Are unreal service times the norm with Ford Dealers?

[Briebee72]

Its been a long time since I owned a Ford. But now i'm back and well, I am concerned. I been reading through the forums and one thing sorta stood out to me. The service times that people have to wait for their cars. IM coming from Honda, and I must say anything they did was done right away and even big services like changing out entire engine harnesses was only a day wait. But I am reading here what seems liek simple small jobs people are waiting for 3 to 8 hours and with bigger jobs days and weeks. I've read where some just to get something diagnosed the dealers have the car for a week or more sometimes????

I must say Honda if I went in with an issue someone came right out to the service area and looked at it. (unless it was a big thing like the engine or something) My first experience with Ford has not gone well and now Im a bit worried about getting services done. My lumbar does not work. So I went to my local dealer and they said wait a few mins and we will look at it. Guy comes out after 10 mins and pushes the button and says yeah it don't work you must of broke it. I was no I did not, it's a new car. Oh it is? I thought it was a 16. I didn't say anything. Then he goes onto tell me the bladder breaks in them... They haven't used a bladder in these seats since I don't know the last decade. Well we will schedule an appointment to get it looked at next week. IM like you just looked at it. So I have to bring it back in a week for someone else to tell me its broke and then after that come back in another week to get it fixed because i'm sure you have to order the part... maybe, we have to look at it. signhhh. so him blaming me and not knowing what year the car is and not knowing how the thing works or how its made... I just go to another dealer. They at least (the new dealer) know what year the car is, dont blame me. so new dealer ok so we will schedule you for next week to look at it. ugh... you just did its broke. well we need to make sure. ok I get that. Can someone look at it now though its a small item and I had to drive a long way here. He says no we are busy, I look around and there is literally no one doing anything. 3 guys outside looking at a gt 350 . 2 standing there eating crackers. 5 to 7 people just walking around talking. no cars on lifts... I had to say something. Yall dont look busy I dont see anyone doing anything. still have to bring it back in a week to have it looked at to then make yet another appointment to get it fixed.

Jesus is this how it goes. missing 3 days of work for everything that needs to be done on a ford? No wonder I see so many people just living with broken stuff on these cars LOL

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[kent0464]

That’s not typical, my advice would be to find another dealer if possible to use. I have a Ford dealership with in walking distance of my home, but the one I use for any warranty work etc is 12 miles away. The one close to me “was” my go-to but ownership changed hands about 5 years ago and it really sucks for sales and service now.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Honda, BMW, Toyota, Chevy, Dodge, Lexus, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, etc are no better at servicing “X” and also have the same Service delays or down time that owners experience at Ford.

Go on any other make/model forum and you’ll find the same gripes.

If you live in a city-like geographic location where the population is numerous - expect delays - ANYWHERE from your Doctor’s office to your Dealership - that’s life.

If you live in an area where there’s not many people and you are able to get in/out without major delays - that’s great.

I don’t think there’s any epidemic to Service delays or lengthy repair efforts just because it’s “Ford”.......

I’ve been to my Service Center for regular maintenance and an oil change/tire rotation/full car inspection takes just under 1 hour.

BTW - who’s missing work for 3-days just because their car might be in service? Get a taxi, Uber, Lift, Bus, bicycle, loaner vehicle, or carpool.... LMFAO... missing work for 3 days... c’mon now.

 

[Briebee72]

Honda, BMW, Toyota, Chevy, Dodge, Lexus, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, etc are no better at servicing “X” and also have the same Service delays or down time that owners experience at Ford.

Go on any other make/model forum and you’ll find the same gripes.

If you live in a city-like geographic location where the population is numerous - expect delays - ANYWHERE from your Doctor’s office to your Dealership - that’s life.

If you live in an area where there’s not many people and you are able to get in/out without major delays - that’s great.

I don’t think there’s any epidemic to Service delays or lengthy repair efforts just because it’s “Ford”.......

