Dealer Complaint. Update - Please delete

[jperls]

Wow...I am so sorry this happened to you.

I had something similar happen to me in that when my car was sold to me, there was an undisclosed repair on the passenger side door (door skin replaced) and it basically failed / fell out of alignment. After going back and forth with the dealer for a couple of weeks and not getting anywhere, I called the main company and talked to their General Counsel.

Calmly I explained what happened and that the dealership should make it right. After talking to the people who did the repair, finding out about the lifetime warranty on their repairs since it was a Ford bodyshop, I explained I wanted to have my bodyshop do the repairs since the car was out of state (bought it in Utah and it is now with me in California).

Within 3 days, a legal contract was drawn up, 5 weeks later my car had a new passenger-side door and rear-quarter panel dent removed, and the selling dealership was out about $5,200.

No complaints since then. Yes talking to the GM might get you somewhere, but talking to the company's General Counsel will always yield results...just do it respectfully and have enough evidence to prove your case. In the end...dealerships will deal with wants and needs of the customer as long as it keeps them out of court.

I think you may want to skip the GM and talk with their General Console about this and show them everything. They have to pay for your clutch as well as new wheel and probably new tires as well. Also try to get proof showing these techs were fired because if they weren't, then other customers are in trouble as well.

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[1st Pony]

OP, I can not believe you'd need a flywheel or cylinder. The abuse was not that bad dude! Probably a clutch plate is all you need, if that.

 

[Deleted member 35786]

Looks like a resolution is immenent.. Time to put the thread to rest.
Glad it worked out OP.

 

[TorqueMan]

But the leverage is gone. "You know, it would look really bad if I took this to the news" only works until you take it to the news.

I'm not talking about threatening the dealer's reputation, at this point it's the threat of a lawsuit. You don't go into those kind of negotiations with the dealer believing you don't want everything you are asking for. That's certainly what you want a judge/jury to think, right?

Asking for unrelated stuff ("They used the brakes and tires at highway speeds for 10 minutes so I want new ones") comes across as unreasonable and let's the dealer pull out the "I want to satisfy him but I'm not going to rebuild his car" quote in every story.

What OP is asking for is to be compensated for any wear on his vehicle beyond what would normally be required for a test drive. Do you think that's unreasonable? There are a couple of times in the video where the the guy driving the car gets on the gas hard enough to break the drive wheels loose. That's not normal wear. In fact, burning rubber is enough to get you a reckless driving charge in many jurisdictions. I agree it's harder to make a judgement about unreasonable wear on the brakes, but it's pretty clear that a sprint to 70+ mph on a narrow city street is going to take braking force beyond what would normally be required for a test drive.

I see nothing unreasonable about asking to be compensated for unreasonable vehicle wear caused by the dealer. The manager's unwillingness to admit his technician may have broken anything or cause more wear than necessary is belied by the fact he fire the technician. If the technician's action wasn't egregious enough then why fire him?

I think OP has a good case to take to court.

 

[Zooks527]

I think OP has a good case to take to court.

Really? Ever look at what it costs to sue someone? Giving him everything he asks for is $20k or less, so you'll assume that's what he'll sue for. $20k won't cover 80 hours of time for an associate at my attorney's office. By the time he's done paying for his lawyer, there won't be anything left.

Take the alignment, the clutch, a free extended warranty, and go home.

 

[TorqueMan]

Really? Ever look at what it costs to sue someone?

As a matter of fact, yes I have. I believe I was one of the first to suggest OP seek legal advice.

Giving him everything he asks for is $20k or less, so you'll assume that's what he'll sue for. $20k won't cover 80 hours of time for an associate at my attorney's office. By the time he's done paying for his lawyer, there won't be anything left.

You don't necessarily go into a suit with a specific total figure in mind. Rather, you list your losses, some of which may not have a specific monetary value. Legal fees (court costs, attorney fees, costs for travel and missed work, etc.) may be included under the umbrella of compensatory damages in many jurisdictions, including New Jersey. The court may also consider punitive damages, which may be imposed if the court believes it would deter the defendant (or others) from behaving similarly in the future. In other words, the dealer could be facing much more than $20k in costs.

Take the alignment, the clutch, a free extended warranty, and go home.

Did OP get a free extended warranty? That would certainly not be unreasonable. I would argue the dealer agreed to those terms without much of a fight because OP's case was strong. I wonder if any lawyers were involved?

 

[Kep4]

Looks like a resolution is imminent.. Time to put the thread to rest.
Glad it worked out OP.

Agree... unless the OP hears the BBQ tick or the 2,000 rpm rattle or... never mind...

 

[o-man]

Your video made Autoweek
https://autoweek.com/article/wait-t...hows-mechanics-hooning-owners-ford-mustang-gt

 

[Anders Classdiving]

It looks like a police case, Steven Ford Jersey City, is liable under any clause for his workers acts during working hours, and the dash cam reveal 75 MPH in a narrow city limit street, where kids, pets can cross at any time.
I would say go to Police or the news papers and TV and complain and see what Stevens Ford Jersey City is doing, the ppl who drove the car represent the company, period.
There is no way a car needs 17 minutes test drive, where the tech, is spending a lot of time on phone and with another passenger who ends up driving your Mustang.
I am really shocked by this attitude, and the Ford dealer as well.
Good plus side here, is your car is a Muscle car and this treatment is not really much, compared what I find on you tube, from burnouts to high speed 160 MPH, car made this car solid.
keep driving and do not leave your car alone next time, or tell the NEW workshop what happened at the Stevens Ford, find a good trusted garage, and take Stevens to the washer, post his wrong doing in any media, and list it on any rating, and send the letter to Ford.

 

[King_V]

That's not consent unless you can prove they read it.
Check the wiretapping laws in your state. Some states are dual consent, some are single.

I am nearly certain that New Jersey is a single-consent state.

 

[JohnBoyNC]

Now a bent rim?? Hmmmmmm.......

Thought you were meeting on Monday.....what happened?

 

[GT Pony]

Was there any video showing them running over speed bumps or curbs at high speed?

 

[GT Pony]

That's not consent unless you can prove they read it.
Check the wiretapping laws in your state. Some states are dual consent, some are single.

If it was my car I'd say it's got an active dash cam going any time it's driven and if they want to sign a piece of paper acknowledging that fact, then they can test drive it. Otherwise NO test drive unless I'm riding along.

 

[Deleted member 35786]

This be the dealer right now...

 

[BrettT]

They are stalling. The longer they stall, the smaller settlement you will accept...…...Right now, what is their incentive. Give then a deadline, and then start a small claims action. In New Jersey, it's limited to $15,000.

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