Few people would be as particular to recognize the kind of stuff that goes on in non-authorized shops, but I have had enough experiences to convince me Ford authorized svc is the best route, most of the time. I realize there are exceptions and there are even shops that don't operate this way, but here is a dose of my experience w/ a local shop that's been in business for 30 years. You might think that if he's been in business for 30 years, he's doing something right, but that gets back to my very first sentence.

Last week I called about having a starter installed. I asked how much (and by the way, I want a good one, not a cheapo). He called me back and said, I have a leftover Ford starter that i ordered, but a customer never installed, so I'll give you a special price to help me get rid of it. $210 installed, which is his cost on the starter, according to the owner/mechanic. Though I had no reason to doubt him, I can't help myself. When i dropped the truck off, I asked to see the starter. It was a Palmino or something like that. I remember the brand b/c advance auto sells them and they are $180 there. Though I considered leaving based on the fact that he lied to me, I really needed the starter and the price wasn't bad since I had already talked to advanced.

When i picked my truck up this afternoon, it had 5 miles on it and someone smoked in it. Granted, how bad could it smell after five miles, but the fact is, they should not have used my vehicle to run an errand and certainly should not have smoked in it. This wasn't a test drive either. A test drive might be a mile down the street, not five. Besides, I got a starter, not an alignment.

I could give a couple of other examples, but the point is clear. This type of stuff does not happen at Ford dealerships. In some ways it's petty, but it's really wrong. The prices at small shops is seldomly better since they all work off of book rates. The parts cost the same and the labor is based on books, not actual time. Ford would have charged me $280 for a ford starter, installed. i paid $210, so I saved $70, but what did I get? A lie and a starter than is unfamiliar to me.

This is the last time I use non authorized dealers. for the work i can't do, Ford is the only fair, safe and reasonable way to go. I know some will agrue that they have the best mechanic and he would never do that, and in some cases, that's true, but in many, folks will never know the difference. My guy is a very likeable guy and the thing i like most is, i can discuss mechanical issues with the mechanic himself, vs. a service advisor, but certainly at a cost.

 

i am a ford tech and i thank you for your understanding that all ford dealers arent out to screw everyone. we go by published labor ops, our parts are (understandably) a little higher, but you get a 3k/3k labor warranty on labor and a 12k/12k parts warranty. not to mention a technician that is factory trained to best evaluate and repair your vehicle and our experience is ford-ford-ford...not whatever comes in next. if you want the best spend a little extra and go to the best. just my biased .02

 

Thanks for that tealboy
Us dealer techs are usually pretty unappreciated...until an experience like yours happens. I won't go into how often we fix vehicles that other shops couldn't, how sometimes our prices are better than small shops, how Ford parts prices are sometimes less than aftermarket.
No, not all dealers are perfect...not by a long shot...but we're not all bad either. Not all other shops are bad or good though either.
I think the important thing is to find a tech and a shop that you're comfortable with, either a dealer or somewhere else, and remember that they are valuable.