I have beaten 3 so far (Pat on the back) - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

retired · 01-11-2006, 02:59 PM

No, this is not referring to a fight. I'm referring to the State, Chevy and most recently, Ford. I want to let people know, that if you have been wronged, you can win, even tho you are going up against someone big. A little history. Plus, I'm patting my self on the back.

1997: Two brand new sea doos (personal watercraft) damaged by a new dock without side protection (i.e. rubber or something else). They removed the dock from the water, thus admitting there was something wrong with it. Report was taken. I contacted my then insusrance co. They told me they wouldn't help me at all because no one ever beats the state; EVER. I filed a claim with the state and 1yr later, received my $500 deductible from them. I didn't tell the insurance co. so they could retrieve their direct loss because of their lack of help. Screw them.

2001: We bought a 2001 Chevy S10 p/up for our son. At 11k miles, the rear U bolts came off the axel and the axel almost came off the truck. Thankfully he was only doing 35, if he had been on the fwy, he and his then gf would have been dead. I found out this was a known problem nationwide (the bolts hadn't been torqued sufficiently). After much help from the service mgr where we bought it and his District Mgr, I got Chevy to buy the car back and return our $3k paydown.

2005: We bought a 2005 Expedition in Oct of 2004. We needed something to tow a 30' Rv we were going to buy and something to hold our grandkids when we went to the River. From the first day we drove off the lot, we had problems with radio static. I took it to the dealer near me (not the purchase dealer due to the distance). They couldn't duplicate problem. When I complained again, the replaced the radio (be advised, reconditioned radios are used, you do not get a new radio, no matter how new the car is). The guy did extensive testing to locate the problem, but couldn't find anything. A week later, still with static, another radio replacement. No help. Next, was a replacement of the glass with the embedded antenna. No help.

I drove 3 similar vehicles from different dealerships and had no problem. I stopped strangers on the road (at lights) who had the same veh.; no problems. Ford tried to blame the lo jack and DVD system, but they were installed after the problem started.

I went to the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint. I won the arbitration and Ford was ordered to fix the problem in 30 days. They failed to make any attempt to do so; never contacted me. The BBB told me to write a reconsideration letter. I did and just received the results Monday. I had requested they repurchase it and base it on the mileage when the problem first started, so they couldn't figure in depreciatation for the miles added over the year since this began. I won. They have been ordered to repurchase the car based on a mileage of 750 miles.

I will not be buying another Expedition or Ford for that matter (this was our first and we actually liked it except for the constant static). We aren't going to get a RV so we don't need something that big. We will be getting a Honda Pilot; reliable, excellent car, better gas mileage and still seats 8 and it's all wheel drive. It will tow 4500 in case we ever get a family boat.

So, yes, it is possible to beat the big guys if you have the facts and don't let them snow you. Stick to your guns, be reasonable and persevere.

flipya · 01-11-2006, 03:32 PM

Retired,

Are you for hire when these issues come up in my house!?

Brickboy240 · 01-11-2006, 03:58 PM

Glad to hear you won.

I, too fought Ford, over my one and only Ford vehicle and won. Apparrently, Ford cannot build a transmission or front end that is worth a damn. I know Ford now owns Volvo, but the two Volvos we own were built and designed BEFORE Ford took them over.

I used to be the biggest buy American car owner in the world. I owned nothing but Chevy trucks and swore by GM. In the past, GMs sedans were sucky, but they DID know how to build a full-sized truck.

Today, I own two Volvos and a Toyota Tundra and wouldn't trade any of them for a fleet of Dodges, Chevys or Fords. Less problems, safer vehicles and higher resale values.

Today, theres literally no good reason to buy a car or truck from the US big 3. None. They are as complicated and expensive to work on as the foreign cars, yet do not have the reliability or the resale value. The Volvo may seem boxy or unappealing to some, but they get good mileage and the only sedans I have ever ran past 300k miles on original engines have been Volvos. I know that if I crash in the old 91 240, I will probably walk away, too.

Then, theres the build quality of the US big 3 - its dismal. Every US sedan I have been in has been poorly constructed and rattled, compared to a comparable Toyota or Honda sedan. The Dodge Ram and F-150 are so much more sloppily built than the Tundra, its laughable.

Glad you won against them....now...go buy a Toyota Sequoia and be happy!

- Brickboy240

ichy_trigger · 01-11-2006, 04:32 PM

man, its so nice to hear the little guys CAN win sometimes. Now you should spend retirement traveling and writing a how-to book

So Flo · 01-11-2006, 04:54 PM

My sister-in-law and her husband are in the process of scrapping with GM. They recently bought a van that was supposed to have the all wheel drive/go-in-the-snow traction package. Somehow a couple weeks after they bought it they discovered that it did NOT have that package in it even though the sticker said it did.

