Ford Dealers and aftermarket parts

Green Machine

Green Machine

Founding Member
Sep 22, 2001
481
9
28
Lakeland Florida
#1
Planning on getting a set of FRPP M-5300-K springs for my 2005 GT. I understand Eibach makes them and stamps Ford on them.

After seeing some previous threads on issues with the Ford dealers I called around to the different dealers in Polk and Hillsborough countys.

Got several answers. 1st dealer where I purchased the car. "Any aftermarket parts will void your Ford suspension warranty." They didn't even have a tech that could install Ford or any other brand of aftermarket parts. :bang:

2nd dealer closer to home. You have to buy the parts thru us and have them installed by us, but they will not void my suspension warranty if they do it. I'm getting this in writing from the service mgr for added insurance. $229+ for the part and $91 per hr labor

3rd dealer (SVT - Rouch - Saleen) in Tampa. Have a expert tech and have the springs in stock ($225). However, the 3yr/36K or extended warrantys are voided when they install the FRPP parts. They will honor the FFRP 12mo/12k only. Labor is $86 per hr.

I asked the 1st dealer if Ford Racing was making such a big advertising deal about using there parts why weren't the dealers supporting same? He really couldn't answer me.

Bottom line it all depends on the dealer. :(

Dewman
 
#2
The dealer would have to prove the aftermarket parts caused the suspension failure whatever it was. I think you need to find a good dealer. There are lots of dealers with employees who love to modify their cars and won't kick you to the curb for a few mods.
 
#3
After asking directly to the horses mouth about Ford racing parts. Mainly the FRRP but result might include all Ford racing parts within reason.


Robert:

Currently, the Ford Racing Power Pack does void the warranty. That said, we have tested and validated the pack for durability, and are confident it is safe. It's also been certified to be legal in all 50 states.

We are currently working to include the Power Pack on the new-car warranty. The biggest hurdle is the Pack was designed to be a bolt-on that pretty much anyone can do, which makes it hard to warranty against improper installation.

Hope you enjoy the GT/CS.

Monte.

After asking if this included only brand new cars or all and he said this.

We want to make it so you can install the Ford Racing parts on a Mustang after initial purchase, so you have something to look forward to.

MD.

That sounds like if you wait (not sure how long you can) it will not matter what any dealer says.

Another representative:
Whitney E. Drake
Ford Brand Public Affairs
Bold Moves, Brand DNA and Racing Manager
He claims that there is something in the works and I should be pleased from the results. He last said by mid-September so I sent an email for an update in case he forgot. Will let you know.
 
#5
If you wait until the Shelby GT comes out (on sale at every Ford Dealer in early 2007) you can use that car to get the FRPP handling pack / power pack covered under the regular warranty. It will be hard for a dealer to make the case: "your FRPP suspension parts voided the ball joints because of the lower ride height." When in their parking lots will be a car that has the same parts installed on it and has the 3/36 warranty...

Also, If you can get the warranty information in writing from one dealer you should go there to be safe. But I imagine that that piece of paper would hold its weight with other dealers as well.
 
#6
I work at a dealer so i might be able to shed some light on this. ford is cracking down on warranty claims big time. they barely wanna pay us techs anything to perform warranty repairs/procedures. so as frpp parts are a money maker for them its a double edged sword. they love making front end money on it but dont wanna pay if said part causes a failure or not. it is my impression that when installed properly high performance suspension can often be better then stock for the car. ie better quality bushings etc. BUT, when ford pays for a warranty claim they are paying us based on the understanding that the cars condition is as delivered from the factory. theres many variables when installing aftermarket parts that can contribute to problems. now, if you send your car into the dealer and you have many aftermarket parts and a laundry list of complaints the dealer has to have lots of these things approved. the dealer isnt jus gonna eat it cause you like to modify your car. its a business. we get screwed by ford on a daily basis as it is. were not ford. we service and sell ford product. ford really needs to take more responsibility for the crap they sell. we have warranty claims we havent received payment on and this is on cars that are stock right down to the air filter. ford says theve paid all they are willing to pay. so if you were to have joe blow install your suspension and then ur tires wear unevenly, dont even think about going to a ford dealer crying for new tires. also, if your a good customer and not the typical "i have tons of aftermarket parts, i take my business to MY mechanic, yet i want you to do crap warranty jobs" a lot of dealers can try and help you out as much as they can. you gotta realize techs are a starving crowd working against the clock and jus are sick of getting screwed. now my own car? its a 1990 thats got the whole gamut thrown at it. so im not anti aftermarket, jus anti crying customer who wants the whole world.
 
