Another dealer rip off story

Tocapet said:

The plug is just a temporary repair until the tire can be replaced. Reputable tire shops do not use plugs at all. The correct way to fix a flat is to dismount the tire, remove the nail, patch the tire from the inside, remount and balance. Discount tire does that for free.

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Most good shops now actually do a plug/patch combination repair. It is a single unit item installed from the inside. It is the best of both, it strengthens the repair by filling and sealing the puncture itself while having the larger surface area of a patch on the inside to prevent leaks.

rjdelp7 said:

In my High School days, my friends father, took the family car in for wiper blades. They charged him $30 to install(in 1986)
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I've learned to ask the cost for any and everything that needs doing, even if I suspect it's going to be a rip-off. My Honda dealer charges $14 to replace all the wiper blades. I mean the auto-parts store would have to pay me to make it worth my time to take another trip to another store..

A real service advisor would have said if you have us fix it it will be over a hundred dollars, I suggest you take it over to a regular tire dealer and they will fix it far cheaper.

stamp11127 said:

Guess this is one of the differences between generations. We ol'timers have tire plugging tools and plugs......

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Got a plug kit for each vehicle I own. If it’s a no leak nail or screw and you fix and only lose <2 psi....

I watched a Ford service guy, fixing a flat, from the waiting room. The F-150 had its steel spare on. He re-installed the alloy wheel. He then spent the next ten minutes, struggling to put the spare back under the truck. Two other guys were called over and they all worked on it. Maybe $100+ dollars, included dealing with the spare.

I have a less than competent dealership tale, but it's for a Mopar.

Had a Sebring convertible, bought used with only one key. Took it to a dealer to have a new key made and programmed. Their youngest mechanic brought out their gizmo to program the computer for the new key.

I mentioned to him about how the convertible was based on the sedan instead of the coupe. Then I went and sat on a bench to watch.

He putzed around for a while, unable to find the second connector the book said should be there. So he went and got the next older mechanic. Same story, can't find the connector. So he went and got the oldest guy in the shop who came out and told the other two "You have to use the sedan settings for the convertible." and opened the manual for the gizmo to that section which showed there's just one connector for key programming on the sedan and convertible.

Ford is guilty of similar WTH-ness with the Ranger line. Why did they choose to have so many electrical differences between the Ranger pickup, the Sport Trac, and the Explorer/Mountaineer? It would have been far less cost and complication to have them all use exactly the same electronics and wiring harnesses, with a plug in bit in the middle for the different vehicle lengths. One front harness, one rear harness, simple wire bundle in the middle.

I wouldn't be surprised to find there are major (or minor) yet pointless variances in things that do exactly the same job in the F-150 and Expedition. Differences that make it impossible to swap such items between the pickup and SUV fo no $#%^# reason other than to have different parts.

The last flat I had was at the border with Canada at Niagra Falls. I had to change to the spare just before the border. There was a tire shop next to the hotel we stayed at in Canada. They charged CDN$20 to dismount, plug/patch, balance and reinstall the tire and stow the spare. Seemed completely reasonable and took under a half hour. That tire ran fine until it wore the tread down to the bars and need replacement with the rest of that set. OP, you got hosed.

The games they play and wonder why most of the work they get is warranty. Also whenever you have tires rotated and am not present, ALWAYS MARK A TIRE WITH CHALK etc. to ensure they do it. I have caught this 3 times in the last 5 years.

Even though I have a 3rd gen I would like to comment on a dealership experience.
Shortly after i had major surgery, my Expy was due for oil change and tire rotate. Usually I would do these myself but I took it to the dealer because it was still under warranty and I wanted the rearview mirrror check because it would not auto darken. They told me everything was done and I went out to get the Expy. FYI, I have my wheels numbered so I can track my tire rotations and had the positions written on a diagram before they took it in. So, when I checked the numbers on the wheels, they had moved 3 of the wheels around and left 1 in the same place. When I pointed that out to the svc advisor, he took the Expy back in and 20 min later told me they rotated all. When i looked this time all the wheels were back in the same positions when I first drove in. When i pointed it out again, he had me go into the shop and point out the numbers to the tech. Then I stood and watched while he did the correct rotation. my appt was 8:30am and I left at 2:30pm , 6 hrs for an oil change and rotate, this must be a world record. The dealer is Greenway Ford E. colonial Dr Orlando, FL. Needless to say I will be looking for a different dealer for any warranty items and do my own oil and rotations now that i'm healed.

1970Maverick said:

Even though I have a 3rd gen I would like to comment on a dealership experience.
Shortly after i had major surgery, my Expy was due for oil change and tire rotate. Usually I would do these myself but I took it to the dealer because it was still under warranty and I wanted the rearview mirrror check because it would not auto darken. They told me everything was done and I went out to get the Expy. FYI, I have my wheels numbered so I can track my tire rotations and had the positions written on a diagram before they took it in. So, when I checked the numbers on the wheels, they had moved 3 of the wheels around and left 1 in the same place. When I pointed that out to the svc advisor, he took the Expy back in and 20 min later told me they rotated all. When i looked this time all the wheels were back in the same positions when I first drove in. When i pointed it out again, he had me go into the shop and point out the numbers to the tech. Then I stood and watched while he did the correct rotation. my appt was 8:30am and I left at 2:30pm , 6 hrs for an oil change and rotate, this must be a world record. The dealer is Greenway Ford E. colonial Dr Orlando, FL. Needless to say I will be looking for a different dealer for any warranty items and do my own oil and rotations now that i'm healed.

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I would have been in jail for throwing one of the tires or the spare through the store's front window.
Impossible to go back or even let them touch your car after you have to call them out on something like that TWICE. They are going to be pissed and damage your car.
Sad that their ineptitude is the only reason for the situation.
NOT like they don't get paid adequately or even WELL for it.