Problems have risen and tempers are flaring over issues which Ford is slow at tackling. High speed vibrations, stiffer than hell clutches, clutch chatter, pulling to the right and a host of other conditions that seem to occur over and over again. I lemoned an older GT Mustang and Ford fought me tooth and nail before they gave me back my money. Talking to and corresponding with the Ford dealership and the regional rep. was useless. I had to get a lemon law attorney and the attorney had to file a formal lawsuit against Ford. Ford setteled a few days before trial was scheduled. If you are fighting Ford with your 03 Cobra utilizing the lemon law, please post your story. Thanks.
Who has been successful with the lemon law on their 03 Cobra?
- Thread starter 2003 Cobra
- Start date
KNGOBRA
Banned
Call it what you want, but I'm keeping my BAD @SS lemon..... Ohh, did I mention how quick it is!! :beer:
I Lemoned an '01 Saleen I had but haven't heard of anyone hating thier '03 THAT much. Where are you at in Cali? Sounds like you need a good service dept to hook you up. If you're willing to travel (don't know where you live) Give Galpin (1-800-gogalpin) a call and ask for Marc Croft. I haven't heard any complaints about their service dept and I have loads of personal experience with them. They'll fix all the problems you mentioned, no questions asked and do it right.
just curious though.... why buy from ford again if you had such a bad experience with them before. The 03 Cobra is awesome and I have no complaints to warrent a lemon.... but if i had a lemon from Ford before I certainly wouldn't want another one.
anyways, good luck with it. :beer:
anyways, good luck with it. :beer:
I tried to fight for with my 1997 SHO. You want to talk about a lemon, try replacing the engine twice before 50K. Ford finally made me happy by giving my a big discount on my next ford car. I was almost a ford hater ... then along came the terminator. Fighting any large organization is extremely hard, especially Ford. They will fight you till the end or until it becomes finaically
unwarrented. With a new car such as the terminator, expect a very tough fight ... ford will not want any lemon history on a car such as the 03 cobra. This is a limited production car with svt backing, They will be fighting all the way to sace that reputation.
unwarrented. With a new car such as the terminator, expect a very tough fight ... ford will not want any lemon history on a car such as the 03 cobra. This is a limited production car with svt backing, They will be fighting all the way to sace that reputation.
raiders03
Banned
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2002
- Messages
- 1,250
2003 Cobra
I got my 03 Cobra from the lemon law. I purchased a 01 Cobra from Walnut Creek Ford in Cali. I had nothing but problems. Cylinder head gasket leaking. Pinging in the fixed cylinder head so they had to put a new motor in it. They wanted to get me a new 01 but they were not making them any more. So they let me drive it till the 03 came out and they gave me one on a straight trade. I paid 28,500 for my 03. They gave me no mark up from what I paid for the 01. They were really cool about the situation. They even took the reciepts I had for my x-pipe,4.10 gears, MIL eliminators, and labor and sent me a seperate check for the cost of the aftermarket parts. They actually wanted to give me a refund at first but I insisted that I wanted the 03 when it came out. I offered to pay the difference in the cost in the MSRP. They never made me pay it though.
I got my 03 Cobra from the lemon law. I purchased a 01 Cobra from Walnut Creek Ford in Cali. I had nothing but problems. Cylinder head gasket leaking. Pinging in the fixed cylinder head so they had to put a new motor in it. They wanted to get me a new 01 but they were not making them any more. So they let me drive it till the 03 came out and they gave me one on a straight trade. I paid 28,500 for my 03. They gave me no mark up from what I paid for the 01. They were really cool about the situation. They even took the reciepts I had for my x-pipe,4.10 gears, MIL eliminators, and labor and sent me a seperate check for the cost of the aftermarket parts. They actually wanted to give me a refund at first but I insisted that I wanted the 03 when it came out. I offered to pay the difference in the cost in the MSRP. They never made me pay it though.
Your sir are the luckiest SOB I have ever seen.. You must have had a good dealer and or rep willing to make things right... Unfortunately your experience is the exception to the rule...
Just makes lemonade...
HEY RAIDERS03
Was it zinc yellow? I tried to BS ford and get mine replaced with an 03 too... But they said that 2 throwout bearings, squeaky windows, and a replaced tranny werent enough problems. I figured they might have the subliminal message on lemon law with a yellow car..LOL well I at least tried..