Well, turns out that GM simply said "while it was shown on the sticker, that feature was not figured into the price you paid for the vehicle, so we are off the hook."

To which my in-laws are saying "Uhhh, this is false advertising...we bought a vehicle based upon the features listed on the sticker and since ours did not have what it said, you owe us a vehicle that does have it."

We'll see how that plays out. They tell me that the dealer and GM have been fairly responsive, so I guess that is a good sign.

Caveat Emptor!

**hobocircus** · 01-11-2006, 08:06 PM

Just goes to show that everything costs more and is worth less

High 5 Retired!

retired · 01-12-2006, 01:38 AM

double post.

retired · 01-12-2006, 01:38 AM

Thanks for the nice words. It's been a real PITA, especially the latest with Ford. This problem has been gone on now since Oct of '04.

I spoke with BBB lady this morning and she told me they have sent the paper to Ford today. If Ford hasn't responded within 3 weeks, I'm to call her and she said the arbitrator will be doing something else. I'm guessing if they fail to follow his orders this time, he will be really pissed and order something more drastic than he already has.

She also told me they should be calling me with a value they will offer. If I don't feel it's fair, I should call her and she will order paperwork from them as to their justification.
Can't wait for that Honda Pilot!! Brickboy, good suggestion, but we really don't need that large of an SUV as a Sequoia (sorta like an Expedition size).

I wish good luck to your relatives So Flo.

My book tour starts in March

XD_Dan · 01-12-2006, 05:58 AM

Heh heh....you just thought you were retired. I'll bet taking on the state, then Chevy, and then Ford has seemed much like a full-time job.

Way to stick to your guns!

I work for the state, and had to take them on once. Trust me....working for them makes it doubly tough. I kept getting the same "advice" ..... 'Don't bother, nobody ever beats the state.'
Well, I won't bore you with the details, but I finally won my case. It was a long process, and when the state did agree to pay.....it took them 90 days to cut the check.

As an employee, if the state owes you money....it takes 3 months. If you owe them money...it is taken from your next paycheck.

Anyway...Congrats on your wins. I hope I didn't hi-jack your thread.

SLCDave · 01-12-2006, 08:32 AM

Congratulations! I hope Ford responds in an acceptable manner.

01-11-2006, 02:59 PM	#1
retired XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: S. Calif. Posts: 5,548	I have beaten 3 so far (Pat on the back) No, this is not referring to a fight. I'm referring to the State, Chevy and most recently, Ford. I want to let people know, that if you have been wronged, you can win, even tho you are going up against someone big. A little history. Plus, I'm patting my self on the back. 1997: Two brand new sea doos (personal watercraft) damaged by a new dock without side protection (i.e. rubber or something else). They removed the dock from the water, thus admitting there was something wrong with it. Report was taken. I contacted my then insusrance co. They told me they wouldn't help me at all because no one ever beats the state; EVER. I filed a claim with the state and 1yr later, received my $500 deductible from them. I didn't tell the insurance co. so they could retrieve their direct loss because of their lack of help. Screw them. 2001: We bought a 2001 Chevy S10 p/up for our son. At 11k miles, the rear U bolts came off the axel and the axel almost came off the truck. Thankfully he was only doing 35, if he had been on the fwy, he and his then gf would have been dead. I found out this was a known problem nationwide (the bolts hadn't been torqued sufficiently). After much help from the service mgr where we bought it and his District Mgr, I got Chevy to buy the car back and return our $3k paydown. 2005: We bought a 2005 Expedition in Oct of 2004. We needed something to tow a 30' Rv we were going to buy and something to hold our grandkids when we went to the River. From the first day we drove off the lot, we had problems with radio static. I took it to the dealer near me (not the purchase dealer due to the distance). They couldn't duplicate problem. When I complained again, the replaced the radio (be advised, reconditioned radios are used, you do not get a new radio, no matter how new the car is). The guy did extensive testing to locate the problem, but couldn't find anything. A week later, still with static, another radio replacement. No help. Next, was a replacement of the glass with the embedded antenna. No help. I drove 3 similar vehicles from different dealerships and had no problem. I stopped strangers on the road (at lights) who had the same veh.; no problems. Ford tried to blame the lo jack and DVD system, but they were installed after the problem started. I went to the Better Business Bureau and filed a complaint. I won the arbitration and Ford was ordered to fix the problem in 30 days. They failed to make any attempt to do so; never contacted me. The BBB told me to write a reconsideration letter. I did and just received the results Monday. I had requested they repurchase it and base it on the mileage when the problem first started, so they couldn't figure in depreciatation for the miles added over the year since this began. I won. They have been ordered to repurchase the car based on a mileage of 750 miles. I will not be buying another Expedition or Ford for that matter (this was our first and we actually liked it except for the constant static). We aren't going to get a RV so we don't need something that big. We will be getting a Honda Pilot; reliable, excellent car, better gas mileage and still seats 8 and it's all wheel drive. It will tow 4500 in case we ever get a family boat. So, yes, it is possible to beat the big guys if you have the facts and don't let them snow you. Stick to your guns, be reasonable and persevere.

