they messed with the wrong geezer !!
#1
they messed with the wrong geezer !!
Hopefully this little story will both help and warn some of you.
When I bought my car in Virginia last May, the only way I could get credit, was for Ford to do a check on me in the UK. I'd tried the Sears/pair of socks route to get credit,without success.
I got steeped for a massive 23% interest on the loan and also as part of the deal was forced to take a 2 year extended warranty at a further $1500. I wasn't sure of the legality of that but I needed a car and to get on the credit "carousel"
It gets a bit technical here and as I'm useless with cars I'll do my best (it is relevant).
With about 5,000 miles still left on the warranty I had a noise in the engine (a bit "tappety") so I took it into the local Ford dealer and he said the lifters had collapsed......Really.
I asked him to phone the warranty company, who sent out an inspector. He took a photo down through the oil well and one of the dipstick.
The following day they phoned me and said my claim had been denied (estimated at $800) as there was sludge and varnish (rust) in the engine. This can only be caused by lack of oil changes, which I had done regularly.
I phoned them up and they insisted that it didn't matter whether I changed the oil every day, it's not their responsibility if sludge builds up, and then proceeded to imply that I hadn't changed the oil and that it should be done according to the manual, every 3,000 miles.
Now I'm angry GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
I phone the state bar association and get recomended to a suitable lawyer and get my free phone consulatation.
he gave me some good advice and I looked further at the warranty and manual (all small print stuff)
Armed with knowledge plus the basic fact that the manual clearly states that if the car is driven under the directions we use (ie: no regular journeys under 5 miles, no towing, no city driving etc etc)
that the oil should be changed every 7,500 miles, although I'd changed it on average every 4,000.
They still refused, despite admitting that the photos taken were inconclusive and were sending the guy again to take some more (no attempt to take the head off the engine).
By this time I'd taken the car out of the garage.
ARE YOU BORED YET ?
I phoned up the dealer I bought the car from and explained the situation. Explaining that I had spoken to a lawyer and was advised that as I had changed the oil sufficiently then
a/. The sludge must have been there when I bought the car
b/. I was sold a warranty on under false pretences.
He said he'd talk to the warranty company and get back to me.
I was like a little Terrier (or Bulldog) I kept phoning the dealer, warranty company, the local dealer that I took the car to be repaired and anyone who would listen.
Evetually on Friday they agreed to repair the vehicle for free (even waiving the $100 deductible) and paying for car hire whilst the car was being repaired (I'd already hired a car for 2 days whilst the warranty company assessed the claim)
Got the Bastards.
Now I've got to decide how far to take it, loss of earnings, initial car hire, emotional stress, etc......etc
Anyway a long posting but my advice is that if anyone comes across a similar situation.....don't let the Bastards get away with it.
When I was in the UK, I knew the system and knew how to get things sorted out. I'm convinced that the Supervisor at the warranty company treated me like he did because it was obvious that I didn't know the system.
Expat 1 Warranty Company 0 (plus extra time to come)
When I bought my car in Virginia last May, the only way I could get credit, was for Ford to do a check on me in the UK. I'd tried the Sears/pair of socks route to get credit,without success.
I got steeped for a massive 23% interest on the loan and also as part of the deal was forced to take a 2 year extended warranty at a further $1500. I wasn't sure of the legality of that but I needed a car and to get on the credit "carousel"
It gets a bit technical here and as I'm useless with cars I'll do my best (it is relevant).
With about 5,000 miles still left on the warranty I had a noise in the engine (a bit "tappety") so I took it into the local Ford dealer and he said the lifters had collapsed......Really.
I asked him to phone the warranty company, who sent out an inspector. He took a photo down through the oil well and one of the dipstick.
The following day they phoned me and said my claim had been denied (estimated at $800) as there was sludge and varnish (rust) in the engine. This can only be caused by lack of oil changes, which I had done regularly.
I phoned them up and they insisted that it didn't matter whether I changed the oil every day, it's not their responsibility if sludge builds up, and then proceeded to imply that I hadn't changed the oil and that it should be done according to the manual, every 3,000 miles.
Now I'm angry GRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
I phone the state bar association and get recomended to a suitable lawyer and get my free phone consulatation.
he gave me some good advice and I looked further at the warranty and manual (all small print stuff)
Armed with knowledge plus the basic fact that the manual clearly states that if the car is driven under the directions we use (ie: no regular journeys under 5 miles, no towing, no city driving etc etc)
that the oil should be changed every 7,500 miles, although I'd changed it on average every 4,000.
They still refused, despite admitting that the photos taken were inconclusive and were sending the guy again to take some more (no attempt to take the head off the engine).
By this time I'd taken the car out of the garage.
ARE YOU BORED YET ?
I phoned up the dealer I bought the car from and explained the situation. Explaining that I had spoken to a lawyer and was advised that as I had changed the oil sufficiently then
a/. The sludge must have been there when I bought the car
b/. I was sold a warranty on under false pretences.
