Ford unfriendly to Hams - help / advice needed.
 

Well, I've gone over this story a dozen times to numerous auto groups,
but the attitude there seems to be "F* off", so I'm hoping people here
would be more friendly.

The full details are at
http://home.espphotography.com/peninsulaford.html

Short version:

I had a 2001 Ford Taurus, and the extended service plan (warranty). I
volunteer for a Volunteer Fire Department, local OES, and a large Air
Ambulance. I'm also a licensed ham (KG6ESP). I had a few two-way
radios in my car along with my fire turnout gear. No biggie. With 3 or
more people in the car, the car made a loud rattling noise at idle.
After a local ford shop looking at it, they stated the car was
overweight. I could only get the car weighed with one other person in
it, but my car was still over 600 pounds UNDERWEIGHT, and the 2 other
people I'd carry weighed nowhere near 600 pounds. After arguing back
and forth with the local Ford, they said "Too bad, we won't help you."
I sold the Ford, cancelled the warranty I had paid $900 into, and they
refunded me less than $500. They prorate the mileage I drove while I
had the car. I told them if they claim the warranty was void, they
wrongfully took my money. They won't respond. Ford Corporate sent a
letter only in my response to my Better Business Bureau complaint, and
e-mails and voicemails to Budco Financial (the company I paid the
monthly fee for the ESP to) go unanswered. I have Return Receipts as
evidence that they are being read by VERY high level people.

I want the $420 they wrongfully took from me - if my warranty was
void, why did they take it? The local ford dealership inspected my car
prior to letting me purchase the ESP, they said nothing about the
radios, but then when it came time to fix something, they refused to.

Anyone have any ideas? Any agency I can go to or even 'namedrop' to
Budco? I'll be making a long list of calls Monday to Budco, and I'd
like to have an agency I can reference that has some oversight over
Budco to mention. Do you think the Attorney Generals office would have
any interest? Would this be a Bureau of Automotive Repairs? And who do
I go after? Budco Financial? Ford Corporate? I did sue Peninsula Ford
(the ford dealership refusing to do the work) and they simply said
"You're suing the wrong people. All your checks are made out to
Budco", and the judge agreed.

I'm not a ARRL member, but if the ARRL would help out, I'd gladly
join. This is $420 of MY MONEY I consider Ford and Budco have stolen.
Needless to say, I will NEVER own another Ford in my lifetime.

Thanks.

Evan
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