Why not the dealer

[stanglife]

Ps - for small warranty repairs, I'd do and pay for them myself to avoid the dealer or any service department.

I haven't even touched on things like door dings and joyrides. In my opinion the dealer is one of the highest risk places an enthusiast can leave their car.

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[jwhite]

Please remember I'm not arguing with you I really appreciate your opinion...
Do you think this is a Ford problem or a dealer in general problem? I also like many others on here own much more costly vehicles, would you think a Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar or Land Rover has the same views as you? If you owned or do own something similar as stated would you have the same opinion about warranty work?

 

[stanglife]

It's human nature, IMO. It's simple as I stated - others don't care for your stuff like you do. Would you let anyone who could drive a car, drive yours to the mall for a day?

 

[Next Phase]

I trust my Mopar dealer... Mostly because of the relationships I have with the GM and Parts Manager. I've had then do some warranty work on my Hellcat, Durango and Viper and I wouldn't hesitate to use them for routine oil changes (I have 4 free on each car). I do prefer to do a lot of my own work though.

On the flip side, I've been to some of the local Ford dealers and I'm not sure I would trust them to do anything... This is based on talking with some of the service managers and walking back into the service shop at some of the dealerships. My saving grace is a friend of mine in the Viper club is a Service Manager @ a Ford Dealer. I trust him with my car and am sure he'd put his top guys on it (or he would most likely do it himself).

Once some oil cooler lines become available, I plan to do it myself with my first oil change.

 

[Dave]

The problem with fixing everything yourself that you can, is then when you get to 2 years in and your transmission is grinding, the dealer has never seen you before, has no relationship to base any "good will" on, and if they get push-back from Ford they have no service history or knowledge to base any kind of response on.

I'm not saying it's right, but if you're a valued customer of a dealer service center (a good one) then they will try a lot harder to make things right for you, if you have a warranty concern. If you've never been there before, they still will try to get warranty work covered as warranty work for you (again, a good service center) but they literally have no history of the car to be able to make an argument with, if there is an abuse or maintenance concern.

 

[stanglife]

The problem with fixing everything yourself that you can, is then when you get to 2 years in and your transmission is grinding, the dealer has never seen you before, has no relationship to base any "good will" on, and if they get push-back from Ford they have no service history or knowledge to base any kind of response on.

I'm not saying it's right, but if you're a valued customer of a dealer service center (a good one) then they will try a lot harder to make things right for you, if you have a warranty concern. If you've never been there before, they still will try to get warranty work covered as warranty work for you (again, a good service center) but they literally have no history of the car to be able to make an argument with, if there is an abuse or maintenance concern.

I document any maintenance that I perform. Warranty is warranty. You seem to be saying that warranty is conditional on relationships. If you're worried that you haven't kissed enough service-department-ass to get good service, I'd suggest you're going to the wrong service department.

This is one of those subjective things. If someone feels they need to take it to the dealer for everything and they are comfortable with that, then who am I to care? I just ask the same from others - don't try to convince me it's fine if I'm not OK with it.

To me, it's like if I had to eat dinner and my options were to go out to eat at the only restaurant in town, but it's in a bad neighborhood and there's a 60% chance I'll get sick or mugged.....OR....Cook at home. :shrug:

 

[murdock2112]

Half the guys on here are acting like the Techs are some knuckle dragging morons who'd change your oil with a mallet and a screw driver out of spite. These guys and gals get qualified and take classes to learn there trade. When I was a tech I started off washing cars before moving up to the oil rack and finally becoming a line mechanic.

Why would I screw up a customers car? That means rework and most likely that customers isn't coming back meaning $$ out of my pocket. The only reason I got out of working for Ford was because as a young person I could make enough off flat rate to move on in life. Now I work in 737s. I give as much care with everything I work whether it's a fiesta my GT350 or 737.

 

[stanglife]

Half the guys on here are acting like the Techs are some knuckle dragging morons who'd change your oil with a mallet and a screw driver out of spite. These guys and gals get qualified and take classes to learn there trade. When I was a tech I started off washing cars before moving up to the oil rack and finally becoming a line mechanic.

