Ford Service Center *Rant

[1Kona_Venom]

The pot has been boiling on this dealership shit since Friday. Looking for ideas moving forward.

Last time I used a dealership SERVICE DEPT for anything, was 2008.

Why operate and abide by the factory warranty when I am able to do my own work? Other than being GOLD CERTIFIED if I decide to trade it in someday, is the warranty and the scheduled maintenance and headache worth it?

I'm glad I didn't buy no damn extended warranty. **** dealerships!

The vehicle: F250 6.7 diesel 10,000 miles

The dealership, (where the owner has entirely to much money)
OC Welch Ford, Hardeeville, SC 29927


Cliffnotes:

2 weeks out schedule my 10,000 mile service. With a run down of services to be performed
Female rep says we have appointments for 830, 930, 10:00
This sounds like the quick lane, can you get all the required stuff completed in an hour? Answer: YES

Arrive 20 minutes early. I get "What brings you in today, what do you need done?" Just a record of my appointment no notes after a 30 minute discussion with a warm body, empty head representative 2 weeks ago.

Rep, "Ok no problem 10,000 mile check up? Are you going to wait, it'll be about 2 to 2 1/2 hours?"

I was pretty much stuck. Service manager was putting out fires everywhere In the midst of my dilemma another customer smashed the lobby door. Had to pull the Karen card, he assured me, I'll get you out in an hour.

He didn't. two hours later......late for work and they only changed the oil out of all the areas to be done at 10,000 miles.

I'm big on 'in writing" and procedures being followed. An oil change is not the only requirement for the 10k mile service.

And being an Amsoil guy, best I got was a sort of synthetic motorcraft blend anyways.

All this just for a warranty?

 

[13COBRA]

Yeah, **** dealerships.

Feel free to stop pm-ing me for advice and price quotes

 

[1Kona_Venom]

Yeah, **** dealerships.

Feel free to stop pm-ing me for advice and price quotes

lol, You took that the wrong way entirely AND I had almost put a disclaimer in my original post that my rant did not pertain at all to you.

On the contrary, I was hoping you would give an example of what what right should look like?

Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[CobraBob]

I have to wonder out loud how dealerships are handling worker shortages like so many other industries are having to deal with. If they're faced with more lesser trained mechanics, they're then struggling to satisfy customer who maybe can't now get the shorter turnaround times they've become accustomed to.

 

[13COBRA]

lol, You took that the wrong way entirely AND I had almost put a disclaimer in my original post that my rant did not pertain at all to you.

On the contrary, I was hoping you would give an example of what what right should look like?

Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

Just busting your chops.

Sounds like they have a service concierge that is in charge of scheduling and doesn't know jack shit about how long something takes. Once arriving and finding out the error of timing, they should've provided you a shuttle ride, a vehicle to drive, or rescheduled for when it was more convenient.

 

[Mpoitrast87]

giving times out for service was always a major struggle at the dealer I worked at. We(the advisors) would tell BDC and the receptionist how long services take then managers would catch wind of it then tell BDC and receptionist to shorten the times. Any time I told a customer how much time it would take for any service I was prepared to get yelled at because I knew it wasn’t going to line up with what they were told on the phone.

 

[365 Saleen]

It is not just Ford that does that. It is Industry wide. The people on the phone who take appointments have no idea what a car is, let alone what is involved in servicing the car. The Chevrolet Dealership I work at is HORRIBLE at scheduling vehicles. We have one transmission guy. He works every 5th Saturday, like all of us work one Saturday out of 5. What do the people who answer the phone do? They schedule trans concerns on a Saturday when the trans guy is not there. It happens all the time. And it gets really tiring to have the customers on Saturday get pissed when there is no way in hell their concern is not handled properly, or at all.
Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

 

[Bullitt1448]

It’s because they hire “customer service” people that know how to talk nicely on the phone. They don’t hire folks with any technical knowledge to book appointments because they cost more and the customers don’t usually know what they want either. It doesn’t take someone with technical knowledge to book 98% of the services they do. Mr. Customer just wants his oil changed to keep his warranty. It all boils down to dollars and cents.

 

[13COBRA]

It’s because they hire “customer service” people that know how to talk nicely on the phone. They don’t hire folks with any technical knowledge to book appointments because they cost more and the customers don’t usually know what they want either. It doesn’t take someone with technical knowledge to book 98% of the services they do. Mr. Customer just wants his oil changed to keep his warranty. It all boils down to dollars and cents.

There aren't many hybrids out there...that have proficient ability to work on a car, and speak to customers over the phone haha It's like finding a unicorn.

 

[Bullitt1448]

True, not many tech’s want to become service reps and not many service reps would put in the time to become semi knowledgeable about the product.

 

[Kevins89notch]

Are you going to wait, it'll be about 2 to 2 1/2 hours?"

