A tale of damages | malpractice at Wade Ford, GA

[TehEno]

I would be in their face constantly demanding a new car, where is the police report? How did this happen, simply saying someone hit it is not good enough. Post all over social media, include any ford partner in your posts.

Dont give up man, stay on them. They owe you a new car, nothing less.

So sorry :(

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[oneheadlite]

Unfortunately, I had to take this route (Lawyer) several years ago.
At the insistence of my FIL, I went to a Lawyer over an accident concerning
my new Mustang involved in an accident that wasn't my fault.

The Lawyer listened, wrote a letter to Dealer while I was there for me to critique and
he asked me; "what do you want"?

"I wanted a new car that wasn't wrecked."
The letter was there before I got to the dealer.

I got a new car and just paid the taxes on it.

 

[Ghostrealm]

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.

Hi I live in Toronto. I have had bad experiences with Deaerships n this city.EXACTLY AS YOU MENTIONED they will nick and curb rash brand new stuff. Which dealerships do you recommend to avoid this from happeneing? Its taking the fun out of owning and makes me think I should just drive a shitbox car.

 

[cmxPPL219]

Hi I live in Toronto. I have had bad experiences with Deaerships n this city.EXACTLY AS YOU MENTIONED they will nick and curb rash brand new stuff. Which dealerships do you recommend to avoid this from happeneing? Its taking the fun out of owning and makes me think I should just drive a shitbox car.

Great to see a fellow Torontonian.
You know I couldn’t have said it better myself - it takes the fun out of owning a new potentially dream car. I was like should I just drive a shitbox too, but then I was like screw it, life is too short lol

Where in the GTA do you live? It’s so sad to say, but GTA Ford dealers, none really stand out. I avoid them like the plague.

The following dealers stand out that I would AVOID:

In Scarborough:
-East Court - service advisors talk down to you, and if you know cars, or have tech background, turn off.
-Heritage - Lots of stories...

In York Region:
-Markville - property and lot is so small, chances are so high something similar will happen as what happened to OP
-Yonge and Steeles - so volume-sales focused and large that customer service is lost on them
-Dixie Ford -
-Planet Ford - AVOID. Not only do they talk down, A very good friend of mine with a Focus RS dealing with the head gasket recall and there was a minor issue related to his RO. He was treated “sub par” by 2 service advisors. He is person of “colour” - we watched those same 2 immediately treat a “non-person of colour” in a positively different fashion. I made noise on behalf of him, and next thing you know we were setting an appointment with the dealer owner/principal until my friends work schedule jammed up - and he couldn’t follow through.

If people saw the way some service advisors, sales people and even some of the techs talk about customers and the things they say behind closed doors, boderring on racist if not outright, I guarantee you there would be a boycott of the dealer model.

Note: If anyone on this thread works for any of the above, I am not saying every actor in the particular dealer is bad - however, after years of hearing and witnessing “events” these are my takeaways. I fully know there will be a few good people in otherwise “shady” dealers, and if you are one them, thanks for what you do, given the environment you work in.

This is a tip I would give anyone:
1. If you HAVE to go to the dealer, tell your service advisor that you want to do a walk around with him/her of your car prior to them taking your keys. Do a walk around and have them record on the RO (repair order/work order) that there is NO damage. Because if there is, and I’ve seen it happen, if caused by sloppy ass tech, they will deny and say it was brought in like that.” If they refuse saying it’s silly or whatever WALK AWAY. Walk.
2. If you have dash cams, tell your service advisor that you want to note on the RO of a dash cam that you have - in an effort to prevent punk tech or otherwise from joyriding your car. Because any writeup he will see it on the ticket they’re assigned.

On an unrelated note, I got an EVAP CEL for Purge Flow too high. It went away and after an month, came back. I cleared it, seems gone for now. Yeah, the item is covered under the emissions warranty, but I am avoiding taking it in, and almost debating fixing it myself at my cost to avoid the dealer.

 

[Cobra Jet]

The first thing I do upon exiting my car at the Dealership for Service is I take photos of the entire sides, front, rear, interior and rims. I take good shots of these areas so that I know that the car was not damaged upon my release. I recommend everyone do this, you all have cell phones, many with some type of camera - take the pics - this way IF or WHEN something happens, you have the images to prove the car was not damaged upon your release. Can’t stress it enough. Sure you shouldn’t HAVE to do this, but nowadays you do, because not everyone takes pride in their job or cares about your shit as you do...