He said he'd talk to the warranty company and get back to me.
I was like a little Terrier (or Bulldog) I kept phoning the dealer, warranty company, the local dealer that I took the car to be repaired and anyone who would listen.
Evetually on Friday they agreed to repair the vehicle for free (even waiving the $100 deductible) and paying for car hire whilst the car was being repaired (I'd already hired a car for 2 days whilst the warranty company assessed the claim)
Got the Bastards.
Now I've got to decide how far to take it, loss of earnings, initial car hire, emotional stress, etc......etc
Anyway a long posting but my advice is that if anyone comes across a similar situation.....don't let the Bastards get away with it.
When I was in the UK, I knew the system and knew how to get things sorted out. I'm convinced that the Supervisor at the warranty company treated me like he did because it was obvious that I didn't know the system.
Expat 1 Warranty Company 0 (plus extra time to come)
Last edited by rogerpenycate; Jan 20th 2004 at 5:33 pm.
#2
At last in Josh's arms =)
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Mobile, AL - originally Paris, France
Posts: 348
Re: they messed with the wrong geezer !!
May I ask where you got the car? We got ours in Virginia also, and I'd hate to hear that we both got it from the same place! (Carmax in Richmond)
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
#3
Sad old Crinkly Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Tallahassee, Florida
Posts: 807
Re: they messed with the wrong geezer !!
Originally posted by JoshsCarole
May I ask where you got the car? We got ours in Virginia also, and I'd hate to hear that we both got it from the same place! (Carmax in Richmond)
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
May I ask where you got the car? We got ours in Virginia also, and I'd hate to hear that we both got it from the same place! (Carmax in Richmond)
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
I hear about this sort of crap all the time on a VW site that I belong to www.clubb5.com
They will try anything to get out of paying for the repairs. As a result, we all stash our oil/filter recipts as a precaution against this very thing.
Again, well done..
#4
Re: they messed with the wrong geezer !!
Originally posted by JoshsCarole
May I ask where you got the car? We got ours in Virginia also, and I'd hate to hear that we both got it from the same place! (Carmax in Richmond)
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
May I ask where you got the car? We got ours in Virginia also, and I'd hate to hear that we both got it from the same place! (Carmax in Richmond)
Nice job on getting them though!! Way to go!
It was Purvis Ford in Fredericksburg, at least they helped and are getting it sorted out, even though I bought the used car there last May.
My real grief is with EasyCare the warranty company
#5
The Moral of the Story?
Just a thought. Perhaps the moral of the story is not to buy a Ford...
I'm far from biased 'cos my spouse's grandfather worked for Ford all his life and as a consequence, we can get a substantial discount on Fords (it's called the Z Plan) but that didn't sway us to buy Fords.
NC Penguin
I'm far from biased 'cos my spouse's grandfather worked for Ford all his life and as a consequence, we can get a substantial discount on Fords (it's called the Z Plan) but that didn't sway us to buy Fords.
NC Penguin
#6
Re: The Moral of the Story?
Originally posted by NC Penguin
Just a thought. Perhaps the moral of the story is not to buy a Ford...
I'm far from biased 'cos my spouse's grandfather worked for Ford all his life and as a consequence, we can get a substantial discount on Fords (it's called the Z Plan) but that didn't sway us to buy Fords.
NC Penguin
Just a thought. Perhaps the moral of the story is not to buy a Ford...
I'm far from biased 'cos my spouse's grandfather worked for Ford all his life and as a consequence, we can get a substantial discount on Fords (it's called the Z Plan) but that didn't sway us to buy Fords.
NC Penguin
#7
Good for you. I keep hearing the same saying "the squeaky wheel get's the oil"
Strange how quickly we learn to shout louder!
Strange how quickly we learn to shout louder!
#8
good on ya
Roger-
Good for you! I always tend to be a "squeaky wheel" in these kinds of situations myself, as well.
(ps. remember me? you sent me a resume completely unrealted to this board - one of those "small world' things... how're things going for you?)
Good for you! I always tend to be a "squeaky wheel" in these kinds of situations myself, as well.
(ps. remember me? you sent me a resume completely unrealted to this board - one of those "small world' things... how're things going for you?)
#9
Re: good on ya
Originally posted by ms_bhon
Roger-
Good for you! I always tend to be a "squeaky wheel" in these kinds of situations myself, as well.
(ps. remember me? you sent me a resume completely unrealted to this board - one of those "small world' things... how're things going for you?)
Roger-
Good for you! I always tend to be a "squeaky wheel" in these kinds of situations myself, as well.
(ps. remember me? you sent me a resume completely unrealted to this board - one of those "small world' things... how're things going for you?)
The job I've got at the moment is OK, but I'm still (half-heartedly)
looking for a job in my "field"