I took my 2018 STX in for the "complimentary" oil change today; I didn't expect to see oily hand prints all over the steering wheel, on the D/S door, the hood, and I didn't expect to see rubber hose marks on the R/F fender either.

Two-three options:

1. Tell the Svc Manager on the spot or after I cool down.... and get urin or sugar in my fuel tank on the next visit...(yes, I know exactly what happens in some shops...).

2. Tell the Svc Manager and never go back.

3. Don't say anything.

I chose #2 since this is a crappy deal.

The Svc Mgr said (if I made the 1 hour drive back to the dealership) they would clean the oil and the hose marks.

What a damn shame! Cannot even get a proper oil change any more; this is the 2nd Ford Svc Center I had to quit going-to.

Where in the hell are the supervisors/QC?

My 9th grade shop class included instructions on keeping oil where it doesn't belong.

Ah well, I'm gonna do my own oil changes anyway; take the truck elsewhere for warranty work.

End of rant.

PS, express my thoughts if they send out customer surveys...😁

 

Dealer service seems to be going down hill.

 

Why not calmly & respectfully explain to the service manager what your concerns are and show him the oil, rubber spots?? I imagine that he'd want to know what was going on in his own shop and would be willing to clean things up right then and there. If not, then you'd have the problem.

I had warranty work done a few years ago at a dealership and found greasy spots on the drivers seat when they turned it over to me. They took it back to their detailing shop and took care of it, no questions asked.

 

Calmly on the spot is not in my DNA; but I was calm a couple hours later....calm isn't in play when a brand new $47K truck is being treated like G-Dammed 1973 Ford Maverick.

I'm a stranger in Oregon; I spent my adult life hopping around from one GI town (or country) to another...being screwed over more than I can recall.

Employees have lashed-out every single time I've made complaints in the past....

They know exactly how to "teach a lesson" to those who get them in trouble.

No faith in people after a complaint is filed.

I'm glad your experience(s) worked-out better for you.

 

Easiest way to not be disappointed in the service department at the dealership, don't take the vehicle to them. I have no need to claim a 'free' first service, I'd rather know its done right.

It may be a 47K truck, but is still just an XL. The white glove treatment is reserved for KR and Limited

 

Dealership service is horrible but so is everything these days. We sent two of our fleet trucks out for maintenance about a week later both drivers report there is sticky stuff on the windshield. Well go figure its because someone topped off the washer tank with coolant on both of the F800 trucks. The fleet center turned the blame back to my department.

. I pushed and got the entire fleet switched to a different dealership and sincerely told the GM when he is out of work I would hire him as a shop boy. He opened his mouth before he even realized I had the ability to take away 240 trucks from his service department and over half of those were bought from that dealer. That dealership went under soon after, if anyone is a bay area local they will remember Hayward Ford.

 

In my experience, yes and no.

The VW dealer screwed up an oil and coolant exchange on my wife's Beetle. That dealer is never getting that Beetle again.

My Titan came with "free" service for 2 years or 20000 miles. Dealer got me right in. Tech and service writer were knowledgeable and polite. Not a fingerprint to be found.

So I would not be too quick to paint every dealer with that same brush.

 

 

 

 

Every time I read one of these threads, I'm so glad I've got a great sales and service dealer. Chenango Sales Ford - Greene, NY. Part of the reason it stays so good is the owner lives in the town. And owns other businesses there as well. And with a population of only 1500, he IS his reputation.

 

Yep, attitude has been readjusted.

Thanks to the dealership for everything that didn't go wrong...😁

 

Someone should start a thread with dealership experiences so we can avoid the bad ones and only go to the good ones for service.

I haven't had to have mine in for a service but I am on the lookout for a good one.

 

Interesting thread. I just dropped my truck off at a dealer for the fuel tank TSB three hours ago. Here is how my experience has gone so far:

1) Called yesterday to inquire about having the work done. The female service writer that I spoke with started pushing back on the TSB as soon as I said the letters TSB. "We have to do the diagnostics first. If it fails diagnostics then we will determine if the TSB will resolve the problem." I asked her if she has read the TSB and if not perhaps she should before we discuss it further. The "Diagnostic" procedure, as defined in the TSB is as follows: Was the truck built prior to April of '17? If yes, is it a 160" wheel base? If yes, replace the tank. My build date is February and its a CCSB (160" wheel base). That's all of the diagnostics required.

I gave up and played her game. Scheduled the truck for first thing tomorrow (Thursday) morning and dropped it off before closing this evening.

2) Waited in the service department waiting room for a few minutes and decided that it was a little out dated. Looked to be a time warp to about 1974. No vending machines, no coffee, no TV. Cinderblock walls, institutional tile flooring, etc.... so walked up to the showroom where, it looked about the same. Tired, outdated, dreary and bare. There was a GT350 there but that was the only vehicle in the show room.

3) Walked outside to look at some new F150s and a Raptor when I realized that they had very little new inventory. Lots of used stuff but I counted less than a dozen new cars on the lot. Most of the trucks are on the other side of the service department and they had some inventory there but even that was pretty thin compared to the huge inventory of Chevys and Toyotas across the street.

I didn't buy my truck at this dealer and its my first experience with them. They are an hour's drive from my home and there is only one closer and its probably the smallest Ford Dealer in the US. No experience with them either but I haven't lived here very long. I bought the truck from a friend's dealership in Omaha Nebraska, 1300 miles away so that's not an option.

We'll see how things go tomorrow after the "diagnostics" are done.

 

A long time ago, a sales manager told me repeat business new car sales are driven by the service department. I understood that immediately. They ran a very good service department.

As far as how low the bar has gotten...maybe. Very dealer dependent. The lube goob is a starter position for technicians. They are at the bottom of the ladder, but it's not because they are poor performers. You have to start somewhere.

Every now and then, sales people from the oil change places come through the neighborhood trying to drum up business. I told one guy I did my own oil changes. He came up with every benefit for having them change my oil. I said; Sure, but when I change my oil, I don't strip the drain plug. He understood where I was coming from.

I understand it may be inconvenient or may be beyond the abilities of many to do this service themselves. If that's the case, you'd probably be better off at one of the quick change businesses since oil changes are their main thing and they are probably more careful with their customers. Maybe not perfect but they can't afford a bad name.