AmericanV8Guy
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
IMPORTANt EDIT AS OF 04/23/19: I am leaving the original text below that I posted a few months ago, just so that you have an idea of how ridiculous the whole situation is currently. As a pre-cursor to the paragraph below, Jim Vreeland Ford are just as much a bunch of lying charlatans as Perry Ford. My most recent post after this one explains why.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is basically a "copy-paste" of one of my comments from the "GT tick" thread. I know that it doesn't apply to everyone, but figured that I'm sure there are some people in my area that probably use this forum too. This isn't the entire story with what I've gone through while dealing with Perry Ford, but just an update on the latest occurrence that happened this past Monday.
"So an update on my end:
Before anything, if you are near Santa Barbara County, CA, DO NOT GO TO PERRY FORD!!!! Don't waste your time there, as they definitely aren't worth it. Been getting the constant run-around from the sales aspect while purchasing a car, as well as the following service/support, despite having a 2 year old GT, that I purchased new, with less than 15K miles, and still entirely covered by my warranty".
Here are the details. As previously stated, I've had the "tick" for quite a while. It seems like this tick is different for many owners. Some have an intermittent tick that isn't constant, that disappears after driving your car a few hundred miles, it heats up, etc... Not the case with my car. My car developed the tick at around 5K miles, and has just gotten worse. It is almost constant between 1,5-2K RPM, and I can EASILY hear it over my loud exhaust (Corsa extreme catback). I've brought it several times to Perry to have them look at it. The only thing they ever did was choose to swap my intake manifold, which I was puzzled by, as I knew it was in no way shape or form an issue with that part. One of the service reps also told me that it sounds like its coming from a loose camshaft, and will most likely need to swap my engine. Obviously, this was unsettling, and not something you want to hear with your two year old car. Keep in mind that my car is only 2 years old, with less than 15K miles on it, and is still covered by my warranty.
Well, I made an appointment with them this past Monday, as the issue seemed to be getting worse, as well as I had a new issue appear too (a clunk sound while letting off the gas/reapplying gas, as well as releasing the clutch, and NO its not the DS, as I know what that sounds like, and it's not this). Rolled up to the service area, told them the issues I was having, AGAIN. First of all, I told them that you could hear the issue WHILE IN GEAR/DRIVING! I told my service rep that I would gladly take him for a ride around the block to show him what I'm talking about. I also showed him a video that I took where the clunk sound as well as ticking is CLEARLY audible. What does he do? He tells me to start the car up and rev it. I told him that the issue I was having was while I'm driving. So of course, the tick is mild, and obviously you won't hear the clunk. Then he has the balls to say "well, seeing as you can't replicate the issue, I'm probably going to have to keep your car for 3 weeks to take a look at it". 3 weeks!!! Just to take a look! Not even including repairs! I told him that wouldn't work as I'm going out of country next week for about 3 weeks. He then said: "Great, because I don't need you bugging me by calling all the time (in a non-joking manner)". The only times I call are when A) they tell me that my car will be ready by X time, and I haven't heard from them by X time, so I want an update before they close shop on that day. or B) they say to leave the car for a few days, and I finally decide to call after not hearing a peep from them with some sort of update (even a "we're still looking" would be fine) for 3+ days. Needless to say, I didn't want to just leave my car sitting there for 3 weeks, ESPECIALLY when they won't be able to reach me via phone.
