A tale of damages | malpractice at Wade Ford, GA

[243]

I have not been in this situation but I would call the lender and get their input if the car is financed. The lender owns the car and may support your case for a replacement when the car was not damaged by you.

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[TheReaper]

Did not appear to be --Akins is doing an audit RE: codes, resets, et al

The car

I'm a LEO. I work accidents all the time, and the occasional private property accident. Just based on the evidence I see in the pictures, I'm positive that accident happened when the car was in motion. Wether it was on the street or in a parking lot, there is a lot more too that story. Just my 2 cents.

Georgia Accident Law, you are required to report any accident, or accident with injuries that exceed the amount of$500.00 in damages. Reagardless of where the accident occurred. You should always get a report from Law Enforcement on a private property accident, if there are injuries or property damage. All for insurance purposes and to CYA. This includes the dealership, which they should have done. But like I said above, that is really suspect, and more to the story.

It looks like it was wrecked and not hit, that's why I posted about whether the airbag was deployed or not.

 

[95CobraR]

I have lived in the area all of my life. I have dealt with Wade Ford in Winder, GA (the founder's kids manage it). It's a big dealership.

I'd go in the manager's office and explain the situation to him. Show him the facts and paperwork. *This is what I'd do.*

If that doesn't work. I know several good lawyers that I knew at UGA. PM me for names.

You need to have all the proper paperwork in front of you before calling in a lawyer. The lawyer will take 1/3 of the money collected. He will have to prove punitive damages before getting full restoration of your claim (very possible).

I hope it works out well for you.

It sucks if you don't get a settlement that you are comfortable with.

 

[Bubba Bear]

I have lived in the area all of my life. I have dealt with Wade Ford in Winder, GA (the founder's kids manage it). It's a big dealership.

I'd go in the manager's office and explain the situation to him. Show him the facts and paperwork. *This is what I'd do.*

If that doesn't work. I know several good lawyers that I knew at UGA. PM me for names.

You need to have all the proper paperwork in front of you before calling in a lawyer. The lawyer will take 1/3 of the money collected. He will have to prove punitive damages before getting full restoration of your claim (very possible).

I hope it works out well for you.

It sucks if you don't get a settlement that you are comfortable with.

agree on getting lawyers involved, I have a situation with a dealer who damaged my car, tried to hide the damage, then admitted to a 3rd party mechanic that they caused it because they didn't follow the proper Ford procedure during the work they did - but now the dealer refuses to replace the parts and pay to have the 3rd party replace what they damaged and that's 3k+ of parts to replace.

The lawyer taking some of the money annoys me, but not as much as a scumbag dealership getting away with screwing customers. Ford has done NOTHING in my case to help, I assume the same for the OP

 

[fmc_smt]

agree on getting lawyers involved, I have a situation with a dealer who damaged my car, tried to hide the damage, then admitted to a 3rd party mechanic that they caused it because they didn't follow the proper Ford procedure during the work they did - but now the dealer refuses to replace the parts and pay to have the 3rd party replace what they damaged and that's 3k+ of parts to replace.

The lawyer taking some of the money annoys me, but not as much as a scumbag dealership getting away with screwing customers. Ford has done NOTHING in my case to help, I assume the same for the OP

Can you elaborate on what the scumbag dealer is trying to pull over on you ?

 

[Bubba Bear]

Can you elaborate on what the scumbag dealer is trying to pull over on you ?

visit 1 - took my car in to fix a seat issue and a rattle in the glovebox, dealer scratched up my car interior and left the glove box covered in gouges. They did an unwanted, unrequested 'detail' which cost $75 to have removed

< detailer posted about how bad the car was on his facebook page

visit 2 - took it back to the dealership them to fix the glovebox and a rattle in the headliner, they promised they'd replace the glovebox with a brand new one. Car comes back with new glovebox looking damaged, plus giant gouge in the door insert. Headliner still rattles, now the dash rattles

Took my car to a highly rated indie shop to investigate the rattle, indie shop finds that the dealer mechanic had broken the entire dash, including the aluminum backing, and tried to use tape to tape down the broken parts to hide what they did. Dealer denies it was them, then admits to the 3rd party mechanic that they didnt follow ford procedure in installing the glovebox and basically bashed it into place without removing the dash. Dealer now refuses to replace the interior panel they scratched up and the 3rd party has ford prices of $3.6k to replace all the parts they damaged.

calling Ford just gives us a customer service center in India, who tells us that the dealership told them that the customer was 'too picky' to expect their brand new car not to be scratched up and damaged

 

[95CobraR]

agree on getting lawyers involved, I have a situation with a dealer who damaged my car, tried to hide the damage, then admitted to a 3rd party mechanic that they caused it because they didn't follow the proper Ford procedure during the work they did - but now the dealer refuses to replace the parts and pay to have the 3rd party replace what they damaged and that's 3k+ of parts to replace.

