NuFord Dealer Service experience

richo77 · 28-02-2012, 03:18 PM

Thought i'd share my 60,000 km service experience yesterday from Nuford, Wangara in the hope that others become aware of some of the games these guys play.

After receiving letters, texts, phonecalls reminding me of my service being due, I duly took my FG XR6 in for its final warranty service along with a few warranty items to look at. One of the letters offered a free balance and rotation so when I arrived I requested it.

I also decided to speak with Spare parts and buy a set of lock nuts for my new wheels which they said they could put on. Great!

Long story short, I went to pick up the car at 4pm and it wasnt ready, when it finally was ready I presented with a bill for $480. I had a quick look through the bill and saw that on top of the cost of the lock nut set they charged me $39 to fit the lock nuts. When I questioned why this was, I was told with a straight face that they had to take off the wheels and this was the labour charge, nevermind that the wheels came off with the wheel balance. Finally it was agreed that this cost would be waived and off he went back to the computer to type up another invoice. Before he left I asked him if the cost of the service was the Fixed price service that Ford offers for servicing and was told 'oh no that isnt the fixed price, you are supposed to ask for that when you bring the car in'.

Finally a correct invoice came with a few charges that I couldnt be bothered arguing with - workshop consumables, $18.00, environmental charge etc etc. with the final cost being $318 which was around $140 less than the first one.

Moral of the story, if your taking your Ford in for a service, you need to apparently ask for the fixed price service otherwise you will be charged the usual over-inflated charge, further I would encourage you to go over the invoice they give you and not assume that they are doing the right thing by you. Now that my car is out of warranty i'll be taking it to a non dealer and telling as many people as I can about my experience, thanks for the great service Nuford Wangara!

Kieron · 28-02-2012, 03:37 PM

Have used this dealer a few times for service across two new cars, would never use them again. I've used Centre Ford for a while now, cheaper, more knowledgable and don't try to sell you other bits n pieces. The latter I believe is something AHG service centres are 'bound' to do.

xisled · 28-02-2012, 03:50 PM

When I bought my BA XT. In 2005. I was given a flyer that said minor service $180, that was stapled to my log book, when I bought the car. The first service I took the car, I called them made a booking and told them over the phone about it, they said yes we can do that.

When I took the car in I showed them the flyer, and again they said yes, they would charge me this.

I went to pick up the car and was told I had to pay $460 for the service. I showed the guy the flyer again and he said no no no, thats not correct. I am like how can it not be correct, when I bought this car you guys gave me this. Plus I have told you about this and showwed you this, when I dropped the car off that morning. After about 30 minutes of discussion, I was charged $180 and left not happy that I had to waste my time.

Spammy · 28-02-2012, 04:00 PM

I have given up on getting my car serviced at Ford - they are useless, can not explain what they are doing, don't know their own product and then charge 2x fair rate for a below par job.

I admit I was a fool to buy a ford in the first place, I can at least try to make it up to myself by not getting it serviced by the clown who sold it to me.

pottery beige · 28-02-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spammy

*snip..
I admit I was a fool to buy a ford in the first place....

so what are you doing around here other than sooking....

Spammy · 28-02-2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

so what are you doing around here other than sooking....

expressing an opinion - that is what makes a forum

pottery beige · 28-02-2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spammy

expressing an opinion - that is what makes a forum

so you come on a ford forum to run the brand down...

svo347 · 28-02-2012, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

so you come on a ford forum to run the brand down...

Do you reply with that statement to everyone that gets ripped off with fords lack of customer skills and vents here!!??

Rodge · 28-02-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

The latter I believe is something AHG service centres are 'bound' to do

.

I must admitt I have my doubts about dealerships owned by the Automotive Holding Group, the group which also owns John Andrew Ford in Auckland.

Their hourly rate seems expensive and the time they say are allocated to jobs looks like a fairly relaxed rate of work. :(

But is this just an AHG thing or widespead throughout Australia and N.Z.
Is $110 plus GST an hour a reasonable hourly rate for a mechanic shop these days ?

