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Dishonest Ford Dealers

Posted Tue June 10, 2008 12:00 pm, by Thomas B. written to Ford Motor Company

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While on a trip to see my dying mother, the front wheel bearing on my '99 f250 went dry and burned out. I had my truck towed to the Ford dealer in Childress TX (Stanley Ford). After looking at the wheel bearing they decided it was going to cost $3,000.00 to fix. I told them that was unreasonable, and they said doesn't matter that's still the price. I told them I wasn't going to pay that, so they said I had to get it off their lift. The cost for them to get it off their lift and push it into the parking lot was $591.00 for the parts and $187.00 labor. What choice did I have? For $700.00 they pushed it on to the parking lot and left it for 3 days 'till I could rent a trailer and borrow a truck to go get my truck. I was 200 miles from my destination, and I was left with no alternative.

I bought the parts and made the repairs myself for about 1/3 the price they were charging.

I've talked to at least 5 other dealers about the cost of repair of the wheel bearing, and not a single one has even come close to the price at this dealer. I think Ford should better control the cost of parts at their dealers. Every dealer had the same parts at different prices but none as high as the dealer in Childress, Texas. This dealership, I believe, tried to take advantage of me because I was between a rock and a hard place. I was 200 miles from any other help, in a hurry because my 93 year old mother was sick and dying, I had 2 kids with me, with no food or water, and in a desperate situation. They meant to take advantage of my bad situation. Their intent was to charge me 3 times what it should cost. Ford needs to control this or do away with this type of dealer.


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by KAREN H. Posted Thu June 12, 2008 @ 12:10 PM

Ford, or any other car maker for that matter, has very little to do
with pricing and day to day business that a service department engages
in unless the vehicle in question is being serviced under the factory
warranty which yours was not. If I were you and really want action
call the local I-team investigators in that area or the BBB etc. No
dealership wants to find a news crew waiting for them when they get to
work and I can concurr that the dealership I work for wouldnt have
come close that amount for the repair.

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by Donno Posted Wed June 11, 2008 @ 9:49 AM

You didn't provide a lot of details as to what parts were affected,
but if they put in $591 in parts, and you put in another $1000 in
parts, that leaves roughly $1250 in labor + $160 in tax. What do car
dealers charge for labor these days? Let's say $90. That is
something like 14 hours.

I was shocked to see the parts cost so much, even when you did it
yourself. Obviously on an F250 a wheel bearing is a big deal (on my
car I did a hub for $100 in parts and 2 hours or time). Still, 14
hours seems like an awefully long time. It sounds overpriced, but
there aren't enough details to say for sure.

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by dulynoted Posted Wed June 11, 2008 @ 8:26 AM

Sorry about your mother Thomas.

All vehicle repair places have overhead. And they are in buisness
because they repair or do things that you cannot or will not do for
yourself.

I called my brother in law who works for a Ford dealer that repairs
trucks and gave him the info you wrote in your letter. He said that if
5 other (Ford) dealers told you that the cost to do this wheel bearing
would not be near that $3,000 mark someone in not telling the truth.
He said his place would charge almost as much for the parts and labor
and he said that most dealers have little or no variance in these
prices unless they are independently owned and not a Ford franchised
dealer.
So maybe this was the difference. Not sure. But I am glad that you got
there and back home safely.

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"He said his place would charge almost as much for the parts and labor" by Steve-OH Wed June 11, 2008 @ 10:30 AM


Yes...my brother in law said that ... by dulynoted Wed June 11, 2008 @ 1:24 PM


I don't see how that's possible by RedheadwGlasses Wed June 11, 2008 @ 1:32 PM

Thanks. That was what I was thinking. If you read my post below, by Steve-OH Wed June 11, 2008 @ 2:00 PM

by Steve-OH Posted Tue June 10, 2008 @ 9:52 PM

when you did it yourself. Please take into consideration that they
have overhead (rent, insurance, employee wages,shop supplies, etc.)to
cover. That it cost some guy (you) doing the job himself $1000
suggests that the parts alone were expensive and I have to figure it
took you some time. Add to that the fact that the dealer would have
offered a waranty on the job, and I don't think $3000 is that
unreasonable.
I guess you could consider yourself fortunate that you were able to
replace the part yourself.

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by Bill R. Posted Tue June 10, 2008 @ 7:41 PM

Thomas B.,
Sorry to hear about your Mom.

Was the disparity in the parts quote, the labor quote or both?

Traveling with kids can be hard on them and the driver. Best to stock
up assuminmg something will go amiss. Extra, clothes, food, water and
toys to start with.

Let us know if you hear back from Ford.

BillR.

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