Narrowly missed the MP3 offer on the Ford Fusion

tirath1970 · 7th July 2008, 22:33

Hi there folks ,
I am a newbie here and this is my first post and i am going to be whining , so please bear with me as this could be of some use to prospective buyers of a new car .
Well I decided to buy the Ford Fusion in the month of May or that was when i started the whole process . At the time i was promised an MP3 player along with the car.
Ifinally came around to actually start the process in june 2008 , when i was told to my dissapointment that the MP3 player was no longer on offer. I went ahead with the purchase as i really liked the car .
By the time the bank loan came through it was the 2nd of july ( nationalised banks do take thier own sweet time ) before which i had payed up the margin money of nearly 50% to the dealer in the month of may2008.
I took delivery of the car on the 2nd of july.
a couple of days later i saw an ad saying that the Fusion was again bieng offered with the MP3 player in July!!! This left me feeling cheated . on enquiring with the dealer and Ford India i was told that since i had booked the car in June this offer was not valid on my car, even though i had technically bought the car in july. Also to be noted that the dealer had quitely done the invoicing on the 30th of june without even getting the full and final payment of the car further weakening my case .
Is there anyway i can seek any sort of compensation from the dealer or the company.
Would really appreciate your comments as i am sure a lot of you would know a lot more about this subject than myself.
It is really quite sad as i am very happy with the car but i feel cheated out of a promise made and not kept. Even though the amount involved isnt not too much it still rankles to be duped thus .
Looking forward to inputs and advice.

bhp1 · 7th July 2008, 23:34

Hello tirath, FORD is ruining its customer relations in this way. These are the games sales departments play, customers have to be extremely vigilant while making a purchase as chances of getting duped are high. Even a pennys worth cheating should not be done. Ford already is on a sticky wicket & such nuances are only going to make matters worse for them.
But im surprised, you should have got a much better deal on fusion, a mere mp3 is nothing, its probably the slowest selling car in india.
Approach the consumer courts, only they can help in such cases as FORD is going to do nothing about it.

AbhiJ · 8th July 2008, 01:24

I guess the best way to go is to talk to the higher management/ownership at the dealer. The normal sales staff will not be able to help you and will only irritate you further.

I had a similar situation with a Honda dealership and when I spoke to the Customer Relations manager, they immediately sorted out everything to my complete satisfaction.

Max · 8th July 2008, 03:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by tirath1970

Hi there folks ,
IAt the time i was promised an MP3 player along with the car.

Was it written promise or verbal one?.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tirath1970

Hi there folks ,
Ifinally came around to actually start the process in june 2008 , when i was told to my dissapointment that the MP3 player was no longer on offer. I went ahead with the purchase as i really liked the car .

My Friend, from your post it appears that they are not at fault because they clearly told you that offer is no longer valid but you went ahead with car purchase anyway. You should have asked them that you will not buy the car without offer.

You really have no point here, I recommend forget this incident and treat it as your bad luck.

DirtyDan · 8th July 2008, 03:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max

My Friend, from your post it appears that they are not at fault because they clearly told you that offer is no longer valid but you went ahead with car purchase anyway.

This is my opinion also from what you have told us. But, are you saying they lied to you and that the offer WAS actually valid for your time frame?

There are agents in my area who state that they will find the vehicle you want and get you the lowest price possible from a dealer and ferret out any schemes. Anybody have any experience with this, good, bad or indifferent? Yes, I see the potential for collusion between agent and dealer etc. How do these agents get paid?

1100D · 8th July 2008, 06:33

Talk to the Manager of the dealership. For prices they say "prices as applicable on date of delivery". So offers should also be effective as on date of delivery.

Did you get a delivery slip, or anything to say that the car was delivered to you on 2nd July.

If the dealer manager does not entertain you, take the same evidence to Ford Customer service (via e-mail). They generally respond.

drpullockaran · 8th July 2008, 07:43

You will end up spending a bomb if you go to the courts and will have to wait for about 8 to 9 years for justice which may or may not be in your favour. Company's have deep pockets.

dude131 · 8th July 2008, 08:15

try writing to a magazine like Autocar India and see if they can put in a good word for you. I know ACI has a special section where they help resolve reader's problems.

Car-Agey · 8th July 2008, 10:00

Thats really strange. In my case it happened the other way round.

I bought a wagonR in may 2008. At that time they were offering free insurance plus MGA worth 10000rs. When I went to take delivery and my car was being radied fordelivery, they recieved a fax from Maruti indicating change in scheme. The new offer was Insurance+MGA worth 20000rs.

