Some may recall I had a third brake light leak last year right after buying my '04 Scab, and Ford took two days to fix, and refused a loaner.

Well, I'm in the middle of getting the tail light pad recall worked on, and again Ford says no loaner. Fine. I work 60 miles from home, the dealership is right down the street from work, so is Ford gonna pay for a motel room if they take as long to make a half day repair this time as they did last time?

I called Ford-Corporate and let them have it.

The way I see it, the screw up is again Ford's. I can't afford to be without transportation, as my job requires lots of travel (up to 250 miles per day) and I go a long ways from home. Ford has refused to take care of their obligation unless I pay out the wazoo for a ripoff extended warranty, so this truck is the last new vehicle I will buy. The poor guy at Ford even suggested I check out other manufacturers' loaner policies... he completely blew that point.
I responded that Ford ought to be a step ahead of the other companies, instead of just treading water with them. MAybe then folks like me would consider walking into the high priced showroom again.
Instead, I think I'll just go back to lettin' someone else take the drilling on depreciation, and buy used. At least I won't have an expectation of being taken care of if something happens to the truck... gone are the feelings that I need to support one brand over another to help American companies, as well as the feelings that buying a NEW truck will help America... yep- I did have those feelings. Screw 'em now.
Hey, FORD- you're struggling financially- wonder why? Part of it is because you keep alienating your customer base!
I think I'm alienated for good now. I'm not just doggin' Ford, I'm doggin' every Automaker who keeps raising prices and dropping service, and wondering why their numbers continue dropping. It's because word is out- buying new just gets you drilled- without any hint of affection.
C1

 

I think the loaner thing is more dealer dependent than manufacturer specific.

 

I think you problem is more with the management of the service department than with Ford. There's no reason for either repair to take long (my brother does the tail light pad for the local Ford dealership). I took mine after I got the letter and it didn't have the pad but they needed to see it to confirm it.

 

Yeah - the loaner question is generally dealer specific. My local dealer will provide a loaner IF I purchased the vehicle from them - if not then I'm out of luck. I feel for ya cause basically if Ford built the part/vehicle right to begin with you wouldn't have to interrupt your work schedule and spend your money on a rental car to fix Ford's quality problem.....they all have issues - but you'd think taking care of the customer would be the #1 concern.....with what I spent on this truck - a loaner vehicle - should be part of the bumper to bumper warranty like it was for my Lincoln LS.....

 

Goslow's right, I think. My local dealer where I bought my truck said I could get a rental car if I paid for it recently but the dealer in Tupelo hooked me up with an 2005 Chevy Silverado CC from a rental place and they paid for it for eleven days for me. I think maybe if you found another dealer you might have better service. I feel your pain, though.

 

Your absolutely correct. It is up to the dealer to issue a loaner. I went through this with the Service Director for my 04 which had numerous problems and he told me that the loaner policy is a priviledge, not a requirement. Each dealer is alloted so many loaner vehicles and they use their discretion on how they loan them out.

I agree, its not fair to buy a $30,000+ truck and have these types of issues. I like Ford trucks, so my empowerment is to not buy a future truck from a dealer that does not take care of me. I recently exercised this right when I purchased my new 05 Screw, I didn't buy it from the former dealer that didn't give me a loaner.

 

Forgot to ask.....what's the "Tail Light Pad" issue? Does it pertain to the '05 Screws as well?

thx

 

Maybe, but the guy at the customer call center stated the policy- Ford's policy- which backed up what three dealers in and around NAshville, including the dealer I bought the truck from, have told me locally. No go on Loaner unless you buy the Extended Warranty. The only exception is if there is extensive body damage from the corossion... then it is up to the dealer's service manager as to whether he provides a loaner or not, but Ford doesn't seem to care. Ford's (call center) rep on the phone said the extended warranty was offered and I should have taken it. That went over well with me.

Ya know- the extended warranty push is what pisses me off so bad. Ford has figured out that those of us out here on a budget and smart with money think 1800.00 extended service plans are too expensive and a ripoff, so they go and bend us over a barrel like this. I resent them trying to put the screws to me in this manner.
It'll be a long time before I- a 30 year old Male with a great job, darken the doors of a showroom again. I'd just as soon drive a 78 dodge... at least when it breaks down I don't have the letdown of being told to go screw myself on repairs, warranties, and loaners.
C1

 

I don't mean to **** anyone off here by gloating, but it's totally your dealers service department. Have you tried talking to someone higher up at the dealership, a VP or something, and in a manner that wasn't ripping his ***? I had a problem a few months ago with the service department, and called the VP of the dealership. Anything else than completely satisfied on the service department survey is considered a failing grade, and they WILL try to make you happy for the completely satisfied rating. Ever since then, all I do is make an apointment even for an oil change, and a loaner car is waiting for me, always a loaded Taurus, always free, and I'm always completely satisfied.

mikebaby

 

 

Definitely dealer specific and I would say there are more out there that won't give you jack chit than there are ones that will. I went thru this clusterf*ck awhile back as well. The service writer at the stealer said since I was under factory warranty I don't get jack. However, if I was past my factory warranty and turning my truck in for repairs to be covered under my extended warranty, then I would get a free loaner.


Is there any manufacturer out there that will give you a free loaner without question?

 

Mini Cooper. If you bring your car in for maintenance, they will schedule you to have a Cooper as close to yours as possible, even if your just having your routine oil change and you really need a car.

 

I wonder how many threads like this we will continue to see once the warranty's start running out.

 

I read the warranty and knew a rental wasn't covered just like the last 14 new company cars I had. The dealer did indicate that they would furnish one if I really needed it (which I didn't).

 

Alot more, and they wonder why there shares are down. They need a real kick in the a$$ to wake them up and realize that customers time is worth money, and the more time we waste at the dealer getting our vehicle worked on, the less time we have to make money or enjoy driving our vehicles.

I am a Die Hard Ford guy, but I am getting very, very close to the end of the line with Ford. For the amount of money i have given them for both my wifes and my vehicles i would expect alot better customer service. But they could care less if they lose another customer, the sad thing is that attitude will only end up adding to there problems they allready have now.

Later Trev