Am I being unreasonable with my dealership over a cover issue?

[jbeansem]

I just wanted to gauge with other Mustang owners if I am being unreasonable or not with how I am handling my dealership. Here's the timeline of my situation:

9/8/2023 - Picked up my new 2024 Mustang GT. In my Window sticker, I ordered the outdoor cover back in March 2023 for 600$ and paid for it at the pickup time. No one mentioned it once during the pickup, I drive home thinking it was in the trunk and it wasn't. Same day, I let the dealership know I didn't get the cover and they say it isn't at the dealership. I had to specifically ask for an ETA and they said there isn't one.

11/3/2023 - Knowing winter is coming and living in New England, I asked the dealership to refund my cover so I could buy a third party vehicle cover. They said corporate Ford had to do the refund and gave me the customer support number.

Since that date, I have spent ~16 hours total time on phone calls being bounced back and forth by corporate Ford and the dealership, each blaming each other and refusing to provide the refund.

2/14/24 - I finally had someone at Ford call my dealership with me on the line and demand they handled the refund. I get a call back 30 minutes later from my dealership that magically my cover will be here today 2/16.

I went in to the dealership today and demanded to speak with the GM. They weren't there so I talked to the Sales Manager who tossed me around and said they can't do anything. I am going back on Monday 2/19 to talk to the GM and complain to him as well.

In my mind, I understand they don't control when the cover gets there. I chose that cover specifically to have my brand new $60,000 car protected all winter and didn't get it. My options were then be out 1200$ instead of 600$ for a second cover, still not knowing if I would ever get a refund or the cover from Ford. Or have my brand new 2024 Mustang go through a full Winter with no cover, exposed to the elements, which is what I ended up doing.

Am I being unreasonable here? Is there something I am overlooking that makes me the bad guy in this situation?

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[Vapor Stang]

I would never do business with that dealership again. They got your money and you became no one to them. They should have got to the bottom of it and resolved it one way or another.

 

[Hack]

Am I being unreasonable here? Is there something I am overlooking that makes me the bad guy in this situation?

No you are not being unreasonable. I think you should stop using the dealership and also take the time to post some online reviews. There's no excuse at all for their terrible performance in this matter.

 

[jbeansem]

OK, glad to know I'm not being unreasonable. I'm basically hoping the GM see's my side and tries to make it right somehow. If they don't, my current plan is, I have all records of communication saved and screenshotted and am going to just review bomb them everywhere I can with the proof.

 

[roadpilot]

You've been more than patient and reasonable, @jbeansem.

 

[young at heart]

Wait.

Was your cover one (like my two) that was ordered with the car and actually shown as a line item on the window sticker? If so, the leverage you had would have only been present if you had checked for it at delivery and demanded an IOU if it wasn’t there. (They come to the parts dept. in that case anyway. The lazy sales weasel just has to go back and get it.) When you drive off without it their liability ends.

Otherwise you’re just ordering a part and it’s not really related to the car purchase.

EDIT: I see you said “window sticker” in your OP. You really should have checked for it before leaving, but since you didn’t you’re at their mercy. I’d be nice but persistent and they’ll probably come around. What happens is the parts chimps don’t connect it to a customer car order and they just sell it on. It’s really a flawed system on Ford’s part.

 

[jbeansem]

Wait.

Was your cover one (like my two) that was ordered with the car and actually shown as a line item on the window sticker? If so, the leverage you had would have only been present if you had checked for it at delivery and demanded an IOU if it wasn’t there. (They come to the parts dept. in that case anyway. The lazy sales weasel just has to go back and get it.) When you drive off without it their liability ends.

Otherwise you’re just ordering a part and it’s not really related to the car purchase.

The cover was added along with the car order on 3/27/2023 and was listed as an accessory on the Window sticker during the purchase. At the time of the purchase, the sales person said they put the front license plate and all of the accessories in the trunk. So I did drive off assuming it was there and it was not. I texted the dealership letting them know the cover was missing within 30 minutes of leaving.

The cover was not at the dealership though at any point during the time, they checked with the parts department the day of. The cover showed up at the dealership today, 2/16/24 which is why I went in.