Crazy Dazz · 29-02-2012, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodge

.

I must admitt I have my doubts about dealerships owned by the Automotive Holding Group, the group which also owns John Andrew Ford in Auckland.

Their hourly rate seems expensive and the time they say are allocated to jobs looks like a fairly relaxed rate of work. :(

But is this just an AHG thing or widespead throughout Australia and N.Z.
Is $110 plus GST an hour a reasonable hourly rate for a mechanic shop these days ?

It’s the same problem everywhere. If you know the slightest thing about engines and vehicles, can understand some basic English, and get past a drug test, you can earn mega bucks on a mine or construction site. The guys left working in Perth are under-qualified and over-paid.

Legit290 · 28-02-2012, 06:33 PM

you're lucky...my thread was renamed unhappy with dealer service when it was originally unhappy with ford dealer service..dale ford dale ford dale ford!!

pottery beige · 28-02-2012, 06:45 PM

yep.. they are for the most of it absolute ****.. best thing i ever did was walk away from warranty and fix any probs myself..

stress levels way down and started enjoying the whole new ford thing....

Spammy · 28-02-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

yep.. they are for the most of it absolute ****.. best thing i ever did was walk away from warranty and fix any probs myself..

stress levels way down and started enjoying the whole new ford thing....

So are you agreeing that Ford dealers are probably the worst enemy of Ford?

I have had the displeasure of dealing with 3 different Ford dealers - all of them were totally useless and lied, misrepresented the facts and tried to squirm out of warranty repairs at every opportunity.

Over and above this, they didn't know their own products- telling me to f...off becasue my warranty had expired when it still had 2 years to run was not a great way to build return customers.

Most modern cars are reasonably well built and good to drive - no brand can survive when the coustomer is treated like dirt.

05_ENFORCER · 28-02-2012, 07:52 PM

It's not only with NuFord but at any place of service.
(NuFord are not on my christmas list either)

If you are not straight up with what you want out of the service they will always try and add "others"

Thats a fact Jack.

Dont expect everyone to do the right thing by you.

pottery beige · 28-02-2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spammy

So are you agreeing that Ford dealers are probably the worst enemy of Ford?

I have had the displeasure of dealing with 3 different Ford dealers - all of them were totally useless and lied, misrepresented the facts and tried to squirm out of warranty repairs at every opportunity.

Over and above this, they didn't know their own products- telling me to f...off becasue my warranty had expired when it still had 2 years to run was not a great way to build return customers.

Most modern cars are reasonably well built and good to drive - no brand can survive when the coustomer is treated like dirt.

yes i will agree.. dealers can screw the whole experience and totally take the enjoyment out of a new vehicle..

probably owe you an apology for going off chop..

walking away from warranty and dealing with the associated clowns was an instant awesomely rewarding choice i made...

***** me to totally they have an awesome product.. and its nearly call for last drinks...

ute83 · 28-02-2012, 07:38 PM

Do you own a late model Ford pottery?

comagutsa · 28-02-2012, 07:52 PM

ahhhh good old Nuford
i got one of those peices of paper that you are talking about ricko
but i also got the one for $50 off a log book service
in my log book there is a service for a 7500km so i took it in to get the 7500km service and a warranty job to fix my noisy drivers window
they also wanted $59 for a fuel flush injector thingy crap , which i told them to not worry about
anyway when it came time to pay they wouldnt except the $50 off because the 7500km service isnt a log book service, to which i replyed then why does it say it in your log book, why not just have 15000km 30000km etc
wasnt happy i paid $320 for a 7500km service
and im still waiting for my 3rd diff on warranty from them ..its been nearly 2 months now and the high pitch whine from 100km/h and over is bloody giving me the *****