The lawyer taking some of the money annoys me, but not as much as a scumbag dealership getting away with screwing customers. Ford has done NOTHING in my case to help, I assume the same for the OP

The contractual relationship of a dealer vs. Ford is not the problem. Ford is never responsible for stupid stuff related to a dealer. Ford offers the warranty only. They are not responsible for a dealer problem.

My wife got me to take her Mercedes in for a simple service. It was to take an hour so I caught up with email and business stuff. They called me. It seems that the teenage dude in charge of washing it smacked the wall.

I was good to go. They thanked me for not complaining and gave my a loaner. I told them that my wife would be calling them.

She was pissed and got a new car which she had to pay taxes on.

I have a good relationship with my Ford dealer. I would never expect any problems.

 

[fmc_smt]

I'm sorry that the dealer f*up your car . The point I'm trying to make is that dealers don't work the same . I am the shop foreman in a small dealer , if the guys screw something up they know they better own up to it . I would never let a vehicle roll out with damage , not being repaired . As for the detail , I won't let our detail department touch my car . You have to look at t b e indie also , I get cap from them all the time that they can't figure out . When it comes to fixing this crap , it sucks . Ford support is poor , thank god I have a number to a fse.
The manuals are crap . As one of my xwife would say "It is corporate muniplation for self greed " . Sad statement but true . And if you ever get to N AZ look me up , I'd be glad to show you what customer service should be .

 

[Fangi0]

Working for a dealer , 30 plus years at the same dealer 3rd owner , there should be some policy's in place . If that was to happen where I work the first is a ua is done . I know our policy is that , also the dealer is going to keep it in house . The reason is the deductible for the shop insurance is probably really high . Ours is 5k . Our policy is also the tech that did the damage , f*up is reasonable f I r half the repair bill . Your right that the car should be fixed and maybe compensated for your time and being out the lose of your ride . Sh*t happens give the dealer a chance to make it right . Not everyone that works on these cars are dumb sh*ts . Yes I work for a Ford dealer , but I also take pride in what I do , not all dealers are the same . Please stop making us out to be thieves . I have been doing this a long time , and getting real tired of people slamming the profession I chose . Rant over !

I don't think that you meant this for me; I am taking the liberty to share my thoughts.

IMHO, it is incorrect to indulge in generalizations, either direction, good or bad; I do understand where you and other comments stem from. My case --this incident, and how it was handled is merely that: my case. Do I believe that folks at Akins would have acted similarly? No, not today. Maybe the folks of Wade Ford a few months / years ago wouldn't either. But today they did.

Even with recourse for a new vehicle, it would take months for a new PP2 (easier to get a GT350, no joke) to arrive. This is the message that I shared when I arrived and saw my car:

I should have been accurately informed.
I should have heard the options.
I should have given consent.
I brought my car in about new condition. I am bound to disclose this damage even in absence of a CarFax entry. Accidents happen, I just do not approve of how you handled this thus far. Our world of today is the way it is because, IMHO, handshakes and gentleman's word of old lost their meaning.
I had not thought about this but it would be easier for me to explain that the front was upgraded to a GT350 as result than the alternative. Quote me OEM PP2 (on you) and OEM GT350 repairs; I will give you my business, pay the difference out of pocket. Gentlemen's agreement.
​

A brief of the rest is in this thread.


We are all members of a family, united in shared interests / love. I placed my order in Dec 2018 and, if you believe in higher powers, et al, they agreed on me just being allowed behind the wheel of my first Mustang for... ~2-3 weeks as of ~Aug 2019, yet I do not need more than that to tell you how fantastic of a performance Grand Tourer our cars are.

We are lucky; to have one (or a percentage of one, like me) and be able to come here to like minded brotherly souls, sharing our / their enjoyment and emotion. We ought to endeavor to get to the pearls in those oceans, they come from a deep place in the heart.

$0.02.

 

[ClayDee]

Agreed, PP2 is a rare bird. I could not find one before I bought my 350.

