Pre-History

* Bought 1995 Ford Windstar September 1994.
* Windstar serviced every 3,000 miles at Ted Britt Ford.
* I was very satisfied with service from the Gray Team (Karl is no longer Gray 
Team manager).
* I had numerous problems with this vehicle.  It died in a shopping center parking 
lot once, and had to be brought in for numerous "recall" fixes.
* At 104,000 engine problems led me to look at getting a different vehicle.  Ted 
Britt Ford offered me $3000 for the car as is, at that time.
* I decided to replace engine ($3900) in 1999 at 104,000 miles.

History

* I drove into used car lot with a friend looking for Aerostar that had been for sale.
* First salesman came over and said that he thought the Aerostar was no longer 
available.
* Harvey Long then came over and said that he would check on the status of the 
Aerostar that I was interested in looking at.
* Harvey came back to car and said that the Aerostar sold earlier that day.  He then 
asked about my interest in buying a vehicle.
* I told Harvey the many problems that I had with the 1995 Windstar.  He said he 
could talk to Ford Motor Company on my behalf and see if they would offer 
something (HE NEVER DID).
* Harvey told me about other vehicles on the lot.  There was only one other 
Aerostar and that had a high mileage.  He talked about the advantages of the 
Windstar and that there were no problems with Windstars after 1995.
* Harvey convinced me to look at a 1998 Windstar that he said was available for 
$15,598.
* I test drove the car with my friend and Harvey.
* Returning to dealership, Harvey asked me to give him keys to my vehicle so that 
he could get it appraised.
* Harvey returned to tell me all about the problems with the 1995 Windstar (that 
Ted Britt Ford sold me in the first place).
* Harvey told me that he could give me the vehicle for $11,598 with my 1995 
Windstar as a trade-in for $4,000.
* Harvey said that this was a one-time deal that could not be extended any other 
time.
* Less than one week later I received in the mail a coupon from Ted Britt Ford Used 
Car division for $500 which stated that I should "Negotiate your best deal, then 
present coupon for an additional $500 OFF."
* I told Harvey that I preferred to deal with my Credit Union for a loan.
* Harvey told me that the Ted Britt Ford loan officer would give me comparison 
rates between Ford and my credit union (THIS WAS NEVER DONE).
* My friend reminded me about the loaner car situation.
* Harvey said that there was no "loaner for life" on used vehicles, but that I could 
get a loaner with the extended service plan.
* Talking to the loan officer I discovered that the loaner under the warranty was 
ONLY FOR WARRANTY work, not for regular maintenance as I was 
accustomed.
* I bought the extended service plan and the security system, for which I paid cash 
(personal check for $2,000).
* I signed for the vehicle that night.
* The following morning I was upset with the deal and wrote an e-mail message to 
Harvey (I was speaking at a conference downtown and so I was not able to get to 
the dealership on the 30th) from a terminal at the conference:
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 09:09:43 -0400
From: Harold Geller 
To: hlong@tedbritford.com
Subject: Purchase

Harvey,
There's internet connectivity, so while I'm
between sessions I thought I would further explain.
First, I must have been sleeping at the wheel, but
this vehicle was obviously a Hertz vehicle, which
does not please me.
Second, it was not made clear that I will no longer
have a loaner car for routine service.  Sure, my
taking the extended maintenance gives me a car for
"covered repairs", but that isn't worth much to me.
Third, you kept saying how terrible my vehicle was,
so I couldn't expect to get much for it.  My problem
with the vehicle, WHICH I BOUGHT AT TED BRITT, was
that the vehicle was a mechanical NIGHTMARE.  You
expect me to feel sorry for your manager not seeing
added equipment on the vehicle?  TED BRIT FORD SOLD
me that lemon.
Fourth, I was asking about the Aerostar because I know
of people that have had their's for more than 100,000
miles and they were able to get more money for their vehicle.
Face it, why should someone buy another Windstar which Ford
designed so poorly (mechanically, that is what I am interested
in, not gizmos and looks).
Finally, I will be in tomorrow.  I might consider keeping
the vehicle, for which I have a right to nullify the deal,
if Ted Brit provided me a loaner for length of my extended
warranty.  Also, I might consider other options.

