15,000km Service.

[Honest Gaza]

Should be interesting to see how long the list is for my 15K service. Unfortunately, I didn't take it for the 3K "complimentary" check-up as the salesperson advised me on the day of pick-up that there was no need unless you noticed problems.

After reading a thread here about what to look for in the 3K service, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to have it done anyway. Looking in the manual showed that the "offer" expires at 4k. I have now done 8k since taking delivery in November

One thing that always gave me the sh*ts when taking my previous car for a service is that the Service Manual was never stamped by the dealership. I always had to take the book in to the Service Desk....line up again....and ask for a pretty stamp. You'd think they would do it as a matter of course.

Oh well....I'm sure there's bigger things to complain about

Honest Gaza

[Turbo6man]

It's not the apprentice's fault - he is only going to ever be as good as his teacher. Even if they start off keen, it doesn't take long for the "lowest common denominator" syndrome to attach itself. They will "learn" to be lazy if they see the mechanics are lazy. I have seen some pretty sloppy so called mechanics in some dealerships where I worked and I wouldn't let any of my apprentices near them. FMC don't give a rat's - it is more important to them that the dealership has the correct signage than carry out high quality work.

I'm very lucky that my local dealer is one of the good ones.

[GOLDIE]

  Turbo6man said:

It's not the apprentice's fault - he is only going to ever be as good as his teacher. Even if they start off keen, it doesn't take long for the "lowest common denominator" syndrome to attach itself. They will "learn" to be lazy if they see the mechanics are lazy. I have seen some pretty sloppy so called mechanics in some dealerships where I worked and I wouldn't let any of my apprentices near them. FMC don't give a rat's - it is more important to them that the dealership has the correct signage than carry out high quality work.

I'm very lucky that my local dealer is one of the good ones.

I agree with this it all starts from the top that is dealer principal down to service manager,forman and so on.

Ian

[ducatijb]

  KEN 24T said:

I asked them to do the wheel alignment and wheel rotation, that alone was $184.00

What did they do, put gold studs back on the thing

Definitely get up 'em over the oil debacle :banghead:

You probably thought the beast was going well thru the hills because you finally got it up to 60kph :lol:

[ktford]

Forgive my mental lapse but aren't many people here purposely running 10w40, is this such a problem for Ken as he duplicates Morgan Freeman's style of driving?

Having just now checked the shed I use 10w40 magnatex which is the same weight my service manager (of over 5 years) told me they use.

Scotty

[sash]

  timmy said:

After checking tyres I found that all the wheel studwells in the mags had all been scratched and scuffed, as previously there was not a mark on them from the factory.

I had the same problem with my Rims too. Basically got told stiff sh*t..... Next service will be at Ultratune.... No too happy with my dealer....

BTW my 15000km service was around $165.00

[BAXR6T]

Bloody Dealers, Let me tell you a story

I took my car to my mechanic (not ford) to have a 10,000KM service because I'm not waiting 12,000KM to have my Oil change. I told him to put if 15/40 but head said to use 10/50 because Turbo's love this Oil. He has been our family trusted mechanic for over 30 years and we have never had a problem with him so I agreed.

This was his report:

Turbo was leaking Oil (take back to Ford)

Rear Diff was leaking (take back to Ford)

Everything else was OK....cost of service including rotate & balance, Oil Filter & Oil $113.45

Took car to Ford at 07:30 (Again for Warranty work)

Got an urgent message from Ford to call them at 15:30. (Oh Sh$t)

Rang Ford back and they said that there was a small problem. My axle was in pieces and they can't put it together because they stripped a bolt pulling it apart. I said just replace the bolt. Ford said there isn't any in stock and on back order until March. Dead silence on the phone. Ford then said even if they had the part they waouldn't have enough time to get me mobile the same day which means I was without a car. Dead silence again and I started to grind my teeth. Calmly I said do you have any new cars on the lot....Yes Ford said....well go get a bolt off it and I will be there at 18:00 to pick up my car. I was meant to pick my car at 16:30 so I could make cricket training on time but I need my car. Anyway I turned up at 15:45 and drove out of there at 15:55.

What was done:

Ford replaced two gasgets in the Turbo (Warranty)

Ford replaced a gasget in the axle (Warranty)

I can't wait for the O-Ring to go (Touch wood...hasn't happened YET) so Ford can pull my engine out and tell me it doesn't fit any more.

I told Ford I don't want any more trainee apprentises working on my $50K car.

So Ken in a nutshell I won't be taking my car to Ford for my 15,000KM service.

Time to lie down

Cheers

[KEN 24T]

Ok, so just rang the Service Dept Manager and explained the little discrepency to him ... short silence ... "no, your right", he says ... "it should have been 15W-40, let me check and I'll get back to you".

Can anyone in the MacArthur area recommend a good, honest mechanic?

... seriously ... :banghead:

[Guest cul08r]

If ANYONE ever tells you not to bother with a 3000k service, tell him he's not a mechanic. The amount of crap that comes out of a new engine in 3000km is amazing. And usually the oil that is used is a different spec to the normal oil they will put in.

Go to your dealer and DEMAND a free 3000k service. That's if you give a rats about your car...

Andrew

[Adam]

  FORDTECH said:

Sorry Ken,but I'm afraid you've just voided your warranty by using the wrong oil   (just kidding)

There's nothing better than telling a dim witted apprentice to completely drain the engine oil out of a car after filling it with the wrong oil.(Yes unfortunately guys these are the people who service your cars and they cant even do that right).But quite right in what everyone is saying Ken,demand they drop the oil and change the filter even if they give you some cockin bull story about their invoicing software(Maybe Windows based).

Also the only reason it's called Gas oil is that the dual fuel and dedicated LPG Fords use the same oil as the T's.

FORDTECH, the story I mentioned about the software program came from....wait for it, wait for it....YOUR DEALERSHIP! Told to me by YOUR DEALERSHIPS SERVICE MANAGER! And as we both know Matthew the dear boy did put the correct oil in my ute!

Maybe it's just not the apprentices that are FU#KING USELESS, IT'S THE SERVICE MANAGERS AS WELL!