Buying A Ford Focus 2.0 Tdci Powershift

[WarpSpeed]

Thanks MRO - I called Ford first thing in the morning and they promised to email me a softcopy while they try to source for a hardcopy. I told them that it cannot be impossible to get some English copies from Ford's other markets like PH or MY!

Also, Ford confirmed that it was manufactured in PH in July last year but reached TH only in late Jan 2012... so I guess everything's fine, it's just how long it takes.

And finally, I also hunted down somebody at AXA to give me the details of the 1st class policy.... it's apparently work in progress but already in effect.

So can sleep in peace now hopefully!

May likely be due to holding shipments due to flooding as well as not making the sales numbers.,

[NewtoBKK]

eaustev, sorry to hear about the problems you have - I do think that you should continue to insist on a replacement vehicle for the very reasons you mentioned. But how bad is it? Surely if the doors didn't close properly, you could not even have driven home...

My car appears fine so far, but I haven't actually driven it much other than the two hours stuck in traffic from the dealership to my home! In any case, the car that was originally allocated to me was changed to another one because the sales guy that collected it from one of their other dealerships noticed some strange sounds from the chassis when he drove it back to his dealership, so he found another one from yet another of their dealerships.

For the antenna, they claim that it is only available for the Fiesta, which has a different screw-on mecahnism.... he showed me the antennas for both models and they were indeed different. Why? I have no bloody idea!

[WarpSpeed]

Congratulations with the new car and I hope that you have good luck with it. I see that MRO has answered your questions already and that is in line with our experience. I was curious when you mentioned the shortened antenna as I had never heard of that as an accessory, although it would be good as the standard one is ridiculously long.

News is not great on our front. As I mentioned earlier our car was delivered with 4 doors that did not line up or open and close successfully. After sending it back to Ford the vehicle was apparently sent to a panel shop to have doors replaced, repaired, repainted, and then they expect us to accept the car back. Forget it, if I wanted a car repaired and repainted in a panel shop I would have bought a pre-crashed second hand car and saved the money.

Also I am curious, in your car does the steering wheel appear to be slightly offset to the driving position? It does appear to be in ours.

Basically the car has now been under structural repairs for 40% of its time since delivery. I believe there could be more fundamental issues with our car such as the body shell being outside of spec and we are refusing return of the car and demanding a replacement vehicle. Still in dispute so cannot say too much, but will certainly layout the whole story if we are not satisfied with the response.

Shame as they are such a good little car, but unfortunately not with a dealer network and customer support to match.

Wow! Bad news! I feel for you, that would make me livid to think I bought a new car and they tried to correct it like that especially without any consultation, there's no way I'd accept that as resolution on a new car.. On the steering wheel deal, check out another Focus it shouldn't matter what model, they should all be the same but I can't say I honestly remember from my test drive but I think something like that would have jumped out at me.

Good luck, stand your ground on the exchange I'm rooting for you but don't envy you your predicament, that's a raw deal that increases your depreciation value quite a bit if any new prospective owners are savvy enough to catch it like I would were I looking to buy it.

You know on second thought this door thing has me bewildered, how bad could it have been? Does the body shop nor the dealer know there is an adjustment to line these things up both in the hinges and in the door striker/latch. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Somchai has no clue about it, the overall repairs of every kind I've run into here often display to me they have no clue of these available adjustments. I've realigned doors, trunks and hoods on all several cars and it just dawned on me most take special tools like 6 point or 12 point Allens so it's just as likely they don't even have anything more then a screwdriver and a hammer so no way to even do it..

[MoonRiverOasis]

News is not great on our front. As I mentioned earlier our car was delivered with 4 doors that did not line up or open and close successfully.

It's hard to visualize just what the real problem is, but if *all 4 doors* have a similar issue, it sure sounds like a chassis problem to me..

Perhaps it got thrown around on the boat over? That at least would explain why it was able to pass QA/QC at the factory.

Whatever the case, there's no way I'd be accepting the car. Heck, I've knocked back delivery due to things like a 1mm dimple in a panel, satin looking paint in door sills, and one car that in my considered opinion (the dealer didn't share it) had excessive orange peel... All pretty minor compared to what you're describing!

[eaustev]

News is not great on our front. As I mentioned earlier our car was delivered with 4 doors that did not line up or open and close successfully.

