FordExcursions.com Forums
E. Long
 
 |
• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
|
• Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
|
• 2,229 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
 Posted:6/27/2005 00:53 |
|
|
While not an install article, this is a thread for club members to post good/bad experiences for other members to read up on. Ideally, this thread will help Excursion owners identify the dealerships in their area that are best for servicing their vehicles.
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
|
E. Long
|
• Subscriber since 1/1/2001 |
|
• Atlanta, GA, USA |
|
• Registered on 1/23/2001 |
|
• 2,229 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
|
Posted:6/27/2005 01:07 |
|
|
I'll outline my experience with dealerships in the Minneapolis/Twin Cities, MN area. There are several dealerships, and I've been to a handful of them:
Boyer Ford Trucks
Minneapolis, MN
35W & Stinson
http://www.boyerford.com
By far, the best dealership I've taken my Excursion to. These guys deal with fleet vehicles and have very knowledgable diesel technicians on staff. They also run late-night shifts and have the service department open until 12AM on weekdays. I've always been able to count on them to get it done right the first time. They have a shuttle service which makes dropping off the vehicle before work a good option. I highly recommend Boyer, they are my #1 choice. The downside to them is that their service managers see so many people/vehicles that they never seem to remember you.
Tousley Ford
White Bear Lake, MN
White Bear Lake & 694
http://www.tousleyford.com
I purchased my X from them. Never had a problem with their service department, although I never brought the Excursion in for anything major other than simple warranty work and routine maintenance. Stopped going to them because I moved further away. Their new vehicle pricing is very nice -- they list everything at MSRP but will always give you a better deal.
American Ford
Bloomington, MN
494 & France
Very incompetent diesel techs (back in 2001) who mistakenly replaced my rear main seal twice when it was just a leaking turbo o-ring seal that was leaking down the backside of the engine. Replaced the rear main twice over a period of 1 month. Never did get it fixed correctly from them. They deal more in performance vehicles like Saleen, Roush, etc. and normally do not have many trucks on their lot. I would not recommend them for servicing your Excursion at all.
Eide Ford
Bismarck, ND
Expressway & 9th
http://www.eideford.com
Great old-time diesel tech (in 2001) who correctly identified my oil leak. Always fixed my X correctly the first time. Any trip to Eide is rarely planned as they are out of state and located by the in-laws. Very friendly service managers.
-Eric
'67 Galaxie 500 - 390 FE, .030" over, FE to AOD adapter, disc brake conversion. The Daily Driver.
'00 Excursion - 7.3L PSD, LANDYOT Gen-II Radius Rods, Factory Tech Valve Body, 200K+ miles and going |
|
JohnBoy
 |
|
• DFW, TX, USA |
|
• Registered on 9/3/2002 |
|
• 972 posts |
• 2 Vehicles
|
|
|
Posted:6/27/2005 08:47 |
|
|
In the DFW area I've only visited a few...
and maybe it's just me, but ALL require that you REALLY hold their feet to the fire...
I had to make up word docs and get them to sign a copy as I turned it in or else they would "forget" to put something on the "official" list....
and guess what if'n it "ain't" on the official list, it "ain't" happening nor recorded as reported !!!!!!!!!
Texan Ford on I-20 in Arlington, Tx...
minor stuff done - quick oil change is not THAT quick - but they did a good job with it and tranny flush - parts guys will bargain with you on parts prices if you call them and tell them what you found elsewhere...
Grand Prairie Ford on I-30 - purchasing dealer - svc dept. helped immensely with my 02 buyback that got me the 03... but they need list after list after list to get them to finally do the work... and then they still have not completed or done correctly some of the work....
Peyton-Wright Ford - on 121 in Grapevine...
Had an air filter reminder break off due to the coolant puking (I guess) and they actually scheduled it at lunch such that I did not have to leave it !!!!!!!!!! called when I was driving in, they had the mechanic with the part in the drive thru... shut down, he replaced it, I signed papers and was off in 10 minutes !!!!!!!!!
If they weren't 40 minutes away, I would probably use them exclusively...... 
2005 6.0L 4x4 Eddie Bauer Ex
2003 6.0L 4x4 Limited Ex - traded in (BooHoo )
"The Republicans should back off and let men marry men, women marry women, and legalize abortion. In three generations there would be no Democrats." |
|
LANDYOT
 |
 |
• Subscriber since 11/23/2003 |
|
• Newport News, VA, USA |
|
• Registered on 7/15/2003 |
|
• 1,110 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:6/27/2005 14:46 |
|
|
I bought my used '01 V10 LTD from Hall Ford in Newport News, VA, but all of my subsequent dealings have been with Bowditch Ford (also in Newport News). The reason was not just because I was always quoted a lower service price at Bowditch, but I've developed a good rapport with the parts department there. Bowditch Ford is where I buy the large rubber bushings used in all the radius-rod kits I've shipped.