#7
310stanger said:
I work at a dealer so i might be able to shed some light on this. ford is cracking down on warranty claims big time. they barely wanna pay us techs anything to perform warranty repairs/procedures. so as frpp parts are a money maker for them its a double edged sword. they love making front end money on it but dont wanna pay if said part causes a failure or not. it is my impression that when installed properly high performance suspension can often be better then stock for the car. ie better quality bushings etc. BUT, when ford pays for a warranty claim they are paying us based on the understanding that the cars condition is as delivered from the factory. theres many variables when installing aftermarket parts that can contribute to problems. now, if you send your car into the dealer and you have many aftermarket parts and a laundry list of complaints the dealer has to have lots of these things approved. the dealer isnt jus gonna eat it cause you like to modify your car. its a business. we get screwed by ford on a daily basis as it is. were not ford. we service and sell ford product. ford really needs to take more responsibility for the crap they sell. we have warranty claims we havent received payment on and this is on cars that are stock right down to the air filter. ford says theve paid all they are willing to pay. so if you were to have joe blow install your suspension and then ur tires wear unevenly, dont even think about going to a ford dealer crying for new tires. also, if your a good customer and not the typical "i have tons of aftermarket parts, i take my business to MY mechanic, yet i want you to do crap warranty jobs" a lot of dealers can try and help you out as much as they can. you gotta realize techs are a starving crowd working against the clock and jus are sick of getting screwed. now my own car? its a 1990 thats got the whole gamut thrown at it. so im not anti aftermarket, jus anti crying customer who wants the whole world.
Click to expand...
Although you work at a Ford dealership, you are not a Field Service Engineer for Ford corporate, therefore I respectfully disagree....I'll attempt to put this warranty issue to rest once and for all..This is nethier an opinion from myself nor my quotes, but from a Ford Field Service Engineer..No dealership has the legal authority to void a Ford manufactuers warranty.. The proceedure is as follows, the dealer's service manager must request that a field service engineer be brought in to investigate the warranty claim, by conducting a full investigation and must then prove within a reasonable doubt that the modification or aftermarket parts were directly responsible for causing either the powertrain or engine components to fail..The results of that investigation are then submitted to Ford corporate headquarters in Detroit in which Ford then reviews the results and then bases it's final decision from the feild service engineer's investigation and recommendation..Finally, the dealership in question is then notified of the warranty claim status as either approved or disaproved by Ford corporate..Therefore don't allow dealerships like this intimidate you..They do not have the legal right nor authority to void a manufactuers warranty..Even dealerships are required to follow proper proceedure and are not above the law..
 
#8
you completely missed a lot of what i said then. i clearly stated the ford dealer needs to get paid? meaning the claim has to get approved? everything gets submitted, and the proper courses of action follow. i may have stated were sick of gettin screwed but bottom line at least at my dealer is everything gets looked at and submitted and hopefully resolved. sorry if i wasnt understood im jus speaking from first hand experience being as that i do this everyday. a good example is when we have someting defective in the interior, ford has us take pictures of the defect and then the picture gets reviewed. if it gets determined that its customer fault, unless its a really good customer we cant jus eat it on the repair. hopefully this explains things better
 
#9
I apologize for taking what you said in the wrong way, I just get so damned disgusted when certain dealerships attempt to take advantage of their customers by intimidating them by resorting to their scare tactics and what really pisses me off is they expect their customers to be loyal towards them especially when the time comes to purchase a new car ? However after putting $25,000+ in Ford's pocket you would think these dealers would at least be willing to show a little appreciation by showing some loyalty and respect in return ? it's no wonder why both Ford and GM are in so much financial ruin and it's not because of their inability to build quality cars, in fact if it weren't for the new Mustang ?? Ford would be in bankruptcy court right now..The bottom line is their lack of customer service is the cause of their financial problems and until they realize that the customer always comes first ?? it's only going to get worse before it gets any better..Just my $02. :shrug:
 
#10
The bottom line is their lack of customer service is the cause of their financial problems and until they realize that the customer always comes first ?? it's only going to get worse before it gets any better..Just my $02.
Click to expand...

