To put this review in one sentence (because it's basically a short novel), Mark from Simi Valley Ford is incredible and I will never go anywhere else to get my car serviced!
Story time: I purchased my Ford Focus SE from the Galpin in Van Nuys in March 2014. From the day I purchased it, the transmission has "shuttered" in between neutral-to-first gear, first-to-second gear, and second-to-third gear. Mind you, my car is an automatic- not a manual! I put myself on the "list" with Galpin to receive a new transmission when they (Galpin) received some in stock. Apparently, they are still back-ordered because it has been three years and I still haven't heard from them! (I personally followed up with them every other month for the first year of owning the vehicle to no avail.)
So, fast forward to last week (December 2017). I moved from the San Fernando Valley to Simi Valley recently, and my car battery died while getting my car washed. I tried to jump the car, but the battery was absolutely destroyed and I was unable to get it to turn over. My boyfriend and I went to an auto-store, bought a new battery, and replaced it ourselves. (Well...he did; I just feel like I deserve a little credit for holding the flashlight.) The car turned on, yay! Until the screen that usually tells me how many miles I have until my gas tank is on empty starts beeping like an injured bird and said, "Transmission Fault, Service Required". Great. I figured that we needed to reset the settings to default (or something) since we replaced the battery. This is when my boyfriend dropped my car off to Simi Valley Ford for service.
Before my boyfriend could text/call me to let me know he dropped my car off, Mark from Simi Valley Ford was calling me to let me know he was going to take care of me (and my car). He explained there was also a recall on the side passenger door's latch- that, of course, I did not know about- and he would replace that for me. He promised to keep me posted with every update until I was back behind the wheel, and he lived up to that promise! It was late in the day (probably about 4:00 PM), so I figured I would be able to pick my car up the following day after work.
The following morning, I received another call from Mark, which is when he explained to me that my transmission AND clutch needed to be replaced. He said he wasn't sure yet whether or not the replacements were under warranty, but it was the first update he received and he wanted to call to give me the update. (Again, living up to his promise.) Within an hour, Mark called me again to let me know that replacing the transmission and clutch were both under my warranty, and that my car would likely be ready for pick-up the next day! YAY!
The next day (day 3 for those of you not keeping track), I received another call from Mark. He explained that while replacing the transmission and clutch, the mechanic found an oil leek! He said this repair was covered by my "extended warranty", and had a small deductible. I tried not to sound too desperate, but I'm pretty sure I screamed, "Yes, please, do it!" Instead of rushing off the phone, Mark patiently asked me if I had any questions or concerns...So, he's obviously a gracious man! Then he apologizes to me (when he's the hero in my eyes for fixing my baby) and told me my car would not be ready until the afternoon of the following day.
Day 4: I was expecting my car to be ready in the afternoon. Instead, I receive a call at 9:01 AM (I'm sure he had just gotten to work) to tell me my car was ready for pickup! Again, I basically screamed, "Thank you so much! See you soon!" I ended up getting a bit stuck at my office and was unable to pick up the car until the late-evening of the day.
But, guys, THIS IS BASICALLY A BRAND NEW CAR!! There has been NO stuttering between any of the gears, the gas I put in it has lasted longer than ever before, and even my breaks seem to have been adjusted!
To make this long story short: I sincerely appreciate that the services on my car were as good as Mark's customer service...which was awesome as well. Five stars!!!!! read more