Hard Top Blew Off

[crenca]

You know of a lot of dealers that would allow customers to install parts on their property? They are crazy to expose themselves to the liability. Customer is more than welcome to pick up parts and install them on their own off the dealer's property.

A hard top is not a “part” and taking panels/clam shell on/off is not an “install” - they pointed out to you how no brackets etc. were no being bolted, not that doing that is an “install“ either….perhaps for a person who has never operated a hard/soft top before a tech is required?? It’s all in the owners manual ….

Instead of giving them $, maybe ask a salesman to show how a hard top works??…I must be missing something

Sponsored

 

[Beach_Bum]

A hard top is not a “part” and taking panels/clam shell on/off is not an “install” - they pointed out to you how no brackets etc. were no being bolted, not that doing that is an “install“ either….perhaps for a person who has never operated a hard/soft top before a tech is required?? It’s all in the owners manual ….

Instead of giving them $, maybe ask a salesman to show how a hard top works??…I must be missing something

You are missing something - the liability. The parts would be loaded on a trailer or a pickup bed by the dealership's staff. If damage is done, then the dealership is responsible. If an employee is hurt, they are covered by worker's comp. What the customer chooses to do off-site has no bearing on the dealership's liability.

But in today's litigious society, there is no way the dealership should allow a customer to load or install the parts on the dealership's property. If customer wants to save the labor cost for install, that is their choice. But they don't have the choice to install it on their own on the dealership's property. Customer tweaks their back, pulls a muscle, chips the top, cracks the flange, etc. then the dealership is responsible.

 

[vrtical]

This is why you need to go over the top with a fine tooth comb at 35k, get it warrantied then rhino liner the POS or if the top is still great at that time, rhino line it anyways.

 

[crenca]

But in today's litigious society, there is no way the dealership should allow a customer to load or install the parts on the dealership's property. If customer wants to save the labor cost for install, that is their choice....

But (but but) it is not an "install", any more that operating a window or the push-button-start is. It's just a user functionality slightly more complicated than opening and closing the glovebox...

You good folks are far too patient with dealerships - they are not your friends, they exist to lighten your wallet, sometimes for no good reason.

I would show up and explain I will be forgoing their genourous offer to "install" the top, asking them to load it into the back of my pickup. I would then proceed to "install" the top on my Bronco parked next to it, leaving any shipping material in the parking space...maybe taking some of the cheap pine home with me

I'm a rascal however and any complaints on their part would be ignored, but I realize not everyone would/could be as hard

 

[Ducati1098]

But (but but) it is not an "install", any more that operating a window or the push-button-start is. It's just a user functionality slightly more complicated than opening and closing the glovebox...

Dealers don't charge labor for pushing buttons or opening a glove box.
They do for installing a new hard top though.
You can call it whatever you'd like, but it's still installing a new part onto the vehicle lol

You good folks are far too patient with dealerships - they are not your friends, they exist to lighten your wallet, sometimes for no good reason.

Plenty of great dealers out there that are your friends and try and help with anything they can. Just because you've never had that doesn't make your statement remotely accurate.

I would show up and explain I will be forgoing their genourous offer to "install" the top, asking them to load it into the back of my pickup. I would then proceed to "install" the top on my Bronco parked next to it, leaving any shipping material in the parking space...maybe taking some of the cheap pine home with me

I'm a rascal however and any complaints on their part would be ignored, but I realize not everyone would/could be as hard

Some may let you do that and not have a care in the world. But @Beach_Bum is right that most would probably have an issue with it.
And while you may get away with doing it anyway because you're a rascal, they can also just as easily trespass you if they really wanted to
Maybe thinking you can get away with anything without caring what they think may have something to do with that second quote above lol

 

[crenca]

Plenty of great dealers out there that are your friends and try and help with anything they can. Just because you've never had that doesn't make your statement remotely accurate.

Baloney. Dealerships are no more your friends then your doctor, or your lawyer, or your local grocer. More accurately whether or not any of these folks are friends is incidental to their raison d'être, which is to provide a service that your willing to pay for. The one is simply not related to the other.

When my friends come over I offer them a beer. If they say yes I don't then charge them for it, or analogous to this case, charge them for handing it to them. That's not what friends do!!

However charging you for a service - in this case an hour (so what, $120-$250 depending?) after already making a profit on an almost $5k top whose quality and BOM is very very questionable is what dealerships and all sorts of other service providers do everyday. Friends are honest about when they are helping and when they are screwing you so let's not pretend in this situation the dealership is doing anything friendly or generous or any other quality that is appropriately ascribed to friendship.

All that said, perhaps to @UberGadgetFreak it is money well spent as his time is more valuable - Ok I grant the point - but let's not call it "friendly" on the part of the service provider...on the contrary, it is a tresspass upon not only friendship but good customer service.

In any case since when not allowing a dealership (or any other service provider) to screw you out of $200 or so bucks called "getting away with something"?!?! In the world I live in, where up is up and the sky is blue, that is called common sense. I suspect it is in your world as well, so as your comment box friend I'm worried you have taken to spouting such nonsense

In any case, such things deserve some amount of mocking, and a friend would not disagree:

Amicus Ford Service Rates:

1) Oil change: $29.99, not including service bay oxygen charge of $180
2) Inspection: $5, not including $250 to start your car after inspection to drive it out of the service bay
3) Place a parts counter order: FREE!, not including part pick up charge of $329

 

[Ducati1098]

Baloney. Dealerships are no more your friends then your doctor, or your lawyer, or your local grocer. More accurately whether or not any of these folks are friends is incidental to their raison d'être, which is to provide a service that your willing to pay for. The one is simply not related to the other.

