Category: | Ford Dealer |
Address: | 8800 Stanford Blvd, Columbia, MD 21045, USA |
Phone: | +1 866-841-9642 |
Site: | appleford.com |
Rating: | 3.8 |
Working: | 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–7PM Closed |
MA
Mark McKerihan
My recent experience with Apple Ford service was extremely frustrating and inspires very little confidence in their workmanship and especially their quality control. I brought my Ford Fiesta in because the ABS and stability lights were coming on and turning off intermittently. The solution was expensive - replacing the ABS module, and some related brake maintenance: over $2000 total. In addition to that repair, two recalls on the vehicle were handled, including one that involved replacing all four door latches. I dropped the car off on Thursday morning, but the ABS module had to be ordered and didnt arrive until Friday. Apple Ford paid for a rental car for the evening and next day. By Friday afternoon they said it was ready to pick up. When I got the car, the brakes did not feel right at all, and in fact I had a scary moment when I took my first sharp turn in the parking lot because I had to press the pedal MUCH farther than usual to get the brakes to engage at all. After a little more careful experimentation in the parking lot I took it right back to have a mechanic check whether the brakes were indeed fixed. As I suspected, they were not fixed so they kept the car and extended my car rental. On Monday afternoon, I picked the car up again and the brakes seemed okay, but Tuesday morning my wife and I discovered that the door latches were messed up - the passenger side front door couldnt be opened from the inside. So, I called and was told I could bring the car in and the fix would be quick. I took the car in arriving at around 2:45, and told them I needed to leave by 3:30 - I was told this would be no problem. However, they were not able to complete the job in time, and finally at around 4:30 they decided to get me a rental car. I ended up being very late to my playoff soccer match and my team had to play a man down for most of the first half. It bothers me that they were willing to string me along for an hour after the time I told them I needed to leave before figuring out a way to let me get on with what I needed to do. Finally, on Wednesday afternoon I picked the car up and things all seem fine. The main problem I have with Apple Ford in this case, is that they TWICE sent me away with a car that was not actually fixed. In one case there was a potentially unsafe problem with the brakes, which I fortunately noticed immediately. We didnt notice the second problem until the day after picking the car up the second time and there wasnt a serious safety concern there. But, I dont understand how these problems were not caught. Did they not test the brakes and latches after fixing them? This experience, my first with any Ford dealers service department, was seriously disappointing. This is invoices 951915 and 952854 in case anyone at Ford wants to look these up.
JO
Josh Brown
I would give this Dealership zero stars if I could. Service department is the worst I have ever dealt with for any company and this is not the first issue I have had with the Dealership. After bring my vehicle in for an oil change and to have the brakes replaced on a Thursday, I was advised that the power steering pump and lines need to be replaced. This was after my wife had spent four hours waiting for the vehicle (simply brakes and an oil change). I went ahead and agreed to have the power steering pump and lines replaced. Late Friday afternoon I called to check on the status of the vehicle only to find out that they had lost my keys and hadnt touched the truck all day. No one called me to inform me the keys were missing. Who knows how long the vehicle would have sat if I did not call. I had to leave work and to bring my spare keys to them. Late Saturday I still had not heard anything regarding the vehicle and once again called only to find out the truck still was not done. Finally was able to pickup the truck mid-Monday morning only to find that the check engine light was on so I took it back and they were able to clear the issue. Four days for brakes, oil change, power steering pump and lines. Three weeks after having the work done, I now have to replace the whole timing system. Full disclosure I did drive the vehicle for three weeks with a weird noise coming from the engine (sound like the new power steering pump was going). I did not pick up the vehicle from the Dealership as my wife dropped it off at work. However, I did notice the noise immediately upon starting the vehicle. Moral of the story there is no way to replace the power steering pump without taking off the timing belt and releasing the tensioner. So either they put back on a faulty tensioner, failed to recognize the tensioner was bad, ignored the signs that pulley was grinding through the timing cover or reinstalled it wrong causing the issue. The only thing preventing the engine from seizing up or the vehicle starting on fire was the fact that pulley was plugging the hole in the timing cover. Thankfully nobody is hurt but this could have been a deadly issue that was very avoidable. I do have a family member that works for Ford so I am able to buy on the A-Plan and will always buy Ford however, I would buy a vehicle from any other Dealership before I buy a vehicle from this Dealership again! Please if you have service done at this dealership go elsewhere! Even if cost more money, you cannot put a price tag on your safety!
ME
Meredith Seibert
Communication is the biggest problem here. I personally came in to visit and do a test-drive of the Fiesta and left pleased afterwards. My salesman called and e-mailed me to thank me for visiting and I returned his e-mail asking for more information on vehicle specifics. I got a picture of 1 window sticker, but had to go into the dealer to get any more information in a timely manner about other vehicles. Over the few weeks I was setting all of this up I had to call repeatedly to get him on the phone (even though he had 3 phones). No one answers e-mails here, forget about using that method. I picked out my vehicle and it was delivered within a few days from a local dealership at 8pm and I was at the dealer for almost 2 hours. When we left none of the original sales staff or managers were present, and all of the lights were off. We received the keys and noticed they were not keyless entry remote which the window sticker clearly stated. The salesman who gave us the keys says it wasnt a standard feature of the Fiesta which it was (shows how much he knows about his cars). They were supposed to connect my phone to the Sync system which they did not, and they were supposed to make a copy of my form and a designated Sync employee was supposed call me to setup my Sync system which they did not. I contacted my original salesman the following morning and he told me I could get "a good deal" on a keyless entry system from the parts department. Which was clearly stated on the window sticker that it was included and they didnt even bother to check the car when it came into make sure that they were included. After getting no e-mails answered for 2 weeks I received a call from a manager who asked me where some of my rebate information was, and I was finally able to bring up my key issue. He told me he placed the order, I waited a week and called him back and he said I needed to take a picture of my key so he could order the right one?! Arent there Fiesta keys sitting in the lock box in the lobby?! I waited another week and finally got the right key for my car. A month after I paid for it and drove it off the lot. If they dont give you what your car comes with, dont leave that night until they promise to resolve it. Got the run around for a standard feature.