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Seks
01-22-2014, 12:37 PM
This is a followup to my thread on the ignition cylinder problem:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=378106

We called up Northstar Ford and the quote I got to fix the issue was ~$450. Got the car towed to Northstar Ford about noon. Service advisor said to leave the car there and a tech will assess and look at it, and will call us back if there is anything else that needs to be done. 3 hrs later, we got the call that the cost will now be $850 and told us the extra things that needed to be done. Of course we were like wtfuck in our minds. We told the service advisor to not have any work done on it and that we are going to leave the car on their lot overnight and decide by the next day.

The next morning, after some discussion, we decided not to have the work done by Northstar so we informed NOrthstar over the phone of it. We looked up for locksmiths on google, called Calgary Lock and Safe and we got a quote for $200ish and to get the car towed to their shop. So we called AMA for towing service. Was told up to a 14 hr wait (it was -3C that day or so). We decided to wait. but in the mean time, we dropped by Northstar. We bumped into the service assistant manager. He printed out the quote and explained why it was now $850 (the original service advisor was now there too)

Remove existing ignition cylinder (involves drilling the shit out of it), 1 hr, $150 labour
Install new ignition cylinder and recode, 1.7 h, $255 labour + $175 parts
Program 2 new keys, 0.5h, $75 labour + $96 parts
Shop supplies $57

Total incl tax $850.

We said NO and that we will have a tow truck show up. At this point, it has already been about ~5 hr wait for a tow truck. We called AMA up again and ask for a list of AMA-approved subcontractors. CAlled one of them up (Tows R Us) and I told them that I need the car to get to Calgary Lock and Safe before they close (5 pm). They said no problem.

Tows R Us showed up. Car was loaded onto a flat bed. We followed the tow truck from NOrthstar to Calgary LOck and Safe. Got there at 330 pm. One of the locksmith guys say to leave the car with them and should be done by next day. We left Calgary Lock and Safe and stayed in the NE to do some grocery shopping and had some eats.

5pm, got a call from Calgary Lock and he said car's done. Totaly suprised, we told them we will show up in 10 min since we were still in NE.

Replace ignition labour $100
New ignition cylinder $80
Total of $184 incl tax

Since I am an AMA Plus member, there's a $100 discount for locksmith service. So I paid $84.

My thoughts and opinions of what happened: since we got the car initially towed to Ford, we were pretty much "disabled" and "crippled" in terms of getting the car up and running. So my guess is NOrthstar decided to take advantage of the situation and added FUCKING USELESS UNECESSARY WORK.

I am looking at other alternatives in spreading my experience about Northstar Ford's insulting and gouging practices so that people in Calgary can hear about it.

nickyh
01-22-2014, 12:45 PM
Here I was thinking they did the work and charged you for it even though you said no.

But honestly, what do you expect when you take it to the dealership? Bargain basement pricing?
As a consumer you are allowed to shop around and get a better price somewhere else but to slam them unrealistically.... come on.

If the initial quote was cheaper - it's probably because they were charging on the parts and not the labour, so a shitty error there, but by the same token you'd be bitching about paying $450 for a job that cost $84.

m10-power
01-22-2014, 12:48 PM
called stealerships for a reason

Hallowed_point
01-22-2014, 12:53 PM
^Dealerships contain the word "deal" only in the name.
They thrive on speed and convenience (oem parts) not
the best price.

JRSC00LUDE
01-22-2014, 01:28 PM
Why did one shop have to recode and reprogram and the other did not?

revelations
01-22-2014, 01:59 PM
Originally posted by Seks
This is a followup to my thread on the ignition cylinder problem:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=378106
So my guess is NOrthstar decided to take advantage of the situation and added FUCKING USELESS UNECESSARY WORK.
.

:dunno: This is almost the norm all across the city - at least you had the desire to DO something about it by bypassing their BS. Most people just give them the money.

CapnCrunch
01-22-2014, 02:08 PM
I think people on this forum understand how dealerships work. I go there for warranty work and that's it. They aren't allowed to touch anything else.

blairtruck
01-22-2014, 02:42 PM
is this northstar ford in ft. mac?
i had a fun run in with the manager there 15+ years ago. had to be escorted off the lot by the police and told not to return. the brand new rental i had for 5+months was on the used lot as soon as i returned it.
pity the fool who ended up with that car.

