Sinclair Ford Stuff-Ups!

[Wise]

Hey all,

I don't normally go on the interwebs and post about businesses and their stuff ups, but this one has me really ****ed off.

My sister bought a 2nd hand nitro blue fg xr6 from Sinclair Ford in 2012, 29xxxkm on it and an absolutely beautiful car to drive. She got a great special from them on a "tyres for life" capped price service where she would get tyres for the life of the car so long as she took it back to them once every 6 months to have a capped price service done. Cool. Seemed like a great deal.

She's now decided to part ways with it and is in the process of selling it. She has had a few prospective buyers ask for service histories from it and she told them proudly that it had always been serviced at Sinclair Ford over in penrith.

It wasn't until one guy said he had a problem with the paperwork that she was alerted to something. He said she was a fraud for trying to sell him a car with 30xxxkm MORE than what she was advertising it as. She assured him they must have given him a different cars paperwork, but nonetheless she didn't hear from him again.

Another prospective buyer has just asked for the service history and she had it forwarded to her so she could forward it on to him and any others. Paperwork comes in and there's the wrong KM on it. Approx 30xxxkm more than she actually has done.

She calls Sinclair to find out what the go is, the VIN is right and so are the plates, but the km were completely out. Girl from the service department says she has no record of the car ever being serviced there.

Hold on. She's taken it there for scheduled services ever since she bought the thing back in November 2012.

Went over the log books with her tonight, found the original sale docs that say the car was sold on 18th november 2012 with 28xxxkm on it. But the entry in the log book is dated the same date and has it as 31xxxkm. wtf?

Checked further through the book...no stamps to say she was there.

Now my sister may not be what you would refer to as "savvy" in terms of cars or servicing...but she knows where she's been taking it for services. She isn't an idiot.

Her last service papers are at least in her possession with the wrong km on them, so we'll be heading down there tomorrow morning to make a complaint about it. I hope the person we deal with on this crap will go ahead and rectify the situation.

In the meantime, she's going to go back and get her bank records and show what dates she was there and the amounts paid, and by god they had better be able to magically locate what she paid for or theres one hell of a storm coming to them.

How the bloody hell do we even know they've actually done the servicing at all?? She's also paid for brake fluid flush as well, how do we actually know that was done to her car and not some other one!?

I could understand 1 error on 1 occasion from someone who forgot to stamp, or check a number, or something like that...everyone makes mistakes, but she's been there no less than 4 times for services and the log book hasn't been TOUCHED!

I'll keep you updated.

Dave

[brismike]

This should be interesting.

[Elks]

Many dealers no longer stamp service books unless you ask them to. All the records are kept electronically. Which is all fine and Dandy until like Strapp Ford just did they shut the door and disappear taking my service records with them.

[hedgehobb]

Whenever I leave a vehicle that is due for service, I always leave the log book sitting on the passenger seat.

[uniacidz]

Need to ask them to stamp the book
But you also shouldve checked as well after each service

Should be able to get them to correct it

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Elks

Many dealers no longer stamp service books unless you ask them to. All the records are kept electronically. Which is all fine and Dandy until like Strapp Ford just did they shut the door and disappear taking my service records with them.

True, but it shouldn't be that way. Many pay the dealer premium for servicing just to get the stamp.

I got my demo focus with blank books and it took more than one request to fill in the schedule. Yes, it is all saved on their computer but that is a copout of an excuse to not be bothered to open the glove box and stamp the book.

If they can't find your services on the system call the bank and say the last payment to them was fraud and you want it reversed, they will then need to prove you were there to keep the payment. This is of course providing you been there in the last few months and paid with credit card.

Oh, did they leave a sticker on the windscreen facing the driver to remind you of the next service?

Such a stupid error should be fixed on the spot.

What a joke.....

[Dave R]

Has she changed the car's number plates? The services logged on their system will generally be tethered to the car's number plate. Dealerships generally don't stamp the book unless you present it to them or leave it in an obvious place like the passenger seat- they're not going to go rummaging through the console or glovebox looking for it unfortunately. This is not unique to Ford.

In any case I'm sure they will work it out when you go down there, it just seems like a paperwork malfunction at this stage- and hopefully that's all it is. Regarding the services themselves, I wouldn't have expected much out of them in the first place- unless she's doing the kays, a six month service interval on a standard XR6 under normal usage conditions is absurd, but that's their way of paying for the tyres.

