No one from Ford represents the customer. If the dealer is not absolutely looking out for the truck owner, he is going to get hosed. This entire scenario, the politics and not the exact failure, is absolutely a rerun of my debacle.

The procedure is ridiculous. Shepherds was unable to get a FSE out to look at my truck. The first POS dealer never had a FSE look at the truck. The warranty denial on my truck was issued by the Tech Hotline people...who never saw the truck. The only reason a FSE was even dispatched to look at the truck while it was at Shepherds was because I used a favor from my BIL, a respected Quality Control Engineer at a Ford facility. That was not easy either. It took several emails and phone calls over the Regional FSE managers head to make that happen.

I have angered some of my former friends here because I warned about this unconscionable treatment of owners. I used certain metaphors to illustrate the dangers of taking such an ambivalent attitude towards this shameful treatment. I said it before, no one who owns a 6.7 Ford is immune from this abuse of customers. You can not guarantee where your truck might fail or who may be fixing it. I will resist the urge to use more metaphors...Randy's debacle should tell the story quite well...

As to the allegation that this sounds like a dealership driven racket, I would agree to a point. The point ends with the fact that these crooks have a Ford sign hanging on the wall. They are independent franchisees but in the end they all put the Ford name and reputation on the line. Ford is responsible for all the warranty decisions in the end. When nonsense like this happens, Ford has as much culpability in the abhorrent treatment of the customer as the dealer.

Shame on Ford

Regards

 

WOW --- I logged on here to get some info as I am getting close to ordering out a new F250 Lariat with a 6.7L and have to say this thread scared the crap out of me and will definitely be going another route if this is the way Ford treats warrenty issues.

Hopefully this will turn out to be a rouge dealer and / or Ford Rep but if not I am going elsewhere to spend $60,000 + and be treated like that.

 

THanks Crazy001... that's all I needed. You just made my decision for me. As I've stated before I began lurking here months ago (a year ago) to learn as much as I could about my planned March 2012 order of a fully loaded F350 6.7 (MSRP 62k+).

I will NOT be ordering that truck. If this can and does happen to even a single super duty owner thats all I need to know. Total BS. If a shady dealer can do this and there is no recourse, the FSE won't help, the owner is left with a bill for half the MSRP value of the truck in the end.... thats total BS.

I'll be taking my business to a competitor and I won't look back. This is sickening. I'll probably keep lurking but I won't be posting an "Got my VIN" posts over here.... unless you want to know when I order my Ram 3500.

 

The system is broken because dealer are disincentivized to turn things in as warranty due to the fact that it pays so much more if the customer pays the bill. The dealer shouldn't be penalized for doing warranty work, they should be compensated at the same rate the customer pays.
I've been told that these days the dealerships make the majority of their money on service, not selling vehicles because the profit margins have been shrinking with all the competition. It looks like some are deciding to further maximize profits through service, perhaps even at the expense of future sales due to the shrinking margin.

 

WOW, I have to say that this thread confirms my luck in staying V10.... and makes me wish I had really talked with that 6.7 F350 owner at the campground last week...

 

Sorry everyone and Randito if I have misrepresented the amount of the motor on that site I posted to. I was angry at the time and put my feelings into the post. Regardless if the higher ups at Ford see it, I did what I could to try and spread the word.

 

The day I bought my truck was one of the top ten happiest days ever. I'd never purchased a brand new vehicle before and I'd never been prouder of my purchase, despite the high cost. I've been nothing but happy with my purchase and have no issues at all with my truck. I am personally responsible for 4 friends/family also buying 2011+ Ford super duty 6.7 trucks (as well as my own). While I'm still happy with my truck, my confidence is shaken to the very core. I do everything possible to maintain my truck in immaculate condition and yet fear that I'll be stuck with some horrible bill over a manufacturer defect or simply cost saving warranty denials.

I had hoped that Rick's debacle was an isolated incident, but it appears not to be the case. I will no longer recommend a Ford product to friends and family. The millions spent on advertising is going to battle against the spreading word of mouth. A few thousand dollars that some accountants will claim they saved will mean the loss of untold number of sales now and for the future. Consumer confidence now = zero for me. I also worry that my recommendation to family and friends will cost them dearly.

I'm a proud professional grown man that's almost brought to tears by this entire fiasco. The pride I had every day in starting my engine is severely diminished by customer dis-service.