Also to note:
When I go to the Dealer - and since I have the black PP rims, there is a LARGE note that appears every single time on their screen AND the work order when my car goes in for any service. It informs the Service Writer AND the Tech in very large letters to be extremely careful with the rims with the air gun AND when taking them off the car - do not damage the rims. They are to be always face up if and when removed from the car.

You can tell your Service Writers to do the same - especially with black rims.

The same applies to light colored interiors. TELL THEM before performing any work to place plastic seat covers over both front seats. I do this as well since I have Ceramic Leather.

If you’re going to the same Dealership all the time for any service - and you’re creating a good relationship - they get to know you and your quirks, they will treat you right. I can say that my Dealership is excellent and has always taken care of me - even when I did the Buy Back with my prior 2016. They weren’t even the original selling Dealership for my 2016, but went above and beyond in their capacity to work the middle layer with Ford RAV, get me taken care of and into the 2018.

Some Dealerships and Techs are not the best (been through it myself), it just happens. That sour attitude from some of them can also be attributed sometimes to how they themselves are being treated by the Franchise Owner. Not all Franchise Owners treat their employees with the respect they deserve, so it trickles down - just as any other type of job within a large Corporation.

Other Dealerships and Techs are freaking awesome. I personally give my Dealership rave reviews after each service visit and do take the time to give kudos to the Service Writer, Shop Foreman and Techs in the comments section of the survey.

I hope the OP gets a positive resolution, but again if it were me - I would be requesting a vehicle replacement and not accept a “fix”. Once a car is damaged it just has that history that tags along. Some don’t care about that, some do.

 

[Fangi0]

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.

You had my eyes watering as I was reading this... thank you very much for your support.

 

[Fangi0]

I would chase after the dealer. There needs to be a name on who damaged the car.

Some things you might try.

1. Go to dealership and make a police report. There needs to be a name of the person that hit the car. If no one will claim responsibility than it could be vandalism. Might be a felony in this case.
2. Have the manager state to the police that the car was parked.
3. Find the exact situation and place the car was hit.
4. Ask if the police will ask to see the surveillance tape. The dealership will say no.
5. Record all conversations if legal in your state.

I would go after the criminal side of this and see if they squirm. I think that is your only shot of getting a new car out of this. A lawyer will just end up costing you money and you will get exactly what you would will out of your insurance. Diminished value will be hard to get in this case. The car is technically your responsibility at the dealership (in my state). When it’s in motion things get grey. If they lied about it being in motion on a public road it’s hit and run and could be fraud.

Sounds like they are hiding something. If they will lie to the police about it in a investigative capacity then you have them.

Did you get to see all the parts they took off the car?

When I arrived at Wade, the car was already disassembled undergoing repair; I got to see the parts that they had removed and sent with the wrecker when it arrived at Akins.

 

[cmxPPL219]

The first thing I do upon exiting my car at the Dealership for Service is I take photos of the entire sides, front, rear, interior and rims. I take good shots of these areas so that I know that the car was not damaged upon my release. I recommend everyone do this, you all have cell phones, many with some type of camera - take the pics - this way IF or WHEN something happens, you have the images to prove the car was not damaged upon your release. Can’t stress it enough. Sure you shouldn’t HAVE to do this, but nowadays you do, because not everyone takes pride in their job or cares about your shit as you do...

Great idea, and if you can supplement it with telling the Service Writer/Advisor to put a note on the RO, as I mentioned, that there was no previous damage prior to releasing the vehicle, even better - I've known of cases where the Service Dept will write off someones pics as not taken on that day, etc, and "...that time stamps can be altered" - They get very low. If it's in writing, just as on a sales contract, its reality.

When I go to the Dealer - and since I have the black PP rims, there is a LARGE note that appears every single time on their screen AND the work order when my car goes in for any service. It informs the Service Writer AND the Tech in very large letters to be extremely careful with the rims with the air gun AND when taking them off the car - do not damage the rims. They are to be always face up if and when removed from the car.

Another great point - I've seen dealer, indy techs put rims face down all the time, or face up under the car when it's being worked on, and meanwhile all your penetrating oil, rust, dirt etc is dripping all over the damn rims, it is CRINGE-worthy how little they care.