I’ve been to my Service Center for regular maintenance and an oil change/tire rotation/full car inspection takes just under 1 hour.

BTW - who’s missing work for 3-days just because their car might be in service? Get a taxi, Uber, Lift, Bus, bicycle, loaner vehicle, or carpool.... LMFAO... missing work for 3 days... c’mon now.

wow ok didn't mean to trigger you there. in my experience with the local honda dealer i didn't have any issues and never had to wait was all i was saying. I wasn't bashing ford or saying honda or anyone else was all mighty. But there are alot of posts in this forum where people say they had god awful service times. and I was just giving a comparison in my own particular life experiences. if your life is simpler and you have a great dealer then awesome but not all of us do. I was simply looking for some feedback if my worries were justified or not, not to be treated like an idiot.

Now my ford dealer and honda dealer are in the same city. With the same population one you wait one you dont.. just the facts of my area and my experience. Now the Ford dealer I have to go to (because local one is inept and has poor ratings) is about 30 mins plus drive away. Plus wait time and blah blah. buy time you uber and wait and the back and forth and the second uber trip back out.. well you may as well not go to work that day so yes if the dealer runs you around for three visits you will miss three days work. or spend half your day ubering around three counties. so let's break this down. you miss half the day with the actual chore and then the money you would make the second half the day is washed away by ubers and gas. so why bother. plus it just adds more headache to the day for the back and forth. Easier and cheaper to just sit and wait on car. Dealers here dont do loaner cars they rent them. and yes three days the 1st to goout and be told i have to come back. the 2nd to go back to be told yes its broke come back once parts ordered and then 3rd to actually get part fixed. so yes three days.

 

[NoVaGT]

Possible reasons;

1. They're a terrible service department.
2. They decided they didn't want to work with you.

Answer;

Find another dealership, and be real cool with the advisers and techs. Bring Starbucks coffee or something.

 

[Briebee72]

Possible reasons;

1. They're a terrible service department.
2. They decided they didn't want to work with you.

Answer;

Find another dealership, and be real cool with the advisers and techs. Bring Starbucks coffee or something.

Ha I need to bribe them to do their job? Ha, don't get me wrong when I am there I am super nice. I just vent my frustrations in my post. I don't talk to them like they are stupid or anything in person. First guy I didn't say anything at all I just didn't go back. Second dealer only thing that could be considered out of line was when i asked if one of the guys walking around had time to look now. Other then that was a friendly convo and the guy even knew my mom use to play racquetball with her. was a super friendly conversation.

 

[88lx50]

I have had the terrible service experience and the great service experience for the same issue at 2 separate dealerships. Walk away. Don't go back. Find another dealership.

 

[Interceptor]

They are hoping you will walk around the car lot and buy a different vehicle, while you wait, come back, wait..
I get free oil changes at my dealer but go to local garage and pay them to do it.

 

[Briebee72]

They are hoping you will walk around the car lot and buy a different vehicle, while you wait, come back, wait..
I get free oil changes at my dealer but go to local garage and pay them to do it.

Ha dealer oil changes. My wifes nissan. She gets oil changes included with some plan with dealer. After 4th oil change we asked for refund. 2 to 3 hours you would be sitting there. Its faster to just hit the quick change 29 bucks 10 mins done. Some things arent worth free.

 

[3star2nr]

Bro it's an internet forum... All you're gonna find is people bitching about bad experiences. Who here is gonna make a thread saying they were in and out in 1hr and got amazing service? Who would read that thread if you posted it?

In fact just a few weeks ago i had a service advisor come in on his day off just to give me my car back and make sure I was satisfied with the repairs... I never made a thread about that...

In reality most "bad" cases are isolated, largely exaggerated and specific to that dealership not a reflection on ford as a brand...

Plus there are a lot of factors, a dealership is not just working on your car... They aren't going to stop everything and work on your car because u drive a Mustang...

All that said I've had mostly really positive experiences with Ford. I broke a wheel once in Texas. Dropped my car off at 3am got a call around 10 saying the car was ready and I owed nothing out of pocket...

