Ford Scorpio Forum - Print Page


    
      
        Ford Scorpio Forum
        (https://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl)
      

        General >> Off Topic Subjects >> Main dealers !!!
        
(Message started by: gozz on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 4:33pm)

Title: Main dealers !!!
Post by gozz on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 4:33pm

Further to Highlander's findings with the Freelander man on the motorway services who had suffered a typical "maindealering" set me wondering why I have been such a desperate fool in the past.A new Transit I had in 2001 was recalled for various things,one of which was to have modified retaining clips fitted to the lower ball joints.Eighteen months later I noticed a knocking in the steering,one of the track rod ends had a split boot obviously having been clouted by the "technician" who replaced the clips,muck had got in and the joint was shot,knowing that it would be futile to complain I just fitted a new one from the factors.
The Transit I have now has the 135bhp engine and high train weight for trailering,one morning in the winter I turned the key to start it and the chain hopped off before it struck up,thus rendering it devoid of compression.I bought a recon engine from an outfit called The Head Exchange,in Richmond,despite much promissing and posturing it never even looked like arriving,so HMCS was threatened and eventually the money was returned.Thus, still with no van I consumed a few jars of the black stuff and asked the MAIN DEALER for a quote."If it needs a new head it will be £1800" the man said,I replied that if I had the time to do it it may cost half that,"maybe" said he with a shrug.Anyway I winched it onto the trailer and towed it down there with a trusty Scorpio.
Ten days later they summoned me to collect it,the bill was £2500,when I asked why he said that they couldn't peg the crank for the timing as mine didn't have the access hole at the back of the engine,they had to remove the gearbox,I thought £700 to remove and replace the gearbox was unreasonable,more shrugging!!The next morning when I started the engine the brief harsh rattle from the timing gear was frightening,so I took it back for them to make an appraisal.Two days later I went to find out the score,the man said "it needs a new oil pump". "And after you've done that,what else will you recommend ?" says I,"well you have a years guarantee anyway" he replied,so I asked if I was in Aberdeen collecting a body and the engine busted,would they fetch me back ? he seemed to find this amusing,I did not.
The moral of this story,and many others like it,is do not become inveigled into the clutches of a main dealer,the modern generation of them do not give a toss,and seem to employ what the Yanks would call "retards"
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by Highlander on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 5:30pm

Todays solution appears to be to throw loads of your cash at it until it goes away, they dont seem to want to "fix" anything anymore

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by PJDavis on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 8:14pm

Aye Stuart you're right. But it's because they CAN'T fix these problems again because there is virtually no decent 'Mechanics' anymore! Not Blasted 'Technicians', proper mechanics that FIX things!

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by faffi on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 10:38pm

My Mondeo has had heaps of trouble - tried rectified under warranty with little success, but at least it wasn't my money going down the drain. Still, food for thought.

All four doors leaking - known issue, fixed, one door didn't last a year before needing another repair
Antenna mount leaked - fixed with a new mount. For now. Doesn't seem very snug against the roof.
Rear trunk leaked around the seal - fixed, but cannot say how. Now water seeps through the grommet where the electrical wires goes through.
Fresh air intake leaked - water thrown onto the passenger's feet, fixed by properly fitting the pollen filter seal
Engine quite often doesn't get warm (above 60C) according to gauge - two new thermostats fitted as well as new temp sender to no avail
Automatic viper goes ballistic - no fault found, but really annoying to have them go at full speed inside dry tunnels and hardly at all in heavy rain
Diesel heater rarely worked - overhauled twice, hopefully works now, but hasn't been cold enough to verify
Fuel pressure sensor defect - more even idle speed now, fuel consumption dropped drastically for a short period before going up 50% to its usual high
Brake pressure switch assumed defect since automatic downchanging operates erratic - replaced, no change
Instruments flicker (digital display goes dead for milliseconds) and even reset automatically once - tried fixed to no avail
Climate control acting silly and non-consistent - first temp sensor was replaced, then the whole control unit. Improved, but still not good.
If air flow is directed towards windshield, only cold air comes out even during winter - no explanation found
Automatic function from 5-tronic stopped working, only manual function - new control unit required, problem fixed but still annoying vibrating sound often when set to Park (sign of problem)
Power varies, particularly at lower rpm - no cause found
Consumption varies dramatically under same conditions - no cause found
Cruise control unstable (slows downhill, accelerates uphill) - said to be OK
Revs can suddenly start jumping madly, even in cruise - no cause found
Engine suddenly stops at idle, presumably because it fails to pull power steering pump - no cause found
Xenon headlamp on the right would only stay lit for a few minutes - said to be igniters, costly repair that didn't work, shown to be bulb
Engine braking altering between zero and some erratically and independent of rpm - within tolerances, cannot find explanation but deemed "unusual"
Engine rpm under trailing throttle can go to idle even at motorway speeds or sit at actual rpm or flutter 2-400rpm - deemed "unusual" but no fault report from computer and no explanation
Gearbox supposed to lock up in every gear but slips erratically in lower 3 gears, usually good in top 2 - they guess wear but since car doesn't give fault code, they cannot be sure