Our recent purchase of an '05 Mustang got me further "inside" Bowditch, and got me a "straight-line" to one of their master technicians.
Good people, they listen, and they strive to satisfy the customer. Obviously, they want to make a profit, but they know that to grow the business, the customer must come first. They've received the "Ford President's Award" for many years ... consecutively.
I cannot say anything bad about Hall Ford because I've never had them do anything for me. On the downside, the 'Hall" name is on a lot of dealerships in southeast Virginia ... and being such a large group (multiple brands/dealers ... not just Ford) gives some the impression that their only goal is to monopolize. There's only one Bowditch dealer. |
|
CHPMustang
 |
|
• Plano, TX, USA |
|
• Registered on 7/24/2002 |
|
• 1,800 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
|
Posted:6/27/2005 15:24 |
|
|
[b]Jones West Ford[/b]
[b]Reno Nevada[/b]
We purchased our 2002 X from Jones West mainly due to they had the best Excursion inventory of any dealer at the time along the west coast area.The fleet department is way too easy to work with to locate that one vehicle ya want.
[b]North Central Ford[/b]
[b]Richardson Texas[/b]
Our Excursion has only been in for service one time since the purchase in June 2002 and it was for the accelerator pedal sensor which was a TSB.From the time of pulling into the service drive,getting the part replaced and having the X brought back up to us was problem free as one could get. I know I'll be back to North Central Ford in the future for any service that might be needed.
[b]Prestige Ford[/b](Truck Shop)
[b]Garland Texas[/b]
We brought our Excursion into Prestige for the TSB regarding replacing of the D load Firestone tires.The service department manager was friendly and offered us the choice of any of the E load replacement tires which we opted for the Pirelli Scorpion AT's.Removal of the stock tires,mounting of the Scorps including balancing was flawless.I had other questions regarding SuperDuty/Excursions for the service technicians in the truck shop which they happily gave knowledgable answers to.I have no doubts in taking any of our trucks back to Prestige for future service.We also met the Shop Foreman "Bill" and he treats all his customers like family
Bill
2002 Excursion XLT-P 4x4 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
|
|
supercrewjohn
 |
|
• Monrovia, CA, USA |
|
• Registered on 6/13/2005 |
|
• 45 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:7/8/2005 17:22 |
|
|
For Southern California here is the good, the bad and the ugly. First with the positive.
The Best - Advantage Ford - Monrovia California. - This group has an outstanding service department. The service writers are also mechanic and pretty savy with the diagnosis. They also are timely in their estimates of repair. If they say that your vehicle will be ready a 4P.M it will be in your possession either before or right on the money, and they return your vehicle with a wash and a vacuum. I also recently purchased my 2005 for Excursion from JR Luker who is their Internet Sales Manager. He delivered fleet like prices, and managed the whole process of selecting the vehicle, getting it financed, and delivered all with a smile and completely calm stress free expereince.
-Pretty Bad - Colley Ford - Glendora California - This group is generally apathetic towards customers either for service or sale of new vehicles. They have a very crooked finance department that will attempt to embed all sorts of hidden costs into their deals, and if you agree on a price, they almost make it impossible to get financed bystacking the deck and using outdated or irregular credit practices.
The worst - Never go to this Place - Sunrise Ford - I cant really comment on their service department because I was so rudely treated by their sales staff- When my wife and I - who are both Dr's went to purchase the one 4x4 Excursion that was available in Southern California, we were quoted a price over email, and when we arrived in person they tried to claim that the pricing was a mistake, and when we went to get this vehicle financed they lke Colley Ford wouldnt tell us the rate and tried to create unreasonable terms. My wife and I walked out after screaming at the sales people and the finance manager. The sales person proceeded to call us 45 minutes later and continued to argue. Case closed - I hope the readers of this email will never, ever deal with the group unless they are paying cash or have financing pre-arranged through a credit union or some other means.
Average - Galpin Ford - Van Nuys - The only problem with this dealership is that they are so big that they do not really have very much skin in the game as far as getting a deal done. Their service department is ok, and they sales people are polite just not very motivated. Their pricing is pretty decent seeing that it didnt take much to get $500 over invoice without a hassle. They had a decent selection of vehicles and had the capability of doing most customization at their shop.
Hope this helps.
