator, and changed some filters? Which filters, Fuel? Cost is looking more in line every day. Depending on the year of your Ford product, Earlier, you probably have a bad egr sensor. Later models, probably a DPFE sensor. or plugged DPFE hoses. You will not know until you have it diagnosed properly, and this does not include Autozone or any other free diag.
T
L,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Sorry for the confusion
#6Author of original report
Wed, July 19, 2006
how were we able to get an accurate quote?
We had mentioned to our neighbor what was going on and he does a lot of his own repair work, he told me that I could take the vehicle to most of the national parts stores and they hook it up to the scanner thing for FREE. So that is what we did, they told us it was a VGR valve. We called three dealers and asked how much the part was and how long it would take to install they all quoted $75 for the part and approx 1 hour labor to install, which in this area is also approx $75 an hour. Making the quote $150. Sooo lesson learned.
The other is, we did not say it was all four, we said hubcaps plural, so it was more than one, but does not mean all four.
I did not have them do a scheduled maint, they asked if they should replace filters or change radiator fluid and I said "yes if it were going to fix the light" as I do not know what causes it to come on you need a scanner. So I am not sure what sensor is causing it to come on. They did not hear about the check light part at all and insisted I never told anyone about the light, but they said "they found an error in their process that caused this to happen" That they did not transfer from the appointment log to the service log.
Ahhh so I made an appoinment to get a check engine light fixed. The service writer didn't have that information. She writes down I WANT new filters. Maybe she doesn't even know when I say about "the light", what I am talking about. SO they have a breakdown in their process, great and that is my problem how? We had new air filter put in the vehicle 3 weeks prior when we had a new battery installed. We have the receipt. We did not have it done at the dealer because the vehicle is out of warranty, it only has 36k but it is 5 years old though. "They" had replaced the air filter too, did it need it?
When I said I paid $300 for an oil change, I say that because I made an appointment for an oil change and a check engine light, and when I drop the vehicle off, I am assuming when she tells me it is going to be $300 that I am going to get those items fixed. She didn't aske me what I was dropping it off for, I did not sign anything when I dropped it off, they didn't give me anything. They claim they are a small dealer and don't do those types of things they are more informal.
So I will now go to the bigger more formal dealers, because I like signing up front what they will work on.
Tim
MONTROSE,Colorado,
U.S.A.
i'M NOT BUYING IT
#6Consumer Comment
Tue, July 18, 2006
I have to throw in the BS card here, granted, 300 dollars for an oil change and rotate is ridiculous, you said you called three other dealers, and they said it would be 150 max to fix the check engine light. How could they tell you this without at least scanning the vehicle? No dealer in their right mind would quote the price to fix your problem over the phone. they can only quote the basic diagnostic price. It could run from $70 to $1000. Only CLEO the psycic could accurately diagnose your problem over the phone. And I've been trying to get her to work for my shop for years, to no avail.
Also, you said your hub caps fell off, I can see the dealer not getting 1 cap on securely, But all 4???? NOPE!!! I'm not defending any Dealers, because as you reported, 300 for an L-O-F andn rotate is robbery, if they acually charged that much. I'm willing to bet that you had them do a scheduled maintenace, which would explain the cost. Still the dealers charge that much for a glorified Lube, Oil and filter. I think you did get ripped off buy this dealer, but I also think you have embellished this report way to much. TIM
T
L,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Corrected last sentance
#6Author of original report
Tue, July 18, 2006
Corecting the last sentance since this site won't let you edit.
Beware They treated ME like it was my fault and that I was trying to get something for nothing but they have MY money.