‘I think you should sue.’
If you are a repairperson, and in the process of fixing something, you make it worse, it’s kind of your job to correct the mess-up. At least, that’s one of those general rules of life. And perhaps it goes double when the mistake happens to someone’s vehicle.
One Texas truck aficionado is learning, though, that “repaired” doesn’t actually mean “as good as new.” Jim (@jaimec213) took his Ford F-150 XL to the dealership. While there, the mechanic drove the truck too close to the lift and “popped” the wheel. So it was up to the dealer to fix it.
“They kept on calling me about the locks,” Jim explains. Meaning his tires were kept on by wheel locks that are designed to prevent theft of vehicle rims or tires.
Jim says he told them the key must be in the truck because he’s never used it. It’s actually a brand-new truck.
“Lock, lock, lock,” he quasi-chants, underscoring the point that the wheel should not have gone anywhere without the specific key needed.
Then he recalls, “Well, long story short, the main supervisor said, ‘Don’t worry about it. We had to break it off, but we put brand new locks [on] for you, and we’ll take care of it.”
So he thinks nothing more of it, trusting that the situation has been resolved.
He picks up his car after dark, so he can’t get a clear look at the repair. The next day, however, he takes a look and sees that the mechanic did not put on a new set of locks. Instead, “all they did was, I guess, put a regular lug nut on there. Ridiculous, lied to me,” he says.
On-screen, there’s a close-up of the tire, and no, the lug nuts are not locked. It’s not a huge deal, but he did purchase the truck with locking lug nuts.
Since the TikTok has gotten over 15,000 views, it stands to reason that the internet has some thoughts to share. Chris83_83 deadpanned, “nobody’s stealing those wheels.”
Jim acknowledged that these aren’t the most desirable wheels in Texas, but still said, “You’re missing the point.”
As Taylor said, “Make them pay for after market ones.”
Hector Garcia got a little more wound up (possibly suggesting his own disappointing dealership experience). “Dealerships are not worth [poop emoji], they forget the customer has the power to call the bank or hire a lawyer to complain or sue,” he wrote.
Jim reiterated his frustration over the situation, writing, “I paid for it and they broke it.”
Jim’s situation isn’t unique because people make mistakes. Dealerships work at high volume, and not every mechanic is a genius. To be fair, most individuals will work to correct a mistake. However, as this situation illustrates, sometimes the proposed solution is not acceptable.
CarParts suggests first of all, “staying calm, and assessing the situation logically.” Then reach out to the business and operate from a position of good faith (even if you don’t feel that way).
Good faith is foundational to good business, and “an implied covenant of fair dealing,” reports Harvard Law School. This basically means a business can’t just do the bare minimum to say a problem is solved. It’s expected to treat the customer fairly and return things in the condition they were received.
Also, logistically, once you’re in an argument, everything is more difficult.
You also want to make sure you have the paperwork and documentation. In Jim’s case, he should have the notes. And his other wheels probably have locks.
Finally, if no satisfactory recourse is available, he could dispute any charges with his credit card company. Failing that, he could reach out to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the Texas State Attorney General’s Office.
Of course, all of that takes time and organization, so hopefully the dealership will deal with him fairly and replace his locks. A full set of locking lug nuts would cost under $100, a small price to pay. It’s also a reminder for the rest of us: Always double-check dealership work, especially when the fix follows their mistake.
Motor1 contacted Jim via TikTok direct message and comment. We contacted Ford via its press portal. We’ll update this story if either responds.
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– The Motor1.com Team