YAY! Parks Ford in Gainesville!!! Problem Resolved!!!

[signal12]

If this is the wrong forum, please move. I recently bought a used Ecoboost from Parks Ford of Gainesville (Actually Hyundai but on the same lot). I really liked the car, it's a loaded convertible in Ruby Red. I came to discover the engine had been blown by previous owner and replaced at his expense. They never told me about it. If I hadn't made contact with the previous owner on Facebook and on here, I never would have known. They advertised the car as Ford Certified PO and now tell me I should have had my mechanic inspect it!! 2015 with 30K miles!!

The kicker is, they knocked 4k off my $22k FX2 trade because it had been in a minor accident that activated airbags. This truck was immaculate. But then don't reveal a replacement engine! AND the engine had been replaced AT THEIR SERVICE DEPT!!

For the record, Car runs great and I love it but the deceptive tactics of the sales force is reprehensible.

UPDATE: Had a meeting with management and everyone kept their cool. It was very productive. They agreed that my point of view is valid but that they wanted to ensure that I knew they didn't intentionally keep the info from me it was just the info hadn't made it to the sales force before I was there buying it. Fair enough.

They wanted to make it right so they agreed to put Ecoboost PP brakes on it for free and put an all-weather mat in the trunk. I felt this was fair, we shook hands and everyone was happy.

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[jacknifetoaswan]

I mean, I hate to be the guy to say it, but caveat emptor. Did you at least run a Carfax? If so, that should have shown the engine replacement, and if it didn't, you should be able to contact Carfax about what you can do to resolve the issue.

JR

 

[signal12]

That's just it! Not on the carfax (apparently they don't HAVE to put it on there) nor on the OASIS because it wasn't a warranty replaced item. And seriously, Caveat Emptor doesn't excuse flat out deceptive tactics from a big dealer like that. Besides, who the Hell is going to take that new a car, with that few miles and from a reputable dealer to a mechanic and ask "is this a different engine than came in it?"

 

[Tom C]

Did you at least run a Carfax? If so, that should have shown the engine replacement, and if it didn't, you should be able to contact Carfax about what you can do to resolve the issue.

JR

That's assuming the dealer reported it. Carfax isn't the end all to be all and is only as good as the information that someone else provides. As far as I know, dealers, or independent body shops in the case of an accident, are under no obligation to provide damage or mechanical replacement reports to Carfax or any other agency. Some insurance companies will report to Carfax in the case of a claim, but in this age of downsizing they often don't have the staff to do so.

 

[signal12]

I fully believe that had Park's Ford NOT been the dealer seeing the car, they would have reported the engine replacement. There was an entry where the oil had been changed three months prior but they choose to not log the engine swap? Come on!

 

[CHUCKinFLL]

I recently bought a used Ecoboost from Parks Ford of Gainesville (Actually Hyundai but on the same lot).

Just to make sure you're aware, if they sold it to you thru the Hyundai dealership (showing Hyundai, not Ford on the contracts), it's not CPO as you say they had it advertised, so you will have none of the CPO benefits that you may be expecting:

• 12-month/12,000-mile Comprehensive Limited Warranty Coverage
• 7-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty Coverage
• 24-Hour Roadside Assistance
• 172 points of inspection by certified mechanics
• Vehicle History Report
• Ford cars, SUVs, crossovers and trucks (up to 350-Series) that are current or five previous model years and have fewer than 80,000 miles can qualify
• A full tank of fuel, fresh oil and filter, and new wiper blades
• Service available at any Ford or Lincoln Dealer in the 50 states and Canada


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[signal12]

Just to make sure you're aware, if they sold it to you thru the Hyundai dealership (showing Hyundai, not Ford on the contracts), it's not CPO as you say they had it advertised, so you will have none of the CPO benefits that you may be expecting:

• 12-month/12,000-mile Comprehensive Limited Warranty Coverage
• 7-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty Coverage
• 24-Hour Roadside Assistance
• 172 points of inspection by certified mechanics
• Vehicle History Report
• Ford cars, SUVs, crossovers and trucks (up to 350-Series) that are current or five previous model years and have fewer than 80,000 miles can qualify
• A full tank of fuel, fresh oil and filter, and new wiper blades
• Service available at any Ford or Lincoln Dealer in the 50 states and Canada


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Yeah, unfortunately, they got over on me with that one. Again, slick shady tactics.

