Now charging for what was warranty?

Timeshift · 09-05-2005, 01:15 PM

In January I bought an AUIII Forte manufactured 04/2002, which to date has now done 58,000k, and I've had a few niggles. Some sort of bolt on the transmission was broken causing unsmooth shifting two months ago, that was replaced, but now I have to get the burnt trans fluid replaced, $250 at ford, $150 at ultra tune. O-ring replaced (radiator still seems to have a bubbly hissy fit occasionally once the engine is off), a couple of other minor probs.

On friday I had it in to get looked at, due to accelleration cutting out when turning right with a fair amount of momentum on 1/3 or lower tank. Left it there in the morning, called them later on 20 mins before pick-up time and was told to give it another hour, arrived there not knowing the outcome. It was explained to me that it was the sock on the end of the fuel pump and it has been replaced under warranty. The car was demonstrated to me, all fixed, good as gold. Take the car home very happy.

Today, this morning, Monday morning, he calls me. He says Ford has rejected the warranty claim, the sock is a filter and can't be claimed under my 3 year new car warranty (which expires end of this month, looking to get another 3yr 160,000km for $895) and he says he'll charge me trade price $150 for it. I tell him i'll call him back. I call Office of Consumer Affairs who agree with me but tell me to call RAA (South Australia's RACV) as OCA specialise in used car non-new warranty. The RAA agrees with me, saying the work was carried out, I was not informed of the repair before it was carried out, and warranty forms were signed and that they should be bearing the cost. Excellent. I call the ford dealership guy back and tell him that i've spoken to OCA and RAA and that i'm not prepared to pay for it. He says Ok, come back to the dealership and i'll put the old filter back in. I tell him no, i signed warranty papers, OCA and RAA agree, i'm not in a position to give it back (what a crock of crap that the sock isn't covered under warranty). He says "Ok, thanks bud" in no particularly mean or nasty way, and ends the call.

Is this the last i'll hear of this?

Would it be unwise to go back to that dealership for future services or repairs?

Casper · 09-05-2005, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timeshift

In January I bought an AUIII Forte manufactured 04/2002, which to date has now done 58,000k, and I've had a few niggles. Some sort of bolt on the transmission was broken causing unsmooth shifting two months ago, that was replaced, but now I have to get the burnt trans fluid replaced, $250 at ford, $150 at ultra tune. O-ring replaced (radiator still seems to have a bubbly hissy fit occasionally once the engine is off), a couple of other minor probs.

On friday I had it in to get looked at, due to accelleration cutting out when turning right with a fair amount of momentum on 1/3 or lower tank. Left it there in the morning, called them later on 20 mins before pick-up time and was told to give it another hour, arrived there not knowing the outcome. It was explained to me that it was the sock on the end of the fuel pump and it has been replaced under warranty. The car was demonstrated to me, all fixed, good as gold. Take the car home very happy.

Today, this morning, Monday morning, he calls me. He says Ford has rejected the warranty claim, the sock is a filter and can't be claimed under my 3 year new car warranty (which expires end of this month, looking to get another 3yr 160,000km for $895) and he says he'll charge me trade price $150 for it. I tell him i'll call him back. I call Office of Consumer Affairs who agree with me but tell me to call RAA (South Australia's RACV) as OCA specialise in used car non-new warranty. The RAA agrees with me, saying the work was carried out, I was not informed of the repair before it was carried out, and warranty forms were signed and that they should be bearing the cost. Excellent. I call the ford dealership guy back and tell him that i've spoken to OCA and RAA and that i'm not prepared to pay for it. He says Ok, come back to the dealership and i'll put the old filter back in. I tell him no, i signed warranty papers, OCA and RAA agree, i'm not in a position to give it back (what a crock of crap that the sock isn't covered under warranty). He says "Ok, thanks bud" in no particularly mean or nasty way, and ends the call.

Is this the last i'll hear of this?

