Just doesn't seem right

[tattwo98]

I brought my Bird to the dealer yesterday to have them look at the cable system on the soft top ( something broke ) it sat there all day and around 3:00 in the afternoon they said they had to order the parts so I could stop by and pick it up.... I picked it up and drove off and I noticed they drove it over 5 miles I called the service manager and he told me it was standard practice to "test" drive every car for wind noise and whatever I told him that was bull why would you need to "test" drive something you didnt fix.....Just doesn't seem right.

[MATBird]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

They probably went down town for coffee

[FritsB]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

I had dealers use my car to pick up and bring customers home. Not my Ford dealer, but other dealers did that.

[errixon]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Sounds like it's time for a new or diffrent dealer...........The test drive excuse sounds something less than TRUTHFUll....What else do or will they hide?.................Bill

[Leroy]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

I would contact the owner and demand to talk to the person that took the car out for the test run, to explain why this was done.
Leroy

[Monty]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

A few years ago my wife had a Dodge Viper and took it in for service to the dealer here in Texas. She went back to pick it up that afternoon and it wasn't there. After waiting an hour or so one of the service people drove on the lot with his girlfriend in the car. No telling what they do when no one is watching.

[redbirdsal]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Took CARTOY in to the dealership for some kind of work...

A friend calls and says (in an agitated voice)
"Where's your Thunderbird?"

"At the Dealership."

"No, it's NOT! It's going down Centerville Road...90 to nothing!"

So, I called the Dealership and asked how long it would be before my car was ready. The Service Advisor said it wouldn't be much longer, they were on a test drive as we spoke.

I told him " Well, you might want to call the Tech on his cell, and tell him to SLOW IT DOWN before he gets a ticket...those Garland cops are tough!"

[EBird]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Sounds like the test drive to go to Lunch...That is BS..

I agree,talk to the owner.There was no need to test drive your car with a soft top cable problem.

Then maybe try another Dealer!

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Huh! That's Nothing. In Our NM, I found a dead French Fry in it under the drivers seat. When Bob called to ask how things were with the car, I told him about it. He said he and Sandy have never eaten it the car. Now, The paper work he passed along with the car, had a certificate that stated FORD test drove this particular vehicle when it came off the line. 42.5 miles of test driving to be exact. Looks like the closed McDonald's to Wixom was 21 miles away.

[Brad]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Given the many dealer horror stories I've had, a few miles with no damage honestly doesn't sound so bad...I know at most of the dealers I've been to if they are going to do any type of work that might be covered under warranty is is their SOP to first take the car for a test drive. Remeber even though you felt your problem was obvious often the tech find the problem to be something entirely different. I've had them fix extra things under warranty that I hadn't even complained about because they noticed an issue on a test drive..some people may not realize that you have to be in park for the top to go up...maybe the tech wanted to test the safey switch that doesn't let the top go up when in gear...2.5 miles out, and 2 back. Unless you have tons of choices for dealerships, I don't know if I would consider this on a "deal breaker"...just my opinion ofcourse.

[AZTB]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

Well, I guess I'll give you a story that's kinda the flip side of this. Have had my car in numerous times to the dealer for tranny issues...they're also having trouble getting Ford to own up to the issue (won't send a rep or okay the repairs). So, this week when I took it in, I asked the Sale Mgr (I know him - he's a good guy) if he would PLEASE drive the car home and back that night to see the issue. He said he would, but only after the repair was done.

He did just that, and only put another 25 miles on the car (home & back). Other than the odometer, you couldn't tell the car had been driven.

[Ol'Dave]

Re: Just doesn't seem right

We miss Joe Varey at our Dealership. What a tremendous fellow he is. Since his forced retirement, there is no one there that understands our Thunderbirds the way he did. I'll be trying a different dealer next Wednsday (Our Mustang Sponsership dealer) over an hour away. I'll give then this one shot at her. If they end up scratching their heads, I'll be looking for a local independent guy that knows these cars. He is a high performance dealer (the old SVT Certified), so I'm hopefull I can trust him with our 02.