Baystate Ford

Reviews 3

JI

Jim Duhamel

I brought my truck to Baystate Ford’s Service dept because it would stall only when the truck was running hot or in hot weather. I explained all the details to the Service Advisor (Emily) and emphasized 3 times that it only happens when the truck is hot and I very recently had the oil changed in accordance with the mfg instructions.And if the Mechanic needs to reproduce the issue they would need to run it for a while to get the truck hot. I got a call later that day saying the truck’s code was P0022, and the Mechanic thinks there is sludge in the truck causing this code. It would cost at least $600 to start with, to tear down the engine to look for Sludge and other issues. I asked if there were other options for trying to correct the issue and Emily said “No, the mechanic thinks it’s sludge”. So I politely declined the work and looked up the code to see what it meant and found multiple potential causes: Wiring problems; Failed timing valve control solenoid (stuck open); Incorrect camshaft timing; Continuous oil flow to VCT piston chamber (which is dependent on Oil Pressure). Some of these potential root causes are easily tested or eliminated without needing to tear apart the engine to look for sludge. When I went to pick up the truck I asked Emily if the mechanic checked for these other potential causes. She looked down at the write up paper and said “the Mechanic said he thinks it’s sludge” So this is where it gets bad. I asked again if the mechanic ever ran some of the simple tests to eliminate any of the less costly potential causes. She just repeated “the mechanic thinks it’s sludge”. So I said, “I guess that’s a no then?”. I asked why the mechanic didn’t do or even recommend these low cost tests or options and she rudely replied back again “because the mechanic thinks it’s sludge”. So I asked if the mechanic even test drove it to try to reproduce the stalling issue and she said “no because the mechanic is pretty sure it’s sludge” with her tone and body language clearly showing that she is aggravated from me asking questions. So I said to her, I still don’t understand why the mechanic wouldn’t try to eliminate the easy stuff, She said “why would he if he thinks it’s sludge?” So I said back, a good mechanic eliminates the easy low cost stuff first. Then she rudely replied “So now my mechanic is a bad Mechanic”. Now she was putting words in my mouth and abandon all sense of customer service. So I left. I took my truck to another Mechanic who suggested an oil additive to increase the thickness of the oil because there wasn’t enough oil pressure during hot weather. It cost me $10 for the additive and it made the stalling issue go away completely. This was a very simple fix rather than to tear apart my engine looking for sludge which definitely was NOT the cause but definitely would have been the most costly way to try to fix a simple stalling issue. Lesson learned: From now on I will have the Auto Parts store read the codes for FREE instead of wasting $120 dollars for a Baystate Ford Mechanic to do the same thing. Then I will ask my own mechanic for advice. Guaranteed my mechanic won’t be as rude or unhelpful as Emily was. And guaranteed he won’t try the most costly repair before eliminating the easy stuff.

ST

Stacy Murphy

HORRIBLE, DISHONEST, FALSE ADVERTISING, ILLEGAL SALES PRACTICE. Spoke with Greg, Brett and Leo for 1 week prior to driving the 3 hours to BAYSTATE FORD in Easton, MA from Connecticut to purchase their advertised used vehicle. My husband is a disabled veteran, and I have a traumatic brain injury. Greg reduced the trade-in price for our vehicle by aprox. $3,000 after we arrived. We had disclosed all information pertaining to our 2011 Subaru Outback prior to our arrival, and were given a range of price. We were told their used truck we ended up purchasing from BAYSTATE FORD was FULLY SERVICED, and SAFETY INSPECTION PASSED. We were told all their vehicles have a 60 day warranty, this is printed on their website. The truck we purchased was delivered 5 days later to our home, as it was not ready while we were at the dealership. I drove it 20 minutes, and it broke down, being rendered undrivable. It had to be left at our local repair shop. We had our own safety inspection performed, only to find the truck needed extensive front end suspension repair, the power steering radiator reservior was completely empty, rusted and leaking everywhere - completely visable at eye level. If a safety inspection, and full servicing had indeed been performed by BAYSTATE FORD, this would have been easily seen, as stated by our mechanic. BAYSTATE FORD refused to honor their warranty, and refused to pay for the needed repairs after the inital phone call. After numerous discussions, with each phone call being passed on to the next saleperson, BAYSTATE tried to manipulate us to pay the $2800 repair bill, minus a $500. credit they would offer. On the next phone call, a $500 discount on their $3200 extended warranty policy was offered, as long as we paid for the repair bill, minus the $500. We had been told previously we could only purchase their extended warranty program at the time of the sale, 5 days prior. WHY OFFERED NOW? We mentioned the Attorney Generals Office, the D.M.V Dealer and Repair Complaint Division, The Massachusetts Lemon Law, and the Department of Consumer Protection Department of MA, The Better Business Bureau and BAYSTATES own written warranty only required the buyer to pay $100 deductible in the event of repairs. They then agreed to pay the bill. Now, BAYSTATE will not pay for the Enterprise car rental we were forced to take on during the repairs for 5 days, as they originally agreed to do, when we first reported the truck broken. Enterprise even ackowledged BAYSTATE has a charge account with them. We were passed from Greg Sargent, to Leo Stern, to Bill Capese with each conversation, NONE taking reponsibility, all making excuses and arguing, NONE returning any phone calls. We have filed complaints with all the govenment agencies listed above, filed suit, and have notified corporate headquaters of their illegal activity, false advertising, and unprofessional sales staff. DO NOT BUY FROM THIS DEALERSHIP. IT IS AS BAD AS IT GETS. The BBB of MA. has 13 complaints registered against this dealership already - please take note of this!

KR

Kristopher Gobeille

Horrible dealership. DO NOT GO. All started with looking at a truck. Nice truck way over priced, over NADA by $3-4k. Test drove it, etc. Went to talk money with the first salesman. Told him I was all set with financing and I could come back the next day. When I told him my offer which was $2500 below what they we asking, he laughed, and said no way. Said that he could take a few hundred off but thats about it. I told him thanks for his time and they change their mind to let me know. He responded with "We wont" and laughed again. I walked out. A few days go by and they email me asking if I had given it any thought at the asking price, I made it clear to them that I have a budget and I really want the truck. Now they took the truck in back in the beginning of May and the numbers were so close. So I called the dealership a few times asking them if they could move at all so I could get closer to my budget number, they said "NO". On this particular truck they are making about $6200 on the sale if sold at their number. The last time I called I spoke with the sales manager and we talked again and he told me the price wasnt moving at all. Then added more charges onto the truck to further me from my budget amount. Told me if I cant afford it to stop calling. Stated the price wasnt going to move a penny. After the dealing with how rude the people were at this dealership and the total disrespect I was given, Ive had it. Usually when you are in a business you do everything you can to make the sale or please the customer and I got to tell you they didnt even try. Lets just say they wont take my money nor anyone elses that I know. I will refer everyone I know to go to another dealership. Its a shame how money hungry this dealership is.