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What would you do? A dealership damaged my car.

What a pain to have to deal with something like this. If they are a member of the BBB they signed documents that they would come up with a fix for the problem. If the dealership refuse to do anything it is just a bad mark againt them. I use the dealership all the time here.By the time the warranty expires I am ready to get rid of it anyway. The first thing I do when I take a car in is ask for the service manager. I take him to the car and show him there isn't one scratch,mark or door ding on the outside of the car. I then open the car and let him view it. I then tell him that is how I want it returned.
 
I doubt these guys will own up under any pressure. Noone cares about the BBB or complaining customers anymore. Since I've been in business management, I've not seen a single gentlemanly transaction, dealing or proceeding outside of the recreational fraternal organizations I frequent.

People's true colors really show up when the economy's bad, and that's no BS. To protect the company I worked for until very recently, we had to make it a standard practice to immediately file 20 day notices of lein. Four years ago, you'd have had a VERY angry phone call as soon as the lein was filed from an insulted COO.

They won't have to fess up and make things right if you don't pursue the problem. The BBB (and Ken's suggestion of your state's Attorney General office) carry more weight that you think with retailers. Yes they do still set things right if you are persistent about it.

Ford's home office isn't really wild about getting complaints about their dealers either. They WILL light a fire under the local owner/manager or they'll pull their franchise.

What a pain to have to deal with something like this. If they are a member of the BBB they signed documents that they would come up with a fix for the problem. If the dealership refuse to do anything it is just a bad mark againt them. I use the dealership all the time here.By the time the warranty expires I am ready to get rid of it anyway. The first thing I do when I take a car in is ask for the service manager. I take him to the car and show him there isn't one scratch,mark or door ding on the outside of the car. I then open the car and let him view it. I then tell him that is how I want it returned.

Same here Moe. After my F150 fiasco I'm very cautious about taking something in to get worked on, whether at a dealer or an independent shop. And if the service manager happens to notice that you snap a few pictures of your ride when you drop it off (even with a cellphone cam) they'll likely put a little extra effort into ensuring that everything is okay when you come to pick it up.
And if any parts are replaced, yes I want to see the old ones when I pick up my wheels.
(I do most of my own maintenance...but there are times when I don't have the tools or the time to do it myself. At $80/hr I sure try to make time though!!!)
 
burn the place down!

just a suggestion ... :bump:

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Brian :bump:
 
It's all too easy to mention lawsuits. I've been here before, guys. Simply preparing this lawsuit and not taking it to court can EASILY top 10,000 dollars, for you uninitiated.
 
I may be wrong, but in California when I went to small claims court, lawyers were forbidden. It was you, the guy you're suing, and the judge. No need to pay the blood suckers
 
Well to be honest with you by the time you hire a lawyer, miss time from work and the lawyer takes his piece of the pie you are just about left with nothing.In Hampton we have a TV station called ten on your side that will take the case go down to the dealership and expose them to the public what they did. Which ain't to good for a dealership in this day and time. The results from this kind of TV viewing is almost 100%, good for the customer and bad for the company. For what little bit of damage you are talking about, I don't understand why the dealership doesn't take care of it. For what it would cost them it's really nothing other than the cost of the windshield which they get at wholesale anyway.
 
Well to be honest with you by the time you hire a lawyer, miss time from work and the lawyer takes his piece of the pie you are just about left with nothing.In Hampton we have a TV station called ten on your side that will take the case go down to the dealership and expose them to the public what they did. Which ain't to good for a dealership in this day and time. The results from this kind of TV viewing is almost 100%, good for the customer and bad for the company. For what little bit of damage you are talking about, I don't understand why the dealership doesn't take care of it. For what it would cost them it's really nothing other than the cost of the windshield which they get at wholesale anyway.

The main problem from where I view this is simple.
If the Dealership admits liability they probably fear further action.
No offence intended but America is not known as "The Land of Litigation" for nothing.
:monkies:
 
Too bad it isn't the 1060's and you aren't in San Antonio, TX. :)

When I was just a young shavetail Lt. I remember a story that SMSgt from Lackland AFB told me. Evidently, there was an auto dealership in SA who keep taking advantage of young soldiers and airmen. Some General took it upon himself to call the local base and fort commanders. They put the dealership off limits to the military. Within six months the dealership was ou tof business.



Disclaimer: the above story was related to me third party at a time when I accepted just about anything from a Sr. NCO as God's truth. SO, the story may be true or it may be allegorical, or it may have been outright fiction. Caveat lector.
 
There ya go Tig....

Confront the Dealership... stand your ground but keep it civil, only make legal threats you can carry out. Make no physical threats. And have a witness with you... that is important.

Call Ford's main office and complaint line. But make sure the dealership is still connecred with Ford. Some only have the sign up and only use he Ford name thru another dealer. Yes it is and can be done that way by shysters.

Make a claim with the BBB and Attorney General's office

TV if possible

Small Claims Court

And last but not least... get an Attorney. Usually an initial consultation is free. You can sue for Attorney's fees too in some states, depending on the lawsuit. Might also be worth talking to one before taking Small Claims Court action. A good lawyer will guide you on what to do, and ususally won't charge you..... they know you could be back and really need them.
 
Too bad it isn't the 1060's and you aren't in San Antonio, TX. :)

When I was just a young shavetail Lt. I remember a story that SMSgt from Lackland AFB told me. Evidently, there was an auto dealership in SA who keep taking advantage of young soldiers and airmen. Some General took it upon himself to call the local base and fort commanders. They put the dealership off limits to the military. Within six months the dealership was ou tof business.



Disclaimer: the above story was related to me third party at a time when I accepted just about anything from a Sr. NCO as God's truth. SO, the story may be true or it may be allegorical, or it may have been outright fiction. Caveat lector.


I've seen it happen around Navy bases to used car dealers that preyed on service members. Putting a business off limits didn't always solve the problem either. When I was a Division Chief, it amazed me when young sailors would go to a known off limits business and then come back to the ship complaining of getting ripped off. I had one guy that did it twice with the same car dealer. He wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer to begin with.
 
I hate that stuff like this has to happen.. but this is why when I drop my car off I do a video walkaround with my Kodak Camera, and a service person.. Then when I pick the vehicle up before I sign any paperwork I do another video walk around/document mileage/etc. The Dodge dealer that I take my SRT-8 to now hasn't done anything to the car, but Jack Caruso Dodge (now closed thank god) I have caught them doing burnouts in the back lot, and reving the crap out of my engine in their garage.... Their managers reply to my accusations was "prove it".. which is why now I sit at the dealership till I get my car back, or if it has to stay for an extended period (like the transmission leak it just had) I document everything from tire tread depth, fluid levels, photographs/video, etc... Cause you will not win in court if you cannot prove the condition of the car the day before you drop it off. Other than that it is just he said/she said to them.
 
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