Just research the DEALERSHIP by reading the reviews... Every dealer will have one or 2 assholes with a big mouth talking trash about them, but if you're seeing nothing but negatives theres a strong possibility they suck...

 

[3star2nr]

I also recommend looking at what's on their lot. If the lot is full of Mustangs chances are the owner is a car guy himself and they're gonna treat you well. If the lot is full of econoboxes, trucks and one or 2 Mustangs. I'd avoid that dealer

 

[FruityJudy]

1)In most every business it is financially better to have customers waiting on the business rather than the business waiting on customers. 2) Most of the time they are diagnosing a problem. Once they start diagnosing it may take minutes or hours. That is unknown to the mechanic and unknown to the book keeper doing the scheduling.
Your honda dealer may not have the quantity of vehicles going through there as the Ford dealer. Usually when the quantity isn't there the quality should be better but also the price should be higher to adjust for cash flow.

Another thing, this is not directed to you, but I see many people search around for the best price of a vehicle and may even drive several hundred miles to save a few bucks. I dont think people realize there is service after the sale that needs to be taking into account. You dont want to drive several hundred miles for warranty work or maintenance so when you pull up at your local dealership for those problems, the people that bought from them take priority over you. Sure they may be more than happy to help you but if Mrs. Mary who has bought 10 vehicles from them over the years pulls up with a problem they are going to try and get her going asap and may stop working on your vehicle for the time being.

 

[NoVaGT]

Plus, with how in-often these cars need oil changes, ownership is pretty painless.

Still, I use a local garage rather than the dealership.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Its been a long time since I owned a Ford. But now i'm back and well, I am concerned. I been reading through the forums and one thing sorta stood out to me. The service times that people have to wait for their cars. IM coming from Honda, and I must say anything they did was done right away and even big services like changing out entire engine harnesses was only a day wait. But I am reading here what seems liek simple small jobs people are waiting for 3 to 8 hours and with bigger jobs days and weeks. I've read where some just to get something diagnosed the dealers have the car for a week or more sometimes????

I must say Honda if I went in with an issue someone came right out to the service area and looked at it. (unless it was a big thing like the engine or something) My first experience with Ford has not gone well and now Im a bit worried about getting services done. My lumbar does not work. So I went to my local dealer and they said wait a few mins and we will look at it. Guy comes out after 10 mins and pushes the button and says yeah it don't work you must of broke it. I was no I did not, it's a new car. Oh it is? I thought it was a 16. I didn't say anything. Then he goes onto tell me the bladder breaks in them... They haven't used a bladder in these seats since I don't know the last decade. Well we will schedule an appointment to get it looked at next week. IM like you just looked at it. So I have to bring it back in a week for someone else to tell me its broke and then after that come back in another week to get it fixed because i'm sure you have to order the part... maybe, we have to look at it. signhhh. so him blaming me and not knowing what year the car is and not knowing how the thing works or how its made... I just go to another dealer. They at least (the new dealer) know what year the car is, dont blame me. so new dealer ok so we will schedule you for next week to look at it. ugh... you just did its broke. well we need to make sure. ok I get that. Can someone look at it now though its a small item and I had to drive a long way here. He says no we are busy, I look around and there is literally no one doing anything. 3 guys outside looking at a gt 350 . 2 standing there eating crackers. 5 to 7 people just walking around talking. no cars on lifts... I had to say something. Yall dont look busy I dont see anyone doing anything. still have to bring it back in a week to have it looked at to then make yet another appointment to get it fixed.

Jesus is this how it goes. missing 3 days of work for everything that needs to be done on a ford? No wonder I see so many people just living with broken stuff on these cars LOL

Most are dealer problems rather than Ford (other than Ford not adequately incentivizing good dealer behavior). Like others said, try other dealers. Hope there are some nearby that are better.

 

[Bluelightning]

Is 3 weeks to get a pinion seal replace under warranty considered a long time???

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