[Showtime]

I've had it with this rattly interior. One dealer couldn't fix it and another one wouldn't touch it. I thought I had it fixed myself but it started rattling/popping two days later. I called customer service and they said to take it back to the dealer who worked on it first. If they couldn't fix it the first time what makes me think they'll fix it the second? I told this to t he guy and said that was my only option. So now I've experience the horrible customer service Ford has been noted for. NOBODY in the dealership where I bought my car would do anything to help me out. I normally don't name names but the dealership is Orleans Ford in Medina, NY. I have bought 7 cars in the past 5 years from them and my family has bought 6 in the past 8 years. Most dealerships would kill for a customer like me but the treatment I've recieved there since I bought my car is totally unacceptable. I am completely fed up with not only the dealerships unability to fix my car but also Fords "you're stuck" atittude. I've bought a new Ford every year for the past three and this is how I'm treated?

My parents are buying a new car shortly and they're going to be using my Fusion as their trade and buying thier rock solid 98 Taurus with 90k on it until I can decide what I want to buy. Because of this, this will be their first non-Ford vehicle in over 30 YEARS. Way to lose your loyal customers Ford.

 

[mkaresh]

I ran into this sort of run around on a Ford Contour a few years ago. They required me to go back to the dealer that botched the job in the first place, because once they pay one dealer for warranty work they won't pay another for the same basic problem. At least I assume this is the reason.

I got so made that I traded the Contour (which lost compression in three cylinders owing to a Ford design defect--we're talking more than a rattle here) in on a Mazda. That ought to show them!!! Ok, maybe not, since they own a controlling interest in Mazda.

Honestly, I'd try to elevate this to the district manager before taking a bath on the car. You ought to have a lot of pull given your history. (Though there's no controlling for the idiocy of this company.) Just try to remain calm when doing so. I've found that the dealers don't react well when you get confrontational. Especially here in Detroit, where they feel that life will be just peachy for them forever.

For what its worth, I visit many forums to get a sense of how people perceive different cars, and people complain about rattles with just about every model, including the Subaru Legacy and Acura TL. It's not just an American thing.

I also fear that poor treatment by dealers is also nearly universal. There are a few good brands, such as Lexus, but people are very fed up with most of them.

I'll be touching on these issues in my research (see sig). If dealers don't resolve repairs, causing many repeated trips to the dealer, a model's stats will suffer.

 

[Showtime]

The dealership offered to buy it back but the problem now is I don't know what I want. I want a BMW, but there's no way I'd buy a used one with the cost of repairs. I'd also like to have my car just fixed but I know that's not going to happen. I'm going to work on getting my truck back. The MPG might be bad, but the only problem I ever had with it was misalligned window trim. This whole thing pisses me off because minus all the problems, I really like the car.

BTW, my steering wheel was/is crooked so I took it in for an allignment....now it's crooked the other way!!!!!!!!

 

[mkaresh]

[quote author=Showtime link=topic=36404.msg548834#msg548834 date=1137614354]
The dealership offered to buy it back but the problem now is I don't know what I want. I want a BMW, but there's no way I'd buy a used one with the cost of repairs. I'd also like to have my car just fixed but I know that's not going to happen. I'm going to work on getting my truck back. The MPG might be bad, but the only problem I ever had with it was misalligned window trim. This whole thing pisses me off because minus all the problems, I really like the car.

BTW, my steering wheel was/is crooked so I took it in for an allignment....now it's crooked the other way!!!!!!!!
[/quote]

Drive everything. Have fun. Kind of like dating before getting married. You'll know when you've found The One.

What are your priorities? I might be able to point you in a few directions.

 

[Showtime]

I'd probably buy an entry level high end car. It's a daily driver so I can't see spending a lot of money on something I'm going to pile miles on. I have accounts at every luxo car dealer in the area so driving them shouldn't be a problem. Right now I guess I'd say cars in the running are 3-series, A4,and S60. Something between $30-$40k. Based on the info you've got, which one would you recommend or if there's something else I left out? (It HAS to have a standard) In the meantime, I'm going to work on getting my truck back so I can finish out the winter in it.

 

[D man]

I'm sure the 98 Taurus will keep you happy for awhile. Hopefully ihas the same 24V motor and nothe 12V.
Have you thought about amreican cars in that price range. 300C or other STR-8 models. Ford only has sport cars in that price range and chevy sucks. So, I guess their aint much for american made :?
I like the S60R maybe an alimta SE-R. The new BOnnivilee with the V8. I know none of these are the (status-symbol like) luxo high end cars you mentioned. But do yuo wanna be a guy who has to drive a Bimmer to feel good about him self.