Why would I screw up a customers car? That means rework and most likely that customers isn't coming back meaning $$ out of my pocket. The only reason I got out of working for Ford was because as a young person I could make enough off flat rate to move on in life. Now I work in 737s. I give as much care with everything I work whether it's a fiesta my GT350 or 737.

Just to be clear - it's more the entire environment than absolutely a specific mechanic making a mistake. Tons of cars moving around. People wiping down cars with dirty rags... Cars being driven without permission or need...

I agree most techs don't get up in the AM thinking how they can mess up someones ride but mistakes happen and they happen most when people are rushed. Like you said, a tech needs to turn out some work to make a buck and while that's not fair to them, either - it creates an environment not conducive to maintaining a car owned by a picky car enthusiast.

 

[stanglife]

PS - I'll leave it at that. I know there are people on both sides of the fence here - it's a personal choice to leave your valuables with a dealer or not.

 

[Steve68]

I agree with stanglife's post. Bad things happen WAY too often in the service department of a dealership, or on a dealer lot in general. There are exceptions to every rule. Just take a look around these forums and see all the horror stories. Again, just take the chin splitter situation for example.

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43097

 

[Chris796]

That's possibly the most ignorant statement I've read on here.

Tech at the dealership I got my car from argued with me that my car was twin turbo....

Tech at a Chevy dealership did an oil change in my Z06 and I checked when I got home and I had 11 qts...

Tech at the dealership I got my 911 rotated my tires during its 2nd oil change, on a factory staggered setup..

So yeah, I don't have much faith in dealership techs. I normally only go for the first two or so free oil changes and give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[murdock2112]

Tech at the dealership I got my car from argued with me that my car was twin turbo....

Tech at a Chevy dealership did an oil change in my Z06 and I checked when I got home and I had 11 qts...

Tech at the dealership I got my 911 rotated my tires during its 2nd oil change, on a factory staggered setup..

So yeah, I don't have much faith in dealership techs. I normally only go for the first two or so free oil changes and give them the benefit of the doubt.

I have my doubts any of that ever happened. Please enlighten me with your mechanical skills. If your the Picasso of mechanics why are you even bringing your cars to the dealer for service. Even better why don't you build your own. Something my undeveloped brain couldn't possibly fathom.

 

[Chris796]

I have my doubts any of that ever happened. Please enlighten me with your mechanical skills. If your the Picasso of mechanics why are you even bringing your cars to the dealer for service. Even better why don't you build your own. Something my undeveloped brain couldn't possibly fathom.

I could care less what some rando on the Internet believes. Google dealership horror stories, hundreds and hundreds of people out there with plenty worse experiences than me.

I've done plenty of maintence on my own cars over the years, and had plenty done at dealerships and private shops. I've had good and bad experiences alike.

As far as my mechanical skills, I was an A&P mechanic for 6 years so I know my way around a wrench. I don't work on my own cars anymore because I no longer have a garage and somewhere to do so, but I did for many years.

As for building my own car, hey now you're onto something, I do need a new hobby other than arguing with strangers on the internet...

 

[Steve68]

I'm not flying on 737s anymore. What's the ADM on a 737? Does a 737 ever go in to limp mode?

 

[Dave]

I document any maintenance that I perform. Warranty is warranty. You seem to be saying that warranty is conditional on relationships.

Right, and nobody ever has any trouble getting warranty work covered, do they? :shrug:

No, I'm saying that a relationship can't hurt, and can only increase your chances of getting anything covered by your warranty, which deserves to be covered.

This is one of those subjective things. If someone feels they need to take it to the dealer for everything and they are comfortable with that, then who am I to care? I just ask the same from others - don't try to convince me it's fine if I'm not OK with it.

To me, it's like if I had to eat dinner and my options were to go out to eat at the only restaurant in town, but it's in a bad neighborhood and there's a 60% chance I'll get sick or mugged.....OR....Cook at home. :shrug:

I'm not trying to convince you of anything, and I have no interest in what you do with your car. In fact I don't even think I was replying to you originally? I'm just saying that there are benefits to taking your car to a good dealer for regular maintenance and service.

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