Ready for a HORROR story about the "Service" department at Don Davis, Arlington? I hope you're sitting comfortably ...
Of course, I should have known better than to go to a main dealer for a service. Nobody I know ever has good luck with a dealer. I have been using Latino's Tire Shop at 1200 S. Cooper to change my oil and rotate my tires every six months for a few years now, and they have always been fast, friendly and efficient. But Ford have been advertising "The Works" special for $39.95 (change oil and filter, rotate tires, check and top-up all fluids, check brakes, hoses, belts, etc.), so I thought I would give it a shot.
Problem #1 - We only have one car, so I have to wait for it to get serviced, so I phoned them and asked them to tell me what day and time would be good to bring it in so that it could get done straight away. They said Thursday, July 3 at 2 p.m. So I showed up on time and was told by Jodie that it would be an hour or two BEFORE THEY EVEN STARTED ON MY CAR! When I explained my situation, she looked at me as though I was a moron for believing my car would be seen at the appointed time, and was disgusted that I was wasting her precious time telling her about it. So I left.
Like an idiot, I thought I would try again the following week, and booked it in again for today, July 10, at 2 p.m.
Problem #2 - I know not to trust any mechanics to do what they say they are going to do, so I had marked my tires to be sure they rotated them and noted that the coolant level was below the "Minimum" level, which I could check when they finished. When the car came out of service - 90 minutes later - the tires had been rotated and the oil filter appeared to be new but, sure enough, they had not topped up the coolant. So they took it back and spent another 30 minutes on it.
Problem #3 - When it came back out, the coolant had been topped up, but I have no idea whether or not they checked the other fluids, the brakes, the hoses and belts, as they were supposed to, but I did not have any more time to waste. However, when I got in and pressed the brake pedal, it made a loud hissing noise, like a big rig's air brakes. I have owned this car for five years, and NEVER heard it do that (and nor has my wife). So back I go inside and ask to speak to the Service Manager. I explained what had happened so far to Lori Panak, one of two service managers, and she looked at me like I was sh*t on her shoe. She did not apologize for the coolant levels not being checked first time, and clearly thought I was nothing but a nuisance for pointing out that my car was now acting differently from when I first brought it in.
After another 30 minutes or so, the other service manager, James Dubois, insisted that the hissing noise from the brakes was "normal," that it was the "vacuum assist" and that "all cars make that noise." When I pointed out that I have owned 10+ cars and none of them ever made that noise, he also looked at me like I was dirt beneath his shoe.
Problem #4 - By this time, I had to get back to work, so I left and intended to get my brakes checked elsewhere, but just as I left the dealership, ONE OF MY HUBCAPS FELL OFF! Before I could turn around to get it, it got run over and cracked. I returned to the dealer, got hold of James Dubois again and he said, and I am not kidding, "Well, these things get brittle and fall off sometimes." By this time, I was somewhat furious and pointed out that their mechanic had just removed all the hubcaps to rotate the tires and that it was infinitely more likely that this one had not been put back on correctly than that it decided to fall off on its own just at this point in time. I persuaded him to get me a new one but, and here's the real problem with this whole story, he also did not apologize for either not having my fluids done correctly first time or for my brakes now making a noise or for my hubcap not being put back on correctly. Throughout the whole dreadful experience, he continued to look at, and talk to, me with disdain and disgust.
My advice? Get your oil changed and tires rotated at Latino's Tire Shop on 1200 S. Cooper. And if you need anything more complicated, whatever you do, DON'T GO TO DON DAVIS FORD IN ARLINGTON.
P.S. I have kept records of all this, so if Don Davis posts a rebuttal, you can safely assume they are lying. read more