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CarID Bait-N-Switch Scam

Porpoise Hork

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A little back story for you. My 2020 Ranger Lariat only came with four bed tie-downs. Wanting to add another pair since the bed has provisions for it I went searching for the parts. I was astounded when I found them as being priced at $26 or more. Not really wanting to pay that much for them, especially when just a few short months ago they had been under $6.00 at the dealer. So I went a spelunking for them to find the best deal where I located them as advertised for $9.47 each. Still rather high for what they are, but hey, it's cheaper than $26+ right? So I ordered a pair of them and went about my day. A few days pass and I receive this email from CarID...

CarId Scam.webp



They claim that these tie-down bars, that are nothing more than a piece of bar stock with 4 bends and a couple holes in them should be a whopping $46.42 EACH!!! They actually wanted me to pay an additional $73.36 for these things. This is despite the fact that their website at the time and still at the time of posting has them clearly marked at $9.74!!!

https://www.carid.com/ford-oe/rear-tie-down-hook-mpn-kb3z21550a74a.html?singleid=2549880968

Ford Tie Down.webp


So I called in and spent close to 45 minutes on the phone with them attempting to get the phone rep to understand the concept of Bait-n-Switch as well as getting a supervisor or manager on the phone about the issue. The rep after placing me on the third lengthy hold claiming she spoke with a supervisor instead of escalating the call as I had requested no less than 5 times, stated that they looked into the available margin for these and would not be able to sell them at the clearly marked price. She then proceeded to ask me if I was willing to pay additional $52.45 as they are priced at $35.96 each. Not the $9.74 as marked OR the $46.42 that was stated in the email.. As far as I can tell they are simply pulling random dollar amounts out of their collective butts and hope that people will just say sure while they drool on themselves after expending the minuscule available mental faculties to determine if said item is worth the additional money.

Needless to say I told the rep what I though of that and where they could collectively stuff it and canceled the order as well as contesting the charge on my CC as well.

I guess I'll pull one of my other tie-down bars off and see if I can find something that matches the bolt hole distance at the local hardware store, Or make a pair of them out of some bar stock, a bench-vice, and a drill...
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mtsoxfan

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After 2 visits to that website, I have determined that they are overpriced anyway. Sucks that they pulled that on you...
 

lawrench

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A little back story for you. My 2020 Ranger Lariat only came with four bed tie-downs. Wanting to add another pair since the bed has provisions for it I went searching for the parts. I was astounded when I found them as being priced at $26 or more. Not really wanting to pay that much for them, especially when just a few short months ago they had been under $6.00 at the dealer. So I went a spelunking for them to find the best deal where I located them as advertised for $9.47 each. Still rather high for what they are, but hey, it's cheaper than $26+ right? So I ordered a pair of them and went about my day. A few days pass and I receive this email from CarID...

CarId Scam.JPG



They claim that these tie-down bars, that are nothing more than a piece of bar stock with 4 bends and a couple holes in them should be a whopping $46.42 EACH!!! They actually wanted me to pay an additional $73.36 for these things. This is despite the fact that their website at the time and still at the time of posting has them clearly marked at $9.74!!!

https://www.carid.com/ford-oe/rear-tie-down-hook-mpn-kb3z21550a74a.html?singleid=2549880968

Ford Tie Down.JPG


So I called in and spent close to 45 minutes on the phone with them attempting to get the phone rep to understand the concept of Bait-n-Switch as well as getting a supervisor or manager on the phone about the issue. The rep after placing me on the third lengthy hold claiming she spoke with a supervisor instead of escalating the call as I had requested no less than 5 times, stated that they looked into the available margin for these and would not be able to sell them at the clearly marked price. She then proceeded to ask me if I was willing to pay additional $52.45 as they are priced at $35.96 each. Not the $9.74 as marked OR the $46.42 that was stated in the email.. As far as I can tell they are simply pulling random dollar amounts out of their collective butts and hope that people will just say sure while they drool on themselves after expending the minuscule available mental faculties to determine if said item is worth the additional money.

Needless to say I told the rep what I though of that and where they could collectively stuff it and canceled the order as well as contesting the charge on my CC as well.