I also think it's a little premature to be trashing Sinclair on a large public forum. I would have visited them and given them the chance to rectify it before attempting to sour their reputation (they are one of the better Ford dealers in Sydney). Sure they've obviously made a mistake, but your sister has also managed to go there 4 times and not once read the paperwork or check the service book. You don't need to be a car person to know that you should always read the receipt/paperwork provided after someone has worked on your vehicle. I'm not trying to place any blame on her at all, I'm just saying that most other people would have caught out the error after the first visit. Good luck in getting it sorted.

[GTP534]

She should at least have receipts for what she has paid at each service and a copy of the invoice with details of the work carried out.

Hope you get it sorted out.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Looking over the original post raises some qustions.

What paperwork exactly was forwarded from the dealer if they then go on to say it has never been there?

How was the 'paperwork' delivered? PDF via email? Was this not opened and looked over prior to sending it off to prospective buyers?

If the plates were changed, the person at the service dept would have investigated that first I assume as they go through their problem solving procedure. People change their plates often, I'm sure it isn't the first time it has happened. Actually, it states plates match so that can't be it.

How do you know the services were done? Well, you don't. That is why you are meant to put your trust into a dealer for doing the right thing by you....

The story doesn't always end that way unfortunately...

I think a face to face meeting with relevant paperwork from your end will be enough to solve this on the spot. If not, Ford CRC and possibly fair trading need to be informed.

[mytgxl]

I had the same problem with the same place had to ask them to do the log book every time in the end I told them that their tyres for life deal was a crock of you know what & went to a different dealer!

[chrisandsharon]

Mornin all,

What another fine fine day on the south coast.

Lol ......great they sought your sisters tyres cause I reckon being close to 9am you guys have the rears of the XR6 smokin' to their front door

Don't get too stressed wise although I can see why your not happy. See what they have to say mate and take it up with the dealer principle if your not happy.

Will keep an eye on this thread.

[Grobbo]

It does suck tho how when you go to trade your car in at a dealership the first thing they look for is stamps in the book, however get your car serviced at the same dealership and you have to ask for the stamps.
Everyone has to sell their car eventually, so everyone will need the stamps eventually - it's just bizarre how it's starting to not get done automatically any more...

[Gadgetman]

Originally Posted by Elks

Many dealers no longer stamp service books unless you ask them to. All the records are kept electronically. Which is all fine and Dandy until like Strapp Ford just did they shut the door and disappear taking my service records with them.

Now Elks,

You know full well we have relocated and have all your records on file. You are in the motor trade and I would have thought you would be cluey enough to know this instead of making rash judgements about us disappearing etc. Matter of fact, you have led the charge on a couple of threads about our relocation so please, whats the point of this post. Do you enjoy being dramatic? Come on pal, you're smarter than this aren't you?

[duaned]

Maybe you two need to take it to P.M....

[Sunburst50]

How can you check the service history? I just purchased a 2010 Focus for my son with a Ford Service label on the windscreen but the book is not stamped.

[strik9]

Originally Posted by duaned

Maybe you two need to take it to P.M....

or get a room pml

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Sunburst50

How can you check the service history? I just purchased a 2010 Focus for my son with a Ford Service label on the windscreen but the book is not stamped.

Does the sticker have the branch? Call them, book in the car then casually ask how you get your hands on the previous records.

They may email them to you straight away, seeing as you as now also a customer. Once you have it don't show or cancel the booking.

If that doesn't work and your local go there with your empty book, pretend you are the owner and kindly ask that they stamp the book.

Isn't the stamp in the book part of the service? I find it a joke that you need to inform them to stamp your book.

[ratter]

books may not be stamped if a car has not had the service done according to what the book says, stamping a service schedule based on a service that was not done correctly would be wrong and could lead to a future buyer believing that it had been done correctly, and many of these service deals do not service according to the book, but service invoices should be supplied

[chrisandsharon]

Mine is always stamped and I put the service receipt in the service booklet.......sometimes they forget but it's not a drama, I'll just ask em to stamp it......... and there's always a carton on the back seat for the workshop fellas, at least I know I'm looking after them and hope they'll do the same for me

[ebxr8240]

Where's a good Ford service centre out this way..
My wipers DON'T return on my GTE and at its first service they didn't have any wiper motors..
EVEN THOUGH they were told of this issue over the phone when booking over a week before!! They assured me they would have it fixed ..
Top one Power Ford ..

[chrisandsharon]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Where's a good Ford service centre out this way..
My wipers DON'T return on my GTE and at its first service they didn't have any wiper motors..
EVEN THOUGH they were told of this issue over the phone when booking over a week before!! They assured me they would have it fixed ..
Top one Power Ford ..