There have been other issues I probably have forgotten, but shop fail to accept my suggestion that the "brain" has suffered from all the water intake and has gone corrupt. Apparently, the "brain" is supposed to know if it is corrupt. I doubt that, but what do I know.

The really annoying part is that they have fixed the car for £6000 guesstimate and it's still pretty much the same. Imagine having to pay all that money for so little yourself!

They have re-programmed the gearbox and engine multiple times, with little change. The lock-up issue is the most annoying one, but it hasn't gone any worse over the past 17,000 miles. My guess it's the varying low-end torque from the engine confusing the box.

But also the climate control's lack of ability to keep me cool automatically on most sunny days annoys the crap out of me, although putting it to LO for a bit cool things.

The car is up for sale. Hopefully, it will find a buyer...

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by gozz on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 10:58pm

faffi.
Are you going to buy another Mondeo then ? ;)
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by faffi on Jun 22^nd, 2010, 11:23pm

Not very likely ;)

I doubt my car is overly representative for the model, but who knows. I do know that my first Scorpio 2.9 had similar issues; varying heat from the seats (my Mondeo is also like this), massively varying power, greatly varying fuel consumption, really mad cruise control, erratic climate control. And in the end, the heater fan only ran when it felt like it, which wasn't all that fun during winter, so I sold it.

These two are the only ones among about 20 that I have owned that showed inconsistent behaviour and that the Ford dealer never managed to sort.

I know we're not supposed to swear here, but I hope I'm allowed to say I am not a Ford fan. I do not think they make high quality products. After my first, a MkII Escort, I woved never to buy another Ford. After my Granada MkI, I meant it. Then I caught a glimpse of a Scorpio, and I was sold. So I bought one. Then another one. And I still want a third one. Despite their faults, they are hgighly desirable to me.

The Mondeo wasn't meant to be. I wanted something a bit more special. Actually, I wanted a Scorpio, but my wife felt they had grown too old. Now she regrets it and wants another Scorpio. However, we tried several cars that are pretty rare here that also stands out a little; Jaguar X-type, Rover 75, Chrysler PT-Cruiser and Sebring, Hyundai Sonata etc. We didn't fancy any of them, although the PT-Cruiser wasn't bad. In desperation, almost, I tried a Mondeo. It was virtually like coming home. If you love your Scorpio, you will feel instantly at home behind the wheel of a Mondeo.

In actual performance, the Mondeo has it all over the Scorpio; better suspension with far more reserve for big bumps, much better ground clearance, bigger and more useful trunk (no hinges), ESP, excellent anti-spin that hardly intrudes, better safety, equal space and comfort for all passengers with the added luxury of a 5th headrest and 3-point safety belt. You can clearly feel that one car was mostly new for 2001 and the other is based upon a design from 1984.

However, apart from ground clearance and big bump ability, there really isn't a lot in it. And the loud speakers are far better in the Scorpio. But for me, the main criteria for preferring the Scorpio is the exterior and interior design, which is very close to perfection for my taste.

Sorry, longwinded again. Me in a nutshell...

Title: Re: Main dealers !!!
Post by Mike H on Jun 25^th, 2010, 1:12pm

Interesting!