Truck broke down, need opinions

Big Angry Hillbilly · Oct 30, 2012

You don't always get a survey, so if you don't call the ford customer care line and tell them what happened. Make sure that there is 10.0 hours of labor written on the bill, not just xxx dollars for removal. If there is no labor hour number printed, request a bill with labor printed in hours.

That being said, it is a labor GUIDE not a labor bible, so your results may vary.

Mdub707 · Oct 30, 2012

I will, if they even give me one. The last time my truck was at a dealer (sat there for 2 months, and the first month was dodged phone calls, even though I had an appointment) I never even got a receipt or anything. They did it on purpose. The time before that, I would get phone call surveys, they called me to ask me about my visit, and the dealership hadn't even bothered to call me to tell me my truck was done... it was still in their possession. I've had the worst luck every with dealers. I believe this marks number 5 or 6 I'm not going back to.

Mdub707 · Oct 30, 2012

BAH, I understand it is a labor guide. If a guide says 7.7 hours and they take 20-30...??

It takes a trained diesel tech 3 full days of work to do this? I'd hate to see what a headgasket job takes.

Big Angry Hillbilly · Oct 30, 2012

I agree I'm just saying it may not be 7.7 hrs exactly.
And if they didn't give me a bill? I wouldn't be paying for shiiit.

Mdub707 · Oct 30, 2012

Yeah agreed. I can understand if it says 7.7 and they take 10 or 11. Whatever, I knew it wouldn't be exact, but this is way over. Not even remotely close.

The last place that didn't give me a bill was warranty work. My truck ran out of warranty sitting on their lot. It sat there for 2 months. I finally called and gave them a day and said I'm coming this day, it needs to be done that day. They were just test driving it when I pulled in so the paperwork wasn't ready, said they were going to mail it to me, never got it.

Mdub707 · Oct 30, 2012

I called the dealer, told him I'm not paying for anymore work, throw the stuff in the bed, roll it outside, I'll have it towed.

Total bill right now is ~ $875. WTF. I'm going to calmly go in and pay the bill as much as it sucks, then go have a conversation with the general manager and tell him I don't expect him to do anything about it, but I will not be back as this is just not right. I'm so mad I can barely see straight. However, it's not worth me being angry over for the rest of my life. Just going to pay my bill and say good riddance to the Ford service center for life if I can help it.

Mdub707 · Oct 30, 2012

I'd really like to have my ducks in a row before I talk to the GM, is anyone capable of copying or printing off the recommended time for this work from a Ford book? I would be forever grateful!!!

blk350on20s · Oct 30, 2012

I charge 500 for a trans swap. Literally takes me 3 hours

bad12jr · Oct 30, 2012

No way I'd pay them that. That is a rip off. It should have only took 15 minutes to diagnose on a lift. Did you ok them to pull the trans or to any estimate? If not the way I see. It is all you owe is diagonistic fee ( an hours labor ) and 30 min to pull the starter.

I know its not a 5r but I had the zf5 in my obs on the ground in under hour last time and its 4wd. I did that all on a lift. It took me 3 hours on the ground due to only having a floor Jack and handtools in my buddies new garage with no tools. It was basically a driveway with a roof.

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bad12jr · Oct 30, 2012

Also I know two service writers at the local dealer well. I can call tommorow and see if they can email me the time page.

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Zmann · Oct 30, 2012

use a credit card and not a debit or cash just in case you want some recourse

Big Angry Hillbilly · Oct 31, 2012

If you did not authorize them to perform anything other than diag for an hour or two, pay the hour or to diag and tell them to eat ****.

Mdub707 · Oct 31, 2012

Well, I did tell them it was ok to pull the trans. Like most of you, I didn't think it would take more than a couple hours at MOST to do this task, not 10. Who would have thought it would take that long to get the trans out??? I'm going to call the GM today and see what he has to say about his service departments shoddy work. I drove by there this morning and my truck is sitting outside already.

I think I'm going to call the other Ford dealers in the area and see what their estimate to do this job would be out of curiosity.

blk350on20s · Oct 31, 2012

If you were closer id do this for you. Theres gotta be a member nearby that can lend a drive way and hand. Its literally no more than 4 hours worth of work. That includes beer, pizza and bs time. Put a help thing in your area section

Mdub707 · Oct 31, 2012

Already got a buddy lined up to do it now, and we're doing everything in one shot, studs, gaskets etc... cab is coming off now. I appreciate the offer for the help man, I should have found someone to do this in the first place, it was my mistake bringing it to Ford, but honestly I never expected it to get this out of hand price wise. I've got a solution to getting the truck fixed, however I'm still not really happy about the $900 bill @ Ford for yanking a starter and a transmission... it's sickening.

blk350on20s · Oct 31, 2012

Ya. Thats a big pain in the ass. Glad you got everything on track though. Let us know how it goes and if the GM does anything for ya

bad12jr · Oct 31, 2012

Ill call my dealer tommorow. Had a unit trip today and was swamped.

Sent from my x2 somewhere

Mdub707 · Nov 1, 2012

Awesome, thanks man!

bad12jr · Nov 1, 2012

Just called and talked to him. A flywheel replacement is calling for 8 hrs with r&r of the trans. So tell em to shove it. He couldn't email me it though.

Sent from my x2 somewhere