It's hard to visualize just what the real problem is, but if *all 4 doors* have a similar issue, it sure sounds like a chassis problem to me..

Perhaps it got thrown around on the boat over? That at least would explain why it was able to pass QA/QC at the factory.

Whatever the case, there's no way I'd be accepting the car. Heck, I've knocked back delivery due to things like a 1mm dimple in a panel, satin looking paint in door sills, and one car that in my considered opinion (the dealer didn't share it) had excessive orange peel... All pretty minor compared to what you're describing!

I am still no expert on how to use this blog but if I can find a way to upload some photos I am happy to share them. Basically the doors are out of alignment by the best part of 1cm at the top, but the reverse at the bottom so are basically twisted. It got to the point where we could not open the rear driver side door without it crunching against the trailing edge of the driver door, They were always out of alignment but actually became worse after the dealer's first attempt at fixing them.

The current situation is that they have taken it to a "standard panel shop", have replaced the driver door and are painting, and have "repaired" the other three doors which also now require painting. Basically forcing the doors to fit the car by the sound of it. Obviously we are refusing the vehicle and their best current compensation from Ford is to offer 5 year warranty rather than 3. No thanks, new vehicle or money back are the only options.

This vehicle was a gift to my wife for Xmas and she picked it up while I was travelling so she didn't really know well enough to look closely before taking over the keys. It will be the primary transport for the missus and 3 kids so I am not going to compromise their safety in a car which I suspect is fundamentally flawed.

I was waiting for the new 2012/13 Everest for the bulk family transport but have changed those plans and visited a Mitubushi dealer today.

[MoonRiverOasis]

Here's a couple of links that might be of use should you feel like you're getting nowhere with the dealership:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kiatfuengfoo-saroj/21/504/b18

http://www.facebook.com/people/Saroj-Kiatfuengfoo/100000059050991

[eaustev]

Here's a couple of links that might be of use should you feel like you're getting nowhere with the dealership:

http://www.linkedin....aroj/21/504/b18

http://www.facebook....100000059050991

Thanks for the reference. I have already involved senior management for customer service at the ASEAN and Thai level so pushing as much as we can. They tend to just push things back down so will have to send another reminder.

and in response to NewtoBKK, yes the doors did actually close but not with a convincing thud, really only felt ajar so we were never really convinced by them. After about a week of driving the doors started to rattle and shake when driving acroos a curb for example entering a driveway. Eventually as described in response to MRO the backdoor would not even open without crunching against the rear of the front door.

Part of my reaeacrh into trying to find ways to deal with this reveals that Ford have quality control problems with the products from the Philippines. The Focus being built in Thailand is supposed to be better in this regard.

[NewtoBKK]

eaustev,

So how did your negotiations with Ford go? Did you manage to get a replacement car or your money back?

[eaustev]

eaustev,

So how did your negotiations with Ford go? Did you manage to get a replacement car or your money back?

NewtoBKK, thanks for asking. I have just returned from a meeting with the Customer Service boss for Thailand, Zone Manager, and dealership manager. The meeting was very constructive and I found the customer service manager to be very understanding and helpfull.

They offered 3 years free servicing and 5 year warranty on the old car but I made it very clear that I would not accept this, so it came down to replacement vehicle or money back. I said that we did actually like the Ford Focus apart from the quality issues we encountered with our car so we settled on a replacement vehicle. They will now check stock in the various dealerships and come back to me with colour and waiting time options.

Restores my faith in them to some degree but disappointed that I had to go to regional level senior management to get this to happen.

[WarpSpeed]

eaustev,

So how did your negotiations with Ford go? Did you manage to get a replacement car or your money back?

Restores my faith in them to some degree but disappointed that I had to go to regional level senior management to get this to happen.

Yes, but good you even had access to them to begin with instead of the usual brush off..

[SaNim]

I've had a TDCI since 10th Dec.

Its wicked , to go all eighties and juvenile!

I have had one problem , the battery failed and was duly replaced.

I have one major annoyance , why do I have to dismantle the facia to park in neutral!!!!!!!!

It goes round corners like its on rails and the power delivery is encouraging.

Its a shame that driven reasonably it will easily return 18km / ltr because it doesn't feel like it wants to be reasonable.

Best million Baht I've spent in Thailand, probably because it wasn't a million.

Note to self , replace stereo and buy racechip pro.