When my friends come over I offer them a beer. If they say yes I don't then charge them for it, or analogous to this case, charge them for handing it to them. That's not what friends do!!

lol Jesus. Clearly I didn’t mean “friend” in the literal term
Yes, I am not actual friends with every customer I meet.
However I am friendly and do try and help them however I can, not simply because I'm charging them for a service. There's been plenty of times I've done something for a customer being friendly and not charged them a single penny.
So once again, your ridiculous claim that dealerships only exist to lighten your wallet is still bullshit, sorry.

However charging you for a service - in this case an hour (so what, $120-$250 depending?) after already making a profit on an almost $5k top whose quality and BOM is very very questionable is what dealerships and all sorts of other service providers do everyday. Friends are honest about when they are helping and when they are screwing you so let's not pretend in this situation the dealership is doing anything friendly or generous or any other quality that is appropriately ascribed to friendship.

You assuming the dealership is making $5k profit on a hard top that Ford is partially paying for is literally just laughable.
Not sure what the quality of the top has to do with what profit the dealership makes, they clearly aren't the ones that manufacture it. If you don't like it, they will order another one. What else would you expect them to do?
Hate to break it to you bud, but the only one "screwing you" is Ford, not the dealership that you so quickly like to throw under the bus lol

In any case since when not allowing a dealership (or any other service provider) to screw you out of $200 or so bucks called "getting away with something"?!?! In the world I live in, where up is up and the sky is blue, that is called common sense. I suspect it is in your world as well, so as your comment box friend I'm worried you have taken to spouting such nonsense

LOL are we just making shit up now? I never said anywhere that you were getting away with something because you wouldn't allow the dealership to charge you install.

The only thing I said (and you said) is you would "try to get away with" was installing it on the dealership property with them not wanting you to due to liability reasons.
Nobody once claimed that you have to let the dealership charge you for install. If you don't like the price, don't pay it and go install it at your house.

In any case, such things deserve some amount of mocking, and a friend would not disagree:

Amicus Ford Service Rates:

1) Oil change: $29.99, not including service bay oxygen charge of $180
2) Inspection: $5, not including $250 to start your car after inspection to drive it out of the service bay
3) Place a parts counter order: FREE!, not including part pick up charge of $329

Ah yes, let's just make up some more nonsense to really try and drive our point across, eh?
This pretty much proves a high level of ignorance on how a dealership actually works.
But I guess I can see why it's pretty easy to assume they're all out to get you if you think any of the above is legitimate.

 

[crenca]

You assuming the dealership is making $5k profit...

Your reading comprehension is coming up short, that is not what I said as I don't know what the profit is, but yes profit is made all down the line (i.e. Ford, dealership, etc.). The rest of your post is gaslighting and nonsense...a hardtop is 'installed' now, what BS.

The rascal in me hopes some day I get the opportunity "install" something at your dealership @Ducati1098 , I would make the effort to be sure to leave the shipping material on your desk , that and the an ale of your choice because friends don't let friends drink lagers

 

[Ducati1098]

Your reading comprehension is coming up short, that is not what I said as I don't know what the profit is

100% misread that, my bad.

The rest of your post is gaslighting and nonsense...a hardtop is 'installed' now, what BS.

I would say that too if i was wrong lol

The rascal in me hopes some day I get the opportunity "install" something at your dealership @Ducati1098 , I would make the effort to be sure to leave the shipping material on your desk , that and the an ale of your choice because friends don't let friends drink lagers

You're welcome here any time!
Unfortunately, using your logic, we can't be real friends since I work at a dealership. But I would certainly be friendly and make sure your vehicle will never start again if you ever put shipping materials on my desk toolbox

 

[crenca]

But I would certainly be friendly and make sure your vehicle will never start again if you ever put shipping materials on my desk toolbox

The old Pepsi & 3000 rpm for 15minutes eh? Well I would not be the first and I certainly will not be the last as dealerships have a way of dealing with anyone who is not the most compliant of "customers"...heck, just give me your Venmo and I will send you $1k to avoid this "install" right now!

 

[Ducati1098]

The old Pepsi & 3000 rpm for 15minutes eh?

Of course not. That would only hurt the engine.
We have a big skid-steer for clearing snow that would do a lot more damage

 

[zoober]

This pretty much proves a high level of ignorance on how a dealership business actually works.
FTFY

 

[UberGadgetFreak]

There are 2 Ford dealerships near me.
The "Big" one is the typical 'part of a conglomerate' dealership that is shady.
The "Little" one I go to - they have bent over

Nope. Just the standard 12mo/12K mile warranty on accessories, which also sucks, but I did add a rider to my auto insurance specifically for the top itself. yeah, its another $25/mo on my insurance, but it still comes out cheaper in the end if the new one fails around the 3 year mark.

Actually need to correct this. Its 2 years, 24K - same on the top per the accessories site. I spoke too soon Doh!

 

[Ducati1098]

Actually need to correct this. It’s 2 years, 24K - same on the top per the accessories site. I spoke too soon Doh!

Parts warranty is 2 year/unlimited mileage.

Sponsored