Travis:lol: :beer:
Was it zinc yellow? I tried to BS ford and get mine replaced with an 03 too... But they said that 2 throwout bearings, squeaky windows, and a replaced tranny werent enough problems. I figured they might have the subliminal message on lemon law with a yellow car..LOL well I at least tried..
Travis:lol: :beer:
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Socalblack03- Sorry if this is off topic but I'm curious if Galpin has made any stink about your long tubes. Also, will they pass smog? What are your plans?
The 03 Cobra is a bit 'buggy', but I wouldn't say it is a lemon. I've had the pull to the right problem as well as the vibration problem, but both were fixed willingly by the SVT service dept at Frontier Ford in Santa Clara, CA.
These guys are very responsive as well as proactive. In fact, I had brought my car in for the pull to the right problem and they asked me if I also had the vibe issue. I said that I did notice it a little. At the time I was still breaking the car in and had seldomly had the car over 65 mph. They then ordered a new driveshaft and differential, scheduled a followup appointment, and fixed it!
-norcal_cobra
These guys are very responsive as well as proactive. In fact, I had brought my car in for the pull to the right problem and they asked me if I also had the vibe issue. I said that I did notice it a little. At the time I was still breaking the car in and had seldomly had the car over 65 mph. They then ordered a new driveshaft and differential, scheduled a followup appointment, and fixed it!
-norcal_cobra
raiders03
Banned
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2002
- Messages
- 1,250
03Sssnake
I am lucky. Right as I was going through all these problems I contacted SVT and they had just released the specs of the 03 that day. I was so pist because I did not know if I was going to be able to get the 03 or another 01. I thought to myself, I just spent all this money and 7 months later they introduce the supercharged 03. Luckily they were very good to me.
I am lucky. Right as I was going through all these problems I contacted SVT and they had just released the specs of the 03 that day. I was so pist because I did not know if I was going to be able to get the 03 or another 01. I thought to myself, I just spent all this money and 7 months later they introduce the supercharged 03. Luckily they were very good to me.
No lemon law yet, and I haven't really thought about it either. I just want my car to be running and driving fine. On Monday it will go in for clutch #3, TOB #3, and flywheel #2. Maybe I will get lucky and the dealer might get it right. We will have to see on that one though.
What went wrong with ur clutch and flywheel to have to go threw so many already...? As i have stated in other threads. This is my first "stick" car so i can't really tell if anything is wrong or not.
My car has the vibe and I have tried unsuccessfully to get rid of it. After a lot of wasted time dealing with the dealership I was fed up. The vibration got worse and the drivetrain play was so bad it felt like the clutch engaged and disengaged everytime I gave it gas.
I filled up the Consumer Dispute form, mailed it in requesting my money back and Ford calls me a week later offering me ALL of my money back. Car goes back next week.
Will I buy another Ford? Hell Yea. As a matter of fact I will take my money right back to the dealership and buy myself another bad ass 03 Cobra. I put 7,000 miles on that car and now I am going to have another new Cobra. If it has the same problems, then I will just have to live with it. No drama.
I filled up the Consumer Dispute form, mailed it in requesting my money back and Ford calls me a week later offering me ALL of my money back. Car goes back next week.
Will I buy another Ford? Hell Yea. As a matter of fact I will take my money right back to the dealership and buy myself another bad ass 03 Cobra. I put 7,000 miles on that car and now I am going to have another new Cobra. If it has the same problems, then I will just have to live with it. No drama.
5. What do I need to do before I can claim that my car is a lemon?
Step one: Within the Lemon Law "term of protection," the vehicle must have been taken in for a reasonable number of attempts to repair the defect(s). It is already presumed that your vehicle has undergone a reasonable number of attempts - and therefore that it is a lemon - in the following situations:
If you have taken the car in to the manufacturer or dealer for at least four unsuccessful repair attempts for the same defect, with at least two attempts occurring within the terms of the manufacturer's written warranty , and the defect continues to exist;
Or, if you have taken the car in for a serious defect for at least two unsuccessful repair attempts, with at least one attempt occurring within the term of the manufacturer's written warranty, and the defect continues to exist;
Or, if the car has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days, while being repaired for any number of defects, and the defect continues to exist--at least 15 days of which must have occurred within the term of the manufacturer's written warranty. This 30-day period may be extended by any amount of time during which repair services are unavailable due to war, strike, or natural disaster.