They started discussing the scheme among themselves, I asked them what was this offer. They told me the change in the offer, also they suggested me to take the delivery on the next day to availe the new offer. The dealership did it because they were not paying from their pocket and also they were making the customer happy.

Also I have recieved five calles from the dealer enquiring if I am happy with the car and are there any issues with the car.

So, I fail to understand why the dealer did that to you if the offer was from Ford. They are only destroying their customer relations this way.

GTO · 8th July 2008, 10:42

Customers who buy their cars just before special offers & discounts will always feel short-changed; this is applicable to any industry and there is nothing one can do about it. Its pure luck. What I make from your post, neither Ford nor the dealer have done anything wrong. At the time of booking, the MP3 offer wasn't valid, only to be reinstated later.

I'd say, focus on enjoying the car. An MP3 player is worth only 1% of the cars value. Don't waste your energies on this.

EDIT : Changed the thread title to something more appropriate.

JRD · 8th July 2008, 10:47

Dude i dont know what ford is upto... Its seems like every few years after customers start having some faith in ford products, they step on an axe...

What i would suggest is going to the dealer ship's owner and let him know about the situation, if that doesn't work. Write a letter to Ford India's Headquarters. And they should respond..

Dealers usually try to do this.. My corolla had defective rear discs and the dealership was trying to pull a fast one on me stating stupid warranty nonesense.. I contacted toyota kirloskar bangalore and i got 1 year extended warranty and the rear brake assembly was replaced for free.!

dont let them get away with stuff like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tirath1970

Hi there folks ,
I am a newbie here and this is my first post and i am going to be whining , so please bear with me as this could be of some use to prospective buyers of a new car .
Well I decided to buy the Ford Fusion in the month of May or that was when i started the whole process . At the time i was promised an MP3 player along with the car.
Ifinally came around to actually start the process in june 2008 , when i was told to my dissapointment that the MP3 player was no longer on offer. I went ahead with the purchase as i really liked the car .
By the time the bank loan came through it was the 2nd of july ( nationalised banks do take thier own sweet time ) before which i had payed up the margin money of nearly 50% to the dealer in the month of may2008.
I took delivery of the car on the 2nd of july.
a couple of days later i saw an ad saying that the Fusion was again bieng offered with the MP3 player in July!!! This left me feeling cheated . on enquiring with the dealer and Ford India i was told that since i had booked the car in June this offer was not valid on my car, even though i had technically bought the car in july. Also to be noted that the dealer had quitely done the invoicing on the 30th of june without even getting the full and final payment of the car further weakening my case .
Is there anyway i can seek any sort of compensation from the dealer or the company.
Would really appreciate your comments as i am sure a lot of you would know a lot more about this subject than myself.
It is really quite sad as i am very happy with the car but i feel cheated out of a promise made and not kept. Even though the amount involved isnt not too much it still rankles to be duped thus .
Looking forward to inputs and advice.

JRD · 8th July 2008, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude131

try writing to a magazine like Autocar India and see if they can put in a good word for you. I know ACI has a special section where they help resolve reader's problems.

yea that works pretty well too... some bad publicity ..LOL

tabrez02 · 8th July 2008, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

You will end up spending a bomb if you go to the courts and will have to wait for about 8 to 9 years for justice which may or may not be in your favour. Company's have deep pockets.

If i am correct, I dont think consumer court would take 8 to 9 years, If any body can put some light on how many days usually a consumer court justifies the case.

anurag_p80 · 8th July 2008, 10:57

This is what is called penny wise, pound foolish I guess. Think of the hard-earned money a customer will be spending over the lifetime of a car. I would say it will always be worth it to take the extra effort and keep the customer with you. Besides, the dealer actually does not pay for these offers from his pockets. All the more bizarre behavior. Having said that, I do not think there is any recourse for you if the dealer or Ford reps do not help. Approach Ford directly and see. All the best!!!

hrag · 8th July 2008, 11:01

tabrez02, drpullockaran is speaking from personal experience.

