Vertu Ford Orpington
Undervalued Customer and diabolical customer service (Non-existent)
Purchased a Ford MSRT just before Christmas. Went to view the vehicle and noticed swirls in the paint while in the showroom which was agreed after multiple conversations before the purchase that this will be mopped and polished before collecting.
Luke confirmed, both verbally and in writing via email, that prior to collection the vehicle would be mopped and polished, and that Diamond Brite and fabric protection would be applied.
I collected the truck on 24th December. On arrival, I immediately noticed that swirl marks were still present in the paintwork. In addition, there was a slight crease in the driver’s side rear panel, blemishes on several other panels, and some trims were not correctly aligned.
On Boxing Day, while using the vehicle, I discovered that the antenna had not been fitted and was instead sitting in the glove box. This was particularly concerning as I had specifically asked Luke at collection whether it had been installed due to poor signal reception, and I was told that it had been.
On 29th December, I returned the vehicle to the branch after the low oil pressure light and maintenance light appeared on the dashboard. I also reported that the heated steering wheel was not working. I spoke with the Service Manager, who advised that a module required replacement, and that although the oil pressure warning was supposedly safe to drive, the vehicle would still need to be brought back in for inspection.
On 5th January, I returned to the branch again and reviewed the issues with Francesca. While doing so, I pointed out that the rear seat headrests were misaligned. I also raised a concern about the side steps not deploying when opening the rear doors. During this discussion, Francesca stepped out of the rear passenger-side door, when I shut the rear driver passenger door at which point the side step unexpectedly retracted and nearly caught her foot underneath the truck. This indicates that the rear door wiring is operating incorrectly and presents a clear safety risk.
Francesca agreed to book the truck in for 6th January so it could be kept for the full day. The intention was for the paintwork to be inspected externally and for the other reported issues to be addressed. However, despite the vehicle being with the branch all day, I was informed that only a wash and paint inspection had been carried out and that they were too busy to look at the remaining issues. Despite being aware of the side step fault and its potential to cause harm, I was still allowed to take the vehicle back.
During these discussions, Francesca also advised me that the bodywork technician had stated the paint was too thin to be mopped and polished. I find this extremely concerning, particularly given the vehicle was sold as new and that mopping and polishing was explicitly agreed and confirmed in writing prior to collection. If the paint is genuinely too thin to safely polish, this raises serious questions about the vehicle’s preparation, paint condition, or any prior rectification work. This was never disclosed to me prior to purchase.
Francesca advised that she would raise the outstanding points with MSRT. The vehicle was then provisionally booked in for Thursday 15th January. However, I called on Thursday morning to explain that I would not be bringing the truck in until there was a clear plan to resolve all issues in one visit, she informed me that she had spoken with MSRT and that a case manager would be calling her back that same day.
As I had not heard anything further, I called Francesca at 3:44pm. She explained that she had experienced a family emergency and said she was about to log on, asked me to give her ten minutes, and that she would call me back. Unfortunately, I did not receive a call. After waiting a further two hours, I called again and requested the contact details for both the Area Manager and the CEO. I was advised at that point that you would be calling me on Friday; however, I did not receive a call or contact details. Francesca only provided me the complaints line details for Ford.
On Friday, I also contacted the branch and left a message for another manager to call me, as Francesca was on leave until 19th January. I did not receive a response to this message either, which ultimately resulted in me attending the branch in person on Saturday.
At this stage, there has been a consistent lack of communication and follow-up. It has left me with the clear impression that my concerns are not being treated seriously, despite the number of faults raised, the safety implications involved, and the fact that this is a vehicle sold as new. And still ongoing…..
