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Sigh …

Time for a tale of moving from someone excited about creating a new relationship with a company and one of its products to a household walking away with some serious bad taste in terms of dealing with the firm.

(A brief note: To be clear for a moment: in terms of woe and desperation, this discussion rates pretty low (if at all). There are far too many people — within my own community, within the United States, globally — with serious problems, serious issues. This is a situation of having the luxury of having a problem …)

As some might be aware, I had the chance to test drive a new Ford Fusion Hybrid a month ago. What I didn’t discuss then (planning on future discussions) was that, just prior to delivery of the Fusion, my 1996 Honda Accord came up with a major maintenance problem that led to a euthanasia decision (couldn’t justify a $3500 or so repair on a car ‘valued’ at $1400 with uncertain additional repairs to come). Sigh … had been hoping that that Honda would hold off until a PHEV was generally available, for which the household has been saving for and planning on for a few years, but time to ‘go out and buy’ a car to replace it. (To be clear, this is a big and not casual investment/spending choice for the household.) And, unlike the normal approach of buying used, the decision was ‘new, hybrid’ …

When it came to ‘new, hybrid’, the analysis of family requirements vs options boiled down to two options: Fusion Hybrid or Prius 2010. Of course there were some real Fusion disadvantages compared to the Prius (fuel efficiency fell far short of a Prius (36 highway, 41 city for Fusion vs 48 highway, 51 city for Prius), the storage much smaller than the Prius; the dashboard feedback system was a bit weird in terms of the Human-Systems Interface (HSI); and, well, Toyota’s key system is a joy …). The family reaction to the Fusion Hybrid was, without exception, a strongly positive one. It really was a pleasure to drive and we were comfortable in it. This would be the sort of car where, if going out with boss or friends, we’d be the ones driving as this was going to be a serious upgrading from that beat-up 14 year old Accord. Thus, with some angst about the cost but with joy looking forward to a new car, the die was cast: we were going to be (hopefully) proud and happy Ford owners.

So, the find and buy the new car challenge begins.

After a bit of searching (not a huge amount, mind you), hooked up with Castle Ford and quickly negotiated to a deal for an Ice Blue Ford Fusion Hybrid with a 502 package that they had on the lot. The fully-loaded version (really wanted that navigation, the sun-roof, sigh …): some $30,160 (as opposed to MSRP of $31,940). Set this up mid-day, Wednesday, 1 July, with an agreement to drive to the Castle Ford 3 July to pick up the car and made a deposit over the phone. Cool — excitement in the household.

Later that evening, called in to say ‘hey, we can pick up the car right away instead of waiting two days’ and was told: “[the person] who made the deal with you didn’t have the right to make the deal, he isn’t here right now, and the price will be $100s higher …”

Now, here is a moment to provide perspective. I was straightforward with everyone involved in this process. I told them that I didn’t need to do a test drive because, as media, Ford had lent me a car for a media test drive.

Thus, when told the price was going to be higher, I had a WTF moment. In short, I asked: “Do you agree that I had made a deal with your employee for a specific price that is lower than what you are demanding now? You are aware that I made a deposit based on that lower price? You are aware that I am media, that I already am writing on the Ford Fusion Hybrid?” The answer to all of those was, from the Castle Ford sales person: yes. And, the higher price was the price demanded. Simply put, I’m not that type of guy and told them that their behavior was unethical, potentially illegal, and that I don’t do business with people like that.

Deal falling through … some morose faces in the family.

And, I went looking elsewhere. After a series of looks around the region (and around the country), with some people telling me that I could get a Ford Fusion Hybrid (FFH) with the 502 package from them for $1000s above MSRP and others telling me that I could get a decent price but would have to wait for the car, I found a Green FFH 502 package at Jerry’s Ford and for a better price: $30,600 out the door (tax & tags, but not warranty or add-ons). Called Thursday night, made an agreement to pick up the car Friday, 3 July.

Cool. Family happy again.

Only hiccup … while green looks great, it gets hot in the sun and that heating isn’t great for energy reasons. Hey, Jerry’s salesman, do you have that “Ice Blue”? “No problem. Come in, sign the paperwork, and we can have it to you in a few hours at the same price.” Wow, okay, that’s great.

Now, I told that salesman that, especially because there would be two trips to the dealer and we only had one car available, I would appreciate their handling this as quickly as possible. “No problem, paperwork will be ready, in and out quickly.”