With sorrow and a profound sense of loss,
Brent

 

I like my truck, my dealer and the company that didn't take obama bailout money. if something fishy is going on at the dealer level and the corporates find out I believe they will hurt the dealer and make it right with Randy. the question is, how to get their attention and make them believe stuff like this is happening out here in the real world.

 

KG, you took the words right out of my mouth. Unbelievable!!!

 

It's just stupid on Ford's part to allow this to happen. It costs a lot less for a business to retain existing customers than it does to bring in new customers. Loyal, repeat customers are key to the success of any business large or small.

It's just inconceivable to me that a dealership and Ford at the corporate level would abuse a hunting guide who has purchased several trucks. A hunting guide is a great influencer. Randy is in contact with probably hundreds of customers a year, and they all see his truck. If they say "nice truck" and he comes back with "yeah it is, but Ford really screwed me on a warranty claim", it's going to have a huge negative impact on sales, many times more than the cost of the repair if it were covered under warranty.

There are several things that successful businesses have in common. One of them is emotional engagement of their customers (in a positive way). It's that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you think about a company you love doing business with. It's drinking the kool-aid. Well what's happening here is pee in the punch bowl!

 

Brent, I agree 100% with what you wrote. I have never ever been concerned about a Ford vehicle or Ford Mo Co letting down and I have owned many Ford products. However, now I have this little nagging in the back in my mind when I drive my truck. All of this info will definitely be considered when I purchase next time.

-gascan

 

Brent

Thanks for sharing your feelings. I lived your early warm fuzzy feelings for over a year. Like you, I told the world about how happy I was with my truck.

Sadly, the damage to my persona over Ford's failings is nothing compared to Deb's. Imagine having a father who worked for Ford, as an engineer, for 36 years. Imagine being 59 years old and never questioning what your next new vehicle would be...nothiong but a Ford for her...ever. She shed tears over what Ford ultimately did to our family with their shameful behavior. I never thought I would see the day that she would want anything but a Ford in our driveway. That day has come.

Ford knows all about that sad story. Even the heartless witch from Ford's Executive Offices who called me to rub the salt in the wound knew the story...and she heard it again while I was on the phone. Their decisions to protect the poorest of dealers, both in service and ethics, at the sacrifice of the very people who have purchased their vehicles is shameful and scary.

Shame on Ford

Regards

 

Brent, please remember that it's not over yet. Randy hasn't received his truck back, and he hasn't written a huge check. I did speak with him on the phone last night and him and his wife are going to be out of town for the next few days. With any luck this can get sorted out by the time he comes back for his truck!

B HOOFED, I completely agree with your post. From everything I've heard this clearly points to dealer incompetence and thus far FMC refusing to overturn their opinion. In my opinion the dealer either has both techs that don't know what they are doing as well as service managers seeing dollar signs at the sight of a customer-pay engine replacement. IMHO the Ford rep should be the one to prevent this kind of thing, but it appears that hasn't happened.

I'm no engineer, but the FSE is and they know their product better than I do. I'd love to hear the reasoning behind the theory that severe water ingestion wouldn't hydrolock or bend a rod, but would crack a valve instead.

This is all just my amateur opinion, and I'm hoping to hear more over the next week. For the brand I hope I'm wrong, but with $20K on the line for Randy I really hope this gets overturned.

 

Sorry to hear that Ricatic

The post I put up on that site is getting responses at least. Take a look.

http://www.corporateofficeheadquarte...dquarters.html

 

Work at a Ford dealer (started 1967) and I can tell you at this dealership and "many" others, this would not have went this way!
Even on a questionable issue (probably not really warrantable) but still within original covered period, this dealer would work with customer to lower his costs, not inflate them. And probably would convince Ford to participate in cost to some degree.
Very short sighted on the dealer involved and FORD for letting this get to this situation I feel.
Randy has 6 trucks, possibly all from this dealer?

Sounds like he must be good for a truck purchase per year,(if running 6) sounds like he is going to need more trucks as the time goes by?

Dealer looses, Ford looses worse.

These guys must really believe the world is ending in 2012 so to h#!! with retaining customers.

Randy, my advice, you have the "experts" telling you that your engine is damaged becasue you drove it in water so really you should approach your insurance and not eat this cost yourself. Get this situation behind you and look after "your" customers so they will keep coming back to you for their dealings.
good luck...