Huntersville Ford

NOT THE SERVICE A CUSTOMER DESERVES. I called 2 weeks ago to set up a visit to repair my driver side door handle--getting out of car a month ago, the door handle (inside) cracked and br I called 2 weeks ago to set up a visit to repair my driver side door handle--getting out of car a month ago, the door handle (inside) cracked and broke, it lost tension, and it was obvious the handle needed to be replaced. The first appointment was today August 1. When I made my appointment I asked how long it would take to repair--1.5 hours was what I was told. I arrived today. I waited a few minutes at quicklane and then was told oh, you have to check in inside. Neither service person was at their desk. Another 5 minutes later a service advisor came and I told him about my appointment. He asked if I was leaving the car. I said no, I was told on the phone it would take 1.5 hours to repair. He said I'd have to leave the car ALL day, they might not even have the part, and first they'd have to diagnose the problem. WHAT?! I pondered my options and was told the DIAGNOSIS (of my known broken handle) was $160--ok I said how about you figure out what you have to do, and once we get that figured out, I can decide what I'll do ahead. I was trying to cut my losses for the time and scheduling I had already put into place to come get my handle fixed. While waiting, about 30 minutes I decided to google broken F150 (2011) handle. A minute later, putting in the model, I found the part for $50 online. Then I googled how to replace a door handle on an F150 (2011 type models). It became apparent to me, everything I was being told was ridiculous. Diagnosis? I didn't tell you my car was making a funny noise; I told you the handle broke on the inside, the plastic piece cracked there is no diagnosis. It needs a new handle. So I went back to the advisor and said hey, I'm not comfortable staying here, what I was told on the phone is not what is happening--I want to take my vehicle and leave. Wait, wait, the tech is almost done, yeah he says your handle is broken. And we do have the part in stock ($115). How much to repair it? $600. WHAT? I'm not an auto mechanic, but I do have 25 years of schooling and training, the video I just watched, MAX, it shouldn't take over 1.5 hours to repair (what I was told when I called to make the appointment. What's the breakdown of $600--never fully got the answer, $115 for the part, tax, shop fees, labor.... Sorry, I'm taking my car. One of the managers, who was present for a lot of this discussion then said what do you think would be a fair price--I said my local guy I'm sure could do the whole thing for the most $300. Somehow, the manager, then said there was some kind of mistake on their estimate, they could do it for $361 (labor $246, part $115, + tax it was $391.12; it took another hour+ from that point, so my 1.5 hour quoted time was now 2.5 hours. So what went wrong? EVERYTHING. 1. customer asks how long it would take to fix handle, told 1.5 hours when scheduling; stick to what you tell the customer on the phone. 2. Don't tell someone with a broken handle you have to diagnose it for $160 3. Don't tell someone they have to leave their car all day to fix a handle which takes max 1.5 hours. 4. Be sure your phone people and service people are all on the same wave............even proposing to me (as the service counselor) that the obviously cracked handle needed to be diagnosed, this is how we do it here.......all ridiculous. Manager told me this is how the techs get paid........really, they get paid and you charge me $160 to tell me what I told you, that my handle is broken. 5. Don't lie to me and tell me that the door panel had to be taken off to diagnose the problem----later they told me the tech said he didn't take the panel off to see the broken handle. Of course, I told you it was broken. 6. Don't tell the customer the cost is $600, not even have a breakdown, then ask them to tell you what they think is fair, and then change the cost to roughly 1/2 the price you first quoted them. Very poor job today. More