Review: Northstar Ford (Crowfoot) Service Department

[spikerS]

So after my other issues with Marlborough Ford, I started looking for somewhere new to deal with, and decided to try Northstar Ford in Crowfoot. I have posted the following on their FB page:

I have to say I am incredibly disappointed by your service department. 2 months ago, I came in for my second service on my 2012 F150 ecoboost. At the same time, a warranty claim was submitted for the headlight assembly. I was told it would take 2 days to get approval from ford. I gave it a week, and called in to find out the status, and left a message. It was never returned. I then called in weekly for the next 2 months, and never got a call back. Fed up, I tried to take it to another dealer, only to find out that because the claim was started with you, I could not put it through a different Service Center. I called back today and FINALLY found out that due to the claim being done incorrectly, the claim was rejected. My service advisor also claimed to have never gotten any of the 8 or 9 messages I left asking for the status of my claim. I asked at this point if I could then goto a different service department, and was told no. I made the analogy that I was hogtied, and was told yes i was. I then had to drive across Calgary again so that someone could take some more photos with their cell phone, which by the way were not taken as described by the service advisor said they should be, so don't be surprised when the claim gets denied again. Based on my service experience, I don't trust your service department, I don't feel valued, I feel that the people expected to service my truck are incompetent, and I worry that that my truck is not being serviced properly. I am out time and money because of the lax way your service department operates, and I can't even go someone else.

Does anyone know of a Ford Service Dept that is just heads and shoulders above the rest? At this point, I am willing to drive damn near anywhere for decent treatment.

[Vagabond142]

From people I know, I've heard good things about both Advantage Ford and Woodridge Ford. Also heard good things about Okotoks Ford if you want to drive all the way out there :O

[GQBalla]

horrible.

I have only heard bad things about Northstar Ford.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Sorry to hear that Spikers, if you wanna trade that F150 in and have a Hennessey GM truck built for you we can take care of that, and your service needs :P

[spikerS]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
Sorry to hear that Spikers, if you wanna trade that F150 in and have a Hennessey GM truck built for you we can take care of that, and your service needs :P

If things keep up the way they are, we may end up talking. I love my F-150 and the Ecoboost, but if I can't get some decent after sales support, I may have to check out what GM has to offer.

here is the link to the post on their page.

https://www.facebook.com/NorthStarFo...Canada?fref=ts

[roll_over]

Ginger girl dislikes as much as the sun

[kvg]

My cousin worked for that dealership and he said that the management also treat their staff like........

Good luck buddy

[Cos]

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[Rat Fink]

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[avow]

Had the mustang in their a few weeks back for an oil change. The girl who handled everything was pretty good. The only odd things were the glove box being left open (no idea why) and the OBDII port was disconnected from the frame so it was just hanging there.

No idea what that really has to do with an oil change

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by Rat Fink
FYI, the approval process for things like that doesn't take 2 days......in most cases it doesn't even take an hour so the fact that you have been dealing with the approval for this long is all on that service departments shoulders. The approval process for stuff like that has gotten so streamlined that the internal Ford website even has its own pre-made forms with walkthroughs on how to do everything along with its own picture uploader so as long as the person taking the pictures isn't a complete idiot then it is super easy. Even as a tech I have submitted my own approval requests when the advisors are backed up and gotten responses almost asap. If I submit one before I go for lunch then I will pretty much always have a response by the time I get back. The key is taking good pictures and having a good write-up describing the failure and it is all a non-issue. I can usually get an approval for a transmission or even a diesel longblock within an hour.....a headlight is a fucking joke.

Last month there were some issues with the Ford website where it was down for a day and a half, and was sort of hit and miss (sometimes being down for a few hours) for around a week after but it has been good since so I highly doubt they can use that as an excuse either.

Wait so for every warranty item you have to take a photo and wait for approval? Over at GM it's like "is it broken? Yes? Is it abuse, damage or modified? No? Boom warranty!"

[spikerS]

Originally posted by avow
Had the mustang in their a few weeks back for an oil change. The girl who handled everything was pretty good. The only odd things were the glove box being left open (no idea why) and the OBDII port was disconnected from the frame so it was just hanging there.

No idea what that really has to do with an oil change

I can at least shed some light on that. Ford has been doing tire rotations with their oil changes, so chances are they were in your glove box looking for your lug key.

as for the OBDII port, they were checking for codes to try and get some more business.

[Cos]

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[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by Cos


but shit breaks so much on GM's that you CANT approve every little piece, it is just cheaper to let you guys fix it than to pay people to approve them all.

Not that that's really that true, but it would keep us busy :P

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo


Not that that's really that true, but it would keep us busy :P

Dude it really is that true... LoL.

In last year I've done about 15 engine replacements on GM vehicles. In the last 5 years I worked on fords, I replaced one cylinder head for a vavle seat That had an inconsistent wear pattern.

I'm not trying to start a flame war, but fords over all build is leaps and bound over GM.

[coachhines]

Originally posted by Twin_Cam_Turbo
Sorry to hear that Spikers, if you wanna trade that F150 in and have a Hennessey GM truck built for you we can take care of that, and your service needs :P

If you're insinuating GSL Chev City, include them in the list of embarrassing service departments. And forget the Hennessey rebranded Magnuson systems they attempt to install. Stick to trying to repair factory issues.

[TurboMedic]

I won't use north star anymore either after a bad experience on my sport trac .... the service manager (Paul) was the same guy I had problems with at northland Volkswagen and service.

[corsvette]

Originally posted by RickDaTuner


Dude it really is that true... LoL.

In last year I've done about 15 engine replacements on GM vehicles. In the last 5 years I worked on fords, I replaced one cylinder head for a vavle seat That had an inconsistent wear pattern.

I'm not trying to start a flame war, but fords over all build is leaps and bound over GM.

I just HAVE to put my 2 cents in here. Right now im looking to replace the engine in a 2008 F150 I bought. Junkyards want $3500-$4000 for a low k engine, sounds a bit high to me so I asked all these guys why........same simple answer from all, Its their #1 selling engine! Huge demand for the 5.4 Fords because they have major issues and are generally weak and have a high failure rate.

Ask about a 5.3 GM...they have tons. A 5.3 with 80k at Empire truck is $1500. Why? Because he has ten in stock, I asked why so many, he said he hasen't sold one in a few years! Yes, the aluminum 5.3's can have oil consumption issues, but with oil they run forever, don't ingnore routine maintenence.

Ford 5.4 issues I see often- Cam phasers, Coils, spark plugs, exhaust manifold cracks, seen lots of them with rod knocks, failing overdrive/revese on the trannys=these are issues I know of, they just don't seem that durable. This is an engine they served up for 11 years, I worked for Ford in 97 when they first came out...they had issues then.

In some ways Fords doing a great job....but not leaps and bounds better than GM or anybody else imo.


Sorry to derail the thread- and to offer some advice on the thread subject- I've had good dealings with Cam Clark when I had my diesel Ford.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Originally posted by coachhines


If you're insinuating GSL Chev City, include them in the list of embarrassing service departments. And forget the Hennessey rebranded Magnuson systems they attempt to install. Stick to trying to repair factory issues.

Boohoo, we sell tons of "Hennessey" builds because they come with warranty, and customers like them.

[Rat Fink]

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