So, today I decided to drive to the next nearest Ford dealership, over an hour away. The dealership is Vreeland Ford in Buellton, CA. Let me just preface by saying that my mind was blown by the contrast of the quality of service offered by this dealership over Perry Ford of Santa Barbara. First of all, I made an appointment online. They called me to tell me that they were actually booked on that day. I told them that I was just wondering if I could bring it in for a diagnosis, gave her the issues I was having, and I could always bring it back to service it if need be. The lady on the phone said that was fine. So I rolled up today at the specified time, and started speaking with the service rep. He told me that Mike would jump in the car with me so that he could see the problem. I met Mike, and turned out that he wasn't a tech, he was the service manager. That alone amazed me. I never even met the service manager ONCE at Perry, despite having reoccurring issues with the car, and not being too pleased with the service I was having (also forgot to mention that they scratched my PP rims while changing tires..... and never did ANYTHING to fix it). So, Mike told me that he had a 15GT that also had the ticking sound. He told me that the problem with his (after spending quite a bit of time looking for it) was actually the tubes connected to the oil pump that would rattle and hit something, causing the tick sound. So, Mike and I drove off. Immediately after hearing the sound, he said that "tick" sound coming from my car was different than what he was expected, even said "that's annoying". He then told me to pull off into a residential street where there were many hedges along the road, so that the sound could reverberate off of them. To my surprise, he actually GOT OUT OF THE CAR, and stood there in the middle of the road, as he instructed me to drive up and down the road, while trying to replicate both sounds. I did this for about 5 mins. He immediately told me that yea, something was definitely wrong, and he could hear the "Clunk" while I turned around a few hundred feet away from him. So we get back to the dealership, and he then tells me that sometimes a "clunk" can happen because the wheels are loose. I thought that I doubt they are, but he decided to try tightening them himself, which he then proceeded to do, and we both saw that none of the wheels were lose. He told me to leave the car with him for about an hour, as he was going to put it on the lift, check the drivetrain, and check Oasis (which I'm assuming is some sort of Ford/Dealershup software, but I don't know). Keep in mind, this isn't just a service tech, but the SERVICE MANAGER!
I came back a little over an hour later, and my car was sitting there ready to go. Mike himself came to speak with me again. He told me that he couldn't find the issue, but that there was definitely an issue present, and that he wants to get my car in for repairs. He even said that he took out a GT350 they had, as apparently (and this is news to me, and didn't get what exactly the issue was), there is a certain sound that the GT350s make that sounds similar to what I was experiencing, so he wanted to see if it sounded similar to that (which it did not according to him). He then asked me if I ever had a CEL on with this car, which I told him I never have (and this is the truth). He said that he looked at my car's service records, and that Perry had apparently swapped the intake manifold because they put into the system that there was a CEL, which wasn't the case. Apparently (again, new to me), they do so in order to make themselves more money.... I then asked him what the next step would be. He said to make an appointment when I get back and they'll take it from there. I asked about how much time would it take to figure out what was wrong, he said a few days to get into everything, and to see in which direction to proceed. I told him that Perry said they would need my car fro 3 weeks. He then laughed and said that he doesn't want my car on his lot for three weeks, probably due to liability.
So, basically, during the short time I was at Vreeland Ford (compared to the hours spent dealing with Perry Ford), I met the service manager, he listened to my concerns, took the time to experience those concerns first hand by driving with me (without me even asking to do so), took a look at the car despite being booked with other appointments, acknowledged that there were clearly two separate, non-normal issues going on, told me an appropriate time frame for the work that would need to be done, and what the next step should be. I have NEVER received any of that kind of service or attention from Perry. I have been given the runaround countless times (both while purchasing and servicing my cars), disrespected, kept in the dark, and obviously ( and news to me) was lied to for their own monetary gains. The service rep from Vreeland Ford told me before leaving: "Make sure to keep us in mind for any future business, even though I know it's a drive for you to get here". I told them I will gladly use them; despite the drive; as I am much more willing to give my service to a company/dealership that actually deserves it. Granted, Vreeland didn't fix the issue yet (didn't expect them to do so today), but at least they are taking all of my concerns seriously, and giving me a plan of attack.
So there you have it (minus a few things that were said that just support my displeasure with Perry, such as them not wanting to swap my engine out simply because they run the risk of eating the cost if Ford finds out there is nothing wrong). A little bit of a rant, but figured I should pass on the word of warning, especially for those located on the Central coast/Southern CA. I will definitely post an update once I get my car in for servicing at Vreeland Ford, but I am already impressed by their want/need to go above and beyond with their services. So, thanks again for taking the time today guys! Especially Mike!! I certainly appreciate it, and it feels nice to actually feel valued as a customer.
