I own of a Ford Fiesta TDCI for the past 3 years and 6 months. The car has superb handling, responsive engine, comfort, mileage and pick up. Fiesta is a pleasure to drive whether on highways or in city conditions. It s solid car, value for money and a drivers delight.
However service is abominable, its dealers in West Bengal and Assam provide horrible service. I dread every time my car has to taken for service. The service engineers have financial targets and would go to any extent to achieve the set targets. Let me share my experience with Victoria Ford, Kolkata. I took my car for service to the Victoria Ford service center as my AC blower was making a lot of noise and air discharge from the vents were low.
The service engineer saw the car called the AC technician and informed me that the blower was damaged, which had to be replaced and would cost approx. Rs. 4500 to 5500/-. The whole dashboard had to be dismantled to replace the blower and they would take 3 days for the job. I need not worry and they would complete the job and deliver the car at my residence. I asked them if their diagnosis of the problem is correct and they assured me and told me they replaced such blowers every day.
However I was not satisfied and brought my car back without doing any work. I came straight home and checked the internet on the problem and came across an American web site which had instructions on how to replace AC filters in ford vehicles. I read through the instructions very carefully and went to my vehicle. I opened the panel below the dashboard on the left side near to the gear level.
There was a cover beneath the panel which I opened and removed a filter. The filter was similar to the filters of our home ACs. I cleaned the filter carefully as it was made of paper with a toothbrush, vacuumed fitted it back in its slot. I switched on the AC and it worked just like new- no sound and the discharged of Air was excellent. The whole process took me 30 mins. Now I am sure I will be able to clean and refit the filter in 20 mins. Also I have been informed that in the new fiesta’s the filter is made of plastic just like out home ACs and washable.
By not trusting what the dealer said I saved Rs. 5000/- apox. and did not have to go through the trouble of leaving the car with the dealer for 3 days, during which time the car would have been at their mercy completely. On my next visit to Victoria Ford I shared my experience with the GM of the srevice center and he told me that it was a case of wrong diagnosis and nothing more. I need not be bothered with such trivialities. For him it was trivial but at my expense. Even on that occasion I came back with a very poor experience on the service done by Victoria Ford. One of their customer service executive called me and assured me best services and promised to look into the issues highlighted, but it ended with the promise. Now next time my car need service I do not know where to take my car. I have a couple of friends who own ford vehicles and have similar experience. Unless Ford improves services I am not going to buy a ford vehicle again.