John |
|
kiarasue
 |
|
• Enumclaw, WA, USA |
|
• Registered on 9/27/2005 |
|
• 81 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:9/28/2005 01:44 |
|
|
|
You guys are going to like this. My wife was driving our x one Saterday afternoon when it up and died in traffic.Ever try to push a 8200lb truck? My sons and I got there at the same time. We didn't see anything that would keep it from running. Thank goodness for new batteries. Then it started. So we were all going to go back to what we were doing. The truck ran for maybe 2 minutes and died again and would not restart. We towed our truck to Fugate Ford in Enumclaw , WA. I explained all the symtoms to the sevice writer and left it for the weekend. They called me Tuesday and said I had installed a chip in it and that voided the warranty and ruined the computer. I argued the point as much as I could. I have a programmer but it wasn't installed when the truck died. 10 days later I was contacted and told it would cost $755.22 and it was ready to pick up. I still was pleading my case as I paid the bill. I started the truck up and headed for home. I made it about 300ft of the lot and it did the same thing. They sent there diesel tech over in a minivan with no tools at all. He stood looking under the hood for over an hour while I flagged traffic around. Finally the service manager showed up in a pickup with a chain "how proffessional was that " to tow the truck to there shop. When we got there I asked the manager about a refund for the computer. He said they had to do that anyway and not to worry, there were a few other things they could replace to make it run. I got pissed with that statment. I said you don't go replacing parts till you get it right. The manager said , if you can get it fixed better somewhere else, take it. So I had it towed it to Scarff Ford 15mi away. They called me at 10:30am that same day and said it was fixed. It was a warranted item, the Cam Sensor. I looked at some forums while the truck was at Fugate Ford and everybody told me to have the Cam Sensor checked. Fugates shop said the problem wasn't the cam sensor. It had to be somewhere else because you know when you mess with electrical, it's hard to tell what you mess up. I don't know everything but when the consumers diagnose the problem faster than the Ford dealer there is someone trying to blow smoke up somebodys you know what. I am involved in a charge back with mastercard now. It is in the rebuttle stage now. They took Fugate Fords side because I couldn't get a third party diagnoses. I have copied and highlighted the nesessary parts of the Magnesson-Moss act of 1975. I will keep you posted. Bill |
|
ladydiesellover
 |
|
• Greater Minneapolis area, MN, USA |
|
• Registered on 10/5/2005 |
|
• 8 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
|
|
|
Posted:10/16/2005 21:17 |
|
|
So I would like to add to the info on Minnesota dealerships. Although this is the first Ford we have owned, we have already seen the bad and the good.
Tousley Ford
White Bear Lake, MN
White Bear Lake & 694
http://www.tousleyford.com
My husband purchased my X from these people for me, sight unseen. The price was good, however, their ability to handle the paperwork was less than stellar. I’ve worked for a dealership and have had to do that paperwork as well as warranty paperwork, so I know what it is all about and these people are clueless. When we went to pick up the truck, I was ready to walk and take my chances with my high mileage Suburban on repairs and they could sit with the truck. Ultimately the deal was done and I took possession of the X. Then, even though it is a haul of a drive from our place up there (40 miles one way), I tried twice to deal with the service department. It seemed only right since they were the dealership we purchased the truck from, but twice was enough for me. I will do my best to never return to that place, nor will I ever recommend them to anyone for sales or service, in fact, I will urge them to stay away at all costs.
Apple Ford of Shakopee, MN
Shakopee, MN
Marschall Rd & 169
www.applefordofshakopee.net
This location was recommended to me by the service representative at the dealership that I used to take my Suburban to. This dealership works very hard to take care of me, although I sometimes have to remind them of some issues and double-check them on stuff. The main thing is that they listen to what my issues are and make every effort to find and solve the problem. Another plus is that they have hours that I can live with and tolerate my needing to leave town at a moments notice. They will bend over backwards to accommodate my needs if I get a call to go on an assignment and need to have something done before I leave. At this point, I will continue to use them for my repair needs and will gladly recommend them to others.
ladydiesellover
2004 X Limited. Medium Gray Metallic, 4x4, 6.0L Diesel, DVD, LimitedSlip Differential, HD Tow Group, Transfer Case Skid Plate, Radius Rods, Remote Starter, Magnum Hitch, Nitto Terra-Graplers, Running Boards Removed, Large Payments. |
|
walt bowman
 |
|
• minneapolis, MN, USA |
|
• Registered on 12/21/2004 |
|
• 8 posts |
|
|
|
|
Posted:10/23/2005 23:47 |
|
|
Here's my experiece in Minnesota -
Mills Ford - Brainerd. I was in town on other business, and I had a door moulding that didn't fit right on my '03 X. I pulled it into the service area. I was without a doubt the cleanest and most well lit service area I have ever seen. I had 3 service writers looking at the moulding immediately. In short order one of the techs came over and worked on the moulding, putting it back in place. I was in and out in about 15 minutes. I was impressed. 2 thumbs up for Mills Ford!
Boyer Ford - Minneapolis. Like most, at 33k miles my brakes were warped. I took it to Boyer Ford in Minneapolis because I wanted to wait while it was repaired plus I used to pick up parts from Boyer Ford for an parts store I worked at years ago, so I knew Boyer is the main Ford truck parts supplier in the Twin Cities. I was in an out in 2 1/2 hours. They didn't resurface my front rotors - they replaced them! Tech said there wouldn't be much left if they were machined, so they put on new rotors. I don't know if other dealers would have done it that way, especially if they didn't have rotors on hand, which of course Boyer Ford did. So, I give Boyer 2 thumbs up! |
|
|
|
