Sad Maverick Owner. So mad at Ford...

[Blinky]

What is too close? Why would the driver of the Maverick put it into neutral or park at a stop?

Obviously however close they were, was too close.

Why do people do anything? The OP didn't say whether they were driving, stopped at a light, stopped in a parking lot, coasting.

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[PSchiefelbein]

Sorry but you are wrong about the dealership responsibility and "care and custody". If dealership had an unlicensed, high or drunk or the reckless driving driver then maybe responsible. Unless there is negligence in most States and most Insurance Companies insurance follows the car. If you leave your car at a dealership and a hail storm or tornado happens and your vehicle is damaged it's on your insurance, no dealer negligence. If your car is parked outside overnight, locked up by the dealership and it's stolen or broken into, your insurance (different if left unlocked or keys in ignition). No different if on test drive after being worked on, sorry to say, your car, your insurance; in most instances. Dealer should be proactive in trying to help but under no obligation most times. Bigger issue will be "diminished value", something I"m currently going to have to go through due to an accident on my 22 Maverick, unlicensed, uninsured and leaving scene of an accident driver.(followed her 25 minutes with State Patrol on phone until finally found us). I'll be fighting with my insurance State Farm for diminished value when I sell it. There are ways to get Insurance companies to pay for diminished value but

Sorry but you are wrong about the dealership responsibility and "care and custody". If dealership had an unlicensed, high or drunk or the reckless driving driver then maybe responsible. Unless there is negligence in most States and most Insurance Companies insurance follows the car. If you leave your car at a dealership and a hail storm or tornado happens and your vehicle is damaged it's on your insurance, no dealer negligence. If your car is parked outside overnight, locked up by the dealership and it's stolen or broken into, your insurance (different if left unlocked or keys in ignition). No different if on test drive after being worked on, sorry to say, your car, your insurance; in most instances. Dealer should be proactive in trying to help but under no obligation most times. Bigger issue will be "diminished value", something I"m currently going to have to go through due to an accident on my 22 Maverick, unlicensed, uninsured and leaving scene of an accident driver.(followed her 25 minutes with State Patrol on phone until finally found us). I'll be fighting with my insurance State Farm for diminished value when I sell it. There are ways to get Insurance companies to pay for diminished value but it's not easy.

I thought this was the best post. Your insurance company should be the first one contacted--dealing with a mess like this is part of what your premiums are for.
But another problem is that the dealership showed a complete lack of customer care by not sitting down with you and helping you understand your options. I certainly would not use them again, but I would also alert them if planning to publish a bad review or contact the media. A heads up that you mean business may well shake them out of their complacency.

 

[Ranch]

Obviously however close they were, was too close.

Why do people do anything? The OP didn't say whether they were driving, stopped at a light, stopped in a parking lot, coasting.

So everyone should stop within a certain distance behind another car to prevent them from impacting the vehicle in front when they are rear ended.

I'm asking what you suggest to be the proper distance for that.

 

[RLmesc]

We have a lot of great insurance and legal talent commenting here and we all have a piece of the truth but no facts of the actual accident. State laws prevail here and whether the state has comparative fault laws or contributory negligences statutes and leave it there. I have prevailed with claims where a vehicle was rear ended. Read - no tail lights, or brake checking, or slamming on the brakes and stopping in an intersection because the light turned yellow… etc. It’s best to leave the active claims adjusters involved solve this conundrum.

 

[dlhort1955]

The large dealership here with about 10 salesman does not have a body shop. The little dealership 7 miles away with 1 salesman has a great body shop. They have my kids car right now. Some dealers just never got into body work. Sales and service only.

 

[Bob the handyman]

So, I'm not really sure where to direct my frustrations. Maybe, people here can help me see a proper path to peace.

My 2022 Mav Hybrid XL had to be taken into the dealership (Brighton Ford in Brighton, Co.) where I originally purchased the vehicle as the powertrain failed at around 18k miles.

The vehicle was inspected and it was determined that the powertrain had faulty connectors and needed replaced. A common problem for the first year models.

Good news right?

So, while they were doing a final test drive the vehicle was rear ended, and hard. So hard the vehicle was pushed into a F-150 with a trailer hitch.

The dealership calls me and basically says "So, good news and bad news. We fixed the issue and your free to come pick up your truck and return the loaner, but your truck was involved in an accident and you need to have it taken to a body shop as we don't recommend driving it. But, it is drivable, and you can come pick it up and return the loaner."

So, I take my loaner back and they drive my truck around for me. Very serious damage front and back. I finally get a chance to take it in to a body shop for an estimate, and I've been told that the damage is so extensive they are amazed it's not wobbling as I drove it down the highway as the vehicle frame is twisted and bent. My radiator is demolished and I'm surprised I've not had issues with that, and you can feel the bend when standing inside the bed. Basically, my vehicle is totalled..

What really pisses me off is that if they total it our and refuse to repair the truck not only am I out of my beautiful blue truck, but I'm out a year of my life that I waited for my custom ordered truck, the $3k cash I put down, but also no vehicle on the market today comes with a 1.9% APR...if I have to buy a new vehicle I'm going to lose my shit and sit outside Brighton Ford and picket daily letting potential customers know that they will destroy your vehicle and leave you with the bill.

Anyway, I just needed to rant.

So, am I wrong for thinking that Ford should be making me whole? The dealership basically told me "It was not our fault so it's not our responsibility to return the vehicle in the condition it was received."

