[JibbersCrabst]

First off I'm a little anal.. any time I leave any car I own with a shop of any sort I document how many miles are on it when I drop it off.

To start the story in fall 2015 I took my car to the Lander's Ford in Benton, AR to have the rear main seal replaced due to a leak. When I dropped the car off it had just under 1/2 tank of gas in it and when I picked it up the fuel light was on and the car had 75 more miles on it. That's a lot of gas to burn through in 75 miles, and 75 miles seemed like a lot of test driving for a rear main seal. Me being the non-confrontational type just let it go.

This year my rear main seal failed again and the car had to go back but now I have a hard-wired dashcam in the car that I got for christmas last year and it automatically turns on and off with the car.

When I picked up the car the mileage was much less. Only about 20 miles since I dropped it off but I decided to review the dashcam videos anyway to satisfy my curiosity. What I found I think could probably be classified as "abuse" to my car.

I also typed out rough transcripts for each video as I plan to send them to the service manager as soon as possible.

Video 1

@ 1:02 Engine reved 2 times to what sounded like redline 1 rev a bit lower, then a 2nd person exits from the garage.
@ 1:34 Car revved again.
@ 1:45 the driver says he previously did the rear main seal so is apparenly is the same tech who worked on it last year who put 75 miles on the car.

Video 2

@ 1:20 guy outside of the car who appears from conversation to be the tech who was originally driving says "Mash on that throttle see if this thing will spit some flames." then the guy in car proceeds to rev the engine to what sounded like redline 4 times.
@ 1:45 Guy in the car spots the dash cam.
@ 2:05 One asks the other "did you drive it very hard?", other responds "I haven't driven it at all, I just drove it over here"
@ 2:25 "Hm, I'd be careful with that" followed by an inaudible conversation outside of the car.
@ 2:49 "Just be careful with it.. givin' it hell and be like.." and the other guy laughs.

In a subsequent video that I did not include. The car is moved into the shop and the dashcam appears to be inspected with a flashlight for a few minutes.

 

[blanchimont]

I would report it to the dealer and report the dealer to Ford as well, effing stupid people having no regard for other people's property !

Good luck !

 

[Allen_rubin]

Guy with a veloster did the same thing, Hyundai corporate asked for him to remove the video from YouTube until they could work something out with the dealership. I would do the same thing though, take it on with the dealer one on one and don't make it a huge thing until they either make up for it or not.

 

[stylo]

Take it off only when they ask. Stupid cnts treating property that isn't theirs like that!

The big corporates will always want to cover their asses. Fk them. Smash the dealership !!

 

[tpiechow]

I didn't see anything in the videos that I would make a big deal out of. In my opinion, they rev'ed it a few times. So what. I do that all the time in my car. And if anything broke while they did that, it's on them. Granted it does kind of open the door to "what would they have done had they not noticed the camera". But at the end of the day, does it really matter?

I wouldn't blame you for reporting it, I myself wouldn't bother taking the time to do so.

 

[stylo]

I didn't see anything in the videos that I would make a big deal out of. In my opinion, they rev'ed it a few times. So what. I do that all the time in my car.

lol .. I'd assume that the OPs car was cold and revving to the redline when cold is not advised. And if the car was warm, they are paid to service the car, not rev it's tits off. Just shows you their lack of respect.

 

[tpiechow]

lol .. I'd assume that the OPs car was cold and revving to the redline when cold is not advised. And if the car was warm, they are paid to service the car, not rev it's tits off. Just shows you their lack of respect.

Which is why I said if anything did break when they did that then it's on them. Statement still stands.

 

[stylo]

Which is why I said if anything did break when they did that then it's on them. Statement still stands.

Too late once it's broken, but as you wish! Everyone is different. Maybe you don't care about your possessions like the OP does or like I do.

Maybe you don't mind them doing that to your car and maybe/probably/possibly taking your car for a 75 mile round trip to buy some McDonalds for the other staff (see first post).

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Which is why I said if anything did break when they did that then it's on them. Statement still stands.

The issue isn't about something breaking. The car hopefully suffered no lasting damage, but as was pointed out before it appears the car was revved repeatedly to redline while cold which is potentially damaging to the engine as the oil hasn't reached full viscosity. Also this is my car not theirs. If they want to rev the piss out of an ST they need to buy their own not f*** around with mine. Also judging by the conversation in the video driving customers cars hard, for fun, seems to be commonplace. One guy asked the other nonchalantly, after finding the camera, if he had been driving it hard then warned him to "be careful with that one".

Main point is he's not making the payments so it not his to play with. I'd venture a guess that he fooled around in it the last time he had it, and is probably doing it to other customers cars too. The dealership is his place of employment not his playground.

 

[tpiechow]

Too late once it's broken, but as you wish! Everyone is different. Maybe you don't care about your possessions like the OP does or like I do.

Maybe you don't mind them doing that to your car and maybe/probably/possibly taking your car for a 75 mile round trip to buy some McDonalds for the other staff (see first post).

