Ford - never again (Think Ford)

Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2003
Posts
23,627
Car booked in for diagnostics for a flat battery today. I need the car for this weekend for a family gathering - people travelling from france etc..

Put a multimeter on the alternator etc earlier in the week - the alternator gave 12v hence it's banjaxed.

Phoned ThinkFord earlier this week - advised them of the issue and the bloke at the end of the phone said that he would order an alternator in. Awesome - basically it would mean that I'd have the car ready for the weekend.

Dropped off the car this morning, biked back to the house and then got a call from a nice, polite, lady indicating that the Alternator is at fault and that they can order the part in to be fitted for Monday. I say that the part should be there because the guy ordered it. She informs me that this is not standard process.

This has basically ****ed the family gathering with the french side coming to the UK (at least 8 people).

So queue me running around like a blue ****ed fly - found an alternator at a different dealership (Trust Ford) just down the road in Epsom.

Kwik fit don't fit customer supplied parts (only bits they order.. again next week).. independent garage is wednesday first available slot..

Took back the car - the manager pulled us into his office.. think he could see how much of a **** up it's made, tried offering all sorts but doesn't solve the fundamental problem - they need to understand that customer service has moved away from the 1970s car dealership treatment.. especially as the ford CEO is attempting to be Apple of cars.. (not to mention stressed out french redhead..)

So, now have to fit it myself - simply remove the aircon, aux belt (luck has it that the timing for the valves and crank are on a different belt) - that belt removal means taking off the wheel, wheel arch trim...

So I should have it done tomorrow morning after working out the fine details of how to re-tension the belt. Was meant to be down there earlier.. but it will delay us but we will have some time rather than no time.. no thanks to anyone else..

I started writing this in the morning.. then finished it sat here with the work todo.

I think car dealerships have a lot to learn, the world has moved on in customer services.

/rant.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
10,163
Location
7th Level of Hell...
So its not actually Ford thats at fault (as your post title suggests), but that particular garage?

Yes I know you put the garage name in it but your title still makes people initially think its Ford in it entirety.

Also, its not standard procedure to order parts in prior to the garage diagnosing the fault. It wont be the first time that a customer has misdiagnosed a fault then the garage i left holding a part they might not use for a while.
 
Associate
Joined
10 Oct 2011
Posts
936
It's hard to advise without first seeing pics of the French redhead.

The reality is that very few garages will order parts in advance of a car being taken in (after all you could cancel and they'd be left with a part). The odd thing is that they could have checked it in the morning and got one delivered and fitted in the afternoon, that's where they dropped the ball.

As others have said the easiest thing would have been to ask for a courtesy car since they have made a mistake.
 

Deleted member 66701

D

Deleted member 66701

(luck has it that the timing for the valves and crank are on a different belt)

I know it's nitpicky to pick out a single item from your post, but I don't know of a single car that uses the timing belt to drive the alternator as well.

But yeah, as others have said, I'd have just got a hire car.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
12,645
The easy option here was to just let them fix the car, and get a courtesy/hire car.... If you felt strongly enough, get them to fund it...
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Jan 2008
Posts
2,923
Location
Peterboro, Distro:Ubuntu
Also, its not standard procedure to order parts in prior to the garage diagnosing the fault. It wont be the first time that a customer has misdiagnosed a fault then the garage i left holding a part they might not use for a while.

If I ring a garage and order a part in then I expect that part to be ordered at that moment.

No ifs
No ands
No buts

Must be a Ford thing.

Years ago (and it was years) the throttle cable on my Mk1 Capri 3000E broke and I cycled to Peterborough Motors (Ford) and asked to buy a new one.

"What year sir"?

"J reg" (original J)

"Dagenham or Cologne"

"How the hell would I know that, and what difference would it make" ?

"Probably none Sir but I'm not going to sell you it if you don't know the manufacturing plant as you'll only bring it back"

"No I wont"

He simply refused to sell me it.

I ended up jamming the throttle at 2.5k rpm and driving to Trackstar at Deeping and buying a throttle cable for a speedway bike and fettling it to fit.

Kewl red cable cover on it though !
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jun 2013
Posts
9,315
Why didn't the manager offer you a courtesy car if he was trying all sorts to make you happy? Did you ask for one, or did it just not occur to you as you were so stressed and fixated on getting your car repaired?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
90,805
OPs post makes absolutely no sense. The problem has been entirely of your own making as far as I can see, and certainly no reason to never use a particular brand of car again.

I assume he took them at their word that they'd order the part earlier in the week? which was kind of naive but still.

Hate how companies get away with lying like that but seems to be increasingly the thing based on it being harder for a customer to walk away once they have a foot in the door and/or most customers don't like to complain/kick us a fuss.
 
Soldato
Joined
26 Jun 2011
Posts
4,902
If I ring a garage and order a part in then I expect that part to be ordered at that moment.

No ifs
No ands
No buts

This is a really moronic and blinkered view of looking at things. Ordering parts in involves various people so you have to be ready for that rare **** up.

Also who drops a car off without checking the part has even arrived? :confused:

I blame you for your sitatuion. Who doesn't have a back up plan in this sort of situation?
 
Back
Top Bottom