"
There you have it. I do hope that Perry sees this, and changes their freaking ways. Santa Barbara and it's surround cities is such a small city, that word of mouth is everything. Unfortunately, we don't have too many options in terms of dealerships, so they can get away with their shitty attitude/service. I'd much rather drive an 1+ hour to receive the service that I actually deserve as a paying customer, and that I expect from Ford. I'm just waiting for the whole thing to be done, but will most likely be sending (another) letter to Ford regarding the issue.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is basically a "copy-paste" of one of my comments from the "GT tick" thread. I know that it doesn't apply to everyone, but figured that I'm sure there are some people in my area that probably use this forum too. This isn't the entire story with what I've gone through while dealing with Perry Ford, but just an update on the latest occurrence that happened this past Monday.
"So an update on my end:
Before anything, if you are near Santa Barbara County, CA, DO NOT GO TO PERRY FORD!!!! Don't waste your time there, as they definitely aren't worth it. Been getting the constant run-around from the sales aspect while purchasing a car, as well as the following service/support, despite having a 2 year old GT, that I purchased new, with less than 15K miles, and still entirely covered by my warranty".
Here are the details. As previously stated, I've had the "tick" for quite a while. It seems like this tick is different for many owners. Some have an intermittent tick that isn't constant, that disappears after driving your car a few hundred miles, it heats up, etc... Not the case with my car. My car developed the tick at around 5K miles, and has just gotten worse. It is almost constant between 1,5-2K RPM, and I can EASILY hear it over my loud exhaust (Corsa extreme catback). I've brought it several times to Perry to have them look at it. The only thing they ever did was choose to swap my intake manifold, which I was puzzled by, as I knew it was in no way shape or form an issue with that part. One of the service reps also told me that it sounds like its coming from a loose camshaft, and will most likely need to swap my engine. Obviously, this was unsettling, and not something you want to hear with your two year old car. Keep in mind that my car is only 2 years old, with less than 15K miles on it, and is still covered by my warranty.
Well, I made an appointment with them this past Monday, as the issue seemed to be getting worse, as well as I had a new issue appear too (a clunk sound while letting off the gas/reapplying gas, as well as releasing the clutch, and NO its not the DS, as I know what that sounds like, and it's not this). Rolled up to the service area, told them the issues I was having, AGAIN. First of all, I told them that you could hear the issue WHILE IN GEAR/DRIVING! I told my service rep that I would gladly take him for a ride around the block to show him what I'm talking about. I also showed him a video that I took where the clunk sound as well as ticking is CLEARLY audible. What does he do? He tells me to start the car up and rev it. I told him that the issue I was having was while I'm driving. So of course, the tick is mild, and obviously you won't hear the clunk. Then he has the balls to say "well, seeing as you can't replicate the issue, I'm probably going to have to keep your car for 3 weeks to take a look at it". 3 weeks!!! Just to take a look! Not even including repairs! I told him that wouldn't work as I'm going out of country next week for about 3 weeks. He then said: "Great, because I don't need you bugging me by calling all the time (in a non-joking manner)". The only times I call are when A) they tell me that my car will be ready by X time, and I haven't heard from them by X time, so I want an update before they close shop on that day. or B) they say to leave the car for a few days, and I finally decide to call after not hearing a peep from them with some sort of update (even a "we're still looking" would be fine) for 3+ days. Needless to say, I didn't want to just leave my car sitting there for 3 weeks, ESPECIALLY when they won't be able to reach me via phone.
