I Agree With Farley - Dealerships need to change

[rtf150]

I’ve been mulling this over for a while…over the last three years of ownership honestly, and man I got to say I’ve never seen it this bad with Ford Dealerships. Been driving Ford since 1993. Next time I will consider a lesser truck (IMO) for a better dealership experience. And I’m counting the number of interactions I’ve had with five different dealerships. Early post purchase mind you coming out of Covid when a truck could almost not be found I had the dreaded heat exchanger leak. Service manager laughed at me and said I should have bought from them and it should have been a 5.0 because that’s all they sell. I purchased the coolant because I desperately needed it. Early in the ownership phase I had front differential leaks. Multiple repairs and I had to follow up everytime on every aspect of the repair and it took three repairs. maybe it was four??? I can deal with these issues and the Covid truck excuses and recalls as I know many are real. But dang…I needed some tires. Called around for prices. Called the dealership to see where they would be on price and get some points. Took my money ordered tires but then nothing. I call no tires yet. I call no tires yet. We all know tires get delivered everywhere almost next day every time. Finally got tires 3 weeks later but they messed up the appt and took me all day…no apology. Just here’s your fob… Most recently I needed an alignment as I finally got my eibach’s on the truck from @Stage3Motorsports (more to come on that) and while there I asked to have the ICE to elec squeak looked at. I live in a small town so I opted for a dealer approx 30 minutes farther in a larger town. I called to make an appt and could not speak to a service manager because I wanted to explain my needs. NOT A RECALL REQUEST. I was told it wasn’t necessary to speak with service just bring it in…uhh well …I went ahead and made the appt. Dropped the truck off knowing I was going to be out of town for a week and talked with who was introduced as the service manager and explained my issue. No prob. Went back after 7 days with no updates to status or answers to questions and was told truck was ready. I stop in and no repair. Nothing. Just my ticket for the alignment. I speak to another manager and even gave him the option based on the previous dealer…Do you have tech’s to work on PB. If not I understand and will go somewhere else…Today is 2 weeks to the day… I’ll stop there and you can see the exchange. So from a business POV…Yeah. I agree with Farley!

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[Snakebitten]

No disrespect intended, especially since I agree with you 100%, but in the last 4.5 years I have avoided the dealership for ANY kind of service other than the ONE warranty claim for a sheared Max Tow axle bolt.

No way will I do elective business with them. (tires/alignment)

For decades I gave them my elective business. Things deteriorated so significantly during/since Covid that they will have to earn my trust back. Not an easy task.

And it is not just the Blue Oval dealership service department.

 

[rtf150]

No disrespect intended, especially since I agree with you 100%, but in the last 4.5 years I have avoided the dealership for ANY kind of service other than the ONE warranty claim for a sheared Max Tow axle bolt.

No way will I do elective business with them. (tires/alignment)

For decades I gave them my elective business. Things deteriorated so significantly during/since Covid that they will have to earn my trust back. Not an easy task.

And it is not just the Blue Oval dealership service department.

No disrespect taken.

My problem like many…very busy work life balance. Small town. Limited options. Almost always requires two people for drop off and drive back to another vehicle or rental. This could be dealership or independent.

No matter the circumstance they should service what they sell. And I am very forgiving…all the issues I’ve had I have overcome and still support the brand. axle recall etc I’m not broke so not asking for the fix…but when I’m broke… Just asking for communication should be simple human decency.

I know I’m venting. I’ve been doing to much Ford research for my school projects and now maybe I know too much.

 

[FORDTEXAS]

farley can say whatever he wants, however it doesn’t mean anything if he doesn’t put those words into action.

 

[Snakebitten]

Dealerships don't answer to the manufacturer. It's actually pretty common for the relationship to be adversarial.

It's not an ideal business model for the brand owner.

 

[rtf150]

Agree! And as I am learning it’s actually against the law for an automotive manufacturer to sell direct to consumers in most states. Like 49 of 50. It must be sold via dealership. The dealership is a franchise model. Sad really. Tesla was able to get direct to consumers in Arizona as I understand. This and other things put Ford and Stellantis GM at a disadvantage in the US. The brand is at the mercy to an extent of the dealers. If the dealership won’t play ball like in my little neck of the woods They don’t have to sell EV or Hybrid…so they don’t. And they don’t service them!