 

[VinnAY]

reminds me of an Explorer I bought used about 20 years ago. Odometer had 5 digits on it. XX,XXX.X

Come to find the previous owner and he states that he flipped it. twice.

Of course no mention of this when it was bought except one little check box that had the mileage (as shown on the odometer) and a little check box "beyond mechanical limits".

They never said a word and got in to a fight at the dealership later that day.

They bought it back.

 

[jacknifetoaswan]

Well, then you have quite the case to make to Ford corporate. I'd be all over them, the BBB, and I'd hire an attorney immediately.

A friend of mine was in a similar situation - he bought a 370Z with about 5,000 miles on it from a Nissan dealer in NJ, that had been used as a loaner. A few weeks after he bought it, he took it to a guy to be detailed, and the guy noticed some overspray on the door jambs, indicating that it had been painted. Nothing showed up on the Carfax, and the dealership denied everything. After getting in touch with Nissan Corporate, presenting his case (didn't need a lawyer), he was able to get the real story. The car had been driven (hard) by the dealership owner's daughter, had been in multiple accidents, and had an engine replaced, none of which was reported by the dealership (since they did all the work). Nissan Corporate forced the dealership to order him a brand new car, however he wanted it, and only made him responsible for what was left on the loan. In the end, he got about a $42k Z for about $27k.

Good luck.

JR

 

[signal12]

Thanks!

 

[EFI]

I mean, I hate to be the guy to say it, but caveat emptor. Did you at least run a Carfax? If so, that should have shown the engine replacement

CARFAX is really for body damage and repairs...and even those are not always there. Mechanical repairs are pretty much 99.99% not on CARFAX especially when they are done privately and not through a warranty claim.

OASIS reports are where you would find any warranty repairs done mechanically, but then again if it's a privately done work (eg. customer pays for it) it's not going to be on there.

If a guy goes to a performance shop and gets a forged engine it's not going to magically turn up on those two reports...

 

[wireeater]

That's not true. As long as you take your car to a dealership for service, it's usually reported on the Carfax. The Lexus I purchased earlier this year (2006) had over 60 entries on the carfax from every time the lady took it in to get the oil changed, cleaned, inspected whatever. It's dependant on the people doing the working and entering the information for the VIN. If this guy replaced the engine using a small performance shop or mechanic then yes, it probably wouldn't have made it to the carfax. But if he had the work completed at a Ford dealership, I'm very surprised they didn't attach those notes to the VIN.

 

[EFI]

I've had many a work done at a dealer and never showed up on the CARFAX and those were both on warranty and not. Seems to be pretty hit or miss, more likely on the miss side.

However the GMVIS (same thing as OASIS) had a long list of work.

 

[signal12]

I get what you guys are saying, but my argument is that THEY did the work. THEY knew it had been done. There's no excuse for not disclosing it to me other than shady salesmanship. If I bought a car from Joe Shmucketelli and he didn't tell me about the engine swap, then he would be unanimously an A-hole, why is it different when a dealer does it?

 

[vernonator]

I get what you guys are saying, but my argument is that THEY did the work. THEY knew it had been done. There's no excuse for not disclosing it to me other than shady salesmanship. If I bought a car from Joe Shmucketelli and he didn't tell me about the engine swap, then he would be unanimously an A-hole, why is it different when a dealer does it?

They sold it to you with a warranty right? So why the angst? Its a factory engine put in by the dealer and under warranty...drive it like you stole it and if there are issues take it in and get if fixed.

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