[TeamG]

I stuck with Ford for a few years longer than I needed to (was on a budget in my teens/early twenties, but was doing lots of miles and needed a newer ish car for work). This was partly because of a very helpful dealer. I’d twice rejected a car, but we didn’t actually get round to calling it that.

The first was a 7mth old Galaxy in 2007 that I’d bought new for my wife. (I was driving a £300 15yr old Mazda for one role in London that required parking in Bow on weekend nights.). It was in 17 times in 7 months for warranty work - alarm issues, central locking, abs, engine management. Finally traced to a software upload issue where the software uploaded included for an option not selected, so it constantly searched for that component and threw up the nearest error message. I lost patience, and the dealer offered to take it back and got more than I paid for it new against two other cars (had sold the Mazda after that project finished).

Earlier still, I’d bought my wife a 51 plate Puma which developed a horrendous squeak behind the dash. Multiple dealer visits and he eventually said he’d swap it for another that was 6mths newer with less mileage and no extra to pay.

I stuck with that dealer for a few more years - well past the point that I couldn’t stand Fords any more. All due to a bit of good service.