ComplaintsforLiberty Ford Lincoln Mercury, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I took my Bronco to liberty Ford Vermillion on 8/7/24 to have a trailer hitch installed the next day. I picked it up on 8/8/24 at around 5pm. On the way home I noticed grease on the fabric by my front window. When I got home we noticed there was grease all over the interior of my vehicle in the trunk part. Also my 2 quarter panels were damaged from what looks like someone tried to pry it off with a screwdriver and chipped the paint, there were gashes in the bumper and the trailer hitch install was not professional at all, the inside quarter panels were not lined up neither. I called and spoke with **** the general manager. He had me bring the vehicle back at 8 in the morning to fix it. They did give me a loaner vehicle. The service manager called me the following week to pick it up. The grease was still everywhere and the panels were still damaged. They tried to fix it with touch up paint.. They said they'd fix it all again. Didn't hear from them so my wife called Ford customer service and they contacted the business on 9/5/23. Yes they had it for a month. Well the service manager called us and said it was ready to pick up. We went to pick it up and the car is in bad shape. The only thing they kinda fixed was the grease everywhere. There is still a few spots left. The bumper is crooked which is pushing my driver side taillight up into the body panel. Which I'm not sure how they did that unless they trimmed my light since they are set holes. The body panels they painted have chips on passenger side and the drivers side looks like maybe hair in the paint. The interior panels are still crooked as well. The bumper is completely butchered. Instead of cutting a small hole for the wiring harness they cut a huge rectangle from the harness all the way to the bottom of the bumper. My wife asked **** for a refund and we were told he'd give us a refund but we are never allowed to come back to liberty ford. We never received a refund. I did get my extra 100 they charged me back.

  

  Business response

  09/11/2024

  These customers had a legitimate complaint originally as the vehicle was damaged during the hitch installation. Once the customer returned to pick up the vehicle and it wasn't acceptable for her, she requested a full refund. We instructed the Service Manager to either offer her a full refund or we would agree to make the car acceptable to her but would not be able to offer refund also. They agreed for us to fix the car. There was a part issue we had to wait on a bumper. To assist the customer, we put them in a new Bronco Sport to drive free of charge. When the car was completed, they came in and walked around the vehicle with Service Manager, Body Shop Manager and General Manager, they accepted the repair work and prior to leaving the wife said "Now what are you going to do about compensation?" She then proceeded to ask for a full refund in which we had reminded her that she was given a choice of a refund and walk away, or allow us to make it right. She threw a fit and the General Manager instructed to issue a full refund. The General Manager did inform the customer that we would do so. These people had their young son with them and even joked with him and said “Now son did you learn something?" The General Manager did ask her to never return. She had also stated multiple times that she would never do business with us again.
  
  The customer accepted the repair work to the vehicle.  However, that simply wasn’t good enough for them, and they wanted something else for free.  So they griped.  As a result, a check was issued to them on September 6th in the amount of $417.54.  These people are looking for a handout and Liberty has provided all that it is going to provide.  We will examine the new issues that the customer claims about the bumper and repair work, but the customer was given the opportunity to inspect the repairs and did so.  After that review, they accepted the repairs.  If there is truly an issue with the repair work we will address it, but we are not issuing these people any more money.  
  
  Additionally, the customer needs to question the estimate they received.  That amount grossly exceeds the original estimate to repair the damaged caused during the hitch installation.   