When you say they're not returning does that mean you can't use them ebxr8240

[pajoda]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Where's a good Ford service centre out this way..
My wipers DON'T return on my GTE and at its first service they didn't have any wiper motors..
EVEN THOUGH they were told of this issue over the phone when booking over a week before!! They assured me they would have it fixed ..
Top one Power Ford ..

Cumberland Ford might be great for that job, wrap your panels in cotton wool before leaving it though

[Yellow_Festiva]

Steer well clear of Thomson Ford at Parramatta..

[chrisandsharon]

Sinclair/Cumberland/Thompson ....... Hope Zetland is alright

[Sunburst50]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Does the sticker have the branch? Call them, book in the car then casually ask how you get your hands on the previous records.

They may email them to you straight away, seeing as you as now also a customer. Once you have it don't show or cancel the booking.

If that doesn't work and your local go there with your empty book, pretend you are the owner and kindly ask that they stamp the book.

Isn't the stamp in the book part of the service? I find it a joke that you need to inform them to stamp your book.

Thanks Yellow Festiva, I will check the inside of the label, I purchased the car locally from a private seller and I am already a long time customer of my local service department at Macarthur Ford hopefully they will be able to tell me the service history as the first few services were done there.

[GTP534]

I've had no problems with any service performed by Sinclair Ford.

I always keep the receipts and the copy they give me of the work that was done and these get filed at home. Books have been stamped most of the time; a couple of times with the GTP the book was not stamped but it didn't worry me as I had the details. Didn't cause any problem when I sold the car as I showed prospective buyers the file and even gave it to the new owner.

[SPArKy_Dave]

The fellow at Etheridge Ford, said that Strapp Ford don't have a parts department anymore.
Why would that be?
I know the parts department is now shut on Saturday mornings, at my local dealer.

It just seems like many Ford dealers are scaling back some, in both Service AND Parts.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by ratter

books may not be stamped if a car has not had the service done according to what the book says, stamping a service schedule based on a service that was not done correctly would be wrong and could lead to a future buyer believing that it had been done correctly, and many of these service deals do not service according to the book, but service invoices should be supplied

Bingo. These dealers are getting creative with some of the stunts they are pulling to move cars. Tyres for life, but now you need to service your standard I6 Falcon like it's an Evo. Throw Ford's prescribed 12 month/15000km schedule in the bin, we've got tyres to pay for.

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Steer well clear of Thomson Ford at Parramatta..

Thomson Ford are the only dealer I know of that actually give people a bill when they fail to diagnose a fault on a vehicle under warranty. It took us 1 hour to not find/replicate the fault you described, that will be $120. You're basically paying for their incompetence. Steer clear indeed.

[martyal44]

My logbook was stamped in the wrong spot and made it look like the car was given a 165000 km service and the odometer said 97000km when I spotted this. (it was the 15000km service done at 16500km).
So you think the speedo's wound back when it's a clerical error 'cause everyone' s in a hurry and time is money and so on and so on....

[Wise]

I think some of you were missing the point... My sisters not car savvy, she goes to the dealer to have the work done, pays for it and they haven't stamped the books and "have no record the car was ever there". To add to it the warranty was in their system as expiring next year, when it was paid to go until 2017 on the extended ford warranty.

When she told people that the car was always serviced at the dealer and they got the service history with the wrong KM on it, that was concerning. Questioning on them on it and being told the car had never been there!? Come on...


Anyway, we went back saturday and this is how it went.

We went in with the records we have and straight away they found the car. (Not sure why it was so hard for the other person she spoke to...) They checked their service records and they had all sorts of KM on it, the latest of which was 89xxx or some crap. They attributed this to a computer system issue that they had some time ago, but for some reason it affected more than one of her service records, so it must have been an issue for a long time, and affected loads of customers... So they can't change their invoices or anything, but what they have agreed to do is send an email to my sister along with any records they can correct saying they made the errors.

So that will hopefully be OK any prospective buyers...

Next we discussed the log books... We asked by they hadn't been stamped. They didn't know. They went back and found the job cards for each service and stamped the book and put the details in the stamp for the date and KM... Not sure if thats technically allowed, but its done now.

As for warranty, that apparently has to be taken up with ford directly.

Situation is resolved for now but regardless, we won't be going back there for any further services...the damage has already been done. She lost 2 prospective buyers because of their stuff ups, and hopefully the one thats requested the service history now isn't turned off by the problems.