Dealer battery disappointment

[JoeonerNYC]

Starks Ford of Queens
New York City.

One of the worst experiences I’ve had at a dealership. Please let me know if I’m out of line.

Car went in for a simple battery replacement. After not being called back on day one. (Terrible service). I was told battery indeed needed replacing, which I knew. Was quoted a absurdly high cost. Told service advisor I had a dealership coupon which promoted battery at 174.95. They clarified saying that they START AT that cost and they couldn’t do anything for me. But said battery was still coming in at 100$ more than usual. A simple google search proves that it’s cheaper ANYWHERE else, but they have my car at this point. Plus another 100$ addtl for programming service. After arguing with a service manager over the phone. I find their dealership coupon I can use from their own website for 10% off service, cost now becomes the regular stealership price. ( still overpriced).

Now when coming to pick up car I ask when I can pick up car due to the holidays. ( i know people want to go home) After calling to confirm. I get 4 different answers from 4 different people 4 different times of closing. All they do is transfer me on the phone. NO COMMUNICATION, NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
What a clown college of a dealership.
At least I got my car back in one piece.

In summary- tried to rip me off for battery, argued and got real cost. Everyone shrugs and says It’s no one’s fault.

lesson learned.

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[Buckbull]

One of the worst experiences I’ve had at a dealership. Please let me know if I’m out of line.

Car went in for a simple battery replacement. After not being called back on day one. (Terrible service). I was told battery indeed needed replacing, which I knew. Was quoted a absurdly high cost. Told service advisor I had a dealership coupon which promoted battery at 174.95. They clarified saying that they START AT that cost and they couldn’t do anything for me. But said battery was still coming in at 100$ more than usual. A simple google search proves that it’s cheaper ANYWHERE else, but they have my car at this point. Plus another 100$ addtl for programming service. After arguing with a service manager over the phone. I find their dealership coupon I can use from their own website for 10% off service, cost now becomes the regular stealership price. ( still overpriced).

Now when coming to pick up car I ask when I can pick up car due to the holidays. ( i know people want to go home) After calling to confirm. I get 4 different answers from 4 different people 4 different times of closing. All they do is transfer me on the phone. NO COMMUNICATION, NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
What a clown college of a dealership.
At least I got my car back in one piece.

In summary- tried to rip me off for battery, argued and got real cost. Everyone shrugs and says It’s no one’s fault.

lesson learned.

It's only a lesson for you since you failed to mention the dealership name.

 

[JoeonerNYC]

name added!

It's only a lesson for you since you failed to mention the dealership name.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

It sucks that you had to do all that just to be treated fairly. WTAF?

Good dealers are out there and are worth their weight in gold - I’ve found two - one up at my cottage; the other in downtown Toronto. I recently moved to a small city outside of Toronto and I’m hoping the dealer here is also good. If not, I’ll gladly drive the hour and a half to Toronto or wait until I’m up at the cottage and can visit my hometown Ford dealer.

These clowns showed their true colours at the start of the pandemic and started gouging everyone on price. Now, they are all very busy and every single owner of a dealership is making boatloads of money - boatloads - every single one, especially the dealers in the large markets like NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Toronto. If you are not happy, they don’t deserve your business and you should take your business elsewhere if you can.

All that crap over a battery they know you can get at Costco way cheaper - idiots. I’m glad you called them out on it. ?

 

[JesseS]

I replaced my battery and reset the BMS myself, I refuse to take my truck to the dealer for what he laughingly calls 'service, if I can't do it myself I have a independent shop that is good, and fair.

 

[airline tech]

$100.00 programming fee (Ouch) for a simple BMS Reset, hopefully that was with a Free install and not an additional charge, as it takes less than 5 minutes to do that Reset and most of that time is hooking up and connecting FDRS.
I can understand a Dealer - $100 for battery install as it is tying up a service bay but can be done for FREE at any Autoparts store, but however I doubt they will perform the BMS Reset procedure.
I truly hope that this was a (We will install it for free, but we need to charge you for programming)
This I can understand - a play on words with making money, but understandable as it is a business.

 

[JoeonerNYC]

$100.00 programming fee (Ouch) for a simple BMS Reset, hopefully that was with a Free install and not an additional charge, as it takes less than 5 minutes to do that Reset and most of that time is hooking up and connecting FDRS.
I can understand a Dealer - $100 for battery install as it is tying up a service bay but can be done for FREE at any Autoparts store, but however I doubt they will perform the BMS Reset procedure.
I truly hope that this was a (We will install it for free, but we need to charge you for programming)
This I can understand - a play on words with making money, but understandable as it is a business.

Totally. I understand money needs to be made. at this point it’s a matter of principle.
Now I have to find a new dealership.
Imagine I had a real problem.

But the fact that I had to argue to get to the regular rip off rate is the kicker. They did drop it to 50$ programing after complaining. With free install if battery is purchased which again, Another argument.
It would be $190 diagnosis fee if I walked. So I was stuck.

 

[ControlNode]

I replaced my battery and reset the BMS myself, I refuse to take my truck to the dealer for what he laughingly calls 'service, if I can't do it myself I have a independent shop that is good, and fair.

I do the same, Forscan can to the reset easily. I think I can even to that task with Forscan Lite on my phone.

 

[JoeonerNYC]

Well I can tell you I’m def doing the battery myself from now on. That was a wild ride.

 

[dtech]

Hindsight but it may have been in your new batteries best interest to have have them raise the SOC level to 90% or whatever arbitrary SOC level you decide upon - you can read threads on here. I choose to disco the BMS entirely however if you use ASS you'll need the bms connected, if one drives in stop and go traffic it will reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

 

[dtech]

Well I can tell you I’m def doing the battery myself from now on. That was a wild ride.

Personally I think not resetting the bms is not going to matter much in the long run, but leaving the SOC at 70% will shorten your battery lifespan.

 

[JoeonerNYC]

Actually
Looking at this to use with my iPhone. And be able to do it myself.


OBDLink MX+ OBD2 Bluetooth Scanner for iPhone, Android, and Windows

Im taking a hands on approach.

 

[Chris M]

I still don't understand the BMS reset thing. What does it really do? And why should we have to pay to have it done, whether by tech or forscan or anyone else?

 

[GhostStrykre]

lol i literally just changed by battery out and didn't do any BMS reset.. i've never heard of a BMS reset. what i googled says there's a procedure to reset it without forscan:
1. Turn key on but don't start
2. Flash high beam headlights 5 times. (Usually pull back on signal light lever)
3. Hit brakes 3 times
4. Watch for battery light to start flashing
That's all there is to it

i've had the new battery in for like 4 days.. did i do some harm to it by not resetting the BMS???

 

[GhostStrykre]

I still don't understand the BMS reset thing. What does it really do? And why should we have to pay to have it done, whether by tech or forscan or anyone else?

Chris, since you and i seemed equally vexed on this topic, i found this older thread:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/reset-bms.27283/

sounds like the manual steps i mentioned above may or may not work on the ranger. but there's a good discussion in the linked thread that answers a lot of our questions.

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