kempy311 · 28-02-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comagutsa

ahhhh good old Nuford
i got one of those peices of paper that you are talking about ricko
but i also got the one for $50 off a log book service
in my log book there is a service for a 7500km so i took it in to get the 7500km service and a warranty job to fix my noisy drivers window
they also wanted $59 for a fuel flush injector thingy crap , which i told them to not worry about
anyway when it came time to pay they wouldnt except the $50 off because the 7500km service isnt a log book service, to which i replyed then why does it say it in your log book, why not just have 15000km 30000km etc
wasnt happy i paid $320 for a 7500km service
and im still waiting for my 3rd diff on warranty from them ..its been nearly 2 months now and the high pitch whine from 100km/h and over is bloody giving me the *****

Hahah injector flush at 7500kms. Brought my car secondhand from NUford and they expected me to bring my car in every 6 months for a rip off service.

In Focus · 28-02-2012, 08:36 PM

Hmm, Lynford in Osborne Park WA automatically quoted me the correct capped service price without being prompted (I was ready to disagree...), though they did try and up-sell me some wheel aligning and engine flushing. This was upfront, though, so it was easy to decline, and it ended up at $265 all up, as per the official capped price quote.

Spammy · 28-02-2012, 08:49 PM

Gotta agree - my hatered for our territory has subsided ever since I gave up trying to deal with my local dealer. I used to go in there knowing every service or warranty repair was gong to end up in an argument.

I can't really help myself when somebody blantantly lies to me as to what they have done or what needs to be done. Plus the onging argument I had with our dealer about what is the correct factory recommened oil grade did my head in.

DJL351 · 28-02-2012, 09:00 PM

Dealt with a few - Happy enough with Centre Ford and Range Ford.

Mack & Ernie tried to tell me I bent one of the rear swaybar brackets - yet it was fine when it drove in....
They also stripped the locking nuts and tried to blame me. The car was 2nd hand and had always been serviced by them. $140 for the nuts and $30 to fit. I told them to leave them off. Went to Range on the way home, got trade for the nuts and fitted in the carpark.

malazn mafia · 29-02-2012, 12:39 AM

I think the best part of owning a Falcon is the cheap, quick and good service you can get from places that do taxis. I get my both lower front balljoints replaced for $100, with a turnaround time of 30 minutes if I book early. New front brakes and discs for $150.. 30 minute turnaround time. $150 for a full service. The mechanics actually know the car and what they are talking about. The last time I brought my car to a Ford dealer, they recommended a full cooling system flush. Gave them the go ahead, $220. 450km later on a road trip I lift the bonnet to refill the windscreen bottle, and holy crap.. the coolant overflow was empty and green stuff all over the front of the engine. Some apprentice had retightened the top coolant hose on an angle and severed part of the pipe. That was it, never again at a Ford Dealer.

DanielXR8 · 29-02-2012, 07:13 AM

The moral of the story is that Ford have a lot of work to do with their dealer network and despite years of unsatisfactory service from many dealers, Ford haven't even made a start on it.

Yes it is repetitive sometimes to hear the same stories about Ford service, but apparently not enough for Ford Australia to do anything. Instead of turning on those who are clearly frustrated by that experience with the dealer network, perhaps a more constructive move would be to use the collective power of the members here to draw a petition to Ford that says in a nice way that they need to pull their finger out and start looking after their customer base. Turning on members of the forums ultimately is not solving the problem, but exacerbating it.

Just a thought.

Yellow_Festiva · 29-02-2012, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

The moral of the story is that Ford have a lot of work to do with their dealer network and despite years of unsatisfactory service from many dealers, Ford haven't even made a start on it.

Yes it is repetitive sometimes to hear the same stories about Ford service, but apparently not enough for Ford Australia to do anything. Instead of turning on those who are clearly frustrated by that experience with the dealer network, perhaps a more constructive move would be to use the collective power of the members here to draw a petition to Ford that says in a nice way that they need to pull their finger out and start looking after their customer base. Turning on members of the forums ultimately is not solving the problem, but exacerbating it.

