Ouch... Definitely sue the Dealership... they should be reliable!

-Mike

 

Contact the GM or owner and let them know you are going to the media. Go to every media source it takes before someone prints or televises (sp?) their screw up. Get a lawyer b/c the service writer forged your signiture. I don't give two flying ****** if signing for a customer is a common practice, it's still illegal. Make the dealer regret this, especially for acting like a$$holes to you.

This is just another reason why everyone hates dealers, because they don't care about the customer. I can't believe that ***** didn't even apologize. You must be more patient than I am...***** would've already hit the fan if it was my truck. Good luck.

 

I'm 90% sure that leaving the keys in the vehicles is also common practice. The dealer left my keys in when they parked it next to the garage for a coil pack replacement, but I was standing next to it the whole time they were working on it.

 

When dealerships send cars from their stock out for services such as window tinting or aftermarket security systems and CD Changer installations they hold the shops liable for their cars while its being worked on. So why is it that the dealer isn't responsible for the cars that are in thier shop for service? I would not want to file the loss with my insurance company for their negligence.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

I don't know about other dealers but mine has a rack of those keyboxes that fit on the window..as soon as he gets your keys from you and they lock them up right there until they can get it worked on. That way it is not possible for anyone to get your keys so the most a theif might get would just be what is out in the open. Thats just smart thinkin in my opinion a theif would have to have 2 keys to steal your truck and not likely to get them unless it was an inside job.

 

YOU didn't sign jack....therefore the dealerships "we aint responsible paragraph for theft,etc" is null and void. Get a lawyer, you will win this. Oh yeah, hit up the media too.

 

Wonder why insurance is so high? It's because everybody wants to suit. You people don't even know all the facts and you already want to take it to court. I'm not saying who is right or who is wrong, but without the facts, NObody can make a judgment as to who is responsible. As for the work order being a release of liability, don't believe it. The dealer knows that to. A service shop, upon acceptance of your vehicle (whether a work order was signed or not), has to take reasonable care of the vehicle while in their possession. What's reasonable care? Storing it in a fenced lot would be reasonable care. Dealer would not be responsible. Storing it in a fenced area with the keys in it would not be reasonable care. Dealer could be found responsible. Before you go off and file a lawsuit, make sure you understand what the liability is and have your facts. I would sure hate to have the majority of the posters in this thread as a juror. You jump to conclusions without even knowing the circumstances and only hearing one side of the story. If you park your vehicle in a shopping mall parking lot and the vehicle gets stolen, is the owner of the mall responsible? No.

 

Lurker,

"Wow! Where do I start?"

a) the dealer should demonstrate proper care with other people's property

How do we know they didn't demonstrate proper care? All we know is a vehicle was stolen. We need more facts to make any judgement.

b) the anti-theft features of a Lightning make it extremely difficult to just jump in and drive off (without the key)

It may make it difficult, but it doesn't make it impossible. Professional thieves can steal pretty much anything and fast. If you don't believe it, watch a demonstration by a pro. You'll be amazed.

c) lots of vehicles make "nice" targets, thieves only care how much money they can get out of them

That's true and a Lightning would be one of those targets. Not sure what your point is on this one.

d) signing a work order in some cases limits the dealers liability for things like THEFT!

Signing a work order doesn't release a dealership or service shop from having to take "proper" care of the vehicle. So signing or not signing the work order is irrelevant.

e) people don't get insurance to handle things like this

Why do people get insurance then? It's not just for accidents. I sure would hate to have a vehicle as nice as a Lightning and not properly insure it and have this happen to me, only to find out that the dealership wasn't liable.

f) the dealer didn't seem to care much

How do you know this? You've only heard one side of the story. I would hope that before we pass judgement, that we hear both sides.

h) maybe when you put yourself in StolenL's shoes, you'll be able to understand the situation a little better...

How do you know I haven't? I just recently had $6000.00 worth of stereo gear and damage to my vehicle. Thankfully I had insurance and was well covered.

People are way to quick to blame someone else for problems, when the real blame should be on the ******* that stole the vehicle. If you parked your car in a shopping mall and it was stolen, would the owner of the mall be responsible? No. Before you all jump to conclusions, at least make sure all the facts are there.

 

(1) "The real blame" assumes that only one person is culpable. Where two or more tortfeasors create an indivisible wrong, each are jointly and severally liable. The dealer can and will be held liable for any negligence on its part.

(2) StolenL relayed certain facts. They may or not be correct, but the accuracy of those facts is assumed for the purposes of this discussion. "All the facts" are limited to those given. How do I know that your stereo was really stolen? I don't. You said so and that is all I have to go on.

If someone jumped in and fired the truck up right under the noses of the dealership employees, it sounds like someone fell asleep at the wheel. Is this true? Don't know. Don't really care. For the purposes of this discussion, it's true. No one is getting killed or sued on the basis of this discussion. It would be the responsibility of StolenL's attorney to determine the facts prior to filing a lawsuit.

 

when you sign service papers on the back is always the fine print that says we are not responsible for your vehicle or the property in it.just about every ford dealership sucks in SOCAL.

 

That statement doesn't mean squat. When a dealership or any company takes possession of your vehicle, they are required by law to take reasonable care for the safety of that vehicle. The question is, what is reasonable? If they had it in a gated area, then that was reasonable care if the keys weren't in it. Owner out of luck, his insurance will have to pay. If keys were in it or easily accessible to anybody, then that would not be reasonable care and dealership would be responsible.

 

I have not seen ONE Lightning stolen without the keys, or extensive work on the steering column. Search this board as well.

 

Every body, including Navi Man, seems to be missing something........If it is SO REASONABLE to leave the keys in the vehicle.....How come the dealer doesn't leave the keys in all the vehicles in their lot, especially all the new ones?

I believe the answer is obvious, they would be stolen
It doesn't cost a thing to talk to a laywer and I would be talking

 

I would bet money, from him saying they saw a tape of the guy just getting in and driving off, that the keys were left in it. I agree, talk to a lawyer. I bet the service manager was being a jerk because he knew the dealership would be liable.

 

I hate hearing about stories like this, sorry to hear about your loss. I would like to know if the dealer has your keys or not. If they do or not will be of interest to any insurance company whether it be yours or the dealers. Ideally you want to get the dealers insurance company information and contact them and file a claim against their policy. They will investigate it and let you know, if they deny your claim then file it with your insurance company. As far as a lawsuit goes, don't. All that will do is make it take longer for this to get resolved as suits can drag out for an extremely ubsurd amount of time. If you end up fileing it against your insurance company they will go after the dealers insurance and if they need to they will take it to court. All I can say is find a new dealer as I would definately not buy from a dealer that dose not secure vehicles they are working on.