 

[sbi]

Perhaps Farley should watch this video.

 

[Snakebitten]

The video starts out stating that the CEO of these companies (there's only 2 or 3 American CEO's) are in DIRECT CONTROL of the solution to the problem.

Then spends the next 10 minutes talking about high schools are underfunded and pushing the wrong kids into the shop programs.

??? Farley, please raise the price of my next truck a few $thousand so Ford can fix the public education system.

The next complaint was how much the tools cost.
Maybe these mechanics could buy the $8000 Rolling tool cabinet from Brand X, instead of the $28,000 Snapon equivalent?

I'm not saying that there isn't any accountability in the automotive manufacturing industry for improving the dealership service industry. Of course there is. But like so much of what is wrong with industry and culture today, blaming the CEO is just lazy and oversimplified.




Edit: my personal opinion is that one of the biggest reasons buying vehicles from Ford and having the dealership also take care of the vehicle for the lifetime of my ownership is SO much different today than when my dad was doing the same, is the dealership is now owned by a bunch of venture capitalist rather than a fella that also went to our church and frequented the same grocery store.

 

[Ricksc]

Knock on wood, my local dealership is still family owned and from the town they service. For how much longer guess time will tell

 

[rtf150]

@sbi thanks for the content and honestly thanks for kind of proving my point. The dealerships are not owned by Ford. They are independent franchises required by law to exist. I’m not saying that Ford GM etc can do it better. However in my most recent case utilizing the Ford Pass app we can see our vehicles location. My truck didn’t move from the location it was parked when I left it last with a service manager Friday until today when I told the dealership I was coming to get it. In a matter of 4 hours the truck was pulled into a bay, diagnosed and parts ordered. When I was there onsite the service manager told me we diagnosed and ordered the parts.
What parts sir.
Ummm the ones you told us to.
But sir I thought you diagnoed it.
Yes we did and found it was the issue you described.
Ok sir so what is ordered?
Yeah like I said what you told us was wrong with it. C’mon man…..
That is not CEO. That is not big corporate. That is poor customer service and local management. I have found this over and over.

I do agree. And as I coached my one and only…college is not the answer for everyone. Hell I will admit I don’t have one of those fancy pieces of paper that tells someone I am smart but I have fired many that do hold those papers that I can assure you felt they were much smarter than me. They are probably now making a living off my taxes!
There is definitely a gap that I personally have been fighting for 15 years as many retire and no one coming to take their place in the trades. I have spoke to schools, colleges, trade schools, government, etc. it’s bigger than Ford. GM. Stellantis. Toyota…you get where I am going.
Now imagine where an automaker states…Mr. Dealership I’m stripping your franchise because you’re customer service KPI’s are poor and our joint customers are complaining…I’m sure there is pressure there…but again by law if an automaker wants to sell its products in Hazard County they have to sell thru a dealership franchise…What is Hazard County doing to stay relevant by producing educated workers…if they follow the teachers unions the answer is NOT MUCH! And btw before the haters jump on me…I grew up with them Duke boys…Love me some Uncle Jessie and obviously Daisy Duke. They just drove the wrong dang car!

 

[JoeInPI]

It's everywhere for the most part. People have slowly been pushed into thinking that ANY effort they put out- even when being paid- is like answering a personal favor. Like any interaction with a customer is an intrusion on their personal lives. It's like having someone answer "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" after you say "Thank you" because it comes across as you interrupted their day by asking them to do their job. Dealers are no different. Problem is that they don't make enough WHEN COMPARED to low-skill workers. Hell- Subway and McDonalds are over $20/hr here. Why would someone want to go to school to be a tech, buy thousands of dollars in tools to make less than buying a pair of non-skid shoes and flipping burgers? I don't know how they get out of this mess. Once you pay people $$$, you can't then drop it back and pay them $.

 

[dadrew]

It's everywhere for the most part. People have slowly been pushed into thinking that ANY effort they put out- even when being paid- is like answering a personal favor. Like any interaction with a customer is an intrusion on their personal lives. It's like having someone answer "No problem" instead of "You're welcome" after you say "Thank you" because it comes across as you interrupted their day by asking them to do their job. Dealers are no different. Problem is that they don't make enough WHEN COMPARED to low-skill workers. Hell- Subway and McDonalds are over $20/hr here. Why would someone want to go to school to be a tech, buy thousands of dollars in tools to make less than buying a pair of non-skid shoes and flipping burgers? I don't know how they get out of this mess. Once you pay people $$$, you can't then drop it back and pay them $.

