Bristol Street Ford: Poor communication

[Gibbo205]

Hi there


My car is on the Galveston Highway, I only know this because of Karen who is absolutely brilliant, also being in email contact with Andy as well the Ford MD, top bloke.

However my chosen dealership (Bristol Street Stoke) I am losing faith in quick. They simply seem un-interested, at first they were great when I gave my deposit, but those members of staff left. Result my car was ordered late and communication ever since has being poor.

I have to constantly chase them, I was then told to move communications to another sales guy so I did, but my questions are not answered or I am told to direct my questions to the managers. So I try to contact the only manager I know and well no response.

If it was not for Karen and Andy at Ford, I be in complete darkness, my car would probably still not be built and I'd be really stressed out.

My worry is now I want them to do simple yet following things:
1. Do not prep the car and only fit rear plate, not front.
2. Again no prep, no washing of vehicle at all, I will get it professionally detailed and my decals added at same time.
3. Asked if they would perform the OBD kill switch, they went quiet.


In short I cannot really get concrete answers to any of the above and I just feel like they do not particular care. Having owned a second hand Porsche but the Porsche dealership were absolutely spot on, calling every couple of hours with updates etc, I never had to chase, they chased me.

Yet with Bristol street I have to chase, chase and chase a bit more and then I only get impartial answers.

I am worried they will go bolting front plate on car, wash it and won't do the OBD, at a loss what to do.

I am posting here to find out if anyone maybe here works at Bristol Street and can help (PM ME please) or has a contact email for someone a bit higher up the chain at Bristol Street Ford.

My next step I think is to just visit the dealership again in person and try to get answers face to face, but I am not confident in my success. But I am starting to wish I had chosen a different dealership. :(

As I previously mentioned a big thanks goes out to Karen and Andy at Ford, but the dealerships need work, well some of them.

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[slowhand99]

Hi there


....................................but the dealerships need work, well some of them.

Mine too.

 

[NornIron91]

But I am starting to wish I had chosen a different dealership. :(

Yes same here, dealership is useless. If I want info I have to email the dealer and hope that they email back, which isn't very often.

 

[jord79]

I'm lucky, my dealership always seem to have the info I ask for and give me updates from time to time if something significant with the order happens.

I was really pleased yesterday when I went to test drive their demo and THEY pointed out to me the ugly front number plate mounting bracket on the demo vehicle and the nicely mounted (on self adhesive strips) front numberplate on the showroom model, and told me they'd be doing mine like that and there'd be no drilling of the bumper etc. This gives me confidence that they know what the customer wants.

 

[Manders Mustang]

Hey,

So maybe a different situation to you, i'm also with Bristol Street - although i'm Birmingham based. My dealer is the head of Mustang sales (or their mustang specialist, but he certainly isn't one other for the title), He's also the New car sales manager - Top bloke regardless of my consistent hounding and has answered all of my requests. Albeit a very hard guy to get a hold of.

I've asked numerous questions to him, and listed it onto MFUK(http://mustangforum.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8365), and i've had 3 seperate calls with him to discuss certain things. He's also allowed me to go in and look at the Customer collection Mustangs held in the back along with test driving the V8 (Which i'm not too bothered about as I have an EB being built sometime in '16).
The dealership, by his stance have decided against fitting the brackets to any mustangs because 'They look ugly' (his words, I agreed), they've left them in the boot of car's for those who wish to fit them - have them fitted, but are sticking them on.
I'd been sent a communication in late october or so stating that my car would be built before the end of 2015 (Although this now looks unlikely and Karen has told me very early 2016 is the probably more likely).

I've not been without my issues with my Salesman, constant updates require you to chase, but that's a granted, you're ordering a car that is made to order, that very few people have seen and what not, They are also selling more than Mustangs, this is Ford, they've got a large product portfolio and the mustang is one of them. His knowledge of the car was very baseline, whereas mine is at a granular level in comparrison, which lead to a few 'exchanges' when ordering the car. A noteable one was him claiming i'd need the reversing sensors or custom pack to get the reverse camera, which i'd assured him was wrong, shown him on the vehicle spec that it was there and subsequently he went bright red. Granted, this is irrelevant, I want the car, a good salesman is pretty neutral, I'd prefer my commision to go to a good salesman than a bad one just by general business sense, however, if I get my car, when i'm supposed to get my car, and all of my queries have been answered, I give next to 0 fks.

tl;dr best updates are through Karen. The chain of communication is Ford USA > Karen > Sends spreadsheet to dealerships > Dealerships confirm data with you (If they want to), cut the middle man out and go straight to Karen, she's usually more than happy to help, anything non-delivery related, Andy is your guy. Brilliant from the 'Top guns' for this whom are doing their best to leviate the pain of us hardcore fanatics.

