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

[IFFV68]

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.

I would go directly to the owner.
Someone owns it, and they should be responsible, if the dealership is still in business

Sponsored

 

[SSuperDave]

Chances are good that the dealership does not have an individual as an owner, almost all are owned by a dealer group of some kind, and no one at the dealer group will know or care what goes on, they leave the GM to run the store and as long as their numbers are acceptable, will not get involved.
I remember the days when a "Taylor Cadillac" would have had Mr Taylor in an office there every day. We were all better off. But Sonic or Group One comes along and offers Mr Taylor triple what the dealership is worth, and of course he sells.

 

[Deleted member 60890]

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?

This is a great car cover. If you do not get yours, I paid ~$150 bucks for it and I love it.
I got the dark blue cover and it actually matches the color of my atlas blue Mustang GT convertible. That was by accident because I actually ordered it for another car I since sold.

 

[jbeansem]

If anyone was still watching this post, I met up with the General Manager for my dealership today. He was on his sale's managers side for a couple of minutes. When I showed him the information from my experience, with proof in the form of emails, texts, etc, he then jumped to my side and was unbelievably kind and helpful.

They set me up that they are fully cleaning and detailing my car, inside and out, for free and paying for transportation to and from the dealership during the process. I won't ever deal with the Sales side of that dealership again, but I do feel like they made it right.

 

[Sofa King]

Awesome... good to hear!

 

[kneeko]

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?

totally reasonable. dealership caused a hassle for no reason!

 

[347Stang]

Up date.
I was in contact with Ford Of Canada in regards to the Outdoor car cover I purchased from the stealership. Ford tells me supplier issues and no sign of availability anytime soon. Called the stealership and told them I want my money refunded, I'll go elsewhere. I wouldn't hold my breath for one from Ford.

 

[dollybud]

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.

Dont u mean Ford not GM?

 

[smurfslayer]

Late to the party and I’ll definitely be leaving before cleanup, but...

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.

THIS: is where the problem began. You NEVER leave the lot OR sign until everything is accounted for by either being in your possession or with an actual “we owe” document.

NEVER.
Do you leave duty without pay from pay call? No. NEVER. it takes the government months sometimes to “find” your check and actually pay you. ALWAYS wait it out.

You must not be in any kind of hurry on the day you pick up your car. EVER.

When you drive off without it their liability ends.

THIS! The sales guy is done at that point. There’s zero recourse once you drive off without the stuff and no documentation that you didn’t receive what you paid for.

Your best recourse is the dealership itself, as stated above, they'll want you as a service customer

For 600 bucks and this amount of time I’d have suggested small claims court. Seriously.

 

[highvoltage]

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.

yea no dude it doesn’t end there. You are smoking crack. If it’s ordered with the vehicle it should be there or the dealer needs to get it or refund it.

 

[young at heart]

yea no dude it doesn’t end there. You are smoking crack. If it’s ordered with the vehicle it should be there or the dealer needs to get it or refund it.

Right, as long as you pointed it out before you left the dealership and got a “we owe“. A day later you can’t prove you didn’t get it and you’re at their mercy. They can do the right thing or not, up to them. Pretty easy concept to grasp.

Oh and umm yeah, no crack dude.

 

[roadpilot]

Dont u mean Ford not GM?

GM = General Manager

 

[fishinrich]

Do a detailed Google review.

I have done a lot of these both bad and good.

I have had the ones that I have given a bad review make things right and request I remove the review.

 

[Bikeman315]

Dont u mean Ford not GM?

Post #19

 

[Bikeman315]

Late to the party and I’ll definitely be leaving before cleanup, but...



THIS: is where the problem began. You NEVER leave the lot OR sign until everything is accounted for by either being in your possession or with an actual “we owe” document.

NEVER.
Do you leave duty without pay from pay call? No. NEVER. it takes the government months sometimes to “find” your check and actually pay you. ALWAYS wait it out.

You must not be in any kind of hurry on the day you pick up your car. EVER.



THIS! The sales guy is done at that point. There’s zero recourse once you drive off without the stuff and no documentation that you didn’t receive what you paid for.



For 600 bucks and this amount of time I’d have suggested small claims court. Seriously.

Post #19

Sponsored