Update on what is happening so far-
Since the accident, I haven't heard from the Dealership service department on what they would do, so I took the initiative on Friday. I went to a Ford-authorized collision body shop two days later for an estimate. The estimate was $1900.00 to restore my vehicle. Yesterday, I returned to the service department to hand-deliver the estimate, discuss the next step with them, and have them take it to the body shop that gave me the calculation since they are close to my home. The service advisor said we are not paying, and I said then we have a problem, and I would have to sue to recoup the monies that I would lay out. He said then that it would not suit them because of legal paperwork and the time spent resolving this. He got up and tried to return a copy of the estimate to me. I said that's your copy and he went into the office to bring out another person. The person who came out was not the same person I met initially. He offered no name or rank. We discussed the estimates, and he said that's a retail price and that they have a right to take it to their Body Shop. I said you don't have the right because it's my vehicle, and you had an accident with it. He said I could get it done for $300 to $400 per panel painted at his body shop. I told him that you didn't even read the estimate; you only looked at the final price... He then said I threatened him. I said WHAT? My comment was that I'm an old man, and do I look like I'm Mafia? He shut up like a clam at that point. I further discussed an incident about liftgate alignment that the factory didn't do and that they wrote up, "Vehicle is designed that way." Note: They had my car for ten days and never took it to the body shop to adjust it. I got my vehicle back dirty inside and out, full of leaves. So, I went to another Ford Authorized body shop, which I later learned was their go-to body shop yesterday. The body shop adjuster laughed at the write-up, said it was not built as designed, and gave me advice on what I should do. I took his advice and ran with it. I went to another Ford service. The service department took my vehicle to their body shop to repair it as a courtesy.
I felt that he was embarrassed by what I said. I told him you run an unsafe shop by allowing employees to block entrances and exits in the garage without respect for their employees and customer vehicles.
I did mention that you never gave me a copy of the service order when I brought the vehicle in for repair and that I have no proof that I was there; the only thing I have is the email confirmation of the appointment. He said this was the first time he had heard this.
Ultimately, they will not pay, and I will lay out cash and go legal after that to recoup my money. I called Ford Customer Care to file a complaint and got a ticket number for further reference.