Thats where my name BlairTruck came from. My truck was locked in the ford dealership and high school buddies called it the Blair Truck Project

FraserB
01-22-2014, 03:15 PM
Nothing that really warrants a "Beware and Avoid". Dealers charge more for parts that are OEM, they have a higher hourly labour rate, charge using book time and go by the book on the repair. Nothing new here.

ExtraSlow
01-22-2014, 04:49 PM
In my opinion, totally normal for dealership.

Xtrema
01-22-2014, 05:02 PM
Originally posted by ExtraSlow
In my opinion, totally normal for dealership.

Yup. Key programming was $300 from Stadium Nissan. But I got the fob and following instruction from internet. All it took me was $15 + 15 mins of my time. Well 20 is you counted watching that video a couple times before I started.

spikerS
01-22-2014, 05:13 PM
yeah, northstar is a Joke.

I went there looking for a new service dept. Tried them out for an oil change and a headlight housing replacement under warranty.

Oil change went fine, but it took them 4 tries, and 3 months to submit the warranty claim properly, and still couldn't and finally just grabbed a housing off the shelf and swapped it in, and said they would deal with the paperwork later.

but yeah, 3 months, and it got nowhere, I had to keep harassing them.

403Gemini
01-23-2014, 06:33 PM
Originally posted by spikers
yeah, northstar is a Joke.

I went there looking for a new service dept. Tried them out for an oil change and a headlight housing replacement under warranty.

Oil change went fine, but it took them 4 tries, and 3 months to submit the warranty claim properly, and still couldn't and finally just grabbed a housing off the shelf and swapped it in, and said they would deal with the paperwork later.

but yeah, 3 months, and it got nowhere, I had to keep harassing them.


You finding success with any other the other dealerships for service? (Just want to make a list if/when i need service with my edge)

spikerS
01-23-2014, 06:43 PM
Originally posted by 403Gemini



You finding success with any other the other dealerships for service? (Just want to make a list if/when i need service with my edge)

Not yet no. I love my truck, but I am hating Ford Service Departments.

Last one I went to was Cam Clark Ford in Airdrie. Just went in for an oil change, and asked for them to bring all scheduled maintenance up to date, which is basically an air filter and oil change.

They asked me if I wanted synthetic, and I said of course.

there began my almost 2 hour wait. Why do you ask? because they ran out of synthetic 5w30 Mobil 1. They neglected to tell me this until AFTER they drained my oil. Took over an hour for NAPA to show up and deliver enough oil for my oil change.

They also swapped out a licence plate bulb ($0.97) without my permission. I would have consented anyways, just ticked I wasn't asked.

The air filter I asked for them to change, didn't.

2 hours later, my bill was $144.

I am not going back.

Graham_A_M
01-23-2014, 06:47 PM
^ idk, try Woodridge. Back when I looked after a vast fleet of fords, I was always quite happy with them.

m10-power
01-23-2014, 11:34 PM
Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^ idk, try Woodridge. Back when I looked after a vast fleet of fords, I was always quite happy with them.

maybe they valued the vast fleet, individuals are a much less desirable typically. YMMV but for me warranty work only, and even that makes me nervous.

Alak
01-24-2014, 12:05 PM
I actually had a good experience with Cam Clarke Ford in Airdrie. When my truck broke down 2 years ago I towed it there because it was the closest place to where I broke down.

They found the problem, fixed it, and also fixed a couple wires while they were in there for nothing. Maybe because they broke them, or maybe because someone takes pride in their job. In any case, in 2 years I have had no problems at all. The only thing I felt I overpaid for was the part they replaced, which I could have easily gotten for 60% of the cost from the internet.


Can't comment on service departments as I do all my own servicing. But from what I've seen, its not usually a licensed technician doing the servicing.

Likeporsche
01-27-2014, 06:42 AM
Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

G-ZUS
01-27-2014, 09:21 AM
Original Post Removed. (Please read the Forum Rules and Terms of Use (http://forums.beyond.ca/articles.php?action=data&item=1) before posting again, or risk getting banned).

AndyL
01-27-2014, 09:39 AM
Mmm spambot goodness

Mibz
01-27-2014, 09:42 AM
Please don't quote the spammers.