Went there Friday and, well, that ‘in and out quickly’ wasn’t lived up to. After a few hours, including pushing on ‘what is taking so long’, the line back was “well, hope it isn’t a deal killer, but the Ice Blue has to come from farther away, can you accept $178 more and car can’t be here today, but will be here tomorrow.’  Sigh … At that time, getting committed, just said ‘yes’, let’s do this. And, time for a loaner car.

Saturday, 4 July, headed over with better 95+% to jointly sign paper, return loaner, pay, and get the new car. That quick in and out … easily 90+ minutes and, well, car isn’t there yet but should be in Monday, Tuesday at the latest. Sigh … okay. Here’s a $1500 deposit check to seal the deal.

Monday. No phone call. Tuesday. No phone call. Tuesday eve, called the dealer/salesman: “car isn’t here yet”. Sigh.

Wednesday: no phone call. Thursday: No phone call. Friday, better 95+% calls dealer. The sales manager (note, names not being used) stated “impossible that salesman told you he’d have the car by Monday”. Hmmm, the better 95+% really doesn’t appreciate being called a liar and otherwise rudely handled.

And, the saga continues … At least ten times between from the start of this process, we called, talked with sales person or sales manager, and were promised return calls within five minutes.

18 July: We’ve had enough. The process has started to find a 2010 Prius. The better 95+% is happy with that solution and the kids are accepting. Call to Jerry’s Ford to say: are you going to get your act together or do we buy a Toyota tomorrow and, by the way, we will return the loaner car and get the check Sunday? “OMG, how can you do that?” Promise: phone call back within minutes for scheduling the FFH’s delivery. Yeah, right, no phone call.  Sunday, mid-day, call to Jerry’s Ford: salesman, ‘jeez, don’t know if we’ll ever be able to get you the car, can’t get you the check today, but will call you tomorrow and then send someone to your home Monday evening with the check and to get back the loaner car.’

Sunday afternoon, we bought a new Toyota Prius (from a dealer whose salesman dealt with everything quite straightforward, called back within minutes as promised, had the paperwork all ready when we arrived) and, so far, am averaging 54.3 mpg.

And, a break, Ford should be aware that they lost an energy-related maven (and connector) who had had multiple people ask about the FFH and who would have been driving the FFH to meetings like Netroots’ Nation where, it seems likely, many might have asked about the car and had a chance to see it. Lousy (atrocious) customer relations by a set of Ford dealers and Ford has lost someone who likely, for years to come, would have sung praises of their vehicle.

The saga continued for four more days. Any surprise that there wasn’t a call Monday? And, well, Tuesday, a phone message from the salesman received at 9:30 pm: ‘We have the check in hand. We can’t get a driver to your house. We must have the car back today.’ Hmmm … no one there at 9:30 pm.

Wednesday call to dealer. “Well, we don’t have the check yet. But, if you bring the car we’ll send you a check.” Okay, Jerry’s Ford, you’ve got to be kidding.  No check. No car. And, you said days earlier that you already had a check all prepared.

And, well, over 10 phone calls to Jerry’s Ford and to the Jerry’s Automotive Group, with messages, trying to talk to some management other than the rude sales manager went unresponded to. But, an agreement finally with Jerry’s Ford: Despite the promise to send someone to your house, check in hand, come in at 1 pm with the loaner car and get the check, which we already have.

Better 95+% went to Jerry’s, with the car, at the appointed time. Handed over the keys to the loaner (after walking to prove that there was no damage and pointing out that there was gas in the car to where it was when we got it (“That wasn’t necessary. Why did you think you needed to do that?” Perhaps, Jerry’s team, because you were far from fully honest and far from fair in dealing with us … perhaps.)

Okay, ‘where’s the check to repay the deposit which you cashed over two weeks earlier’? “We don’t have the check. Will mail it to you.” Are you kidding? “Do you have proof that we cashed the check? Where is your bank statement?” Are you kidding? Jerry’s Ford staff left a message on our home phone stating that they had check in hand. They stated, multiple times, over the phone that come in with car and they’d give the check. Now that they have the loaner car in hand, they asked for material that they could have demanded at other times. Threat: here is the phone number for the Virginia Commonwealth Attorney: give me a check to repay me my money or I am calling them. After three hours, finally, the check is in hand. That check is now cashed.

And, rather than a long-term, satisfied customer, the Jerry’s Automotive Group has a household that will never do business with them.

Evidently, for Jerry’s Automotive (and for Castle Ford) and Ford, business is booming to such an extent and customers are growing on trees such that decent customer service is irrelevant to the business plan.

And, rather than Ford having a maven who would enthusiastically share experiences about a Ford Fusion Hybrid (to be honest, whether positive or not) for years to come, Toyota has another customer.