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Dealer service pricing

C

ConspicuousConsumption

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I purchased my 2020 ST used from my hometown Ford dealer, whom I've purchased numerous cars from and is really an outstanding good-ole-boy shop, but I live a few hours away and use the local Ford dealer for service. I'm having all types of wacky transmission issues (lurching in lower gears, a bang from the rear at low speeds after putting it into drive, general roughness in shifts) and want to bring it for the dealer to check out, but any "miscellaneous concern" requires their $159 minimum fee. I'm guessing this is a shop rate hour. You're telling me that I can't even bring my warrantied (extended!) vehicle in for an expert opinion without coughing up $159? Seems shady as hell, and I know my good-ole-boy dealer would never do me like that.

Is this a normal dealer service practice and I've just been spoiled by my small hometown boys?

(EDIT: I might post this on the Facebook group as well so don't hassle me if you see it there too)
 

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GearHead_1

GearHead_1

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Your warranty should have a maximum out-of-pocket co-pay per visit. Mine is $50, I'm sure different warranties have different deductibles. $159 sounds high to me.
 

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Cdubya

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It's a new type of scam. So you bring your car in for driveability issues. If they don't want to be bothered and call it "normal", then they'll bill you for the diagnostic. Never used to be like that and isn't so far at my dealership, but I'm hearing more and more stories.
 

OP
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ConspicuousConsumption

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GearHead_1 said:
Your warranty should have a maximum out-of-pocket co-pay per visit. Mine is $50, I'm sure different warranties have different deductibles. $159 sounds high to me.
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My deductible for Ford Premium Care is $100. I had to look that up but am glad to know it, thanks. So how do I make sure that this is respected? I'm dumb when it comes to the front-desk folks, sorry
 

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ConspicuousConsumption

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Cdubya said:
It's a new type of scam. So you bring your car in for driveability issues. If they don't want to be bothered and call it "normal", then they'll bill you for the diagnostic. Never used to be like that and isn't so far at my dealership, but I'm hearing more and more stories.
Click to expand...
It's a damn shame, and yeah I know it's them "covering their butts" as a guy said on Facebook, but what ever happened to goodwill? I have other Ford dealer options around here, and of course independent shops. I guess they just don't care anymore about customer loyalty? Or they figure they can do whatever they want and folks will just cough up the money and keep coming back. They're probably not wrong.
 

GearHead_1

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ConspicuousConsumption said:
My deductible for Ford Premium Care is $100. I had to look that up but am glad to know it, thanks. So how do I make sure that this is respected? I'm dumb when it comes to the front-desk folks, sorry
Click to expand...
I guess I'm happy to say that, I don't know. I've never had to use the warranty as written.

I have been told that if you have a problem that can't be diagnosed the first time you bring the vehicle, there are service managers that will apply the deductible you've previously paid toward an ongoing diagnosis of the same problem. No doubt that differs from dealership to dealership and your relationship with back shop personnel.

I'm a retired Master Automotive Technician and I've had a good enough relationship with my dealer that they know I'd rather not have them touch my vehicle. That goes from the day I picked it up with the plastic still on it. They may not fully understand this but the truth is they really would rather not work on my vehicle.

I've had a couple of recall/warranty issues (minor issues, master cylinder on my truck, and seat trim on my Exploder) where they'll let me take the part in question with me and install it myself. I give the defective/warrantied part back to them, and they record the fix and we're good.

I don't know that this has been a determining factor but a couple of dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and a gallon of milk go a long way with everyone at the dealership. I'll find out sometime in the future if this still goes, my best connection at the dealership retired at the first of the year. He made my purchasing and ownership experiences very good. Fortunately, his daughter still works there.
 

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ConspicuousConsumption

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GearHead_1 said:
...I'm a retired Master Automotive Technician....
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I sure as hell wish you were working on my Exploder! I have an appointment for Friday morning at 7:30am. I sure hope I get a morning guy and not someone bleary eyed from Thirsty Thursday. I expect the worst, I hate to say.