Step two: After step one is exhausted, you must then provide written notification of the defect to the manufacturer, preferably sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Be sure to include the following information in this letter: make, model, year, and VIN of the vehicle; a description of the problem(s) and repair history; name(s) of dealership(s) where diagnosis/repair attempts have been made, including dates of attempts; and a request that the manufacturer provide you with a replacement vehicle or a refund.
We have drafted a letter and have a list of manufacturers' addresses you can use for this purpose.
Step three: The manufacturer then has 40 days to respond and to provide a replacement or refund.
Step four: If the manufacturer does not respond to your request within 40 days, if such a response is unsatisfactory, or if it has been almost 30 months since the vehicle's original date of delivery, you may seek the options for action listed below.
Step one: Within the Lemon Law "term of protection," the vehicle must have been taken in for a reasonable number of attempts to repair the defect(s). It is already presumed that your vehicle has undergone a reasonable number of attempts - and therefore that it is a lemon - in the following situations:
If you have taken the car in to the manufacturer or dealer for at least four unsuccessful repair attempts for the same defect, with at least two attempts occurring within the terms of the manufacturer's written warranty , and the defect continues to exist;
Or, if you have taken the car in for a serious defect for at least two unsuccessful repair attempts, with at least one attempt occurring within the term of the manufacturer's written warranty, and the defect continues to exist;
Or, if the car has been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days, while being repaired for any number of defects, and the defect continues to exist--at least 15 days of which must have occurred within the term of the manufacturer's written warranty. This 30-day period may be extended by any amount of time during which repair services are unavailable due to war, strike, or natural disaster.
Step two: After step one is exhausted, you must then provide written notification of the defect to the manufacturer, preferably sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Be sure to include the following information in this letter: make, model, year, and VIN of the vehicle; a description of the problem(s) and repair history; name(s) of dealership(s) where diagnosis/repair attempts have been made, including dates of attempts; and a request that the manufacturer provide you with a replacement vehicle or a refund.
We have drafted a letter and have a list of manufacturers' addresses you can use for this purpose.
Step three: The manufacturer then has 40 days to respond and to provide a replacement or refund.
Step four: If the manufacturer does not respond to your request within 40 days, if such a response is unsatisfactory, or if it has been almost 30 months since the vehicle's original date of delivery, you may seek the options for action listed below.
6. What if my problem does not fit the requirements of my state's Lemon Law?
If your vehicle does not meet the term of protection or other specifics of the Lemon Law, it does not mean that your rights stop there. You still may be able to invoke the Lemon Law as long as you can justify that the number of repair attempts or days out of service that you encountered were unreasonable.
You may also have other rights under other state and federal laws, such as the following: the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act ; the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC); your service contract or extended warranty; secret warranties; implied warranties; express warranties; unfair and deceptive acts and practices (UDAP); and strict liability and negligence.
Consult an attorney, the Washington Office of the Attorney General, or the Center for Auto Safety to determine which remedy would be best for your situation.
7. What are my options for action under the Lemon Law?
If your situation does fit the requirements of the Lemon Law, you may seek to receive a refund or replacement via the following options:
State-Sponsored Arbitration: Also known as informal dispute settlement, arbitration is an informal process that consumers may use to obtain speedy resolution of a warranty dispute without having to go to court, and it is legally binding on the manufacturer only. At an arbitration hearing, the seller and buyer testify before an arbitrator about the condition of the vehicle.
In order to go through the process, take the following steps:
Call or write the Lemon Law Administration in the Washington Office of the Attorney General to receive a Request for Arbitration form. Note: the Lemon Law Administration must receive your Request for Arbitration form no later than 30 months from the vehicle's original date of delivery, regardless of whether or not the 40-day manufacturer-response period has expired.
On this Request for Arbitration form, you need to state a preferred time for the hearing; it is important to consider this seriously, as it is very difficult to change a date or time later in the process.
Although you do have the right to be represented by an attorney, you do not need to do so. If you do choose to have an attorney present, you need to indicate so on the Request for Arbitration form. " Reasonable" attorney costs will be refunded to you if you prevail only if the manufacturer is also represented by counsel.