Sorry, but there's an old saying, fool me once, shame on you,
fool me twice, shame on me!  I'm not going to be taken again!!!

Regards,
Harold Geller
* I telephoned Harvey from the conference and left a message on his voice mail.
* I never received a response to either the voice message or e-mail.
* I returned to Ted Britt Ford on the 31st, less than 48 hours after purchasing the 
vehicle.
* I first spoke to a manager, I believe Brian Murphy is his name.  I told him that I 
wanted the deal nullified.
* I was informed that "all sales are final" and I had no right to ask for the deal to be 
un-done.
* I told Brian Murphy that I had been lied to by Harvey (about contacting Ford 
Motor Company, the loan, the loaner car).
* Brian said that Harvey doesn't lie, nor does any of the sales reps.
* Brian also said that I had no right to be angry with anyone at Ted Britt Ford and 
that it was my own fault, and that obviously I was really angry with myself.
* He said that there was nothing left to talk about.
* I asked to see his boss.
* I was directed to the office of David Perrin.
* After listening to my story, David said that he would provide me with a loaner for 
life and have Harvey apologize to me.
* At that time I agreed.
* The following week the "Check Engine Soon" light came on.  I called for a 
service appointment, and also asked for an oil change and lube maintenance for 
45,000 miles.
* I was told that they could not find anything wrong and simply reset the on-board 
computer.
* The "Check Engine Soon" light again came on.
* I was now out of summer session and decided that this vehicle was going to be a 
problem, and even if I took a loss, I would look a getting a new vehicle.
* I first went to CARMAX where I looked at mini-vans.
* I saw an identically equipped 1998 Windstar mini-van at CARMAX for $14,598 
($1,000 below the price I paid at Ted Britt Ford) with less considerably less 
mileage than the 1998 sold to me.
* I then went to another dealer and looked at some vehicles.  I asked to get my 
vehicle appraised.
* I was taken to the car and there I was showed evidence that my 1998 Windstar had 
been in an accident.
* There are welding spots on the front passenger side of the vehicle.
* There is evidence of a paint job not only on the front passenger-side panel, but 
also at the side door.
* I was told that I might be able to get $7-8,000 for the vehicle, but they would first 
have to check the engine to verify that it hadn't sustained damage in the accident.
* I left that dealership and returned to Ted Britt Ford.
* I wanted to leave the car to have the Gray Team look at the "Check Engine Soon" 
situation.
* I mentioned that I was disappointed to know that the car had been involved in an 
accident.
* I was told to wait on service and check with the used car people.
* I was told that David Perrin was not in the office.
* I then sought to speak to Doug Carson, general manager.
* I left voice messages on Doug Carson's phone-mail system.
* I never received a return call.
* Remaining on my loan was $11,633.33
* The car was valued at $8,000 (I paid $15,748).
* CARMAX would not consider buying the vehicle because it has been in an accident.

CURRENT STATUS

* After leaving numerous messages for Doug Carson, I went down to see him.
* Doug Carson denied ever getting the messages.
* Doug Carson denied any wrong doing.
* Doug Carson refused to read my printed grievances saying it would be impolite.
* Doug Carson said he would read my complaint and get back to me.
* Doug Carson never got back to me.
* After buying another vehicle at Enterprise Car Sales in Alexandria,
* I sent Doug Carson a message basically calling him a thief.
* Doug Carson proved that he read my e-mails as soon as he got them.
* Doug Carson called me at home on a weekend, on a holiday to threaten me
  with a lawsuit because I called him a thief.
* I still haven't heard from Ted Britt Ford lawyers.
* I still consider Ted Britt Ford sales people (especially used car sales) to
  be little more than con artists - they scam people just like a thief,
  therefore they are thieves. Afterall, as it's been said, "a difference
  that makes no difference, is no difference."
* I don't recommend that anyone buy a car at Ted Britt Ford.