Ford surface care mandatory?

[Allegheny]

I took delivery of mine a week ago. I was offered it...but it was not mandatory.

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[EMD_Driver]

Ford called the dealership and got the runaround from them also..

I've already contacted the owner of the dealership, who is a very stand-up person.

 

[DryHeat]

On the phone with Ford right now. I'm on hold, while they call the dealership.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to nail down what combination of paperwork can prevent things like this.

Could you tell me whether you had:
-- a Vehicle Buyer's Order signed by both parties?
-- a DORA signed by both parties?
-- either of those signed only by you or only by the dealer?

My current belief is that only a signed Vehicle Buyer's Order (or equivalent sales contract) gives you the right to just say "give me the truck, here's the money I agreed to pay, we're done."

 

[olie64]

Meanwhile, I'm trying to nail down what combination of paperwork can prevent things like this.

Could you tell me whether you had:
-- a Vehicle Buyer's Order signed by both parties?
-- a DORA signed by both parties?
-- either of those signed only by you or only by the dealer?

My current belief is that only a signed Vehicle Buyer's Order (or equivalent sales contract) gives you the right to just say "give me the truck, here's the money I agreed to pay, we're done."

Find a good dealer.

 

[DryHeat]

Find a good dealer.

Thanks, but I already have one. And a fully signed buyer's order.

As I said, I'm just trying to nail down what paperwork is sufficient to force a dealer's hand. It's been talked about a lot on this forum but a bit more data wouldn't hurt and might help people going forward.

Do you have any info related to that question?

 

[FriscoTXJoe]

I just got off the phone with my dealer and was told that Ford just started requiring Ford surface care for all new vehicles. He said that this just started within the last month. It's a $795 charge..

Anyone else hear of this?

Hi, new Ford owner? This is Ford. We just sold you a new vehicle but the paint job is shit. So you have to spend $800 just to try and make it pretty decent."

Signed, nobody.

That dealer is trying to pull $800 out of your pocket. Forget em.

 

[MattIngram]

I just got off the phone with my dealer and was told that Ford just started requiring Ford surface care for all new vehicles. He said that this just started within the last month. It's a $795 charge..

Anyone else hear of this?

Scam. It’s that true coat don’t you know. Funny how these dealers still pull that trick. Tell your dealer to stop being a Jerry Lundegaard (Fargo). If you want to call them out on it ask them to put it in writing so you can review with Ford and your state’s attorney general’s office. I always pass those dealers over because they’ve lost my trust at that point but I think you’re a lot further along.

It’s definitely not required by Ford and cannot be required by law. Most states have laws, prohibiting add on products without the consumers consent. Dealers say but we disclose that on our website so we’re covered. Mavericks orders are different because most of us aren’t going to the dealer’s website because they don’t have any in stock. I doubt they have an adequate disclosure on the signed preview order sheet, so I doubt they can produce consumer consent to that add on product.

At Ford you will want to be escalated to the dealer team, I think it’s called. And some states attorneys, like NC are Johnny on the spot and will email a letter right out to your salesperson, while others will tell you to go pound sand, like Texas. A lot depends on state. For me, it’s never reached the Attorney General point but if I felt cornered by having to place an order and I don’t have any recourse, yeah I’d do it in a heartbeat.

 

[bob_vic]

Go birds.

 

[Watchman]

I'm not sure it's the money for the add-on. A local dealer had an XLT on display with $5,000 added to the sticker. Maybe a dealer is doing this crap hoping you will not buy it so they can put it on the lot ? If my dealer tries something like that they'll have to take the truck I ordered from "my cold dead hands".

 

[EMD_Driver]

Meanwhile, I'm trying to nail down what combination of paperwork can prevent things like this.

Could you tell me whether you had:
-- a Vehicle Buyer's Order signed by both parties?
-- a DORA signed by both parties?
-- either of those signed only by you or only by the dealer?

My current belief is that only a signed Vehicle Buyer's Order (or equivalent sales contract) gives you the right to just say "give me the truck, here's the money I agreed to pay, we're done."

This is 100% not Ford... I've already confirmed that. I know the dealership owner personally and have already reached out to them. I will follow up with what I find out.

Since I know the owner, I trusted that this wouldn't be an issue.

 

[MattIngram]

Disclosure, I am not a licensed attorney and this does not constitute legal advice. If it were me, I’d let the dealership owner know you’re trying to resolve this matter low key but you do know your rights under SC law and you have a lot of protections. Here’s a quick educational guide below from the FTC. You do get to choose which add ons if any you want to buy.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/07/ftc-announces-auto-buyers-study-reports

SC has robust consumer protections, link below.