Just a thought.

Last year I had a shocking experience with a dealer when buying a Focus for the wife. It was an easy enough process of negotiation till time for collection, and the dealer to make good on their verbal promises (which are as good as a written promise - I don't care what anyone says).

Anyway, at first the dealer didn't want anything to do with it. A firm 5 page letter to Ford head office very quickly got the ball rolling. Meetings soon happened with the dealer PR person to work out how they can best make me happy.

We came to an agreement. I got 90% of what I wanted (promised) and was happy. It did take 2 months of letters, calls and meetings to get it but. One of those issues was servicing related. Why did I need to make a complaint, start a thread on here regarding my issues and have meetings and phone calls to solve the problem? This is something that could have been kept 'in house' IMO.

Having said that, I feel there is very little follow up to these issues. I wouldn't have got the ball rolling had it not been for the intervention of the head office. Why it had to go that far is beyond me.

My sister is looking to buy a new Focus very soon. I have already told her what dealer to NOT go to. I have also insisted that I go with her during the negotiation process so she doesn't go through what I went through.

Don't they get it's happy, satisfied customers that keep the dollars rolling through the door, and them employed?

graham7773 · 29-02-2012, 07:41 AM

Do not think Ford dealers are the only ones doing this. I took my daughters Commodore in to a big Holden dealer in Brisbane. As I am a pensioner with not a lot to do, I walked around to the back door of the workshop and stood there and watched the daughters car. Nobody went near it for 3/4 of an hour then a teenager opened the bonnet and walked away. Another 1/2 hour and a person I assume was a mechanic put his head under the bonnet for about 10 minutes. not touching the rest of the car. I walked back to the service counter and they tried to charge for a full waranty service, quoting 1 and 3/4 hours labour. When I challenged the charge and explained what I had been doing, telling them I had several witnesses (their own employees who had seen me standing there) to the fact that I had been watching the "service", they reduced the charge by 80%. The next time I went past that place there were "NO ADMITTANCE TO WORKSHOP" signs posted at every entrance to said workshop. Dealer service? I and everyone on this forum knows who is being serviced!!!

csv8 · 29-02-2012, 09:42 AM

Only Ford service departments have the computer equipment to update the ECU etc. Have the car serviced elsewhere and this cann't be done. I have never had problems with Southside Ford, Brisbane. maybe I have been lucky!!!!

FreddyDUZ747 · 29-02-2012, 09:58 AM

Hmmm,this forum amazes me....You can bag out a Ford buisness on here but not another buisness thats affected someone imo worse off????

I find the more you are able to get the impression across you know a thing or two about cars it seems to result in normal prices/service times.I have gone in before a bit blarzay and the difference was night and day,almost laughable.

Spammy · 29-02-2012, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

I find the more you are able to get the impression across you know a thing or two about cars it seems to result in normal prices/service times.I have gone in before a bit blarzay and the difference was night and day,almost laughable.

When I explained to my local Ford dealer that I was a Mechanical Enigneer and he was using the wrong grade oil, I suggested he check the service bulletin -he just told me go away and find some proof.

He then rang me and told me to have a read of the owners manual because it's always correct. So I did and guess what - it recommended the grade I suggested, not the grade he was using.

So I took the owners manual in to show him...he looked sheepish and asked if he could take a photo copy of the page to show his boss.

Where do they find these guys?

05_ENFORCER · 29-02-2012, 10:51 AM

Where do they find these guys?
.

In the spare parts bin

.

blackf6 · 29-02-2012, 12:10 PM

Last time i got my ford serviced at a ford dealership- It cost around $ 500 no big deal i thought, until i looked at the price of the oil! It was $150. I rang the dealership and asked why- They said that they had to buy the oil of spare parts, and they only stock the 1ltr top up bottles hence the price. HHmmmm ok never went back.