15,000km Service.

[FORDTECH]

Ian, I couldn't agree more and that subject alone is a hot debate at my dealership.Bottom line=cheap labour=higher profits=more productivity bonus for the boffins in the office at the cost of poor workmanship.If you've got 7 apprentices and only 3 qualified techs in the workshop,sh*t is bound to happen.But do you think management listen??

[ms700]

Ian, I couldn't agree more and that subject alone is a hot debate at my dealership.Bottom line=cheap labour=higher profits=more productivity bonus for the boffins in the office at the cost of poor workmanship.If you've got 7 apprentices and only 3 qualified techs in the workshop,sh*t is bound to happen.But do you think management listen??

Unfortunately we have the same trouble at our dealerships too.

Management dont listen. Unsupervised apprentices. It all sounds very familiar.

[teebone]

15,000klm Service Today:

Replace both passenger side centre wheel covers. Loose. (Warranty)

Retension oil lines on turbo. Leak. (Warranty)

Recalibrated PCM. To fix stalling, intermittent power loss, etc. (Warranty)

Rotated Tyres and checked alignment.

Replaced Oil Filter

Replaced Oil. Castrol XT 10W30.

Engine Flush

Injector Plus

$330.55

oops - this is a big bill for the 15K service, $180 is more the norm. According to my dealer, the tyre rotation was a std part of the 15k service as they have to have wheels off to check brakes - dont you think?

did you ask for the injector thing and engine flush?

They may have actually done the recommended exhaust & inlet manifold torque tightening check, which is recommended in the manual for the T (along with the correct grade lube) and does takes some time.

Never did get to the bottom of whether they actually did this on mine for the $180 - quote "we did the service to whatever the FMC recommended" but I also got the crap about why the invoice stated 10w-40

[GOLDIE]

Nice to see things have not changed in dealerships since I left them.

Ian

[teebone]

Ian, I couldn't agree more and that subject alone is a hot debate at my dealership.Bottom line=cheap labour=higher profits=more productivity bonus for the boffins in the office at the cost of poor workmanship.If you've got 7 apprentices and only 3 qualified techs in the workshop,sh*t is bound to happen.But do you think management listen??

I would have thought that FMC required dealerships to maintain specific standards (floor space, signage, equipment, systems etc) and this would also include a certain ratio of qualified techs, and that incentives would be paid on the dealership maintaining these standards?

[FORDTECH]

Ian, I couldn't agree more and that subject alone is a hot debate at my dealership.Bottom line=cheap labour=higher profits=more productivity bonus for the boffins in the office at the cost of poor workmanship.If you've got 7 apprentices and only 3 qualified techs in the workshop,sh*t is bound to happen.But do you think management listen??

I would have thought that FMC required dealerships to maintain specific standards (floor space, signage, equipment, systems etc) and this would also include a certain ratio of qualified techs, and that incentives would be paid on the dealership maintaining these standards?

Nowadays you are allowed to have 2 appy's per qualified tech.So even if your office guys are qualified you are entitled to have appy's for each of them as well.Therefore unsupervised appy's=sh*t happens.

[100%]

Just leaves you beaming with confidence at the service you will get at a dealer doesn't it!

[FORDTECH]

At least all the diagnostics is left for the real techs(Sometimes even that's questionable too)

[aaronmihe]

*laughs nervously* You can't trust apprentices to even get your car into the workshop these days...

I could list the number of basic things Apprentices and very 'casual' tradespeople have done to my cars over the years just becuase they're useless/sloppy, but it would take too long and I'd want to kill something afterwards....

A.

[Guest EXR24T]

G'day Ken - Timmy here! Took mine in for a 15K service, asked for no oil change. Asked for tyre rotation - got car back from service and found that they had actually changed the oil and filter (and didn't charge me) but left oil spilt over turbo piping in engine bay. After checking tyres I found that all the wheel studwells in the mags had all been scratched and scuffed, as previously there was not a mark on them from the factory.

Kicked up a stink!! Dealer replacing the FOUR rims!! (But has taken a month to organise replacement rims). After reading this thread, I understand how it must have happened - apprentice with rattle gun unsupervised .......... not a pleasant thought!!

How are your rims looking?? Check the studwells for scratching. I hope you don't find the same problem with your's!

All the best, Timmy