7th July 2008, 22:33	#1
tirath1970 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: delhi Posts: 4 Thanked: Once	Narrowly missed the MP3 offer on the Ford Fusion Hi there folks , I am a newbie here and this is my first post and i am going to be whining , so please bear with me as this could be of some use to prospective buyers of a new car . Well I decided to buy the Ford Fusion in the month of May or that was when i started the whole process . At the time i was promised an MP3 player along with the car. Ifinally came around to actually start the process in june 2008 , when i was told to my dissapointment that the MP3 player was no longer on offer. I went ahead with the purchase as i really liked the car . By the time the bank loan came through it was the 2nd of july ( nationalised banks do take thier own sweet time ) before which i had payed up the margin money of nearly 50% to the dealer in the month of may2008. I took delivery of the car on the 2nd of july. a couple of days later i saw an ad saying that the Fusion was again bieng offered with the MP3 player in July!!! This left me feeling cheated . on enquiring with the dealer and Ford India i was told that since i had booked the car in June this offer was not valid on my car, even though i had technically bought the car in july. Also to be noted that the dealer had quitely done the invoicing on the 30th of june without even getting the full and final payment of the car further weakening my case . Is there anyway i can seek any sort of compensation from the dealer or the company. Would really appreciate your comments as i am sure a lot of you would know a lot more about this subject than myself. It is really quite sad as i am very happy with the car but i feel cheated out of a promise made and not kept. Even though the amount involved isnt not too much it still rankles to be duped thus . Looking forward to inputs and advice.
	() Thanks

7th July 2008, 23:34	#2
bhp1 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NA Posts: 513 Thanked: 4 Times	Hello tirath, FORD is ruining its customer relations in this way. These are the games sales departments play, customers have to be extremely vigilant while making a purchase as chances of getting duped are high. Even a pennys worth cheating should not be done. Ford already is on a sticky wicket & such nuances are only going to make matters worse for them. But im surprised, you should have got a much better deal on fusion, a mere mp3 is nothing, its probably the slowest selling car in india. Approach the consumer courts, only they can help in such cases as FORD is going to do nothing about it.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 01:24	#3
AbhiJ Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,476 Thanked: 1,207 Times	I guess the best way to go is to talk to the higher management/ownership at the dealer. The normal sales staff will not be able to help you and will only irritate you further. I had a similar situation with a Honda dealership and when I spoke to the Customer Relations manager, they immediately sorted out everything to my complete satisfaction.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 06:33	#6
1100D Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Calcutta Posts: 4,390 Thanked: 4,096 Times View My Garage	Talk to the Manager of the dealership. For prices they say "prices as applicable on date of delivery". So offers should also be effective as on date of delivery. Did you get a delivery slip, or anything to say that the car was delivered to you on 2nd July. If the dealer manager does not entertain you, take the same evidence to Ford Customer service (via e-mail). They generally respond.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 07:43	#7
drpullockaran BHPian Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: ERNAKULAM Posts: 962 Thanked: 385 Times	Forget the consumer courts. You will end up spending a bomb if you go to the courts and will have to wait for about 8 to 9 years for justice which may or may not be in your favour. Company's have deep pockets.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 08:15	#8
dude131 BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Goa / Melbourne Posts: 125 Thanked: Once	try writing to a magazine like Autocar India and see if they can put in a good word for you. I know ACI has a special section where they help resolve reader's problems.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 10:00	#9
Car-Agey BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 344 Thanked: 54 Times	Thats really strange. In my case it happened the other way round. I bought a wagonR in may 2008. At that time they were offering free insurance plus MGA worth 10000rs. When I went to take delivery and my car was being radied fordelivery, they recieved a fax from Maruti indicating change in scheme. The new offer was Insurance+MGA worth 20000rs. They started discussing the scheme among themselves, I asked them what was this offer. They told me the change in the offer, also they suggested me to take the delivery on the next day to availe the new offer. The dealership did it because they were not paying from their pocket and also they were making the customer happy. Also I have recieved five calles from the dealer enquiring if I am happy with the car and are there any issues with the car. So, I fail to understand why the dealer did that to you if the offer was from Ford. They are only destroying their customer relations this way.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 10:42	#10
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,788 Times View My Garage	Customers who buy their cars just before special offers & discounts will always feel short-changed; this is applicable to any industry and there is nothing one can do about it. Its pure luck. What I make from your post, neither Ford nor the dealer have done anything wrong. At the time of booking, the MP3 offer wasn't valid, only to be reinstated later. I'd say, focus on enjoying the car. An MP3 player is worth only 1% of the cars value. Don't waste your energies on this. EDIT : Changed the thread title to something more appropriate. Last edited by GTO : 8th July 2008 at 10:44.
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 10:57	#14
anurag_p80 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 314 Thanked: 7 Times	This is what is called penny wise, pound foolish I guess. Think of the hard-earned money a customer will be spending over the lifetime of a car. I would say it will always be worth it to take the extra effort and keep the customer with you. Besides, the dealer actually does not pay for these offers from his pockets. All the more bizarre behavior. Having said that, I do not think there is any recourse for you if the dealer or Ford reps do not help. Approach Ford directly and see. All the best!!!
	() Thanks

8th July 2008, 11:01	#15
hrag BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bangalore / Madras Posts: 1,982 Thanked: 31 Times	tabrez02, drpullockaran is speaking from personal experience.
	() Thanks