If you could give me some stats on how many engine related failures there are due to the temperature of the engine, that would be great. Yeah, it is not advised but its not like you are running a 50/50 chance of the engine exploding every time you rev the engine when cold. So it has nothing to do with how much I care about my car, it's about being practical and not getting offended by everything.

The first time I took my car to the dealer to get an oil change, I got my car back with oil all over my seats and center console. There was like 10 papers on the dash (why they needed 10 papers, I have no idea), the tag was still on the rear view mirror. And the seat was so far forward, I couldn't even sit in it with my legs out of the car. Could I of gotten pissed and raised hell? Sure. But you know what I did? I moved the seat back, used the rag in my door to clean up the oil and threw the papers away. And that's all it had to be.

While I think that the dealer should of replaced the gas that was used, a rear main seal repair is not going to be confirmed with a 5 mile drive under light throttle. Was 75 miles and a whole lot of gas necessary to verify repair? Maybe. Maybe not.

In either case, I did mention that I would not blame the OP for bringing this to the attention of the dealer, I just wouldn't take the time to do so.

 

[tpiechow]

The issue isn't about something breaking. The car hopefully suffered no lasting damage, but as was pointed out before it appears the car was revved repeatedly to redline while cold which is potentially damaging to the engine as the oil hasn't reached full viscosity. Also this is my car not theirs. If they want to rev the piss out of an ST they need to buy their own not f*** around with mine. Also judging by the conversation in the video driving customers cars hard, for fun, seems to be commonplace. One guy asked the other nonchalantly, after finding the camera, if he had been driving it hard then warned him to "be careful with that one".

Main point is he's not making the payments so it not his to play with. I'd venture a guess that he fooled around in it the last time he had it, and is probably doing it to other customers cars too. The dealership is his place of employment not his playground.

Which is why I said: Granted it does kind of open the door to "what would they have done had they not noticed the camera".

Is anyone reading what I wrote? I feel like I keep having to repeat myself.

 

[stylo]

If you could give me some stats on how many engine related failures there are due to the temperature of the engine, that would be great. Yeah, it is not advised but its not like you are running a 50/50 chance of the engine exploding every time you rev the engine when cold. So it has nothing to do with how much I care about my car, it's about being practical and not getting offended by everything.

The first time I took my car to the dealer to get an oil change, I got my car back with oil all over my seats and center console. There was like 10 papers on the dash (why they needed 10 papers, I have no idea), the tag was still on the rear view mirror. And the seat was so far forward, I couldn't even sit in it with my legs out of the car. Could I of gotten pissed and raised hell? Sure. But you know what I did? I moved the seat back, used the rag in my door to clean up the oil and threw the papers away. And that's all it had to be.

While I think that the dealer should of replaced the gas that was used, a rear main seal repair is not going to be confirmed with a 5 mile drive under light throttle. Was 75 miles and a whole lot of gas necessary to verify repair? Maybe. Maybe not.

In either case, I did mention that I would not blame the OP for bringing this to the attention of the dealer, I just wouldn't take the time to do so.

This is great!

You so missed the point.

 

[tpiechow]

This is great!

You so missed the point.

If you think I missed your point, then you missed mine.

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Which is why I said: Granted it does kind of open the door to "what would they have done had they not noticed the camera".

Is anyone reading what I wrote? I feel like I keep having to repeat myself.

Yes I read what you wrote. Who knows what would have happened if he never saw the camera. You also said you probably wouldn't say anything which is fine if that's how you would handle it, I'm not here to judge.

 

[Ritual]

That mechanic obviously does not respect other peoples property judging by his attitude and commentary. If he didn't see the camera he would of done worse I guarantee it. These cameras are a great idea for any dealership visit. This stuff probably happens everyday.

 

[FordFocus897]

OP, I think you have every right to be upset, especially considering your past experience with this facility! It's not like this is the first time they've revved your engine. Personally, i probably would've lost it the first time they put 75 stinking miles on the car. That's unacceptable. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night! (Ok maybe I'm getting a little carried away) and if you ask me, the only reason they didn't beat on it again is because of your camera. Certain people on here seem to think it doesn't matter, and they can think what they want. Maybe they have Lamborghini huracan and don't care about their ST. But I care about my ST immensely and I don't want anyone to be trashing on the stinking thing!!! Geez it's not a hard concept. Anyways I am sorry this has happened to you, I think you have every reason and right to report the incident and I will support you in doing so

 

[Hammer]

I would do everything in my power to set their worlds on fire.
I go out of my way to baby my car. All of that could be undone in 5 minutes with a tech like this.

 

[16Kona]

Fry 'em! :furious:

I can't stand when other don't respect ones property. These morons need to be unemployed for a bit to learn what RESPECT means.

 

[FordFocus897]

I would do everything in my power to set their worlds on fire.
I go out of my way to baby my car. All of that could be undone in 5 minutes with a tech like this.

Fry 'em!

I can't stand when other don't respect ones property. These morons need to be unemployed for a bit to learn what RESPECT means.

Exactly!!

 

[STcraze30]

I do not like ford dealerships. I have had SO many bad experiences with them never again! I go to local privately owned shops they are always the best!