I had a positive experience leasing a vehicle from Ron Lewis, and even had it in for service and…read morerepairs a few times, but when the time came to purchase it at the end of the lease, everything changed.
It started months before the lease ended, I tried to get some information from them about my options, but could not get anyone to call me back or answer questions. When the deadline came, I called and asked what I needed to do. Dave, the finance manager said "just come in anytime". So I drove 45 min out to the dealer after work one day, but he could not get the computer to work. This appeared to be a problem with the Ford Website, so I was understanding and agreed to come back another day. Dave said to come back before 5 in case there was another computer problem they could call Ford Support. Nothing else was mentioned, and the same "stop by any time" offer was made.
A few days later, I leave work early and drive another 45 minutes out. I call when I am 10 minutes out to make sure that Dave is available. Dave tells me that I should have made an appointment, I need some kind of inspection, and that they can't help me today. I would have to call and make an appointment and drive back again. The inspection is required by PA, but this was never mentioned in any of our conversations before. Additionally, the service department was already closed the previous evening and Dave never mentioned that an inspection would be a problem.
With 90 minutes before the service department closed, I asked if they could squeeze me in considering that I drove out there twice. No way. I talked to the general manager, and was given the same attitude. Nothing he could do except make me another appointment. Worst of all, no apologies for my wasted time and money. No apologies for them dropping the ball and lying to me and giving me misinformation. I was traveling for a few weeks, so I asked for Saturday Appointment 3 weeks away. The GM promised he would take care of it.
Weeks passed, and the GM never called or e-mailed to confirm an appointment. I had to call the dealers service department, and make my own appointment. I asked, and they confirmed that I was not in the system and no appointment was made for me. The GM promised to do one minor thing, and couldn't even do that.
This time, I double-checked my appointment and the availability of someone to assist me and drive back out for a third time. I was half-expecting some sincere apologies, or a personal apology from the GM, but nothing was said. I met with a salesperson, the car was taken to service, and this time Dave got the computer to work. All business, no apologies or offers to help offset my lost time or money. OK, at least I got the car bought.
Afterwards, I am standing in the lobby waiting for my car. And waiting. And waiting. I eventually had to steal a chair from someone's desk just to sit down! You'd think that after all of that, they would at least hurry my car through. It took a full two hours to do a end of lease inspection! And I get to sit there listening to the salespeople using all the classic sleazy sales tricks to get an older gentleman into a car he can't afford. Really showed me what kind of dealership they have become.
In the end, no one ever apologized or made any offer to compensate me for my time, money or effort. Here's your keys, goodbye. Worst of all, taking the car for state inspection at another Ford Dealership showed that some of the repairs that Ron Lewis claimed to have made in the past were just band-aids. The proper parts were never replaced. Now I have to fight that with my insurance company.
If you deal with Ron Lewis Ford, expect high-pressure sales tactics and really poor customer service and horrible attention to detail.
