Need Dealership Recommendation

[Homebrew]

Hey guys, joined up a few months ago, but haven't been able to make any of the gtg's, but I'm hoping to meet some of you guys real soon. I hate asking people I've never met for favors, but if any of you guys can recommend a decent dealership for warranty work I would greatly appreciate it. I'm in southern maryland, not far from waldorf. I'm unsure about the quality of people/work at Waldorf Ford, so if anyone has any input, I would greatly appreciate it. Sheehy ford in Marlow Heights I've heard bad things about, so they're pretty much out. So if anyone has any other recommendations within a reasonable distance, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm only taking it for what I believe is the wheel bearing(wobbly rear wheel), but I've heard it can be a little bit of a pain to change. Plus if the knuckle has been damaged somehow, thats like $400 from what i've read. Thats what warranty's are for afterall. It's just that i'm anal about the car and want to take it somewhere where people will actually give a damn and actually know what they're doing. Somewhere that hopefully won't scratch/ding the car all to hell. I'm sure there's others like me that will hopefully be able to suggest a good place. I appreciate any info you guys can offer. Thanks in advance,

-Kevin

 

[TRBO VNM]

I personally hate Waldorf Ford due to one of the service writers. I will never go back there again. Mike(Fishtail) knows someone there and might be able to hook you up with that tech to request him or something. The only other down here is Hunt Ford in La Plata. They are SVT certified, but don't do much work on the cobra's. they don't sell them either, but they sell saleen and roush I believe.

I wouldn't take it to Hunt for motor work, but for your problem they should be able to help you unless they just don't do work on SVT vehicles.

BTW, where are you located? I am in Mechanicsville by MIR and work in La Plata.

 

[Homebrew]

I'm in clinton (prince georges county), nobody ever seems to know where that is, so I just say it's near waldorf. It's right by camp springs. My Brother lives in white plains just outside laplata, so I'm down that way quite a bit. I'll put Hunt Ford on my list of possibilities. I'd like to take it somewhere close because I'm just not comfortable with that wheel wobbling, but I'm more concerned with dealing with a class act place. I'm debating on just sucking it up and doing it myself and if I see any other damage, then taking it in. There are a few other minor issues I'd like to get looked at though. Decisions, decisions. Thanks the for suggestion.

-Kevin

 

[RAWSN8K]

I know quite a few people at Waldorf Ford, including the owner, Tom Cody. If you want to take it there, let me know and I can arrange to meet you there in order to ensure that your car is taken care of. Just let me know.

Todd

 

[Homebrew]

I know quite a few people at Waldorf Ford, including the owner, Tom Cody. If you want to take it there, let me know and I can arrange to meet you there in order to ensure that your car is taken care of. Just let me know.

Todd

I greatly appreciate you're offer RAWSN8K thats above and beyond, especially considering you've never even met me. I may take you up on that offer, I'm still debating on whether or not I'm actually going to take it in or do it myself. I'm not in super rush since this isn't my daily driver right now, but I would like to get back to enjoying the car. The only mods I have on the car are a JLT RAI intake and mgw shifter. Do you think it would be necessary to remove these? Is Waldorf Ford sticklers for this type of stuff? I know the best idea is to remove them, so I'm prepared to do so. Any input is greatly appreciated. Again, thanks for you input guys,

-Kevin

 

[micksnip]

loaner car

let me know wherever you go how they treat you with a warranty issur re a free loaner. SVT says that you're entitled to one "till the Repair Order" is closed. I'm wrestling with another dealer-unnamed for now-who's service manager says he told me he'd give me 8 days(he never spoke to me, and there's nothing alluding to that on the RO, nor did the service writer say anything about a specific # of days). They were VEYRY reluctant to even give me a loaner in the first place. The car took 12 days, and I got stuck paying Enterprize $200. I called the service manager 2X and left voicemails re this policy, but he declined to call me back or budge. Very poor intraagency communications, and I'm now getting the owner involved. Of course, you know the worry-win a small battle, and when you return for a free oil change-POW-they see the Steeda CAI and Borla Stingers and you run the risk that they will passively-aggressively void your warranty. Don't know if this can happen, but Ford is saving millions voiding warranties and they are dying financially, so maybe anything goes? This Service Manager has screwed up 2X before-never had anything done with the ft wheel pop sound-mechanic couldn't duplicate it, so they didn't even retighten anything. Second time-never ordered me a replacement wheel-promised it in a week=I called to affirm, then drove in-no wheel; promised in another week, and when it wasn't there then, I(watching from outside) saw them drive a silver 04 vert in and give me his good, unpitted wheel/tier combo and stick mine on the vert-then the vert went back to the parking lot for sale. I challenged them on doing this, and they were mum. I hate to think this, but there may even be a racial issue going on in my situation, but I like to think it's just financial and the desire to save $. Hope so. Input, guys?????(should be a handful who still have warranties, right?)
Micksnip

 

[IronTerp]

Kevin, I know I'm really wierd about this, but I just don't want my Cobra at a dealership and am actually kinda glad that my warranty expired 9 months ago. If it was me I would first take it to TRBO VNM, Wiseguy, or undrpresr and let them check it out to find out exactly what the issue is. These fellas are all MACA members, are excellent mechanics, and are as trustworthy as they come. They'll tell you straight what the issue is and then you can either have them repair it or you'll at least know exactly what the issue is when you do take it to the delaership.