 

[coltgus]

You have been more than reasonable. Here is my outdoor cover story. I ordered from Covercraft because I like their Weathershield HD material. My car has the performance package so I was worried about the cover going over the spoiler so I sent them a picture and the dimensions of the spoiler and said if they didn't have a pocket for the spoiler the cover wouldn''t fit. They said as long as it was stock it would be fine. When I got the cover it didn't fit because of the spoiler. Then they said I couldnt return it because it was a custom build which was ridiculous. Eventually they did take it back and refunded my money. Very disappointing.

 

[Crew4991]

I TOTALLY understand your frustration!

I just don’t understand why you would have gone with the overpriced Ford car cover when there are plenty of other brands that are half the price, better quality and sometimes better looking with a special color/design in your choice?

I feel bad for saying that as it doesn’t help but in my opinion I think you should be a pain in their ass until they give you the car cover. If they don’t, file a claim with your credit card company and never do business with them. They sound like a crap dealer anyway. Sorry to hear about your experience.

 

[Lightningwings]

You are not being unreasonable. The dealership should surely have a paper trail of a $600 cover making it to the parts dept and then finally to the trunk of your car. Future buyers, reference the delivery inspection checklist on the forum. I plan on printing this out taking it with me when I take delivery of my order: New Mustang Sale Checklist

 

[Jivor]

Don't dealerships make most of their money from servicing? Why be so thickheaded over a $600 item and make it right, they'll more than make up for it later? I've groused about my experience, not the same as yours, but it left such a bad taste in my mouth that I'll never go back.

 

[timd38]

You got your car at the same time I got mine. Those covers were on backorder at that time. So my dealership showed that they owed it to me on the sales invoice.

Since dealership refunded you the money, buy it from another dealership and never go back there again. I would also give them a terrible review when you get the Ford survey. Just my opinion.

 

[347Stang]

Ordered an Outdoor cover prior to receiving my DH in Sept 2023, I'm still waiting. I've made many calls to inquire.

 

[area5179]

I've worked "front facing" retail for 20+ years. Appliance and Plumbing Specialist for Lowe's. I state this as I'm no longer in the field and want to give my unfiltered $.02. YOU ARE NOT BEING UNREASONABLE!!! You payed for something and didn't get it. To wait 4 MONTHS for a "simple" albeit $600 cover is asinine. Either they get you your cover or they refund you $600 and then fight with corporate to get reimbursed. PERIOD. It should take a week or two tops.

This is an issue I've dealt with NUMEROUS times and it's not worth inconveniencing the customer for something so simple. Simply make the customer whole and make them happy, then I'll fight with corporate to get it resolved. To take so long to get a resolution is insulting. I took pride in making sure everybody was taken care of and returning as a good customer. Go the extra mile and do what needs to be done to get the problem resolved. Your dealership is lazy and uncaring, which seems to be the direction things are moving in nowadays.

The dealership I ordered both my Mustangs from is really great. When I ordered my 2019 I put down a $1k deposit and then that would be put towards my down payment when I picked it up. I picked up my vehicle 3 months later without a second thought. 4 months later I get a check from my dealership out of the blue for $1k. I never noticed during financing that my deposit was never applied and they sent me a check without me ever asking for it.

 

[SSuperDave]

Here is my .02, you have recieved neither cover or satisfaction because this cover does not yet exist, and they don't know what to do about it. When I got my car, I went to the parts counter and ordered a black out trunk panel insert. It has a part # and a price, and I was told 1-2 weeks. Last week I gave up and got a refund. Here is the deal though, I WORK IN SERVICE AT THE FORD DEALER WHERE I GOT MY CAR AND ORDERED THE PART!
After much questioning and several phone calls, my parts guy was grudgingly told that this part does not yet exist and they are waiting for the undisclosed manufacturer to start production! Why he was told 1-2 weeks is beyond me, this is not a backorder situation, which would mean they had them and sold out, but a preorder situation. They could not even tell him who the potential manufacturer would be. Several of the parts suppliers also show this item with an identical part # and 2 wek delay, but when I called they admitted they didn't know when they would get them either.
I guess my point is that if Ford is misleading and screwing over their OWN DEALERS, one guy ain't got a hope against them.
Your best recourse is the dealership itself, as stated above, they'll want you as a service customer. Keep after them, and call customer assistance at 800-392-3673, and do nto get off the phone til you have a case # (will start with CAS). That will get Ford calling the dealership and may move the needle a bit.
And as to the original question, no, you are not being unreasonable.

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