Just moaning really.

I agreed to buy a 63 plate Focus Zetec S from a Ford dealership, part exchanging my current 09 Focus Zetec. During the test drive I commented that changing from first to second gear was a bit 'clunky' and salesman said he would get it looked at during the service prior to my picking the car up. When I called to arrange collection he said the service department were replacing some of the gears so it would be approximately two weeks in the workshop. The two weeks were up last Tuesday. I have called a couple of times during the two weeks to check on progress and was told all was going well. I called Wednesday and was told I would have a call Thursday am with a definite date I could collect. No call Thursday am so I contacted them pm. To be told the car wasn't ready, they 'couldn't find' the person working on the car so didn't know when the car would be ready. After no contact on Thursday OR Friday I have now cancelled and have to go through the hassle of finding a car all over again.

And breath!!!

with gear problems at that age I say you had a lucky escape
not buying it . Look elseware :)

Yeah I know, just very disappointed as it was a lovely car. Was surprised as it had only done 4800 miles!!!

Think I'm developing images of the Zetec S on my eyeballs I've looked as so many today.

I agree. Good call on backing out while you could. In my opinion it sounds like they were stringing you along and probably trying to find parts

I'm probably wrong but I thought they might have replaced the gearbox under warranty. Don't know costs etc. but at that mileage and age is stripping it down and replacing gears cost effective?

The right one will come along :)

I'm probably wrong but I thought they might have replaced the gearbox under warranty. Don't know costs etc. but at that mileage and age is stripping it down and replacing gears cost effective?

Exactly what I was thinking! I would ask for a new gearbox anyway rather than had it repaired at that age and that mileage.

Exactly what I was thinking! I would ask for a new gearbox anyway rather than had it repaired at that age and that mileage.

Asking and getting when warranty is concerned is two diffrent things.

If they strip the gearbox down (7 hours labour including removal) and a gear is faulty (say £50 for new gear).

But a new or recon box is £1000 plus then warranty will say repair instead of replace as its more cost effective.

Only way to get a new gearbox is if somethin drastic has happened. I discovered a bearing broke up on the input shaft and it chewed up every gear but the cost of the repair was only a few hundred over the cost of a new gearbox.

Ford warranty always look at the cheapest option until its out of warranty then with the garages labour rate (warranty labour rate is pretty much halfed) then its easier and more cost effective to the customer to replace than repair

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Ford OC mobile app

In my teens I had a 1986 Escort, 2 years old with 50K on the clock. It was leaving one tiny drop of oil on my drive, turns out something from the speedo had broken off and a new gearbox was needed!

I wrote a letter to Ford, they paid for all the parts and 50% of the labour.

It hadn't been serviced by Ford so I don't think there was any warranty on it.

A great gesture, however I am still driving Fords in my 40's and telling people what a good company they are, that has probably got Fords money back tenfold :)

Just a little update.

I got my refund yesterday morning. And today the car is back on sale!!!

I assume they strung me along hoping I would back out and they wouldn't have to fix the problem. Poor bar steward who buys that car.

So I'm guessing it never went anywhere near the workshop and they never had any intention of fixing it. And the salesman and his manager lied all the way, even to blaming the workshop yesterday. If they had been the slightest bit honest ( i know the words honesty and salesmen/ women shouldn't appear in the same sentence) then I would have looked at alternatives, but they couldn't do that. Somehow that would have been easier.

So TrustFord Eltham is a dealership to avoid like the plague. How they have the nerve to use the word Trust is amazing!

And before any salesmen/ women start I did sales for a while and hated it...because I couldn't bull.

Shame on them. That is terrible, some poor person gonna get that car and find them self being told warranty won't cover it because it's a wear and tear part. Absolutely sickening x

Hi Kurt,

Exactly how I feel. I feel sick that a Ford dealership can stoop so low.

I have had good vibes about some of the TrustFord dealers. Just want people to know that TrustFord Eltham isn't a dealership to trust.

I was looking again as I need to go through the whole finding/ buying a car again. Saw a 14 plate Zetec but as soon as I saw it was at Eltham I ignored it. Will never, ever, ever deal with them again.

Just a little update.

I got my refund yesterday morning. And today the car is back on sale!!!

I assume they strung me along hoping I would back out and they wouldn't have to fix the problem. Poor bar steward who buys that car.

So I'm guessing it never went anywhere near the workshop and they never had any intention of fixing it. And the salesman and his manager lied all the way, even to blaming the workshop yesterday. If they had been the slightest bit honest ( i know the words honesty and salesmen/ women shouldn't appear in the same sentence) then I would have looked at alternatives, but they couldn't do that. Somehow that would have been easier.

So TrustFord Eltham is a dealership to avoid like the plague. How they have the nerve to use the word Trust is amazing!

And before any salesmen/ women start I did sales for a while and hated it...because I couldn't bull.

Exactly what i was thinking they would do when i read your first post

Many of these stealers are the same or worse, its not just that one

What really bugs me FOCA is that if they had been honest with me to start with and said they weren't willing to repair I would have swallowed that and looked for another car, even one with them as I would have been impressed that they told me the truth.

Now they have created a very unhappy possible customer who will do anything to prevent anyone dealing with them. I've already posted everywhere I can, mentioning their name so web searches bring it up.

I really can't understand their short term thinking.

Bet their mum's are proud of them..........not

Sorry, I need to refresh more, mispost :(

Edited September 30, 201411 yr by luke.grimbley

What really bugs me FOCA is that if they had been honest with me to start with and said they weren't willing to repair I would have swallowed that and looked for another car, even one with them as I would have been impressed that they told me the truth.

Now they have created a very unhappy possible customer who will do anything to prevent anyone dealing with them. I've already posted everywhere I can, mentioning their name so web searches bring it up.

I really can't understand their short term thinking.

Bet their mum's are proud of them..........not

Its a cuthroat business and even the deposit you paid helps with the cash-flow and might have helped a salesman make his target/ etc

So they got your deposit money, and the interest/ cash flow on it, and chalked up another sale (even though it fell through) - they ay have thought you might have given them a lot of hassle and been a "nit-picker"(so they avoided selling the car to you but still got your deposit money temporarily) - the next customer probably won't notice the fault that you noticed

Lying to customers is second nature to many of them and they would have thought it was "normal" and acceptable ("part of the job") - even when they "cross the line" - they would not have expected to get cought out by you

hope you tell all your friends on social net works about this sham of a garage

Buying a new car takes enough time and is enough hassle even without think ing about getting fleeced by the dealer in the process!

Out of interest, what do you think about the price of the newer Focus vs what you paid for the older one? In 2008 I bought my 07 Focus Ghia at one year old for just over £10k. I went into the same dealer a while ago with a view to p/ex against another one year old Focus Titanium (same 1.6 TDCi engine) and they quoted £17 or 18k. Given its essentially the same car with just a bit of newer bodywork and a few newer gadgets. I don't see how Ford can justify this increase, especially as people's wages haven't gone up 70-80% to compensate. Maybe its different if you're on finance and the monthly payments haven't gone up as much, I don't know. Add to that the silly offer they made me for the p/ex. I decided to run mine while longer now that its depreciation is mostly done.

Hi south bound.

Ever since I started getting car allowance as opposed to a company car and as I change cars I have noticed that the amount I need increases rapidly as I update my cars. But then again the price new is horrendous which is why I go for nearly-new.