TUNER & THE FORD DEALER?

2cokeman · 06-04-2007, 08:41 PM

What happens if you have say an SCT tune on the car and the dealer hooks up there flash device to check for updates, but does not flash anything?? Does your tune get messed up? can the dealer read anything? Does your tuning device still work on the car?? ECT............

LegallyTorchRED · 06-04-2007, 10:09 PM

Basically, BE up front with the dealer, generally most of them are not "prics". A tune doesn't change the car enough, for them, to turn into the "devils", (we think they are)
As I said, "talk" to the SM/GM first, don't let your guard down to a 22-25 yo ST,..... BE PREPARED, and I feel you will be OK.
FORD has enough problems with dead batteries, clunking front ends, AC failures, non-working gas tanks, throttle cut-outs, Rt Fr waterleaks, etc... than,to worry about a GOOD Customer.
They are not out to bustyour balls, but,JUST wanting to doa good "service call"
The best line I've ever used, is :
"Hey man, I need your help, and I know you can help me"
JMO

JimC · 06-04-2007, 10:31 PM

When I took my car in last time the service manager simply said "most Mustangs get modded, no big deal -- just tell me what you've done so we don't make any changes, especially if you've done a tune to get rid of the throttle lag".

doode · 06-04-2007, 10:32 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: LegallyTorchRED

Basically, BE up front with the dealer, generally most of them are not "prics". A tune doesn't change the car enough, for them, to turn into the "devils", (we think they are)
As I said, "talk" to the SM/GM first, don't let your guard down to a 22-25 yo ST,..... BE PREPARED, and I feel you will be OK.
FORD has enough problems with dead batteries, clunking front ends, AC failures, non-working gas tanks, throttle cut-outs, Rt Fr waterleaks, etc... than,to worry about a GOOD Customer.
They are not out to bustyour balls, but,JUST wanting to doa good "service call"
The best line I've ever used, is :
"Hey man, I need your help, and I know you can help me"
JMO

if you have found a dealer like that, you sir are a lucky man

every single dealer i have dealt with ARE pricks.
They bristle and shut down all lines of communications as soon as they hear that you have modified any part of your car.

LegallyTorchRED · 06-04-2007, 11:04 PM

Hey doode,
Where I live, my FORD Dealer is like about one of3, out of 3, in a 35 mi radius. I know the OWNER,SM, GM, SVM, and 70% of the guys in the shop. I've bought about 17 FORDS/Lincolns in the past 24 years. DOAN FORD / Morristown, OH. DON SNYDER is the BEST !!!!
We drink beer together, sometimes fish together, see each other out on weekends/weekdays,.... and they have never given' me one bit a sh**.
TY for saying I'm LUCKY, the only complaint I have about my FORD Dealer, is they gave me a pissin' Focus , as a loaner, thelast time I needed service. I get a loaner, (for a 20 min "oilchange")
Getting back to the point,........... BE NICE, let the SVM know, and expect, your/his help. A CAI/Tune, after market exhaust, and other mods, shouldn't be an excuse to "turn you away", YOU gotta tell them upfront, "Hey, I got this stuff", and "nothing I did, should give you the right to give me warranty hassles", so....... "are we clear on this ?"
It has worked for me, So Far, 20+ years. Saving $1500-$3000 on purchase, NEVER equals SERVICE, after the sale, or the CONSIDERATION that goes with it..... JMO
TY,
LTR

marcuskeeler · 06-04-2007, 11:46 PM

It is a worry. That, and potential warranty issues are the reasons I went for the Ford supplied mods and tune, even if it isn;t the fastest out there. even though, I still worried about them reflashing the ECU as part of a routine service.
I had to have new keys made to replace lost items and they had to get into the ECU to reprogram the new keys. I asked about possible problems with my tune and was told that a motor management reflash isn't something normally done unless they happen to be deep into a fault investigation. Most everything else can be done, including fault clearance, without even going near the tune.

howarmat · 06-04-2007, 11:56 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: marcuskeeler

It is a worry. That, and potential warranty issues are the reasons I went for the Ford supplied mods and tune, even if it isn;t the fastest out there. even though, I still worried about them reflashing the ECU as part of a routine service.
I had to have new keys made to replace lost items and they had to get into the ECU to reprogram the new keys. I asked about possible problems with my tune and was told that a motor management reflash isn't something normally done unless they happen to be deep into a fault investigation. Most everything else can be done, including fault clearance, without even going near the tune.

Since when does ford use a SCT tuner????

ohnoesaz · 06-05-2007, 12:01 AM

Keep in mind many dealers ACT like they're ok with tunes. Its legal to act like it, as long as they don't write anything down or sign anything.

Its not until you want warranty work that they actually let the truth be known. And since you've admitted everything and shown them everything before, you're basically screwed.

And don't expect the law to protect you. It won't protect you unless you actually file a court case and follow through. Until then, their lies and their word is the final decision.

marcuskeeler · 06-05-2007, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Since when does ford use a SCT tuner????

My work was done at Dixie Ford in Toronto when the car was 15km old, all the receipts are from Dixie-Ford including the SCT tune. They may have sub'ed the tune out to a local tuner maybe as they did for the tint job.
All I know is that I had one [big] bill from Ford for the complete job (Suspension,tune,CAI,Tint,exhaust).
Hell, I even got an SCT emblem to stick on the car from them.............

2cokeman · 06-05-2007, 03:28 PM

Thanks, That is what I WAS LOOKING to HEAR!!