 

[ChaoticFury09]

Great to see a fellow Torontonian.
You know I couldn’t have said it better myself - it takes the fun out of owning a new potentially dream car. I was like should I just drive a shitbox too, but then I was like screw it, life is too short lol

Where in the GTA do you live? It’s so sad to say, but GTA Ford dealers, none really stand out. I avoid them like the plague.

The following dealers stand out that I would AVOID:

In Scarborough:
-East Court - service advisors talk down to you, and if you know cars, or have tech background, turn off.
-Heritage - Lots of stories...

In York Region:
-Markville - property and lot is so small, chances are so high something similar will happen as what happened to OP
-Yonge and Steeles - so volume-sales focused and large that customer service is lost on them
-Dixie Ford -
-Planet Ford - AVOID. Not only do they talk down, A very good friend of mine with a Focus RS dealing with the head gasket recall and there was a minor issue related to his RO. He was treated “sub par” by 2 service advisors. He is person of “colour” - we watched those same 2 immediately treat a “non-person of colour” in a positively different fashion. I made noise on behalf of him, and next thing you know we were setting an appointment with the dealer owner/principal until my friends work schedule jammed up - and he couldn’t follow through.

If people saw the way some service advisors, sales people and even some of the techs talk about customers and the things they say behind closed doors, boderring on racist if not outright, I guarantee you there would be a boycott of the dealer model.

Note: If anyone on this thread works for any of the above, I am not saying every actor in the particular dealer is bad - however, after years of hearing and witnessing “events” these are my takeaways. I fully know there will be a few good people in otherwise “shady” dealers, and if you are one them, thanks for what you do, given the environment you work in.

This is a tip I would give anyone:
1. If you HAVE to go to the dealer, tell your service advisor that you want to do a walk around with him/her of your car prior to them taking your keys. Do a walk around and have them record on the RO (repair order/work order) that there is NO damage. Because if there is, and I’ve seen it happen, if caused by sloppy ass tech, they will deny and say it was brought in like that.” If they refuse saying it’s silly or whatever WALK AWAY. Walk.
2. If you have dash cams, tell your service advisor that you want to note on the RO of a dash cam that you have - in an effort to prevent punk tech or otherwise from joyriding your car. Because any writeup he will see it on the ticket they’re assigned.

On an unrelated note, I got an EVAP CEL for Purge Flow too high. It went away and after an month, came back. I cleared it, seems gone for now. Yeah, the item is covered under the emissions warranty, but I am avoiding taking it in, and almost debating fixing it myself at my cost to avoid the dealer.

I also live in Toronto but I have my car serviced at Heritage and it's been my favorite dealership thus far. Them and Fraser Ford.

I have been to Steeles, Markville, Uxbridge, Yorkdale and Don Way and I don't recommend any of them.

 

[Jetnoise]

I couldn't go see the car until 1-2 days later; eventually received from them just 1 pic, of the damage only --I hadn't approved a repair, asked them to stop work related when I was on my way, found this on arrival:

Now that is just messed up
Almost makes me think they’d have tried to hide the whole incident from you if you could.
They have also violated your personal auto insurance contract

 

[Ecoboosted]

Now that is just messed up
Almost makes me think they’d have tried to hide the whole incident from you if you could.
They have also violated your personal auto insurance contract

Yea that’s a pretty bold move on the dealerships part of starting repairs before letting the customer know of the damage and getting their approval before starting the work. Never heard of such a thing. I’d want to know who was the person in charge who authorized this.

 

[Jetnoise]

I’d want to know who was the person in charge who authorized this.

Exactly!

 

[Ghostrealm]

Im going to start going to Steeda in Milton. Its only mustang specialists. Steeda.ca

Ever hear of it? They seem nice on the phone/

 

[cmxPPL219]

Im going to start going to Steeda in Milton. Its only mustang specialists. Steeda.ca

Ever hear of it? They seem nice on the phone/

I have not, but speaking of Mustang specialists, that jogged my mind: http://www.dasilvaracing.com/
They're in Pickering. They mostly deal with Mustangs. You can get them to order aftermarket parts, they do the installs, they do dynos, and also they do all major basic maintenance services as well.
They have a really good reputation - I haven't used them to install anything, but I did buy my winter rims from them, and the owner gave me a shop tour. Seem like great guys.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Im going to start going to Steeda in Milton. Its only mustang specialists.

Nice. Never occurred to me they were full service and not just install/adjust Steeda parts.

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