  Customer response

  09/12/2024

  We never accepted the condition of the vehicle. My wife showed the general manager the paint on both quarter panels. When the general manager looked at the passenger side he said the car just got back from paint and he wasn't sending it there again, at that point I handed the service manager the keys to the rental they let us use. (By the way when a dealership damages a customers vehicle they are supposed to give them a rental car for free since they did the damage). At that point my wife said she would never come back again and asked for the refund. The general manager laughed and said why would I give you a refund when you already said you'd never come back. She never got loud or threw a fit. She left and walked into the building to speak with the sales man who sold us the broncos. I was still outside with general manager and service manager. General manager said I offered you guys a refund to accept the car as is or we'd fix it. I said yeah you offered me to accept the car looking horrible. he said "yes". He must of then realized what he said and then went on to say i'll give you the refund but your never allowed back here as he was walking away into the building. he then went to my wife in the building while she was speaking to the salesman and told her the same thing. She'd get her refund but is never allowed back, I also have no clue what they are speaking about when they say we told our son about learning a lesson? Honestly the only lesson he learned is what bad customer service is. About the quote I submitted it's from a reputable ford dealership. The bumper needs replaced not refinished like what my work order states you did. Didn't know refinishing a bumper makes you wait a month to get a new bumper when refinishing something is sanding it down and repainting it? I will not bring my vehicle back to liberty ford as they have caused way to much damage to it. I do not trust it would be fixed properly considering they had a month to do just that. My next step is contacting a lawyer and allowing them to take care of this. I'm the one with the damaged vehicle.
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  

  Business response

  09/16/2024

  Please provide photos of the claimed damage.

  Customer response

  09/23/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: See attached
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  

  Business response

  09/24/2024

  I am ******* ******, and I have taken over handling this matter.  Thank you for sending over the photos and estimate.  I have reviewed the same and we will have no problem addressing remedy to the items in the estimate relating to the repairs made by Liberty.  The bumper cut out for the wiring harness is larger than it is supposed to be.  The shop technician did not cut this properly, and a new bumper is needed.  I apologize for the inconvenience regarding that.  As for the other issues, again we will address compensation for items related to the work we performed.  However, there are items unrelated to work done by Liberty and which the photos do not support and we will not be able to provide any compensation for those.  Specifically, the estimate for the Liftgate.  There is nothing that shows damage to the liftgate, and that is not an item we worked on during the repair.  

  I would need a revised estimate excluding the Liftgate items in order to assess for compensation.

  Thank you

  Customer response

  09/25/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
    See Attached
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  

  Business response

  09/26/2024

  First, thank you for the quick response with the updated estimate.  I have attached a release agreement that you will need to execute before I can release payment.  This has been drafted to only relate to the service and repair of your Bronco Sport.  If you have questions please let me know.  We are not able to make payment on this matter without release.  

  Customer response

  10/01/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
    See attached
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

  

  Business response

  10/01/2024

  I will have a check cut today.

  Customer response

  10/06/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *********

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a used 2019 Acura RDX with 26410 miles on June 24, 2022 from Liberty Auto Group in Vermilion, Ohio. Serial No.: ***************** Purchase price: $38,300 Sales Person: **** ******* When **** ******* reviewed all the detail at time of purchase he highlighted the detail multi-point inspection done on the car and an oil change had been performed. His words were "if there was something wrong with this vehicle the service team would of found it because that is how they are paid". While driving the car back to St. Louis after the purchase I noticed the braking was very poor and the AC was not cooling. Took the vehicle the following day to my local Acura dealer, ***** **** Acura to have they check brakes and AC. They found the all 4 brake rotors were damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced. The AC was low on freon and required to be filled. The rotor replacement cost $726.93 and there was no cost for the freon. ***** **** Acura suggested I reach back out to Liberty Auto Group to ask for them to cover the cost since these items should been discovered during their pre- sale inspection. ***** **** Acura Service Manager when on to say that a reputable Auto Group would cover this cost. I reached out to **** Comier 3 times. First time he said he'd review with his manager and call me back. No call back. Called **** 2 more time and left a message with no return call. Called sales manager, ***, 2 times and no call back. Called the General Manager and left a message and no call back. As I think back on the Liberty Auto Group used car sales process I was heavily pressured to buy an extended warranty with the sales person coming back 3 times with a modified proposal. I put this at the top of all heavy pressure sales I've ever received. I question now if they knew of these issues and the only way Liberty Auto Group would fix them is if I paid for it through they extended warranty contract.