If your case is accepted for arbitration, you will be sent a notice of acceptance, and at least 10 days before the hearing date you will be notified of the scheduled date, time, and location of the hearing. It must be held within 45 days of the board's acceptance of your Request for Arbitration. If your case is rejected for arbitration, you will be sent a written explanation and further instructions.
You and the manufacturer may reach a settlement agreement before the hearing date; in this case, notify the Arbitration Board immediately and the hearing will be canceled. If necessary, you may still re-file for arbitration one more time within the 30-month time limit.
A decision will be sent to you no later than 60 days from the date the board received your Request for Arbitration. You then have 60 days to accept or reject the decision.
If you accept a decision that ruled in your favor, the manufacturer must comply within 40 days of receiving notice of your acceptance, or must appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days.
Court Action: If you reject the decision of the Arbitration Board, you may file a lawsuit against the manufacturer in court; you must file the appeal within 120 calendar days of rejecting the arbitration decision. If you do seek court action, you should consult an attorney. You may find referrals for attorneys who specialize in Lemon Law cases by contacting the Washington State Bar Association .
If your vehicle does not meet the term of protection or other specifics of the Lemon Law, it does not mean that your rights stop there. You still may be able to invoke the Lemon Law as long as you can justify that the number of repair attempts or days out of service that you encountered were unreasonable.
You may also have other rights under other state and federal laws, such as the following: the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act ; the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC); your service contract or extended warranty; secret warranties; implied warranties; express warranties; unfair and deceptive acts and practices (UDAP); and strict liability and negligence.
Consult an attorney, the Washington Office of the Attorney General, or the Center for Auto Safety to determine which remedy would be best for your situation.
7. What are my options for action under the Lemon Law?
If your situation does fit the requirements of the Lemon Law, you may seek to receive a refund or replacement via the following options:
State-Sponsored Arbitration: Also known as informal dispute settlement, arbitration is an informal process that consumers may use to obtain speedy resolution of a warranty dispute without having to go to court, and it is legally binding on the manufacturer only. At an arbitration hearing, the seller and buyer testify before an arbitrator about the condition of the vehicle.
In order to go through the process, take the following steps:
Call or write the Lemon Law Administration in the Washington Office of the Attorney General to receive a Request for Arbitration form. Note: the Lemon Law Administration must receive your Request for Arbitration form no later than 30 months from the vehicle's original date of delivery, regardless of whether or not the 40-day manufacturer-response period has expired.
On this Request for Arbitration form, you need to state a preferred time for the hearing; it is important to consider this seriously, as it is very difficult to change a date or time later in the process.
Although you do have the right to be represented by an attorney, you do not need to do so. If you do choose to have an attorney present, you need to indicate so on the Request for Arbitration form. " Reasonable" attorney costs will be refunded to you if you prevail only if the manufacturer is also represented by counsel.
If your case is accepted for arbitration, you will be sent a notice of acceptance, and at least 10 days before the hearing date you will be notified of the scheduled date, time, and location of the hearing. It must be held within 45 days of the board's acceptance of your Request for Arbitration. If your case is rejected for arbitration, you will be sent a written explanation and further instructions.
You and the manufacturer may reach a settlement agreement before the hearing date; in this case, notify the Arbitration Board immediately and the hearing will be canceled. If necessary, you may still re-file for arbitration one more time within the 30-month time limit.
A decision will be sent to you no later than 60 days from the date the board received your Request for Arbitration. You then have 60 days to accept or reject the decision.
If you accept a decision that ruled in your favor, the manufacturer must comply within 40 days of receiving notice of your acceptance, or must appeal to the Superior Court within 30 days.
Court Action: If you reject the decision of the Arbitration Board, you may file a lawsuit against the manufacturer in court; you must file the appeal within 120 calendar days of rejecting the arbitration decision. If you do seek court action, you should consult an attorney. You may find referrals for attorneys who specialize in Lemon Law cases by contacting the Washington State Bar Association .
black03SVT - What does the number #2573 represent? This isn't the product sequence number of your Cobra is it? I was under the impression that those numbers wouldn't be released until 60-90 days after the production year ends? Thanks
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