 

[Ian whu]

I'm picking my mine up on Saturday, I requested they don't put front plate on,
If they have I won't be taking car,

 

[Manders Mustang]

I'm picking my mine up on Saturday, I requested they don't put front plate on,
If they have I won't be taking car,

Such a diva Ian :lol:.

On a serious note, if you've requested it, they have no excuse for having put it on, if you've already told them, they should adhere to your request. I'm sure they will, pics once you've collected it please mate

 

[NornIron91]

I'm picking my mine up on Saturday, I requested they don't put front plate on,
If they have I won't be taking car,

Did you get your request in writing?

 

[Ian whu]

Did you get your request in writing?

I have an email from salesperson
" I have made the request that the plate mounts on front and back are left off"

 

[Twin Turbo]

I read somewhere........I can't remember if it was on here or not, that a dealership cannot (legally, I guess) release a car to a customer without the 'plates being fitted.

That being said, there's no excuse for them NOT to simply use self-adhesive for the front 'plate.

Personally, I'd send a communication stating this is how you want the front 'plate to be fitted and if they drill the ugly mounting bracket on, THEY will be footing the bill for a replacement front bumper (although I hate to thing how long it might take for replacement parts to be delivered, but that's another thread for another day)

 

[Manders Mustang]

I read somewhere........I can't remember if it was on here or not, that a dealership cannot (legally, I guess) release a car to a customer without the 'plates being fitted.

That being said, there's no excuse for them NOT to simply use self-adhesive for the front 'plate.

Personally, I'd send a communication stating this is how you want the front 'plate to be fitted and if they drill the ugly mounting bracket on, THEY will be footing the bill for a replacement front bumper (although I hate to thing how long it might take for replacement parts to be delivered, but that's another thread for another day)

Was on MFUK mate, think it was with one of the guys that'd picked it up. You're correct, they can't let it leave the dealership without both number plates. The front is required by law (For traffic cams, security cams, tracking etc), the rear is required to be fitted with working illumination that doesn't obstruct the alphanumeric plate.

However your dealer can stick the front plate on, the stick pads are easily removed, alternativley then can let you put the front plate in the front window. As long as the front plate is clearly displayed on the front of the car somehow it's not illegal.

 

[NornIron91]

Was on MFUK mate, think it was with one of the guys that'd picked it up. You're correct, they can't let it leave the dealership without both number plates. The front is required by law (For traffic cams, security cams, tracking etc), the rear is required to be fitted with working illumination that doesn't obstruct the alphanumeric plate.

However your dealer can stick the front plate on, the stick pads are easily removed, alternativley then can let you put the front plate in the front window. As long as the front plate is clearly displayed on the front of the car somehow it's not illegal.

This is how a plate should be attached according to the law:
"vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable"

http://police.community/topic/10240-number-plate-in-window/

So the plate in the front window method isn't as close to vertical as reasonably practical, it would be up to the discretion of the officer but they would probably just tell you to move it to the front of the car instead of fining you.

 

[slowhand99]

This is how a plate should be attached according to the law:
"vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable"

http://police.community/topic/10240-number-plate-in-window/

So the plate in the front window method isn't as close to vertical as reasonably practical, it would be up to the discretion of the officer but they would probably just tell you to move it to the front of the car instead of fining you.

They could ride home with you using one of their trade plates. Then you could repay their diligence and service by telling them to get the bus back

 

[avocet]

2nd week of ownership and my front plate has lifted
The bend puts a strain on the edges and it looks ugly and that is with the heavy duty 3M stickers.Took it off and decided to fit the plate surround that was issued.

 

[slowhand99]

2nd week of ownership and my front plate has lifted
The bend puts a strain on the edges and it looks ugly and that is with the heavy duty 3M stickers.Took it off and decided to fit the plate surround that was issued.

Looks fine with the black I reckon.

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