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t39c005.php

Key items, SC adopts Federal Code, defined by the FTC via SECTION 39-5-20. Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices unlawful; application of interpretations of Federal act.

And SC has some pretty stiff penalties that a franchise owner would want to avoid.

SECTION 39-5-110. Civil penalties for willful violation or violations of injunction.

(a) If a court finds that any person is willfully using or has willfully used a method, act or practice declared unlawful by Section 39-5-20, the Attorney General, upon petition to the court, may recover on behalf of the State a civil penalty of not exceeding five thousand dollars per violation.

(b) Any person who violates the terms of an injunction issued under Section 39-5-50 shall forfeit and pay to the State a civil penalty of not more than fifteen thousand dollars per violation. For the purposes of this section, the court of common pleas issuing an injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the cause shall be continued and in such cases the Attorney General acting in the name of the State may petition for recovery of civil penalties. Whenever the court determines that an injunction issued pursuant to Section 39-5-50 has been violated, the court shall award reasonable costs to the State.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a willful violation occurs when the party committing the violation knew or should have known that his conduct was a violation of Section 39-5-20.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 66-71.10; 1971 (57) 369.

SECTION 39-5-120. Dissolution, suspension or forfeiture of franchise or charter of corporation violating injunction.

Upon petition by the Attorney General, the court of common pleas may, for good cause shown, order the dissolution or suspension or forfeiture of any franchise or charter of any corporation which violates the terms of any injunction issued under Section 39-5-50.

 

[EMD_Driver]

Disclosure, I am not a licensed attorney and this does not constitute legal advice. If it were me, I’d let the dealership owner know you’re trying to resolve this matter low key but you do know your rights under SC law and you have a lot of protections. Here’s a quick educational guide below from the FTC. You do get to choose which add ons if any you want to buy.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/07/ftc-announces-auto-buyers-study-reports

SC has robust consumer protections, link below.

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t39c005.php

Key items, SC adopts Federal Code, defined by the FTC via SECTION 39-5-20. Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices unlawful; application of interpretations of Federal act.

And SC has some pretty stiff penalties that a franchise owner would want to avoid.

SECTION 39-5-110. Civil penalties for willful violation or violations of injunction.

(a) If a court finds that any person is willfully using or has willfully used a method, act or practice declared unlawful by Section 39-5-20, the Attorney General, upon petition to the court, may recover on behalf of the State a civil penalty of not exceeding five thousand dollars per violation.

(b) Any person who violates the terms of an injunction issued under Section 39-5-50 shall forfeit and pay to the State a civil penalty of not more than fifteen thousand dollars per violation. For the purposes of this section, the court of common pleas issuing an injunction shall retain jurisdiction, and the cause shall be continued and in such cases the Attorney General acting in the name of the State may petition for recovery of civil penalties. Whenever the court determines that an injunction issued pursuant to Section 39-5-50 has been violated, the court shall award reasonable costs to the State.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a willful violation occurs when the party committing the violation knew or should have known that his conduct was a violation of Section 39-5-20.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 66-71.10; 1971 (57) 369.

SECTION 39-5-120. Dissolution, suspension or forfeiture of franchise or charter of corporation violating injunction.

Upon petition by the Attorney General, the court of common pleas may, for good cause shown, order the dissolution or suspension or forfeiture of any franchise or charter of any corporation which violates the terms of any injunction issued under Section 39-5-50.

Thank you so much! This post should be a stlcky!

May come in handy for others too!

 

[MattIngram]

Thank you so much! This post should be a stlcky!

May come in handy for others too!

Just try to keep it low key be a pal, hey don’t want you to get in trouble over this. I say that because I don’t want you to lose your hard earned order with that dealership. That would suck but let them know that you’re going to stick up for yourself. A lot of dealerships do this to test you out and see how much they can skin off of you. And most importantly if they say you misunderstood go along with it. Let them save face. No skin off your nose. You just want your truck. With my wife’s bronco sport that was dealer inventory, we just had to meet them half way on the fabric protection. They were impossible to find at the time in Area 51 and that’s what we wanted .

 

[EMD_Driver]

Just try to keep it low key be a pal, hey don’t want you to get in trouble over this. I say that because I don’t want you to lose your hard earned order with that dealership. That would suck but let them know that you’re going to stick up for yourself. A lot of dealerships do this to test you out and see how much they can skin off of you.

No worries..

The owner has already contacted me and is looking into it.

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