For those of you that don't know me I'm a tolerant guy, but not when it comes to incompetence. Case in point........

4month old FX4...flawless!!!!! Flawless paint, fit, finish....flawless!!I take same to my local dealer where I have been going for 7 years for O/F and a tire rotation......its first...rotation that is.

Tech starts removing center hubs with LARGE UGLY METAL SCREWDRIVER!!!!!!!!! in prep for removing wheels. I wince, but say, "What the hell...the guys a tech so he knows what he's doing, right???"

WRONG!!!....After they are done I inspect all four wheels......all are gouged next to the hub notch on the aluminum wheel from the BIG UGLY METAL SCREWDRIVER!!!! What are these people thinking????? Where do they find these mouth breathers???? I am not a tech, but I would know better than to pry against soft aluminum with a big steel screwdriver!!! Use a wedge under the screwdriver or a plastic coated plier handle or a stick or a cloth!!!!!!!! Is that an unreasonable expectation....common sense in action, or am I unreasonable???

Well, I complain....very politely I might add even though I am livid!! My hand keeps shaking toward my Glock 36 under my jacket. I feel the boss senses this ( my lividness...not the Glock) as his only response after viewing the damage is......."Drive around to parts so I can get some info so we can get you 4 new wheels."

I pity the tech ( not really, he's a moron) but I laud Hiller Ford in Hales Corners WI for taking care of this issue.

From now on.....I'll remove my own hubs prior to a rotation....the world is full of morons and you can't be to careful these days!!!.

Greg

 

Yep, thats why I do all my own work.

Nobody cares about your vehicle as much you do.

 

I agree 100%, and do everything I possibly can...

But I bought a used GTP a while back, very clean low mileage car. Part of the deal was for them to replace a broken hazard switch, and align the car. Well, when I pick it up I get in drive it home focusing on the handling, well when I finally walk away I notice the front valance is cracked, actually it was torn up through each fog light cut out. I hurried back to the dealership, and ask for the service manager who inspects, then goes to get the alignment guy... Who says on his way over to look at it, "What wrong the front catch on the alignment machine. Had to be an accident." The manager just told him to go back inside, and sent me down to the body shop. I got to drive a brand new Mercury Grand Marqui for a couple days. Even had them bring it to me at work, and brought my car back to me at work.

They were very nice about it, so I was okay...

 

did you catch him putting the caps back on with a large mallet?

They do that too. They whack the ***** out of the caps to ensure they stay on... bending the retaining clips in the process.

 

Yeah, The jerks did the same thing to my rear wheels when they replaced my clutch pacs. I didn't notice it until about a week later when I washed it. If I had been there to see it I probably would have had the same reaction. I was hoping they would send one of those surveys so I could hammer 'em with it. Probably no recourse now being after the fact.

 

I know how you feel. Took my truck in Monday and didn't have a chance to look at it till last night and found the same thing, scratched rims(all 4, at least they didn't miss one) around the pry hole and some small ones all over the wheels. I would love to perform some maintenance on their beloved rides for some payback. I look forward to the survey that is on the way from ford (they called to ask about the service at the dealer two days after I took it in) so they seem to at least try to check up on things which is good.

 

Grege wait till they get those new rims on that tire machine and gouge the snot out of them. Then they'll hammer about twelve wheel weights on each wheel and they'll still be out of balance. I hate going to the dealer or the carwash where the kid is jumping up and down scraping the side of your truck with his jacket buttons or belt buckle trying to dry the back window. Can't they just get in the bed and dry it? I've complained about that and the manager just looks at me and says its hard to get good help and my BP just keeps getting higher and higher. We all feel for you. Get a hold of the service manager and make sure someone that knows what they are doing changes those rims before they have to order a second set.
Good luck
Mike

 

Oookaay - Mental note: Remove center hubs and wash vehicle BEFORE any servicing...Yikes!

 

Hey I'm a tech and I can say that I've never done anything that stupid. I treat other peoples stuff with respect, but unfortunately not everbody does. Oh yeah, out of all the jobs I've done in 3 years I've never had a negative survey on me, but I've only ever had one "completely satisfied" survey. My point? Isn't it funny how everybody is ready to bitch about stuff when their not happy, but never commend you for a job well done

 

I know how you feel!!!! All of the scraches and dents Ive ever gotten on my vehicles I didnt put a single one of them on there.

 

Tell you a story.

I had a beautiful M3 that I sold about 2 years ago. For 3 years and 7200 pampered miles I managed to keep that car without a single rock chip, door ding or scratch. The car never saw snow, never rode on highways during gravel months, etc.

At 7200 miles the clutch pedal pivot broke, I called the dealer and he said yep, its a recall. Bring it in, we'll get you fixed up. They gave me a new 328 loaner car and I was off.

They keep all cars being serviced in a separate secure lot behind the garage. The only people that have access are employees.

So I get back that evening to pick it up, and they had washed the damn car off in the sun and let it air dry (part of their "customer care service"). Slighly pissed, I drove straight home and proceeded to properly wash the car in the evening shade.

I start to hose it down and what do I find on the passenger door? A damn white door ding an inch long. Not just paint either - a dent.

I called the dealer and got the b.s. run around (the service manager should of just came out and said we think you are a liar and just trying to get your dent fixed for free).

Now, if I HAVE to take the car to the dealer, I make them walk around it with me and note any damage on the service order. I am sure they think I am an **** butthead, but tough. The next time a dealer screws my vehicle up, there will be no argument as to blame.

BTW - that dent cost me $95 to have Dent Doctor take out. Its not so much the money as the principle.

 

When the lady from ford called tonight to ask about the dealer service I had done I do remember her asking if there was a pre and post walk around inspection done of the vehicle, which was no in both cases.

 

Seriously. I'd make them replace the wheels. Its a new truck, they screwed up.

I guarantee you if each Ford dealer had to foot the bill for just one set of rims, the techs would be taking the extra 30 seconds it takes to do it right pronto.

 

Reminds me of when I bought my Expedition new and noticed a flaw in the fold down center arm rest in back. The dealer ordered a new one and I went back a few weeks later. I told him I would just take the new one and put it in myself. He said no-go, they had to do it. We stood behind the glass window in the waiting room and watched a tech guy in greasy overalls climb in back of the expedition. My wife looks at me and says " I can imagine what the light grey cloth seats are going to look like when he gets out of there". Dealership ended up paying over 100 bucks to get the seat and carpet cleaned.

 

Tell ya what has always helped me recieve excellent service at my dealership when returning for LOF&TR. Go back in the shop with the truck, and hang out with the Tech. Strike up a general conversation and just get to know them. At the end if they do a good job, which they typically do considering you're standing there watching offer them a $5-10 tip. After that I've always recieved superior service until my Tech friends either quit, get fired, or promoted. Then obviously I have to start over. This also depends on how strict your dealership is about people going in the shop. Mine happens to be a very big dealership in Ga (largest in north ga) and they have signs up saying customers can't walk in the shop, but they've never stoped me so maybe I'm just getting lucky.

I would request new wheels though. I would be irate if I found that my wheels suddenly had dents in them from a tire rotation. I've always saw my Tech's use a special type of screw driver that was curved at the end (acts as a wedge like you mentioned) and have never had any problems.