 

[jpilone]

[quote author=Showtime link=topic=36404.msg549896#msg549896 date=1137682877]
I'd probably buy an entry level high end car. It's a daily driver so I can't see spending a lot of money on something I'm going to pile miles on. I have accounts at every luxo car dealer in the area so driving them shouldn't be a problem. Right now I guess I'd say cars in the running are 3-series, A4,and S60. Something between $30-$40k. Based on the info you've got, which one would you recommend or if there's something else I left out? (It HAS to have a standard) In the meantime, I'm going to work on getting my truck back so I can finish out the winter in it.
[/quote]

go for a Dodge Magnum R/T. or maybe a Charger R/T. the MDS technology on the Hemi engine helps it get good MPG on the highway..

 

[Showtime]

Auto's are for coffee sippers, I like to drive. BTW, my reverse gear just went out. All it did was whine as the RPMs went up. I got it back but now it doesn't sound right. Here we go again.........

 

[waldo]

Mazda boxes don't always go all the way into reverse when you try. Sometimes you just have to cycle the clutch and try again.

 

[Showtime]

I think I'm going to wind up getting screwed if I "return" it. If the dealership gets me another car, they still make a "profit". If I get my truck back, they lose money when they try to sell the Fusion. To complicate things, I've already sent in 2 $1000 payments. I know dealerships like to play with numbers, I think I can trust him but I'd rather not go into it. I'm going to just give them the car with a list of things wrong with it and say give it back when it's fixed. Like I said, I really like the Fusion, I just bought a POS. Worst case senerio- I drive the car for a year or two and then buy another one.

 

[mz6zoomzoom]

What about Lemon laws?

edit:
nevermind, you said the dealership offered to buy it back?

 

[Showtime]

Yea, but.....here's what could happen. I tell them I wand a 3 series for $20k. That's what I'll get. Who knows what they'll bring back from the auction. Working at dealerships for 6 years, I know that a lot of shady stuff goes on there. I could wind up with a worse car than I've got. I'd rather take the hit in depreciation, let the two BMW dealers I know what I want and when it comes in, look at it and then decide. With a car with expensive repairs like a BMW, the depreciation it might be worth it to get a car that has been maintained.

 

[mkaresh]

I don't have any reliability info yet.

If you're interested in your total cost, it's hard to beat a Honda or Acura. Maybe Acura TSX? Mileage doesn't hurt there resale value as much as most cars.

I love how the new 3-Series drives. But if you pile miles on, you're going to take a hit. No one wants to own a German car that's not under warranty. This makes it hard to sell one with over 50,000 miles to anyone but a dealer.

Meanwhile people pay stupid money all the time for Hondas with tons of miles on them. I frankly don't get it, I'm just reporting what I've seen.

 

[Showtime]

I've never understood that with Hondas/Toyotas. I think it's mostly due to perception that they are high quality, which they are. I couldn't justify buying a used Honda with resale so high. Mini's are just plain crazy. I've seen a couple 02's with 40-50k on the lot for $16k....this is the base model that new starts at $19k. I'd love one of those by my equipment won't fit in the back.

My pop noise came back again, so I'm going in to meet with the owner tomorrow. I'm going to see what kind of offer he can put together. It's getting rediculous with this car. I've had enough of trying to talk myself into keeping it.

 

[Con-Fusion]

3

 

[confusion]

[quote author=Con-Fusion link=topic=36404.msg558921#msg558921 date=1138382362]
3
[/quote]

3 what ? By the way, original name :goodjob:

 

[Con-Fusion]

3 Unsuccessful repairs within 12k miles = lemon law. I wouldn't give up on Ford...maybe the dealership...but not Ford. It's obviously not a problem with all of them so why not give another one a try??

 

[Con-Fusion]

Well....now I feel VERY un-original. I had no idea there was somone else on here with that name. I PM'd you about it. Sorry again.

 

[Showtime]

I think that I may be keeping the car afterall. I just thought about what don't I like about it, it's just the dash that's annoying me. All the other things I don't like can be fixed. Once the weather warms up I'm going to be taking the entire dash out and putting padding on everything back there. Actually, since it warmed up a bit, it didn't do it today. The dealership that screwed up is the one that worked on it in the first place, not where I bought it from. Ford will NOT let the dealer where I bought the car from work it that problem. I'm pissed at Ford more than anybody else. The owner has been nothing but helpful, he even offered to buy it back out of pocket and buy me something else. Very few dealerships would do that. I haven't got the best service from them (very slow to get me in, but it's usually fixed right), but the sales dept., aside from high end dealerships, is the best I've delt with. I still may not buy another Ford, but I still may buy cars through them if I don't buy new.

 

[confusion]

[quote author=Con-Fusion link=topic=36404.msg559170#msg559170 date=1138394266]
Well....now I feel VERY un-original. I had no idea there was somone else on here with that name. I PM'd you about it. Sorry again.
[/quote]

Don't change you user name, it's a good one and it is different, it just caught me at a bad time of the day in fact it's been a bad week. I work at one of Ford's assembly plants and the thought of closings and lay-off's through out the company has everyone on edge. Sorry for the gripe. :cheers: