Another One Bites The Dust

[chum567]

Well I just couldn't take it anymore. I bought my SEL June of 2011 and since then I have had 12 shop visits and only 1 was for an oil change. 4 transmissions updates, 4 parts replaced due to deterioration, malfunction, etc. I just got sick of constantly having something wrong with it. I finally traded it in this weekend because the past 2 weeks every time I turned the car or eased forward the car violently shook. The car has got worse the longer I've had it and I just it was time to let go. Every time I had friend in the car they all ask what's wrong with your car? lol I tell them apparently its normal according to the dealer. The dealer just can't seem to fix my problems and when they do something else comes up. I have yet to go 3 months consecutively without having an issue. Which is not good IMO. The whole reason I got that car was because I was taking my Mustang in every other month with issues and not this was no different. I know not everyone has problems with theirs but mine had been a hassle right from the get go so i had to a bite the bullet and traded. Good luck to everyone else and enjoy your Focus!!!! Hope you all have better results then I did. This was def a helpful forum!!!

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[WhiteTite]

What did you get?

[Some Guy From NY]

What was your mileage and how much did you get for it when traded?

[Just Tom]

I'm just baffled at the number of people who "just bit the bullet" and traded-in their car at a financial loss. Yes, I realize there are issues with these cars and I'm quite certain that Ford is aware of it and working on a resolution. Who knows what the solution will be, but in the meantime it seems every week there's a new thread describing how somebody just couldn't take it anymore and traded-in.

[hand-filer]

Originally Posted by Just Tom

I'm just baffled at the number of people who "just bit the bullet" and traded-in their car at a financial loss. Yes, I realize there are issues with these cars and I'm quite certain that Ford is aware of it and working on a resolution. Who knows what the solution will be, but in the meantime it seems every week there's a new thread describing how somebody just couldn't take it anymore and traded-in.

Based on the dismal record of Ford engineering and the next to useless customer service, I suspect. Let me escalate this and escalate that and so on and so forth.
Eventually people just get tired of being treated like $hit.

[Some Guy From NY]

Originally Posted by Just Tom

I'm just baffled at the number of people who "just bit the bullet" and traded-in their car at a financial loss. Yes, I realize there are issues with these cars and I'm quite certain that Ford is aware of it and working on a resolution. Who knows what the solution will be, but in the meantime it seems every week there's a new thread describing how somebody just couldn't take it anymore and traded-in.

Is it really that hard to comprehend how people are disgusted by their BRAND NEW VEHICLE that has more problems than most of their previous vehicles combined, all while Ford service is telling them most of these problems are "normal operation"?

If Ford acknowledged some of these problems in a public statement, and offered to extend warranties on some parts (DCT) I am sure more people would be willing to tough it out for a fix. However, this is not happening.

Ford working on a resolution....comedy gold!

If I were able to take the financial loss right now - I would. I rather lose thousands of dollars than deal with the car. I can 110% sympathize with those who are fed up with this car and Ford's response.

[Edbro]

I'm sorry you had such problems. I believe that is NOT the norm. I've had mine since May 2011 and it has never been in the shop. I realize no two cars are the same but I couldn't be happier with mine.

[Some Guy From NY]

Originally Posted by Edbro

I'm sorry you had such problems. I believe that is NOT the norm. I've had mine since May 2011 and it has never been in the shop. I realize no two cars are the same but I couldn't be happier with mine.

My car had the steering rack replaced and FOUR alignments from 3 different dealers and it still does not drive straight and is easily thrown off course by small imperfections in the road.

The last alignment helped significantly - but it still does not drive anywhere close to any other vehicle in terms of tracking and going over road imperfections.

Also, every dealer I brought it to, before putting it on the alignment machine and seeing the alignment being out of spec had said IT DRIVES NORMALLY.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by Edbro

I'm sorry you had such problems. I believe that is NOT the norm. I've had mine since May 2011 and it has never been in the shop. I realize no two cars are the same but I couldn't be happier with mine.

Must be nice - but I was, unfortunately, not one of God's chosen people.

I've had issues several issues that were already fixed (no low windshield washer light, stain on the headliner, etc.) but my issues with the drivetrain still aren't being addressed - nor do I believe Ford is looking for answers. And as far as the rattles - I intend to fix those myself come summer.

The issues are aggravating, but I'm not going to take a $5k hit and trade it in. If anything, I'd replace the clutch for $1.5k since it's at least the economical fix. But it's the principle and people shouldn't be paying out-of-pocket to fix their brand new cars. Also, they don't want to risk paying $1.5k out-of-pocket to have it start grinding again in a few months.

[Just Tom]

Originally Posted by Some Guy From NY

Is it really that hard to comprehend how people are disgusted by their BRAND NEW VEHICLE that has more problems than most of their previous vehicles combined, all while Ford service is telling them most of these problems are "normal operation"?

If Ford acknowledged some of these problems in a public statement, and offered to extend warranties on some parts (DCT) I am sure more people would be willing to tough it out for a fix. However, this is not happening.

Ford working on a resolution....comedy gold!

If I were able to take the financial loss right now - I would. I rather lose thousands of dollars than deal with the car. I can 110% sympathize with those who are fed up with this car and Ford's response.

People having problems with their car which Ford has been unsuccessful in repairing is not hard to comprehend. What is hard to comprehend are people who are willing to take the financial loss, instead of filing a lemon law claim to have their car replaced or their money refunded. It has never made much sense to me why people would accept a financial loss of potentially thousands of dollars versus having that money refunded to them through a lemon law claim.

Seems to me there must be a lot of people who are uninformed about their rights and incorrectly assume that hiring a lemon law attorney will cost them money.

You complain that Ford doesn't care about their customers. Well...I don't personally believe that, but you're welcome to think that if you like. However, I will say that people who decide to "bite the bullet" aren't helping matters either by going the trade-in route either. Why? When a person trades their car in all the problems and previous service history is swept under the carpet, so to speak and the problems get passed on to the new owner eventually. In the meantime, an opportunity to have the car repurchased under the lemon law has been missed. Think of it this way, not every car qualifies under the Lemon Law, but if every person who did qualify to file a claim traded their car instead, how would Ford ever know the extent of the problems that exist with their cars? See my point? On the other hand...if everyone who did qualify filed a Lemon Law claim instead, can you imagine the reaction from Ford? Not only would they be forced to repurchase all those automobiles, but at that point they'd be forced to deal with the problems. Anybody remember the Ford Pinto with the exploding gas tank? GM had a similar problem with the side saddle gas tanks on certain trucks sold under the GMC and Chevy name. Eventually all the lawsuits put both Ford and GM in a position where they had to reengineer and replace those faulty gas tanks. Same could happen with the Ford Focus.

I'm not an attorney, nor am I a litigous person, but I do believe that a remedy exists (lemon law) that many people simply aren't using. So again getting back to my earlier point, it's not hard to comprehend that there are lots of people who are unhappy with their cars, but rather it's the people who choose to walk away and take it in the shorts financially instead of using the process that exists to help such people. That I do find hard to comprehend.