Did I just get ripped off?

[Jivor]

Essential Ford dealership in Stuart FL charged me $399 for "ceramic coating"; I tried to get them to remove it (and $199 for an ETCH) from the purchase price, but they refused. It was an ordered car, so as far as they were concerned, since I had my own financing and had already negotiated off over $1000 in additional add-ons, they were perfectly happy to let me walk and sell off my car to another sucker with the add-ons and financing to get them a fatter profit. It was clear that the coating was badly applied, with excess white material over all the windows, doors, trunk, and hood weather seals and some of the body work. The coating was useless, repelling water for maybe a few days and leaving residue on the windows even now after 2 months; I'm sure that legally, the application counted as "ceramic coating" but was so substandard that it was a joke. It is a rip off and many dealerships seem to engage in this chicanery.

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[steveo1960]

Essential Ford dealership in Stuart FL charged me $399 for "ceramic coating"; I tried to get them to remove it (and $199 for an ETCH) from the purchase price, but they refused. It was an ordered car, so as far as they were concerned, since I had my own financing and had already negotiated off over $1000 in additional add-ons, they were perfectly happy to let me walk and sell off my car to another sucker with the add-ons and financing to get them a fatter profit. It was clear that the coating was badly applied, with excess white material over all the windows, doors, trunk, and hood weather seals and some of the body work. The coating was useless, repelling water for maybe a few days and leaving residue on the windows even now after 2 months; I'm sure that legally, the application counted as "ceramic coating" but was so substandard that it was a joke. It is a rip off and many dealerships seem to engage in this chicanery.

I asked a local detailer who works on some very high end cars about the dealer installed ceramic coating and he told me to never do it because it can be difficult to remove and it's probably applied by the lowest paid employee at the dealership meaning it will do more harm than good. Hopefully your windows will clear up over time.

 

[horned-toad]

speaking of' 'D-Fence GPS' Ourisman Lexus of Rockville installs IKon GPS tracker on every car new and used and says they can't take if off. It's just a small plug in your OBD port to which they may have run a battery line, and fished an antenna wire into the dash. They brand it on the buyers order as "ourisman connect".

But the service fee is $999 for 3 years. Now the dealer using it for asset location management and theft recovery is just fine. But to foist it onto the buyer is despicable.

If you want a heartattack read Ikon's privacy policy.

partial list of participating dealers
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...OTM4ODI1NTYyMg==:S:ANO1ljIODrw&hl=en_US&gl=US

I used to work for a leading company that created these devices and wrote the software. Our customerbase was utilities and civil agencies and road furniture, but we did license the technology to others...

Anyhow after the 2nd time I stood up to leave before closing the deal, the mgr relented and struck the line item.

 

[2024S650]

speaking of' 'D-Fence GPS' Ourisman Lexus of Rockville installs IKon GPS tracker on every car new and used and says they can't take if off. It's just a small plug in your OBD port to which they may have run a battery line, and fished an antenna wire into the dash. They brand it on the buyers order as "ourisman connect".

But the service fee is $999 for 3 years. Now the dealer using it for asset location management and theft recovery is just fine. But to foist it onto the buyer is despicable.

If you want a heartattack read Ikon's privacy policy.

partial list of participating dealers
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...OTM4ODI1NTYyMg==:S:ANO1ljIODrw&hl=en_US&gl=US

I used to work for a leading company that created these devices and wrote the software. Our customerbase was utilities and civil agencies and road furniture, but we did license the technology to others...

Anyhow after the 2nd time I stood up to leave before closing the deal, the mgr relented and struck the line item.

Wow, I bought a new ES300 UL there in 2022 and it was one of the easiest deals ever at a time when local Lexus dealers were adding 5k min the sold at straight MSRP and nothing at all added. Greed is detrimental.

 

[scainerrt]

I just bought a 2024 Mustang GT Premium. I opted for the ceramic coat protection while sitting at the dealership signing the papers. They took the car out back and said it would be about 30-45 minutes to apply it but I could drive it immediately after.

My question is: is that enough time to ACTUALLY apply it or was it, likely, already on it and they deceived me into paying for what they had already put in it? Did they even put it on at all?

It was over a grand to have it put on at the dealership.
Something seems fishy.

You definitely got ripped off. I only paid $1000 to have my wife's 2022 GMC Sierra 2500 HD Denali Ultimate done at a place that actually ceramic coats it. They keep the vehicle for 2 days and it stays inside in a temperature controlled building. It will cost $800 to have my 2024 Mustang Dark Horse ceramic coated.

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