Welp now I just realized that I need to stop saying no problem! I probably use that too much. Didn’t even think that it could come across that way.
The stuff I learn on this forum is so much more than F-150s

 

[Curly]

Great video on the problem at dealerships, we know some are good and not so good!
All techs should have so many hours of training per year. We have had our 2020 Explorer
at a dealership for weeks to fix problems that could have been do in day's. Maybe its the
ford protect that had them dragging the job out, or they didn't order the parts right away,
or had to have a master tec in to help out! Then no courtesy cars when you need to get to work! Do the high cost of these cars/trucks have built in recall/warranty costs? Otherwise
how does the manufacture know the actual cost before the 3 years/36k are up?

 

[powerboatr]

I agree there are some real chicken headed dealers
I use a local place, local owned by a guy that has a good sized trucking company are they perfect ..NO..
Do they give it 100% ? Yes
Do they
Treat you like a "liked" member of the family? Yes everytime
From the moment you walk in
Anyone that sees you says hello and will engage in conversation
Service does everything they can to resolve issues
Sometimes ford on warranty or tsbs are hmm difficult
We have purchased 2 ford's through them
And they glady take care of the superduty we purchased elsewhere
No fault of theirs, I had a very specific list for my f250..no exceptions.
Anywho
My point, is this small very successful dealer, in a sea of 4 larger ones within 20 to 45 minutes. Reigns supreme on being what a business should be
They even call you within a few days of your last visit
The owner or his customer rep, will call to ensure it was good or bad and if you are happy etc
The owner or his wife is in the store at least 3 days a week
They are normal folks, not pretentious.
They drive expedition and a f150 that......are a few years old...
There are good dealers out there
But this day in age its hard to find them

Ford should visit them and take notes
Maybe use them as positive when and if they try to get dealers to better represent the brand.

Funny thing is this small dealer is in a building thats probably 50 years old
They bought the failing eatery next door and made that space a garage to supplement the main service area

 

[TarnishedCopper]

I’ve been mulling this over for a while…over the last three years of ownership honestly, and man I got to say I’ve never seen it this bad with Ford Dealerships. Been driving Ford since 1993. Next time I will consider a lesser truck (IMO) for a better dealership experience. And I’m counting the number of interactions I’ve had with five different dealerships. Early post purchase mind you coming out of Covid when a truck could almost not be found I had the dreaded heat exchanger leak. Service manager laughed at me and said I should have bought from them and it should have been a 5.0 because that’s all they sell. I purchased the coolant because I desperately needed it. Early in the ownership phase I had front differential leaks. Multiple repairs and I had to follow up everytime on every aspect of the repair and it took three repairs. maybe it was four??? I can deal with these issues and the Covid truck excuses and recalls as I know many are real. But dang…I needed some tires. Called around for prices. Called the dealership to see where they would be on price and get some points. Took my money ordered tires but then nothing. I call no tires yet. I call no tires yet. We all know tires get delivered everywhere almost next day every time. Finally got tires 3 weeks later but they messed up the appt and took me all day…no apology. Just here’s your fob… Most recently I needed an alignment as I finally got my eibach’s on the truck from @Stage3Motorsports (more to come on that) and while there I asked to have the ICE to elec squeak looked at. I live in a small town so I opted for a dealer approx 30 minutes farther in a larger town. I called to make an appt and could not speak to a service manager because I wanted to explain my needs. NOT A RECALL REQUEST. I was told it wasn’t necessary to speak with service just bring it in…uhh well …I went ahead and made the appt. Dropped the truck off knowing I was going to be out of town for a week and talked with who was introduced as the service manager and explained my issue. No prob. Went back after 7 days with no updates to status or answers to questions and was told truck was ready. I stop in and no repair. Nothing. Just my ticket for the alignment. I speak to another manager and even gave him the option based on the previous dealer…Do you have tech’s to work on PB. If not I understand and will go somewhere else…Today is 2 weeks to the day… I’ll stop there and you can see the exchange. So from a business POV…Yeah. I agree with Farley!

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