No truer words have been said on the matter. I wonder if the dealerships miss the point that a lot of the Ford Bold Moves movies are for them, to realize what it means to be a Ford dealer and a part of Ford.

There certainly is stuff in there for the consumer, enthusiast, analyst whomever, but the dealers should be getting a kick in the ass while watching that stuff going.... Oh yeah maybe I am being retarded. Thus far I'm lucky that I have a very solid dealership that I deal with. In fact I didn't even shop around, I knew the other dealers were a bunch of tards to deal with but this one dealership (Metro Ford in Calgary) by and large works with the customer. In fact they didn't even blink an eye when I rolled in with my mods, some of the service techs actually came out and some guys in the parts department when I had the hood up to show the leaking brake fluid, they were all checking it out and commenting on the stuff the liked.
 
#11
i had the "K" springs installed on my wife's new 06 GT at the same dealer we bought the car from, and we also bought the ESP with the car. i paid more for the install for them to do it, but they agreed if they installed the springs, then if i ever had any problems with the car, then they would not void the warranty, except on the spring itself. and actually the car was in the shop yesterday for a front end noise, and the rear differential had to be repaired, with only 1500 miles on the car. well, glad to say, everything is repaired as it should have been, and under warranty too. why, the springs had nothing to do with anything that was wrong. now, if the springs had caused the problems, sure, they could have re****ed on the warranty for said issue. but that's why i paid $400 for a spring install versus $120. well worth the extra money to me. i believe i read somehwhere before, the only way any manufacturer can void any warranty, is if the part that is aftermarket causes the actual failure. i actually went thru litigation with another manufacturer for this same exact thing, and they were wrong too, tried to tell me an exhaust system caused the transmission to whine, and the front end to pop, well, let's just say they had to repair it even though they didn't want to...
 
#13
cowtown said:
No truer words have been said on the matter. I wonder if the dealerships miss the point that a lot of the Ford Bold Moves movies are for them, to realize what it means to be a Ford dealer and a part of Ford.

There certainly is stuff in there for the consumer, enthusiast, analyst whomever, but the dealers should be getting a kick in the ass while watching that stuff going.... Oh yeah maybe I am being retarded. Thus far I'm lucky that I have a very solid dealership that I deal with. In fact I didn't even shop around, I knew the other dealers were a bunch of tards to deal with but this one dealership (Metro Ford in Calgary) by and large works with the customer. In fact they didn't even blink an eye when I rolled in with my mods, some of the service techs actually came out and some guys in the parts department when I had the hood up to show the leaking brake fluid, they were all checking it out and commenting on the stuff the liked.
Click to expand...
And just imagine if even 20% of Ford dealers were willing to work with their customers in the same way that your dealer is towards you and their other customers ? Ford wouldn't be in such a financial mess..Now that's what I call great customer service..If only all those other tards were willing to follow your dealerships lead ?? Ford would have nothing but satisfied customers on their hands instead of losing them to the other guys, meaning (ricer's) lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

monte87
Avoid --> BLUEOVALINDUSTRIES.com and this Ford part# VJR3Z-16C630-D. Read Below.........
Replies
17
Views
4K
2015 - 2023 (S550) Mustang -General/Talk
cdog301
cdog301
Z
Drivetrain 2014 Mustang v6 Performance package Is this part stock?
Replies
1
Views
1K
2005 - 2014 Specific V6 Tech
Ponyboy1975
Ponyboy1975
S
  • Locked
SOLD 2000 Ford Mustang Gt Nasa Cmc Racer Or Hpde
Replies
0
Views
5K
SN95 Mustangs For Sale (1994-04)
SPEED DETAILS
S
C
  • Locked
Expired Rotisserie Restored 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Coupe Kingsburg, Ca
Replies
0
Views
5K
Classic Mustangs For Sale
California Stang
C
MRaburn
ROUSH Performance 2014 Ford Mustang lineup
Replies
0
Views
3K
StangNet Site News
MRaburn
MRaburn
Top Bottom
Back
Forums
Menu