  

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  While we can understand that at this point the customer could be experiencing the issue complained of as a natural result, we have agreed to compensate for the repair upon a copy of the receipt for services.  

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a vehicle from Liberty Ford in February. Less than 1200 miles later the **** **** suffered a major component failure and the repair invoice was over $1500. I emailed Jane ****** and Chris ********* about this incident and received no reply. I then had the vehicle repaired and sent a subsequent letter and copy of the repair invoice to Jane and Chris asking for partial reimbursement of the expenses incurred. Still no response.

  

  Business response

  05/09/2022

  While we understand *** ******* dissatisfaction with the cost of having his vehicle repaired shortly after his purchase, it was *** ***** who agreed to be responsible for all costs or repairs once he purchased the vehicle.  When *** ***** bought his **** **** in February, he had t he chance to drive it, inspect it, and do any other review he would have wanted.  He was further offered the opportunity to purchase a vehicle service plan (optional plans for purchase enclosed), which he declined (declination enclosed).

  Additionally, he executed an As-Is Used Motor Vehicle Acknowledgment and Release where he specifically assumed all responsibility for all costs of repairs on the vehicle. He acknowledged that Liberty Ford made no representation as to the longevity of any part of component on the vehicle.  Moreover, he signed an FTC Buyers Guide clearly setting forth that Liberty Ford was not warrantying the vehicle in an way, but that a service plan was available for purchase.

  The reason we offer service plans, especially on used vehicles, is because parts and components wear out.  They get old, dirty, and eventually may stop working.  A service plan helps cover t he cost of these instances, and it is a good investment on any used vehicle purchase.  *** ***** admits that he did not purchase a service plan, but no wants Liberty to cover his repair costs.  Unfortunately, this is *** ******* responsibility and Liberty will not be reimbursing his repair costs.  While we understand *** ******* comment that the vehicle had less than 60,000 miles, it was still over 7 years old.  Over time, vehicle parts do wear out.

  Finally, *** ***** chose not to bring the vehicle to Liberty for this issue, and we cannot rely upon the actions of an independent service center to verify any concern he raised.

  Customer response

  05/09/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I emailed Jane and Chris about the component failure and did not receive a response.  That's why I had the repair done at an independent shop.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

  

  Business response

  05/10/2022

  Whether or not you emailed our employees does not negate the fact that you could have simply brought the vehicle here for the issue to be checked and possibly repair.  Additionally, none of this changes the fact that you agreed to be responsible for all repairs on the vehicle.  Given that parts will wear out or stop working on a vehicle is why we offer our customers the opportunity to purchase service plans.  In this case, you chose not to, and therefore the cost of the repair is yours.  

  Customer response

  05/11/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I purchased this vehicle and it had less than 60,000 miles on it.  I accepted the first counter offer that Liberty Ford offered so I did not receive this at a big discount.   Since purchasing this **** **** the Navigation System conked out within 2 days of driving it off the lot, I spent nearly $1600 repairing a turbocharger within 1200 miles of driving it off the lot and I also replaced a 7 year old battery.  Now the transmission is making chunky shifts and if I have to pay tremendous costs to have it repaired I will seek legal counsel.  There are lemon laws for used automobiles.  This dealership did not perform its due diligence inspecting this vehicle before it was put up for re-sale.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  12/23/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  After quoting us an estimate on the phone of 1 week to replace a front bumper and grill on Nov 6, 2021, they held our vehicle for over a month before finally ordering parts. They then kept it almost another month after that to conduct the repairs. Giving little to no updates throughout the entire process, and not answering phone calls or emails. They have not tried to remedy the problem at all and have stopped answering repeated requests for updates.

  

  Business response

  02/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/01/03) */ Contact Name and Title: ***************************************************** Contact Email:************************ Spoke to ********** on 12/23/2021 and resolved concern. Resolution still in process. Complaint inaccurate. Follow-up occurred in great detail from Body Shop. However, some information provide regarding parts was inaccurately provided to *********** Request for reimbursement for any lost wages are denied.

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