I have new Ford Ka and it is very nice. After 3 months it was recalled due to a potential brake failure problem. I booked it in for a recall service, and come the day duly took the car in. The bloke at the desk in the garage denied any knowledge of my having booked the car in for a recall service and told me they could not do it. Anyway, after a lot of angry remonstrating on my part, where I pointed out that I had arranged my day around the need to service the car, they did it. 3 months later I booked it in for a 10K mile service. I was asked if I wanted an engine flush and exhaust tune. I said I didn't but would check up. A day or two later I rang up to say that I didn't want the engine flush. A week after the service a colleague asked how much I had paid and then pointed out that he had paid £30 less at the same garage for his Mondeo to be serviced. So I rang the garage and was told the difference was because they had done an engine flush (£30). This was not marked on the bill. They denied all knowledge of my phone call specifically requesting that it not be done. Anyway, after angry remonstrating on my part, they eventually refunded the £30. And finally ... here is my question:
Has anyone else experienced these problems? I notice that when I book the car in for servicing it is done through Ford UK who then pass on details to the garage. Is it just this garage, or a more general problem with Ford UK?
(Needless to say I'll be using another garage next time.)
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I'd like to know what they mean by an engine flush, and why a nearly new car should have one.
We used Wynns Engine Flush (a thin oil you pour in the engine oil and idle the car for 15 mins before changing the oil) in a 130,000 mile Peugeot 405 with a carb and a mayonnaise problem (short journeys, not head gasket). IIRC, the Wynns cost a couple of quid.
With modern semi-synthetic oils etc, I see no reason why there should be need for a flush on a 10k service. I change my oil at 6,000 miles on my Xsara (recommended 12,500) and last time considered filtering the oil (because of dirty old bowl used to catch it) and putting it back, but I didn't.
As to an exhaust tune?? Never heard of it. Perhaps someone else can help.
Ben
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Last year, my Fiesta's first service bill was over the quoted price for two reasons. Firstly, they charged the higher Focus price but I managed to get that changed. Secondly, there was an extra £6 for gearbox oil.
The picture the dealer gave was that Fiestas were not given enough gear oil at the factory. Hpwever, he said it 'would be better to pay a few quid for oil now than hundreds for a new gearbox in a few years'.
Seems like Ford trying to avoid an expensive recall or the dealer trying to fleece the customers. I took the car to a dealer outside of London this year and saved a fair bit.
James
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Sounds bad, I would just book the car at another dealer, and do it yourself rather than through Ford UK. I've always had good service from my local ones and it sounds as though you have a bad dealer.
Definately use another one.
Plus, the engine should not need flushing at that age!
Blue
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JamesH said "The picture the dealer gave was that Fiestas were not given enough gear oil at the factory"
Mayeb he's referring to the fact that the recommended fill height is about 1 cm below the plug level. So they probably filled it up to the plug level. ...:-(
Sound pig ignorant bunch of customer gouging ripoff artists whom you should not deal with..
madf
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Thanks for the replies. Yes a colleague who does all servicing on his own cars said the flush and exhaust tuning was not needed and they were just trying to make extra money.
(The engine flush is a complete draining of the oil. The exhaust tuning was for emissions and I couldn't understand why a nearly new car would need that.)
I'll try a small garage. Colleagues suggest they tend to give better service.
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I might be mistaken, but I understood the EC is bringing in legislation to prevent people having to go to main/franchised dealers for servicing in order to prevent invalidation of the warranty. This would obviously increase competiton by allowing decent private garages to sevice new cars. Can anyone confirm this is the case?
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cannot confirm but would guess that this would not stop main dealers adopting a snooty attitude towards customers it didn't like - ie imported car owners etc. I use a reputedly good independent garage and they have said that, for a couple of service problems (electrics, etc), I would have to go to the main specialist dealer to get it sorted.
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Oh, definitely. I've changed Skoda dealers because the original one seemed to have a problem with the mileage I cover. The car is a Y reg, 18 months old, now up to 125,000 miles, serviced every 10,000 at main dealer to keep up the (3 year, unlimited mileage) warranty. I might add that the only warranty claim I've made was for a new wheeltrim at the first service as the paint was flaking off! Nothing else has needed doing, nothing is threatening to go soon either. But the dealer I was using was making it difficult for me to book servicing on the right day (has to be within 1,000 miles of the 10,000 service interval, needed booking 2 weeks in advance, I cover between 1,000 and 2,500 miles a week, rarely consistent week-to-week), then denying a booking had been made when I did turn up. Simple answer - change dealers.
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I have found Ford dealers to be pretty good for basic servicing.
However the level of detailed knowledge and expertise of the cars seems to be poor when you think they look after such a limited range.
Simple things that I can find in a Haynes manual seem to be beyond them at times.
Howver they are always polite and courteous, never seem to intentionally do a bad job / overcharge / cause delays etc etc.
How come you book a service with Ford UK direct rather than with the dealer?
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How come you book a service with Ford UK direct rather than with the dealer?
When I ring the garage they give me a number to ring to book a service.
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That's ridiculous, just change dealers, there's clearly no need to stick with such a bad one, also, I would consider sending a letter to Ford UK, they may look into it... miracles do happen. :)
Blue
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I caught my local Ford dealer out doing the screenwash scam the other week (ie. charged me for screenwash when it had been filled to the brim beforehand). In the additional work advice they gave me they also wanted to replace my rear screen wiper blade as it was torn. No indication of this when I checked it on the car's return. They also wanted to replace my exhaust and front suspension bushes (front suspension bushes worn after 37k miles???). If they can blatantly lie to me on two counts I wouldn't trust them on the others. I didn't bother to complain. For £1.50 (cost of screenwash) I'll never use them again, nor will I consider them when I look for my next car. Anyone know where I can get a cheap Focus?!?
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