So, today I decided to drive to the next nearest Ford dealership, over an hour away. The dealership is Vreeland Ford in Buellton, CA. Let me just preface by saying that my mind was blown by the contrast of the quality of service offered by this dealership over Perry Ford of Santa Barbara. First of all, I made an appointment online. They called me to tell me that they were actually booked on that day. I told them that I was just wondering if I could bring it in for a diagnosis, gave her the issues I was having, and I could always bring it back to service it if need be. The lady on the phone said that was fine. So I rolled up today at the specified time, and started speaking with the service rep. He told me that Mike would jump in the car with me so that he could see the problem. I met Mike, and turned out that he wasn't a tech, he was the service manager. That alone amazed me. I never even met the service manager ONCE at Perry, despite having reoccurring issues with the car, and not being too pleased with the service I was having (also forgot to mention that they scratched my PP rims while changing tires..... and never did ANYTHING to fix it). So, Mike told me that he had a 15GT that also had the ticking sound. He told me that the problem with his (after spending quite a bit of time looking for it) was actually the tubes connected to the oil pump that would rattle and hit something, causing the tick sound. So, Mike and I drove off. Immediately after hearing the sound, he said that "tick" sound coming from my car was different than what he was expected, even said "that's annoying". He then told me to pull off into a residential street where there were many hedges along the road, so that the sound could reverberate off of them. To my surprise, he actually GOT OUT OF THE CAR, and stood there in the middle of the road, as he instructed me to drive up and down the road, while trying to replicate both sounds. I did this for about 5 mins. He immediately told me that yea, something was definitely wrong, and he could hear the "Clunk" while I turned around a few hundred feet away from him. So we get back to the dealership, and he then tells me that sometimes a "clunk" can happen because the wheels are loose. I thought that I doubt they are, but he decided to try tightening them himself, which he then proceeded to do, and we both saw that none of the wheels were lose. He told me to leave the car with him for about an hour, as he was going to put it on the lift, check the drivetrain, and check Oasis (which I'm assuming is some sort of Ford/Dealershup software, but I don't know). Keep in mind, this isn't just a service tech, but the SERVICE MANAGER!
I came back a little over an hour later, and my car was sitting there ready to go. Mike himself came to speak with me again. He told me that he couldn't find the issue, but that there was definitely an issue present, and that he wants to get my car in for repairs. He even said that he took out a GT350 they had, as apparently (and this is news to me, and didn't get what exactly the issue was), there is a certain sound that the GT350s make that sounds similar to what I was experiencing, so he wanted to see if it sounded similar to that (which it did not according to him). He then asked me if I ever had a CEL on with this car, which I told him I never have (and this is the truth). He said that he looked at my car's service records, and that Perry had apparently swapped the intake manifold because they put into the system that there was a CEL, which wasn't the case. Apparently (again, new to me), they do so in order to make themselves more money.... I then asked him what the next step would be. He said to make an appointment when I get back and they'll take it from there. I asked about how much time would it take to figure out what was wrong, he said a few days to get into everything, and to see in which direction to proceed. I told him that Perry said they would need my car fro 3 weeks. He then laughed and said that he doesn't want my car on his lot for three weeks, probably due to liability.
So, basically, during the short time I was at Vreeland Ford (compared to the hours spent dealing with Perry Ford), I met the service manager, he listened to my concerns, took the time to experience those concerns first hand by driving with me (without me even asking to do so), took a look at the car despite being booked with other appointments, acknowledged that there were clearly two separate, non-normal issues going on, told me an appropriate time frame for the work that would need to be done, and what the next step should be. I have NEVER received any of that kind of service or attention from Perry. I have been given the runaround countless times (both while purchasing and servicing my cars), disrespected, kept in the dark, and obviously ( and news to me) was lied to for their own monetary gains. The service rep from Vreeland Ford told me before leaving: "Make sure to keep us in mind for any future business, even though I know it's a drive for you to get here". I told them I will gladly use them; despite the drive; as I am much more willing to give my service to a company/dealership that actually deserves it. Granted, Vreeland didn't fix the issue yet (didn't expect them to do so today), but at least they are taking all of my concerns seriously, and giving me a plan of attack.
So there you have it (minus a few things that were said that just support my displeasure with Perry, such as them not wanting to swap my engine out simply because they run the risk of eating the cost if Ford finds out there is nothing wrong). A little bit of a rant, but figured I should pass on the word of warning, especially for those located on the Central coast/Southern CA. I will definitely post an update once I get my car in for servicing at Vreeland Ford, but I am already impressed by their want/need to go above and beyond with their services. So, thanks again for taking the time today guys! Especially Mike!! I certainly appreciate it, and it feels nice to actually feel valued as a customer.
"There you have it. I do hope that Perry sees this, and changes their freaking ways. Santa Barbara and it's surround cities is such a small city, that word of mouth is everything. Unfortunately, we don't have too many options in terms of dealerships, so they can get away with their shitty attitude/service. I'd much rather drive an 1+ hour to receive the service that I actually deserve as a paying customer, and that I expect from Ford. I'm just waiting for the whole thing to be done, but will most likely be sending (another) letter to Ford regarding the issue.
Sponsored
Last edited: