Unreasonable/Dodgy service

[Southead]

On February 2 I called the service department of Highway Ford, Rutherford to book my car (2006 BF XR6) in to be serviced as the car was malfunctioning and the horn was going off (obviously a water problem as it had been pooring with rain). I explained this to the lady that took the call, in addition to telling her the lights had also come on before the horn started to malfunction. I also mentioned that I may have to get the vehicle towed over as the problems the car was exhibiting would make it un-drivable. She explained that I would need to give them notice if the car was towed over and that the car was booked in for the following day (Friday 3 Feb) but they probably would not get to it until afternoon. In addition to booking the car in the lady also confirmed all my details (address, car rego, contact no. etc.).

Following booking the car in, I tried see if I could drive the car over, I could not so I called a tow truck. Once the car was successfully on the way to Highway Ford via tow, I called the service department again and spoke to a bloke (who didn't seem to be paying much attention to what I said) informing him that I had sent the vehicle over via tow truck, and that it was booked in for the following day, giving him both my details and the rego number.

After not hearing anything before the close of business Friday, I figured there must have been something big wrong with it and that they had just forgotten to give me the courtesy of letting me know they would have it for the weekend. I called the service department on Monday Feb 6 in the afternoon at approx 2pm. (figured I'd give them some time to get it sorted in the morning) I was told that my car had not yet been looked at. When I queried why, and mentioned that it had been booked in for a service on the Friday, I was told that Highway Ford had a huge backlog of cars waiting to be serviced, and they were waiting longer than mine, and mine couldn't possibly be pushed in front of them. The service manager was make me feel like I wanted special treatment for wanting my car to be attended too when it was booked in to do so. As I was on my way to an appointment in Sydney at the time I did not push things further. I was told that the car would be looked at either that afternoon or the following day (Tuesday).

I received a text message on Wednesday 8th at 8:30am to contact James in the service department. He informed me that the key had shorted out and I would need to bring my spare key over to have another coded. I figured what the hell I am going to confront them.

Approx. 10:30am I got to the service department, and confronted James about why the lights would turn on with the key malfunctioning, and also why my car had taken so long to be attended too. He now informed me that they had looked at the vehicle when it was delivered via tow, and there was nothing wrong with it so it had been looked at later. (I find this pretty much unbelievable as The tow truck driver and I aborted driving it on the truck because of the noise form the horn). He then changed the diagnosis, and gave me a perfectly normal, functioning set of keys to my car, and said very little work had been done to the car and I could take it away at no charge.

As my car has an extended warranty through Highway Ford, I am told that I need to continue servicing my car through the company. The previous time my car was serviced by Highway Ford, the mechanics damaged my rims requiring repair. Now they have Lie to me and leave me with an unreliable vehicle and a totally redundant $200 tow charge. I have lost all respect for the service department at Highway Ford, and do not feel at all comfortable continuing to have my car serviced under this arrangement.

Obviously I would never have had my car towed there had they told me it would be sitting around for the weekend to dry out.

Anybody know if I can get out of servicing the car there and keep my second hand extended warranty?