01-11-2006, 03:58 PM	#3
Brickboy240 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 9,853	Glad to hear you won. I, too fought Ford, over my one and only Ford vehicle and won. Apparrently, Ford cannot build a transmission or front end that is worth a damn. I know Ford now owns Volvo, but the two Volvos we own were built and designed BEFORE Ford took them over. I used to be the biggest buy American car owner in the world. I owned nothing but Chevy trucks and swore by GM. In the past, GMs sedans were sucky, but they DID know how to build a full-sized truck. Today, I own two Volvos and a Toyota Tundra and wouldn't trade any of them for a fleet of Dodges, Chevys or Fords. Less problems, safer vehicles and higher resale values. Today, theres literally no good reason to buy a car or truck from the US big 3. None. They are as complicated and expensive to work on as the foreign cars, yet do not have the reliability or the resale value. The Volvo may seem boxy or unappealing to some, but they get good mileage and the only sedans I have ever ran past 300k miles on original engines have been Volvos. I know that if I crash in the old 91 240, I will probably walk away, too. Then, theres the build quality of the US big 3 - its dismal. Every US sedan I have been in has been poorly constructed and rattled, compared to a comparable Toyota or Honda sedan. The Dodge Ram and F-150 are so much more sloppily built than the Tundra, its laughable. Glad you won against them....now...go buy a Toyota Sequoia and be happy! - Brickboy240 __________________ The top 25% of wage earners in America pay 86% of all federal income taxes collected. (according to 2007 IRS website data) Es mejor morir a pie que vivir arrodillado Volvo...the Swedish Brick!

01-11-2006, 04:32 PM	#4
ichy_trigger XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 8,016	man, its so nice to hear the little guys CAN win sometimes. Now you should spend retirement traveling and writing a how-to book __________________ "The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member2645.png

01-11-2006, 04:54 PM	#5
So Flo XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Wellington, Florida Posts: 12,842	My sister-in-law and her husband are in the process of scrapping with GM. They recently bought a van that was supposed to have the all wheel drive/go-in-the-snow traction package. Somehow a couple weeks after they bought it they discovered that it did NOT have that package in it even though the sticker said it did. Well, turns out that GM simply said "while it was shown on the sticker, that feature was not figured into the price you paid for the vehicle, so we are off the hook." To which my in-laws are saying "Uhhh, this is false advertising...we bought a vehicle based upon the features listed on the sticker and since ours did not have what it said, you owe us a vehicle that does have it." We'll see how that plays out. They tell me that the dealer and GM have been fairly responsive, so I guess that is a good sign. Caveat Emptor! __________________ No Guns, Know Crime. Know Guns, No Crime! http://militarysignatures.com/signatures/member3984.png

01-11-2006, 08:06 PM	#6
hobocircus XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Nevada Desert on a Dry Lakebed. Living in a trailer with thunderstorms looming in the distance. Posts: 3,375	Just goes to show that everything costs more and is worth less High 5 Retired! __________________ Ported V-10 XD9 Service SOLD Tactical XD9 in Basic Black I like to shoot Wolf ammo out of my Hi-Point pistol and rifle.

01-11-2006, 03:32 PM	#2
flipya XDTalk Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 50	Retired, Are you for hire when these issues come up in my house!?

01-12-2006, 01:38 AM	#7
retired XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: S. Calif. Posts: 5,548	double post.

01-12-2006, 05:58 AM	#9
XD_Dan XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 887	Heh heh....you just thought you were retired. I'll bet taking on the state, then Chevy, and then Ford has seemed much like a full-time job. Way to stick to your guns! I work for the state, and had to take them on once. Trust me....working for them makes it doubly tough. I kept getting the same "advice" ..... 'Don't bother, nobody ever beats the state.' Well, I won't bore you with the details, but I finally won my case. It was a long process, and when the state did agree to pay.....it took them 90 days to cut the check. As an employee, if the state owes you money....it takes 3 months. If you owe them money...it is taken from your next paycheck. Anyway...Congrats on your wins. I hope I didn't hi-jack your thread. __________________ XD 9mm SC C.C. trigger job, Custom griptape, Pearce extensions XD 9mm Tactical C.C. trigger job, polished ramp/bbl, DGR, 16#recoil spring, Hogue grip, Magwell Texas XD Practical Shooters Association

01-12-2006, 08:32 AM	#10
SLCDave XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 1,980	Congratulations! I hope Ford responds in an acceptable manner. __________________ We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate. Thomas Jefferson Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

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