I guess I'll pull one of my other tie-down bars off and see if I can find something that matches the bolt hole distance at the local hardware store, Or make a pair of them out of some bar stock, a bench-vice, and a drill...
If they did that, monitor your credit card to see if they actually credit your account. I would also make a complaint to your State Attorney Generals office.
 
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Porpoise Hork

Porpoise Hork

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If they did that, monitor your credit card to see if they actually credit your account. I would also make a complaint to your State Attorney Generals office.
My CC has already reversed the charges and credited my account. Gotta love Amex. They make it super easy to handle issues like this. Called them up and reported the issue and they said not to worry and immediately took care of it. As for the refund, they said if/when it comes in from CarID they will process it internally and there's nothing more I need to do on it.

As for reporting it to the AG, the dollar amount is so low that I doubt they would do anything about it. I might file a complaint about it, but the jury is still out on that.
 

Jbroke

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That site always seemed sketchy to me as well as is overpriced.
 


Toytec

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Looks like we missed the boat on the (much) cheaper prices on those. As I recently ordered them and bit the bullet on the high cost now. Yes, I checked around and the best deal I could find was on this site.
Chalk it up for supply and demand.
 

tgRanger

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Guess I was one of the lucky ones.. I purchased a Bedrug XLT bedmat from them over the Memorial Day weekend. They were priced around the same as everyone selling them online only they were the only ones able to give me a discount.. It normally sells for $203.00, they gave me a 10% discount making it $182.70, with tax it came to $194.80 and shipping was free. It arrived within a few days in perfect condition.. Maybe I’ll stay away from them In the future but overall I didn't have a bad experience and got a beautiful Bedmat.

EA4233B0-8E07-448B-8FBC-9D40420E18C7.jpeg
 

VoodooRanger

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Sucks you had to go through such a mission to buy something that the manufacturer should have provided in the first place. I called my purchase dealer about it(they are two hours away), they said I would be better off visiting my local FORD dealer, and having them try to write it up as a warranty issue.

I wish FORD would do the right thing here and provide the tie-downs.
 

VAMike

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Sucks you had to go through such a mission to buy something that the manufacturer should have provided in the first place. I called my purchase dealer about it(they are two hours away), they said I would be better off visiting my local FORD dealer, and having them try to write it up as a warranty issue.
There's a service bulletin out that tells dealers that ford will not add these under warranty as it was an intentional change. Some dealers do it anyway either because they are willing to eat the cost or because they didn't read the memo (like your purchase dealer) and presumably end up eating the cost anyway when ford refuses to pay for it. Unless your local dealer is an idiot or unusually generous you won't get any free ones from them. (Some people sweet talk their dealers out of them, but the idea that you can sweet talk a freebie from a dealer you didn't even buy the truck from seems like a stretch.) Given the seeming supply issues I'd personally just wait a bit until the next batch comes in and order some then unless you really really need them right now.
 

NickTheEnforcer

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go to a boat or 4x4 shop and pick up 'generic' ones...take to your local rhino liner or similar guy as ask for a deal to shoot the next time he does a truck bet etc.. problem solved. everyone's got their hand out try'n to take our money, its sickening.
 
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Porpoise Hork

Porpoise Hork

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go to a boat or 4x4 shop and pick up 'generic' ones...take to your local rhino liner or similar guy as ask for a deal to shoot the next time he does a truck bet etc.. problem solved. everyone's got their hand out try'n to take our money, its sickening.
Not a bad idea. I'll have to stop by one and see what they have and if it'll work.
 

HenryMac

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Porpoise Hork

Porpoise Hork

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Ford wants $26 bucks a piece for these now? :headbang:

In Dec. of 2019 I paid $6.49 a piece for the Tie Down Hook - Ford (KB3Z-21550A74-A).

I tell ya, Ford should be ashamed of themselves. Their parts pricing is crazy.
My best guess for the huge price increase is that they are probably coming out of china and are low stock or now have an import teriff on them so they have jacked up the price.

Either way I cannot bring myself to pay $26 bucks for what is essentially an 8" piece of painted bar stock with 4 bends and 2 holes in it.
 

Dhass68

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I ordered a set of running boards from them and a week after they were supposed to ship they sent me an email stating the shipping was going to be and extra $103 more than what I had already paid.
Needless to say I cancelled the order and got a refund 3 weeks and several emails later
 
 








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