I think it's time for you to hire an attorney and see what your options are. I'm assuming that they must also have insurance of their own when these accidents occur on there dealership property. Sorry to hear the bad news of your truck, however there may be a remedy to your situation. Good luck.

 

[Ron Neal]

I don't know the whole story so will only say this: I would have kept the loaner and told the dealer to fix the truck. Then go home and have 2 fingers of Jack Daniels and check my bp.

 

[AutobahnSHO]

So everyone should stop within a certain distance behind another car to prevent them from impacting the vehicle in front when they are rear ended.

I'm asking what you suggest to be the proper distance for that.

I went to driver's education in 1992, was taught to make sure you can still see the bottom of the tires of the vehicle in front of you.

ALSO, I try to leave enough space that say some moron gets out of their car to attack you, or someone walks up to try to carjack you- that you can get away (without backing up)...

 

[No Brand]

I'd also unleash social media on them.

Uhhh, he just did.

 

[WJOHNM]

So, I'm not really sure where to direct my frustrations. Maybe, people here can help me see a proper path to peace.

My 2022 Mav Hybrid XL had to be taken into the dealership (Brighton Ford in Brighton, Co.) where I originally purchased the vehicle as the powertrain failed at around 18k miles.

The vehicle was inspected and it was determined that the powertrain had faulty connectors and needed replaced. A common problem for the first year models.

Good news right?

So, while they were doing a final test drive the vehicle was rear ended, and hard. So hard the vehicle was pushed into a F-150 with a trailer hitch.

The dealership calls me and basically says "So, good news and bad news. We fixed the issue and your free to come pick up your truck and return the loaner, but your truck was involved in an accident and you need to have it taken to a body shop as we don't recommend driving it. But, it is drivable, and you can come pick it up and return the loaner."

So, I take my loaner back and they drive my truck around for me. Very serious damage front and back. I finally get a chance to take it in to a body shop for an estimate, and I've been told that the damage is so extensive they are amazed it's not wobbling as I drove it down the highway as the vehicle frame is twisted and bent. My radiator is demolished and I'm surprised I've not had issues with that, and you can feel the bend when standing inside the bed. Basically, my vehicle is totalled..

What really pisses me off is that if they total it our and refuse to repair the truck not only am I out of my beautiful blue truck, but I'm out a year of my life that I waited for my custom ordered truck, the $3k cash I put down, but also no vehicle on the market today comes with a 1.9% APR...if I have to buy a new vehicle I'm going to lose my shit and sit outside Brighton Ford and picket daily letting potential customers know that they will destroy your vehicle and leave you with the bill.

Anyway, I just needed to rant.

So, am I wrong for thinking that Ford should be making me whole? The dealership basically told me "It was not our fault so it's not our responsibility to return the vehicle in the condition it was received."

Am so sorry for you and your truck, I worked for a dealer for almost 40 years and have had to make that phone call myself a few times. get a copy of the accident report from the police make sure it happened the way they said, contact your insurance company and the other insurance company that hit you they will pay for all the damages! they should give you a rental. Most important now is to get your vehicle to a quality shop that has the people and equipment to repair the vehicle if its repairable. unfortunately its not the dealers or fords problem if you were rear ended. IF the other guy has insurance and they assume liability there wont be a deductible. when you dropped your vehicle off at the dealer you signed a repair order that gives them the right to drive the vehicle and shit happens sometimes. if the driver of the other vehicle doesn't have insurance your company will pay the claim and try to get it back from the dealers insurance company. The service manager should of explained all this to you there is nothing they could of done if there driver wasn't at fault, except let you keep the loaner for a few days till you contact the insurance company.

 

[Old_Norm]

So everyone should stop within a certain distance behind another car to prevent them from impacting the vehicle in front when they are rear ended.

I'm asking what you suggest to be the proper distance for that.

That's one of those things you can only answer after the event. If you were rear ended and didn't hit the car in front of you then you were at the right distance. If you did hit them then you were too close. There are too many variables: speed, vehicle weight, in park/neutral, foot on/off the brake, etc. to give a definitive answer. In anti-terrorism training you are taught to stop so you can see the rear wheels of the vehicle in front of you. That is really about avoiding being trapped between two vehicles. But it would be a good (not perfect) cushion to avoid being driven into the car in front in a rear ender.

 

[Old_Norm]

I went to driver's education in 1992, was taught to make sure you can still see the bottom of the tires of the vehicle in front of you.

ALSO, I try to leave enough space that say some moron gets out of their car to attack you, or someone walks up to try to carjack you- that you can get away (without backing up)...

Sorry, I didn't see your post before I posted similar information.

 

[CTYankee]

So everyone should stop within a certain distance behind another car to prevent them from impacting the vehicle in front when they are rear ended.

I'm asking what you suggest to be the proper distance for that.

As a former driving instructor, the rule of thumb I was taught (and taught my students) was that you should still be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead touching the ground. That leaves enough distance to avoid getting pushed into the vehicle ahead by a rear-ender and enough room to pull around the vehicle ahead should it be necessary.

 

[CurtisB]

As a former driving instructor, the rule of thumb I was taught (and taught my students) was that you should still be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead touching the ground. That leaves enough distance to avoid getting pushed into the vehicle ahead by a rear-ender and enough room to pull around the vehicle ahead should it be necessary.

Completely agree. Most people don't do this.

 

[LSchicago]

I would've showed up to the dealer with a lawyer.

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