[AT] Further OT: was Check the grounds now dealerships

Mon Jul 9 09:50:49 PDT 2012

Ken,

I've had better luck with Berge Ford in Mesa too.  It is just a lot further from us than
Horne. I had a bad experience at Earnharts in Apache Junction so I stated going to Berge
and the service department there is allot less expensive, like 40% less expensive for
diesel oil changes, etc and they have a frequent flier program that gives discounts for
regular customers. But.... I've also had two questionably experiences there too.  One was
I brought my truck in for a Ford warranty recall item and they told me it wasn't needed on
my truck. Got back to WA and my local dealer told me it was needed on my truck. The second
thing may be purely my suspicious nature flaring up but after one oil change on my Diesel
Truck I became suspicious of what oil had been used in the oil change.  I have 126,000
miles on my Diesel truck so I have become pretty familiar with the sounds the engine
produces. I don't have to read the odometer to know when an oil change is due. I can hear
it. I'm usually within 200 miles of the odometer.  After one particular oil change at
Berge the engine was telling me an oil change was due way earlier than the odometer.  I
don't know if it was my hearing going crazy or they used a less quality oil than the Ford
oil. I always tell Ford dealers they must use Ford oil and a Ford oil filter when I get an
oil change. I wouldn't go to a Ford dealer if they are not going to use Ford oil and
Filter.   I became a little suspicious of Berge so I went back to Horne when they bought
out Earnhart in Apache Junction.  I will be going back to Berge this fall. I will never do
business with Horne Ford again. Yes, I think they try to take advantage of us snowbirds.
The oil change cost was $20 higher than before in March of this year when all of us were
leaving for home. They are flat out crooks. At least the service department is. I haven't
dealt with the sales side of the business but I would be very wary.  I've had a face to
face confrontation with the Service manager at Horne Scott Van Meter and we had some real
quality up close face to face time. He obviously was defending/covering up for his
employees and completely stonewalled the issue. I finally got very angry and told him he
was a disgrace to his Dutch ancestry and left. There are some real dishonest practices
going on there.

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA

"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]
On Behalf Of Ken Knierim
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 6:56 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Further OT: was Check the grounds now dealerships

Good to know about Horne, Dean. thanks. I had a bad experience with Earnharts too. I hear
better things about Berge Ford.

Maybe it was the color of the license plate? Snowbirds are a big part of the economy here;
maybe they took it way too literally. :)

Ken in AZ

On Sun, Jul 8, 2012 at 10:16 PM, Dean VP <deanvp at att.net> wrote:

> Roy,
>
> That is quite amazing. Who would have thought of that particular 
> current path? You need to tip the Maintenance Super!  Sometimes 
> dealers try to get you to fix things that are not needed so they can 
> sell more parts and labor.  I wonder if this issue is written up in a 
> Technical Service Bulletin within the Volvo organization?
>
> I had a Ford dealer in AZ tell me my truck transmission oil was 
> discolored and had a burned smell.  And that my differential case was 
> leaking. At the time I had just changed the transmission fluid about 
> 2,000 mile earlier and the whole truck had been thoroughly inspected 
> before our trip to AZ. . I just flat didn't believe them so I didn't 
> follow their recommendations.  I checked the transmission fluid myself 
> and it was so clear it was hard to see on the dipstick and no burned 
> smell confirmed by 5 of my neighbors in AZ.  Had the engine oil 
> changed at the standard interval and was told the same thing for the 
> second time at the same dealer.  Transmission oil needs to be changed 
> because it is dark and has a burned smell and differential leaking. 
> About a $400 service bill if I followed their
> recommendation. I didn't.   Drove back home and put another 3,000 miles on
> the truck and
> had it serviced back at my Ford dealer here in WA that I trust.
> Transmission oil is fine,
> no burned smell and no leak in the differential case.  It is really 
> hard to find a dealer than can be trusted.  I will never ever do 
> business with that Ford dealer in AZ again.
> Horne Ford in Apache Junction, AZ. Not an honest service department.
> http://www.roberthorneford.com/
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA
>
> "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path 
> and leave a trail."
> - Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:
> at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]
> On Behalf Of Roy Morgan
> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2012 9:43 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] OT: Check the grounds
>
>
> On Jul 6, 2012, at 8:21 AM, Cecil R Bearden wrote:
>
> > Like Farmer Used to say "Check the grounds".
>
> I was asking at the Volvo dealer parts counter about clutch difficulty 
> when the maintenance super overheard me.  (This was a '69 Volvo.)  I'd 
> had to re-adjust the clutch three times and was out of travel in the
> adjutment: it was a cable operated clutch.  The maintenance guy said 
> "It's your battery strap."  My baffled look brought further 
> explanation:
>
> When the frame to engine strap is corroded, the starter current goes 
> through the clutch cable, heating it up and taking the temper out of 
> the wire.  Then it stretches.  Sure enough, cleaning the strap, and a 
> new cable  from the battery negative directly to the block instead of 
> to the frame, and a new clutch cable, and the problem was solved.
>
> The parts guy had started telling me what clutch parts I needed and 
> the prices.. ugh.
>
> Roy
>
> Roy Morgan
> k1lky at earthlink.net
> K1LKY Since 1958 - Keep 'em Glowing!
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.2195 / Virus Database: 2437/5120 - Release Date: 
> 07/08/12
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
_______________________________________________
AT mailing list
http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at

-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2195 / Virus Database: 2437/5120 - Release Date: 07/08/12