Would it be unwise to go back to that dealership for future services or repairs?

I think you did the right thing but there i no way I'd give them your car again, you know they are going to screw you around as much as possible now. New dealer time.

Kryton · 09-05-2005, 01:30 PM

nothing they can do about it but i would start looking for a new service dept that ISNT connected or associated with this one. all ford dealers service ford so at the end of the day he may just ring all ford service depts in your area and tell them to keep an eye out for you and to remove the sock when you come in next time.

Timeshift · 09-05-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davway

nothing they can do about it but i would start looking for a new service dept that ISNT connected or associated with this one. all ford dealers service ford so at the end of the day he may just ring all ford service depts in your area and tell them to keep an eye out for you and to remove the sock when you come in next time.

Living in a capital city (Adelaide), I wouldnt expect a drone of one of Fords dealerships to take it upon himself, or go to the dealership manager who takes it upon himself to report it to each dealership in Adelaide... after all, it's only $150 which is a few cents to a Ford dealership.

I need a service on my car around about now too...

:

jonbays · 09-05-2005, 02:26 PM

Well you know I think the fuel tank filter sock is probably is fair enough to exclude from the warranty as it is a filter like the fuel line filter or oil filter and really only gets blocked up with normal wear and tear of dud fuel fill ups.

I think the dealer has taken the risk of this being knocked back and lost. it's his loss if he hasn't checked with you prior to pick up.

Still I think it's not as black and white as you see it.

Timeshift · 09-05-2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbays

Well you know I think the fuel tank filter sock is probably is fair enough to exclude from the warranty as it is a filter like the fuel line filter or oil filter and really only gets blocked up with normal wear and tear of dud fuel fill ups.

I think the dealer has taken the risk of this being knocked back and lost. it's his loss if he hasn't checked with you prior to pick up.

Still I think it's not as black and white as you see it.

Well from what i've read and been told, the fuel sock shouldnt be that bad within 3 years of being brand new. It's $150 TRADE! as opposed to other filters which are a fraction of the price. Regardless though, if he had called on Friday and said what it was and that it's not under warranty and told me the price, I would have paid it and got it over with.

What my beef is, is simply the fact they took it all under warranty and now backtracking. They had a lot of nerve to ask me to return my car and trade for the old one once I told them i spoke to OCA and RAA who agree with me.

What are "dud fuel fill ups"?

b2tf · 09-05-2005, 03:10 PM

Interesting situation but I tend to agree that the fuel sock is considered a filter and is therefore a consumable (and non warranty) item. They do from time to time need replacing and just because one person says it should last x amount of years doesnt mean it will - it all comes down to what kind of fuel has been put in the car over time, how regularly etc etc.

However, if they said it was replaced under warranty then it's only fair you dont pay for it. The dealer has made a fatal mistake in assuming that it will be covered, its their screwup and therefore you shouldnt owe a cent.

xr8ute · 09-05-2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timeshift

It's $150 TRADE! as opposed to other filters which are a fraction of the price.

I paid $160 for my filter sock....but it came with a brand new 255L/h high pressure fuel pump attached to it so I can't complain ;)

If they did the work without your authority, then that is there own bad luck.

Don't worry, I am sure the part hasn't cost the dealer $150, and it would cost them more (in labour) to take it back out than it is worth.

All the same, I wouldn't be happy about having a service guy stuff something up like that and then try and ping me for it. I would be looking for another dealer for any future work...

Sourbastard · 09-05-2005, 04:10 PM

I wouldnt lose sleep over it, but then again I service my car myself now days after a long history of being burnt by mechanics and dealer service departments before.

Are ya gonna pay me the 150 bucks? Suuuure buddy, cheque is in the mail.

Dark Horse · 09-05-2005, 08:22 PM

Yeah, interesting one.

Definitely unethical that you should be recalled for what was originally a warranty claim or "supposedly" so. Under the terms of contract, both you and the dealer agreed that the work performed (whether or not this is a warranty issue or not) was to be under warranty.