Funny, I heard the same thing today, at a Ford dealer, for a scheduled basic oil change. No brake inspection, no tire rotation, just oil. WTF! Sure enough, they took their time and it was 1 hour, 57 minutes until I got a text.

 

[Relaxed Chaos]

I always leave my local Ford dealership with more problems than I went in with. Every single time.

 

[CobraBob]

My local dealership requires 3 weeks lead time for an oil change. 3 WEEKS! Pre-Covid the lead time was usually around 3-4 days!

 

[Tezz500]

The pot has been boiling on this dealership shit since Friday. Looking for ideas moving forward.

Last time I used a dealership SERVICE DEPT for anything, was 2008.

Why operate and abide by the factory warranty when I am able to do my own work? Other than being GOLD CERTIFIED if I decide to trade it in someday, is the warranty and the scheduled maintenance and headache worth it?

I'm glad I didn't buy no damn extended warranty. **** dealerships!

The vehicle: F250 6.7 diesel 10,000 miles

The dealership, (where the owner has entirely to much money)
OC Welch Ford, Hardeeville, SC 29927


Cliffnotes:

2 weeks out schedule my 10,000 mile service. With a run down of services to be performed
Female rep says we have appointments for 830, 930, 10:00
This sounds like the quick lane, can you get all the required stuff completed in an hour? Answer: YES

Arrive 20 minutes early. I get "What brings you in today, what do you need done?" Just a record of my appointment no notes after a 30 minute discussion with a warm body, empty head representative 2 weeks ago.

Rep, "Ok no problem 10,000 mile check up? Are you going to wait, it'll be about 2 to 2 1/2 hours?"

I was pretty much stuck. Service manager was putting out fires everywhere In the midst of my dilemma another customer smashed the lobby door. Had to pull the Karen card, he assured me, I'll get you out in an hour.

He didn't. two hours later......late for work and they only changed the oil out of all the areas to be done at 10,000 miles.

I'm big on 'in writing" and procedures being followed. An oil change is not the only requirement for the 10k mile service.

And being an Amsoil guy, best I got was a sort of synthetic motorcraft blend anyways.

All this just for a warranty?

I think you need to find the RIGHT dealership.

With that said, I do all my own work that I have tools for... I Quick Lane Tire changes and alignments....

Diesels are a bit more labor intensive and I don't know your skill or patience level.

So if the Dealership for Fluid changes is your preferred option, I would do some research and find the right one. I've driven an hour passed several other dealerships before because I knew the service department had their shit together at a particular dealership.

I feel your pain but its really dependent on the individuals in the department, not blanket for all dealerships.

Side note, I don't know how you day walkers do it.... As a shift worker, It's pure bliss to roll in on a Tuesday on my day off and get things done without having to take time off or stress about dead lines.

Good Luck man.

 

[Tezz500]

There aren't many hybrids out there...that have proficient ability to work on a car, and speak to customers over the phone haha It's like finding a unicorn.

Most true techs or Mechanics I know are like me... Great at their craft but Straight to the point assholes LOL.

Not the guys you want on the phone talking to Karen.

 

[13COBRA]

Most true techs or Mechanics I know are like me... Great at their craft but Straight to the point assholes LOL.

Not the guys you want on the phone talking to Karen.

Agreed

 

[Lambeau]

Our local Ford dealership is a unicorn then, they're pretty good. Quick Lane has pretty good desk people, at least one very good Tech. He worked on our Escape - lol. I think the larger shop has some good Techs too. The Service Manager is a really good guy and is super sharp.

They've really improved their service over the past 5 years. Especially with all the crap Ford had thrown at them.

I do all my own oil changes and simple stuff, but there's no hesitation on my part to take any of our vehicles to them.

 

[13COBRA]

Our local Ford dealership is a unicorn then, they're pretty good. Quick Lane has pretty good desk people, at least one very good Tech. He worked on our Escape - lol. I think the larger shop has some good Techs too. The Service Manager is a really good guy and is super sharp.

They've really improved their service over the past 5 years. Especially with all the crap Ford had thrown at them.

I do all my own oil changes and simple stuff, but there's no hesitation on my part to take any of our vehicles to them.

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing.

Ford dealerships routinely have some of the best techs in the country. It's hard to hire people who could operate as techs and have excellent customer facing communication to write service.

 

[Lambeau]

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing.

Ford dealerships routinely have some of the best techs in the country. It's hard to hire people who could operate as techs and have excellent customer facing communication to write service.

Oh, we are. I was just rambling like always - lol.

What the Quick Lane people have told me is always pretty accurate. No bullshit from them with false promises.

 

[Tezz500]

Oh, we are. I was just rambling like always - lol.

What the Quick Lane people have told me is always pretty accurate. No bullshit from them with false promises.

Yea I think this goes back to two separate but the same things. (If that makes sense)

1. Service Reps not communicating with techs to get the right information to the customers.

2. Some dealerships will never get that right.