But, have to admit, Todd's offer with Waldorf Ford is outstanding! One of our members, Dreddstang, has a real nice show there every summer that Waldorf sponsors.

 

[Homebrew]

I totally understand IronTerp, I'm very reluctant to do so. I come from a family with a mechanical/racing background, so though I by no means know everything, I'm mechanically inclined and can usually figure things out. My brother's a good mechanic as well, he was doing chassis work for a while, but he has limited time these days. I'm sure I could handle it. May take a little longer than you pros, but I could do it. I'm struggling with this, cause on the one hand, I'm thinking, make them pay for this, it's a freebie. (except the $50 transfer fee for the warranty) But on the other hand bad luck runs in the family, if the dealership was to screw up one car in it's lifetime, it would be mine. I'm starting to lean towards just tearing it down and making sure nothing else is screwed up. Glad to know i'm not the only one who has dislike for dealerships. Thanks for your input as well IronTerp.

-Kevin

 

[Dolemite]

Kevin, I know I'm really wierd about this, but I just don't want my Cobra at a dealership and am actually kinda glad that my warranty expired 9 months ago. If it was me I would first take it to TRBO VNM, Wiseguy, or undrpresr and let them check it out to find out exactly what the issue is. These fellas are all MACA members, are excellent mechanics, and are as trustworthy as they come. They'll tell you straight what the issue is and then you can either have them repair it or you'll at least know exactly what the issue is when you do take it to the delaership.

I would have to agree with IronTerp 100%, I have been to the Dealership twice with my Cobra, Crystal Ford and Sheehy Ford, I will never ever go back to the dealer again. I had a similar experience to micksnip where they lied and cheated to get every last penny they could. Wiseguy is the only guy who works on my cars, and he's been doing so for almost 10 years. TRBOVNM lives near you, I would have him take a look.

 

[Bonefish]

Personally I woudl not recommend any dealership..as they are all full of $hit..and looking for a way to not pay. Now...the only exception I see is in Todd's offer or do what Dwight suggest....Trbo Vnm (jason) or wiseguy (billy) I know for sure can help and GREAT at what they do. I am sure underpressur is to..I just do not know him but, the MACA...helps it's own for sure!

 

[undrpresr]

.

 

[undrpresr]

`

 

[Homebrew]

What all else are you looking at getting looked at if you took it to the dealer?

Also, pm me your VIN number.

Tell me more about the wobble in the rear too. What speed? Under acceleration? Cruise? If you put it in nuetral and coast, will it still do it?

Youre not modded up yet I may be able to help. My dealer is in 21061

Well I'm unsure, but wanted to get checked for the head tick, I think I'm ok, but not totally sure. Also, maybe others can shed light on this, but the steering wheel airbag cover seems as if it's not seated correctly. It really sticks up from the steering wheel. As a result I've noticed a rattle coming from it. I positive thats where it's coming from, because if you rest your hand on the cover, the rattle stops. The only reason I knew the wheel wobbled was because when I jacked it up to take a look, I could shake the whole wheel from top to bottom. The whole brake assemebly would move with it. Honestly, It could turn out to be a loose axle nut, i'm hunting down a 36mm deep socket to find out. What lead me to go checking things was a constant squeek that was most noticible when coasting through the neighborhood. So yeah, it definetly did it in neutral coasting. Also I had some rear sway noticble when I accelerated or if I hit a bump bump or odd spot in the road.

The VIN number is 1FAFP48Y84F165021

-Kevin

 

[Wiseguy]

Jason I have not met you but I already know you no how to diagnose a problem. The sad fact from of point of view is most Techs do not. I fix more cars that come from the dealer first and the frustration with them is that customers think it should be the other way around. Of course, this is not a everyday occurrence and there is so many other unknowns involved{training,customer service,caring,ect} Have you ever thought about working for a independent, different cars,ect?