 

[Bubba Bear]

I'm sorry that the dealer f*up your car . The point I'm trying to make is that dealers don't work the same . I am the shop foreman in a small dealer , if the guys screw something up they know they better own up to it . I would never let a vehicle roll out with damage , not being repaired . As for the detail , I won't let our detail department touch my car . You have to look at t b e indie also , I get cap from them all the time that they can't figure out . When it comes to fixing this crap , it sucks . Ford support is poor , thank god I have a number to a fse.
The manuals are crap . As one of my xwife would say "It is corporate muniplation for self greed " . Sad statement but true . And if you ever get to N AZ look me up , I'd be glad to show you what customer service should be .

I trust the indie mechanic, he's highly respected around here and the dealer mechanic has done nothing but lie to me since the first time I took my car in. He literally lies about everything, no matter how small. Instead of paying to fix the unrequested 'detail' he told me they have a detail pro in the dealership on contract who could fix it for me. I called up and asked other people there who told me they have never had a contracted pro detailer, ever.


I wish I could bring my car in to you! I'm so soured on dealership work now I don't trust any of the others around here to touch my car for warranty work now :( My car has a transmission leak which the dealer missed when I took it in asking why the car was leaking colored fluid, I now need to find somewhere around here I can trust not to damage my car any further

 

[Fangi0]

Agreed, PP2 is a rare bird. I could not find one before I bought my 350.

Sounds about right. Same here, ended up having to order it. Your GT350 is gorgeous btw, that color suits it perfectly.

 

[ClayDee]

Sounds about right. Same here, ended up having to order it. Your GT350 is gorgeous btw, that color suits it perfectly.

Thanks, I enjoy it too.

 

[cmxPPL219]

As someone who also has a black PP2, I cringed and felt IMMENSELY for you Fangi0
I remember, I think, coming across your thread about the mods you did shortly after buying, pics of the car on the lift in the bay, and remember thinking damn, she looks amazing, I wish I had the $ to bang out my wish list as well lol.
My PP2 is my first Mustang and Ford, as well.

Anyway, I don't work at a dealer, but I have been around them my whole life, know how they are run and know many that work in them. Its true that not all dealers are created equal, as you've seen with Akins. But others... Hardly a kind word. The negative, theiving energy in many, is so toxic. From the Sales floor pressure, the F&I office pressure, to the service desk pressure, where it is all about sales sales sales - new recruits for service advisors? They don't care about them knowing stuff about cars - they want to see sales experience. If not too much, they'll train.

The problem is other people rarely, if ever, treat the property of others like their own. All you need to do is look at all the stories of the joyriding of customer cars that you hear about almost monthly on YT or on a forum - but it obviously happens much more than we know about. Then, stuff like this happens. We spend all this time researching, potentially saving are hard earned bucks to finally, potentially buy a dream car - only for bull shit like this happen. It's angering to say the least. If I were a dealer principal, I'd be offering REPLACE your car with a new one. Trust me, most dealers can afford to do it. Because what is the cost now? Bad reviews. Lost service centre business. Bad word of mouth. Lost potential sales. The list goes on - People in this world NEVER think about long term and big picture. It's a lost art, frankly. Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. Disgusting and a disgrace. Many great techs, master techs out there. The majority? Average at best. The rest? Absolute trash, with the way I've seen some treat customer cars. No pride in work. Starting pay for Techs getting in the industry is lower and lower than before. So what's the motivation to get good, professional techs? Even lube techs can barely do a good job these days, like an oil change and tire rotation without curbing your rim or nicking it up with the impact socket, if they do a rotation. Utterly ridiculous. Just typing this out gets me worked up.

I want to say I feel for you, and I want to say there are many people, earlier than me who have posted, that feel your pain, and hope this issue is resolved. It may be a bit late now, but I would have skipped all the customer service reps, service manager, foreman, and went straight to ask to speak to the dealer principal and demand a new replacement unit. This opportunity may have come and gone - so the best course of action, as another recommended, is some compensation for your hassle and anger.

 

[Ghost50]

Ouch.

What a shitty situation. I remember your post when you got the car and were having the mods done.

Like many others have said I’d be after the dealers ass because of their attitude. Accidents happen. But if they’re forthright and honest I’d give them some slack.

Not saying I’d be happy about them wrecking my car but I wouldn’t want to go scorched earth on them. But lying and being intentionally obtuse and evasive? Release the hounds.

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