My first service on my 2025 Maverick

[TJAY]

My Colorado Ford dealership learned not to mess with this ol broad today. They started texting me back in September urging me to call and set up a service appointment ASAP. Being in Ireland, there wasn't much I could do. But, when I got home, I did return one of the eight messages they left and asked what I needed to do. My "six-month" service was recommended (for Dec., lol) and the first thing I asked was what it involved and HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST ME so I could budget. "No charge for this one". Great, said I. Can I take it to my local Ford dealer? "We can't guarantee they would provide it at no charge". Okay, said I! Off I went today to Aurora, a good 95 minute drive each way, in heavy traffic.

Got there an hour early but they put it in the queue for the service and then told me it would be $125. So we had a 'discussion' and they agreed to 'make it right by you' and waive the cost but said they would reach out to whoever told me it was free. My appt was at 1, I arrived at 12:15, they finished at 2:45. When I made the appt I was assured it would be no more than an hour, lol. By then I was hangry so I absconded with four packages of 'complementary' Oreos and called it a day. As Neil Gaiman said, "NEVER f&ck with a librarian!"
Golly I hope I get one of the many surveys they like to send!


PS, I didn't buy from the dealer 10 miles away due to their extremely poor reputation.

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[dalola]

Doesn't seem like this one is any better....

 

[RR - All the way]

Well, you did get a free lunch so I would, as a librarian, just "turn the page" on this experience! Surprised you did not buy the "First Edition" in 22. That would seem fitting!!! Good luck with future dealings; do not be too hard on them!!!!!

 

[notfast]

My appt was at 1, I arrived at 12:15, they finished at 2:45. When I made the appt I was assured it would be no more than an hour, lol.

There's a hint of truth to that. Depending on what you got done, the actual time they wrenched on your car was probably around an hour. But the appointment is more for their convenience and to mostly guarantee you'll get in the queue that day. So more like a reservation on capacity (staggering arrivals) rather than time (everyone getting seen by the time their appointment time comes around). If everyone for the day showed up at 7:00am, some people would get seen immediately and others not until after 5:00pm.

Unless the shop is dead, no one is waiting around for you to show up and immediately pull your car in and start wrenching. You just get queued with everyone else that had 1:00pm "appointments" (used loosely), and whichever tech that eventually pulls your ticket gets to work.

If a "30-minute" job earlier that morning turned into two hours, that delays later jobs. Also, comebacks are usually prioritized, especially if the customer just left. I was one. I made it literally down the block and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. Turned right back around and was seen immediately. AKA, a tech was pulled from an active job to go fix mine. The service department is more like an ER (prioritized cases get seen first, regardless of who got there first), rather than a dentist's office (you arrive 15 minutes early, check in, and are in the dentist's chair when your appointment time starts).

Dealerships also tend to intentionally overbook appointments since customers can no-show with no penalty, so a solid 10-20% of people just go MIA with no notification.

If you want to more or less guarantee yourself a shorter wait, book the first available time slot for the day. Chances are you'll get seen immediately unless literally every tech has carryover work from the day before. Sort of like the first flight out of the morning being less likely to be delayed or cancelled since the plane waited overnight at the field and didn't have to stop at 5 other airports before coming to the one you're at.

 

[Kenv24]

My Colorado Ford dealership learned not to mess with this ol broad today. They started texting me back in September urging me to call and set up a service appointment ASAP. Being in Ireland, there wasn't much I could do. But, when I got home, I did return one of the eight messages they left and asked what I needed to do. My "six-month" service was recommended (for Dec., lol) and the first thing I asked was what it involved and HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST ME so I could budget. "No charge for this one". Great, said I. Can I take it to my local Ford dealer? "We can't guarantee they would provide it at no charge". Okay, said I! Off I went today to Aurora, a good 95 minute drive each way, in heavy traffic.

Got there an hour early but they put it in the queue for the service and then told me it would be $125. So we had a 'discussion' and they agreed to 'make it right by you' and waive the cost but said they would reach out to whoever told me it was free. My appt was at 1, I arrived at 12:15, they finished at 2:45. When I made the appt I was assured it would be no more than an hour, lol. By then I was hangry so I absconded with four packages of 'complementary' Oreos and called it a day. As Neil Gaiman said, "NEVER f&ck with a librarian!"
Golly I hope I get one of the many surveys they like to send!


PS, I didn't buy from the dealer 10 miles away due to their extremely poor reputation.

The only thing with these Fords and the dealers that is truly "FREE" is if you have purchased a service plan....which is not really FREE...but is "Feels" free when you take your vehicle in for an oil change.....

 

[TJAY]

Well, you did get a free lunch so I would, as a librarian, just "turn the page" on this experience! Surprised you did not buy the "First Edition" in 22. That would seem fitting!!! Good luck with future dealings; do not be too hard on them!!!!!

Well, I was still working in prison libraries in '22 and not in the market.

 

[TJAY]

Doesn't seem like this one is any better....

I was comparing sales tactics. Haven't used its service department.

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