I'll be dropping the ST off at night so I don't want to leave Krispy Kreme's in there. Maybe a crate of energy drinks?
 

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Cruising68

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GearHead_1 said:
I guess I'm happy to say that, I don't know. I've never had to use the warranty as written.

I have been told that if you have a problem that can't be diagnosed the first time you bring the vehicle, there are service managers that will apply the deductible you've previously paid toward an ongoing diagnosis of the same problem. No doubt that differs from dealership to dealership and your relationship with back shop personnel.

I'm a retired Master Automotive Technician and I've had a good enough relationship with my dealer that they know I'd rather not have them touch my vehicle. That goes from the day I pick it up with the plastic still on it. They may not fully understand this but the truth is they really would rather not work on my vehicle.

I've had a couple of recall/warranty issues (minor issues, master cylinder on my truck, and seat trim on my Exploder) where they'll let me take the part in question with me and install it myself. I give the defective/warrantied part back to them, and they record the fix and we're good.

I don't know that this has been a determining factor but a couple of dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and a gallon of milk go a long way with everyone at the dealership. I'll find out sometime in the future if this still goes, my best connection at the dealership retired at the first of the year. He made my purchasing and ownership experiences very good. Fortunately, his daughter still works there.
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Funny you say that as I too would rather they never touch my vehicle. Picked mine up with plastic on too so I could properly detail it. I would rather do the warrant work myself. After you take a hard look at some the people working on your car you really don’t want them touching it. Plenty of excellent Master Mechanics out there but I fear the pool is getting diluted.

Not your skill level but not afraid to tackle just about anything. Even replaced my rear subframe. Do my own updates as well. I guess I’m a control freak. Too bad the bad techs out there give others a bad name.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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bmidd

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ConspicuousConsumption said:
It's a damn shame, and yeah I know it's them "covering their butts" as a guy said on Facebook, but what ever happened to goodwill? I have other Ford dealer options around here, and of course independent shops. I guess they just don't care anymore about customer loyalty? Or they figure they can do whatever they want and folks will just cough up the money and keep coming back. They're probably not wrong.
Click to expand...
We've never had to pay the $100 yet, every time we bring it in it's been covered by the remainder of the powertrain warranty or covered under a recall/TSB. 1 oil pan, left front axle came apart., valve body separator plate in trans, cracked weld at converters have all been replaced at no charge.
 

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tjmath13

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You are bringing your vehicle to them to have them tell you what is wrong with it and expecting it to be all free? I assume you wouldn't work for free right? So how can you expect them to work for free for you? That is pretty normal dealership practice. Shop rates are what they are. If there is something wrong that is covered under warranty you shouldn't have anything out of pocket, unless there is a deducible on your warranty. But you would be responsible for a diag fee if there is nothing that can be covered under warranty...
 

OP
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ConspicuousConsumption

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tjmath13 said:
You are bringing your vehicle to them to have them tell you what is wrong with it and expecting it to be all free? I assume you wouldn't work for free right? So how can you expect them to work for free for you? That is pretty normal dealership practice. Shop rates are what they are. If there is something wrong that is covered under warranty you shouldn't have anything out of pocket, unless there is a deducible on your warranty. But you would be responsible for a diag fee if there is nothing that can be covered under warranty...
Click to expand...
Yeah I guess I do expect to be able to have a tech spend a few minutes thinking about it for free. Don't think about it as working for free, though. You know how a gazillion businesses out there have "free estimates", which are really just ways to get you buttered up for a big job? It works on me. I want a supposed expert to give their opinion on the complaints without me having to fork over as if I'm talking to a lawyer.

My hometown Ford dealer, which has been in business for 70 years, just kinda says yeah bring it in and let's take a quick look and see what's happening. It's impossible to even talk to a tech here without paying $159.

I'll pay what I have to pay, but it rubs me the wrong way to have this high of a minimum without any guarantee that they're doing anything other than just running a scanner. No codes, no problem, $159 please. That's fucked, bud.

EDIT: Charge me your actual shop time, not some entire shop hour.
 

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