 

[Homebrew]

I don't want this to come out the wrong way, I don't mean this to come out as me being offended or to have a definsive tone, because believe me, I appreciate the feedback I've gotten from everyone. But, it's not like I couldn't fix this myself. I'm just debating the convenience and money saving of having it fixed under warranty. Getting the needed 36mm deep socket isn't cheap, though i'll need it anyway in the future. Plus if it is the wheel bearing, I know it needs to be pressed out of the knuckle and a new one pressed back in. I know if the knuckle gets damaged, thats a $500 expense. These days nobody wants to be responsible for anything, so I'm a little concerned about finding somewhere to press the bearing that will pony up if they damage the knuckle. I know people with experience shouldn't have any problem pressing the bearing, but it's the same risk as taking the car to the dealership, you could get the one numb nuts that doesn't know what the hell he's doing. It's all about finding the right person to do the needed work. If I had the money right now, i'd buy a press and be done with it. I have no problem buying the right tools for the job, I don't care if it's something i'll only use once. Money is just tight for me these days. Right now it has to be a justifiable expense for me to buy it. It comes down to this. Take it to the dealer, risk any number of mishaps. Do it myself, risk damaging the knuckle and having to shell out $500. With with what these cars cost, I hate to let the dealer off scott free. Know what I mean. Just trying to figure out which is the lesser of two evils. Again thanks for all the comments guys, and please don't feel like this response was me snapping at anyone.

-Kevin

 

[micksnip]

dangerous situation

Homie-
While I realize that all our threads, including mine, slam dealers, nonetheless, if you have a beautiful, unmodified mysticrome coupe and have that much of play in your rear wheel/brake assy, as well as the air bag sticking up(trim needs replacing) and the "er, er, er" noise from the steering column, as well as a possible head tick, you'll go broke fixing them yourself. Ford OWES you, man! There is a TSB on the "steering creak", your rear wheel assy that loose -man I'd run to a dealership, cause if anything was gonna get fk'ed up, it'd be by me working on it myself, and the head tick-let's talk about the head tick. First cobra I had was #275, built in May 02 and it had the tick. Well, I just about had to order prostitutes and cocaine for them to replace it. I hit them with the TSB(which states the end of the 1st run cobras that may have developed the head tick ended in Nov 02), a recording on a floppy disc(remember them?)of a guy's head tick, and then they finally gave in, but I knew the mechanic, and talked cobras with him at the parts dept for hours prior to this. When he saw it was me, he said-"Oh, it's yours? Sure, I hear it ticking now." It's up to the mechanic to recommend replace or not to the punkass Service Manager, then they look for pully, chip, ask subtle questions about how fast it goes, look for rubber on the rear wheelwells, rear tire wear, etc. And they take digital photos of where chips could have been to see if the waxy coating is disturbed. You have to be 100% sure you have the tick-have turbovnm have a listen-then you'll need connections, even if you have it, to get them to replace it because it falls out of the norm of May-Nov 02. But 04s get it, you just have to persevere.It sounds like it's coming from the left ft fender's cobra's mouth-not hearable with the hood open(in the engine bay), but there's a TSB for that, too.
They should be all over the wheel assy like flies on S..T, and the steering creak(my 03 had it, too-annoying). The wheel assy could be a lot of things, and no "diss" intended, but you PAID for that F..K'in warranty-make them fix it. Spend your time and $ on gas and mods, not tools to fix a vehicle under warranty.
Somebody-Todd, was it you-knows the dealer in Waldorf-can't beat that-or I've heard of others taking theirs to Lincoln dealers. DON'T wait till that wheel falls off and crunches your quarter panel and you maybe roll it and become a spinal cord victim. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Oh, and take the steering creak TSB in with you-print it out after finding it using search. Micksnip

 

[Homebrew]

Luckily, this car is just a pleasure vehicle right now, so it will just sit until I get it taken care of. I doubt I have the head tick, just because it's rather quiet compared to what i've read. It is coming from right about where you indicate however. The airbag does bother me though. Not only because it's unsightly because of it's poor fit, but i'm worried about it popping out on me for no reason. I'm sure thats highly unlikely, but still. Like I said, it's not my daily driver so I have time to ponder this, just a tough call given my hatred of dealerships.

-Kevin

 

[IronTerp]

I don't think that any of us should universally "dislike" dealerships. Just like anything else in life, there are good ones and there are bad ones. I just wouldn't want to leave my car with one unless I absolutely had to, or unless I found one of the "good" ones that I totally trusted to fix the problem correctly and take good care of the car. And with Billy, and the Jason's around, I feel I have better initial options before I would take it to Ford.........

 

[undrpresr]

.

 

[Homebrew]

Thanks for the feedback undrpresr and others. Got ahold of the socket today so i'm gonna check the torque on the axle nut tomorrow, we'll see where it goes from there.

Sorry to drag this out too, i know many are thinking, this should be done by now. Not my intention to keep people hanging. Just responding to people at this point, no offense to those responding. i'm just still torn on what i want to do. Glad i have the luxury of taking my time to decide this.

-Kevin


-Kevin