davidambro's Blog

December of 2006 I bought a Ford Explorer XLT from Bob Gillingham Ford.  Two months later a drunk driver crossed my lawn to hit it while it was parked in my driveway.  I sent it to Bob Gillingham Ford's Autobody (Dave Zubar).  He kept it for three months awaiting parts, till I contacted www.Ford.com and complained.  When we got it back the computer didn't work right, the gas mileage went way down and we noticed the body repairs were shoddy.  So my son took it to another Ford dealer and lo and behold they found that the clips were missing on the front end.  Also the molding hadn't been glued properly.  They did not give it a thorough check though.  My son rear ended someone and it needed front end work.  Bob Gillingham again did the body work.  We once again were disappointed.  So recently my son took it to the Brookgate Tire & Auto place in Brookpark.  The technician there said that it was odd that the rear rotors were worn and need replacing while the brake pads appeared to be new.  Surprise!  Surprise!  I had suspected the automotive technicians were swapping parts from my truck while it was there and this proves it.  I will never buy Ford again.  My son then made plans to have Liberty Ford in Parma give it a thorough inspection.  I drove there with the truck and waited for my son but soon tired of waiting for him to arrive, I went in and talked to Art.  Art seemed to be against doing a checkup.  He is a technician and doesn't know what checking a vehicle out thoroughly means.  He wanted me to give him some explicit areas to look at.  If I wanted more than that he would charge me $500.00 for a  limited once over.  A very limited once over.  My son finally got there and went in.  Art and his associate laughed at the way he walked, my son has Cerebral Palsy; I don't see anything funny with that.  He told my son the same thing he told me and we left.  My son talked me into going to Halleen Cheverolet in N. Olmsted.  I told him I had been there before, when he was a toddler; and that they are very hard nosed salesmen who will not come down on the MSRP price.  They try to get money on both ends of the deal, on the trade and the sale.  Then they laugh at the idiot who paid it!  Lo and behold I was right again.  They offered me $8000.00 for my 2006 Ford Explorer XLT that has less than 23K miles on it.  I couldn't buy a used 2006 Explorer similar to mine for anywhere near that!  We left and had a nice dinner at Bob Evan's.  American car manufacturers wonder why they are not selling cars?  It is because of two very important things.  First when the sales people refuse to sell the vehicle at a reasonable price because most people are ignorant as to what the car is actually worth.  Second when the auto technicians steal, swap parts and do shoddy work.  Both these two issues are important but neither has been addressed by American auto makers.  I will never buy FORD again!  I told my son about Halleen, and I had sworn before I would never buy from them.  I am glad they helped me keep that promise.   We'll have to live with this vehicle, I have no choices here.  I am on a pension and don't have the money to do any better for now.  When this truck is paid off in about two years, I am going to get rid of it but I will be looking on the internet instead of going to dealerships.  The internet will give me the best deal and I can pick it up at a local dealer.  Saving me thousands.  I hope to be laughing at them come that time.