Should the customer wear the error committed further up the chain? Non est factum. It was not your fault that this dealer came to the initial conclusion that the work performed was to be (incorrectly stated at the time) under warranty. They've got to deal with it.

I've recently had a couple of claims in my last serivice - one was warranty that being a worn park brake ratchet (faulty component), the other (knowingly) was officially not - an adjustment to stop the hand brake dragging (wear and tear). However since both were related to the same item, both were covered under warranty, under good faith with my service manager. I haven't since been recalled to cover the 'labour' costs!

TURBOTAXI · 09-05-2005, 09:04 PM

I had a ford dealership charge me $92 for a quote (after I expressly requested thy call me before commencing any work) In fact all I had asked them to do was give me a quote :(
I wont walk back through their door. I will be wary of any other dealerships.
As for the sock at 150 "trade" I wouldnt give it a second thought, it is a karmic response for my $92 quote.
In fact I hope they have done faulty work and have to replace it again. (not that I want to cause you distress) - Just a dealership!

Timeshift · 10-05-2005, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TURBOTAXI

I had a ford dealership charge me $92 for a quote (after I expressly requested thy call me before commencing any work) In fact all I had asked them to do was give me a quote :(

That's a problem. Theres a white sign toward the back of the service room (only 10m or so) that says Quotes will be a minimum of $35... which allows them to put any figure they want depending on what effort was made to produce the quote... indeed it is a rip-off.

jonbays · 10-05-2005, 07:53 AM

Just be careful with the extended warranty.

Look and ask carefully giving specific examples of what it does and doesn't cover and be mindful of the cover you get in a "modified" car.

personally I think they are just another insurance rip off.

Timeshift · 10-05-2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbays

Just be careful with the extended warranty.

Look and ask carefully giving specific examples of what it does and doesn't cover and be mindful of the cover you get in a "modified" car.

personally I think they are just another insurance rip off.

I'm just worried something big will go wrong with it and if it does and I need to pay a lot of money, i'll be kicking myself. It would be interesting to see some service records for AUIII Fortes.....

**FTE217** · 10-05-2005, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timeshift

I'm just worried something big will go wrong with it and if it does and I need to pay a lot of money, i'll be kicking myself. It would be interesting to see some service records for AUIII Fortes.....

Look matey you do what you want....but you have a S111,pretty much everything is solid tried and tested....only abuse will kill the thing.

xr8ute · 10-05-2005, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbays

personally I think they are just another insurance rip off.

I second that....it's an absolute waste of time :(

loxxr6 · 10-05-2005, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonbays
personally I think they are just another insurance rip off.

I second that....it's an absolute waste of time

Likewise. Just another way to score some extra money. How often would people really claim from these things...

Timeshift · 10-05-2005, 12:12 AM

Hmmm - when I need to get it serviced next time (and I go to a different dealership), should I ask to see my records before they do anything so I can check to see if this incident has been put on to file? I have a month of warranty left but plan to go another 3yr 160k for $895.

xr8ute · 10-05-2005, 04:33 PM

something big went wrong with my ute, looked like I had broken an engine mount...I had a dent from where the engine was lifting up and the inlet manifold hitting the bonnet.

I checked my factory warranty extension booklet and it said "engine mounts" covered so I took it in to the dealer for a fix. As it turned out the engine mount bolts had snapped with half the bolt still in the engine block and needed to be tapped out before new ones where put in.

Long story short, it wasn't covered by my Ford Factory extended warranty because it only covered the "engine mounts" and not the engine mount bolts...

Timeshift · 10-05-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8ute

Long story short, it wasn't covered by my Ford Factory extended warranty because it only covered the "engine mounts" and not the engine mount bolts...

What a crock of shit! That's gotta be one of the dodgiest things i've heard in a while.

