Seriously, I cannot be more pissed off at my dealer now. 
I would never go there again, depending on this question I don't know:
What's the deal with warranty repairs? I don't pay anything, but does the dealer collect from Ford for the work they do to my truck? Am I helping them out by bringing my warranty work back to them?
And also, is there any problem with bringing my truck to a different dealer, one that I did not buy it from, for all future warranty work?
:ranton:
So here's the story - Lightnings suffer from a simple problem known as 'the clunk'. When they roll off the factory line, the lower control arm on the driver's side is connected with bolts that sit in an oval 'slot'. It's an oval shape so that they can be quickly aligned as they roll off the line. Unfortunately, after some use the bolt begins to slide around in the slot and clunk, also throwing the alignment off slightly. Ford's TSB fix is to put one of those 'star-grip' washers on either side and hope it holds, which it doesn't. Some L owner then started making stainless washers that fit inside the oval to make it a normal circle hole, never to slide again. The word out there is that all dealers know about the clunk, and as long as I buy the stainless washers, they'll put them in under warranty and realign the truck.
So it went in last Tuesday, with a nice note from me and the washers and a copy of the TSB and even a color printout with pictures of the installation. I spoke with the service rep, who as expected, told me they can't officially say they'll install the washers, but just leave them in the truck for the tech, and he should 'take care of it'.
Using the new washers, some trucks require the use of new cam bolts to realign the front. That was the only part I didn't buy ahead of time, and if they wanted me to pay for them, I would have. I put this all in the note I left for the tech, and also mentioned that if he wasn't going to install my wahsers, to cancel the work order.
I got a call on Wednsday, yeah, parts were on order, and it should be done Thursday or Friday. No problem.
I go to pick it up on Friday at lunch, look at the service report, and get pissed. The parts they ordered weren't the cam bolts, they were the star-grip washers. No one even looked at the stainless washers I had there.
That was upsetting enough, until I kept reading. Regarding the alignment, which I requested a copy of the report on, the tech noted:
They wouldn't give me the actual alignment specs the vehicle was set to, and told me to come back after the weekend and talk to my service rep if I wanted any more info.
:rantoff:
I am sooooo pissed right now. First, if they weren't going to install my washers, why did I even bother taking it in? But MAYBE I can understand that it's not normal policy for that to happen. THEN, this total BULLSHIT with the alignment!!!! (For those of you who maybe don't know, tire size has nothing to do with alignment.) Yes, I have snow tires on. No, that is not a reason for you to bollock my truck's alignement. Lazy crappy techs. Stupid dealer who could give a shit. Awful customer service. I don't know where it ends.
But I'll say this: EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD SHOULD NEVER BUY A VEHICLE FROM HAWKINSON FORD IN OAK LAWN!!!
I think Hank knows what I'm talking about with this dealer. But why such the effort to screw with me?
SO, here's my question - do I take it back there, and demand the realignment? I know they're not going to install my washers, so that's out the window until new springs go in, but can I take it to a reputable dealer for the fix instead? Will Hawkinson get MORE cash from Ford warranty by fixing it again?
I'm just so pissed that they go out of their way to screw with me.
I would never go there again, depending on this question I don't know:What's the deal with warranty repairs? I don't pay anything, but does the dealer collect from Ford for the work they do to my truck? Am I helping them out by bringing my warranty work back to them?
And also, is there any problem with bringing my truck to a different dealer, one that I did not buy it from, for all future warranty work?
:ranton:
So here's the story - Lightnings suffer from a simple problem known as 'the clunk'. When they roll off the factory line, the lower control arm on the driver's side is connected with bolts that sit in an oval 'slot'. It's an oval shape so that they can be quickly aligned as they roll off the line. Unfortunately, after some use the bolt begins to slide around in the slot and clunk, also throwing the alignment off slightly. Ford's TSB fix is to put one of those 'star-grip' washers on either side and hope it holds, which it doesn't. Some L owner then started making stainless washers that fit inside the oval to make it a normal circle hole, never to slide again. The word out there is that all dealers know about the clunk, and as long as I buy the stainless washers, they'll put them in under warranty and realign the truck.
So it went in last Tuesday, with a nice note from me and the washers and a copy of the TSB and even a color printout with pictures of the installation. I spoke with the service rep, who as expected, told me they can't officially say they'll install the washers, but just leave them in the truck for the tech, and he should 'take care of it'.
Using the new washers, some trucks require the use of new cam bolts to realign the front. That was the only part I didn't buy ahead of time, and if they wanted me to pay for them, I would have. I put this all in the note I left for the tech, and also mentioned that if he wasn't going to install my wahsers, to cancel the work order.
I got a call on Wednsday, yeah, parts were on order, and it should be done Thursday or Friday. No problem.
I go to pick it up on Friday at lunch, look at the service report, and get pissed. The parts they ordered weren't the cam bolts, they were the star-grip washers. No one even looked at the stainless washers I had there.
That was upsetting enough, until I kept reading. Regarding the alignment, which I requested a copy of the report on, the tech noted:
They wouldn't give me the actual alignment specs the vehicle was set to, and told me to come back after the weekend and talk to my service rep if I wanted any more info.
:rantoff:
I am sooooo pissed right now. First, if they weren't going to install my washers, why did I even bother taking it in? But MAYBE I can understand that it's not normal policy for that to happen. THEN, this total BULLSHIT with the alignment!!!! (For those of you who maybe don't know, tire size has nothing to do with alignment.) Yes, I have snow tires on. No, that is not a reason for you to bollock my truck's alignement. Lazy crappy techs. Stupid dealer who could give a shit. Awful customer service. I don't know where it ends.
But I'll say this: EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD SHOULD NEVER BUY A VEHICLE FROM HAWKINSON FORD IN OAK LAWN!!!
I think Hank knows what I'm talking about with this dealer. But why such the effort to screw with me?
SO, here's my question - do I take it back there, and demand the realignment? I know they're not going to install my washers, so that's out the window until new springs go in, but can I take it to a reputable dealer for the fix instead? Will Hawkinson get MORE cash from Ford warranty by fixing it again?
I'm just so pissed that they go out of their way to screw with me.