**FTE217** · 10-05-2005, 05:26 PM

Before you sign take the paperwork away with you for a couple of nights.....bet you won't sign after that

Timeshift · 10-05-2005, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluedriver

Before you sign take the paperwork away with you for a couple of nights.....bet you won't sign after that

The extended warranty information book I got actually says there is a 14 or 28 day cooling off period where you have the opportunity to cancel, and even better, you can cancel the warranty at any time and get the equivelent credit back as long as you havent made any claims...

**FTE217** · 11-05-2005, 08:09 AM

yes granted, to put it in a nut shell,they are very good at making things all very rosy for the consumer when it comes to getting your hard earned buck, getting it back is not as easy as it reads !

jonbays · 11-05-2005, 08:31 AM

The ford extended warranty is just a marketing exercise to get more money from people who want to look after their car and aren't mechanicly inclined or aware.

Ask what they don't cover and why ask what happens if you modify or race your car.

Even in the most basic scenario they are a rip off.

Hows this my power windows really slow and binding on driver side the one that does all the work. Warranty right? NO! its just dirt and leaves and stuff causing the binding and thats wear and tear. The dirt would be the same in driver and passenger sides wouldn't it? Er yeh ummm mumble mumble. I have always kept the guides well lubed with silicon spray. Any way I just did it myself it was cheaper and I got a better job done.

Ford keep ringing me to get the warranty extended because it is such a winner for them money for nothing and commision to everyone involved.

Just sign the contract and write "if it breaks you fix it for free no exclusions, no weasel words no exceptions" and ask him to countersign on behalf of Ford.

Dark Horse · 11-05-2005, 06:43 PM

I've got extended factory warranty, but then again, that came at the runout sale. Bugger paying for it! Plus all AU's already have cover on corrosion and paint that extends to 5 years anyway.

brenx · 11-05-2005, 11:13 PM

I've been sold that ext waranty a few times. I just cancel it after the 1st few days. That way it puts $ back on the loan

Some salesmen /financers just don't take "NO" for an answer.

I got done hard on the 1st one and I learned from that. I needed to spend $2500 on a supposed cyl head replacement for my EL that I'd bought 40,000k's prior. $2500 labour apparently. I've replaced another 2 head gaskets since @ $210 and 6 hours of my time.

They ain't work the paper they are written on. If you read carefully they actually cover nothing on a 2nd hand car. As it's classified "normal wear and tear"

[edit]Gap covers another good rip off. No insurance company with pay out/write off a car unless 100% necessary. It's very hard to get a car written off. Especially if the cars worth more than $10,000.

Casper · 11-05-2005, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brenx

They ain't work the paper they are written on. If you read carefully they actually cover nothing on a 2nd hand car. As it's classified "normal wear and tear"

Agree 100%, they are a total joke. Not worth it.

Timeshift · 13-05-2005, 02:04 AM

Ok then! No extended warranty!

Pete A · 16-05-2005, 05:41 PM

Hey guys! The email thread supports that the dealer tried in on with Ford and lost. Tried to recoup from you and in the end he has no grounds to. Can't blame him for trying but you stood your ground and good on you. I would hate to think that they would give you more problems in another service but some people are strange.

After owning several new Fords I can honestly say that the factory warranties that they offer are quite generous - I guess Holden is the same. My wife has a 307 PUG, my brother has a Beamer. Spare a thought for them as their expesive imports have hopeless warranties. If I have brake shudder on my Ford ( and I have had it ) the fix is covered under warranty. My wife's Pug - no way! They charge for the disc machine AND the new pads if needed. As for my brothers Beamer - he can't wait to get rid of it. The service costs are unbelievable. Apart from all the other stuff, their labour rates are very high and their level of competance is no better or worse than my experiences with Ford. Right now the warranties offered by the local cars manufacturers are world class if not world leading, and there is just as much technology in the local cars as the imports.

AS the thread says, be very carefull about Xtended warranties - they have minimal coverage. Good luck!