The FORD Lounge

[Gary Lewis]

That's sacrilege!    At least they could buy the thin ones from someone like LMC instead of using a real one.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

That's sacrilege!    At least they could buy the thin ones from someone like LMC instead of using a real one.

My thoughts too. This gate wasn't perfect, but it looked to be rust free and good for a driver.

There's 13 locations so far, and if I'm not mistaken, they all have tailgate benches out front. I'm not sure how many of those are bullnose gates though, as this restaurant had a dentside tailgate bench as well.

[Gary Lewis]

Dentside is worse!  Even harder to find from what I've read.  

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

Dentside is worse!  Even harder to find from what I've read.

Yep, and I can confirm, they are NOT comfortable to sit in so I will never understand the point of making them other than to just waste a perfectly useable tailgate because one "thinks" they look cool.

[grumpin]

Spendy benches! Wonder if they know that?

Thought of buying a flow through tail gate to keep some tweaker from stealing mine. Haven’t found one I like yet.

[salans7]

Well, I'm in the midst of getting a new roof put on my house. I made the mistake of assuming the contractor had a generator. Nope. And they made the mistake of assuming I had an outdoor outlet to plug their compressor into. Nope. So guess who had to drive 45 minutes back home to run a drop cord for them to run their compressor? Needless to say I'll be having that talk with the manager.

[Gary Lewis]

Bummer!

Sounds like you'll be having the same chat I will with the people that serviced Janey's sewing machine.  They installed the case such that the foot feed can't be plugged in.  So now we have to take it all the way back to south Tulsa just so they can fix it.  Two hour round trip because they can't do their job right.

But this is the outfit that sold Janey a very expensive Cut & Scan and when we got it home she found it was used.  Someone had unboxed it, used it, and even registered it before returning it.  But they sold it as new.

So I will be having a conversation with the manager of the store.  

[salans7]

Ouch, that's rough. I don't blame you. Dishonesty has no place in sales or customer service.

[Gary Lewis]

As a follow up to my post, it pays to have all of your info together and talk to the right people.  

The straw that broke the camel's back was poor service on a very expensive embroidery machine, so I emailed the manufacturer and told them that their retailer's service section was incompetent servicing their machine.  And I got a phone call from their regional service manager the next day.  I explained the situation but also said that I'd called the regional sales manager for the chain of stores and she was supposed to call me back.  He said he would check back with me later after she'd had a chance to call, but would be talking with her about the problem.

Then the regional sales manager called me back.  I explained how much money we've spent at the store and what they've done to us recently - sold us a used cutting machine for new and botched the service on the embroidery machine.  And every time they've messed up they expect us to drive 45 minutes back to the store to fix their problem.  Further, that as of now we will no longer be doing business with them, and that I've filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer, who would be calling her soon.

She seemed truly appalled - especially after she did some checking and realized that they didn't even order the replacement cutting machine for a week after we informed them that they'd sold us a used one.  And, she was taken aback when I told her the machine they sold us was not only obviously used, but had been registered with the manufacturer - and we know the name of the person who registered it.

Turns out we aren't the only ones that have complained about that store.  So she's having some serious meetings with them and will make some changes, and will inform me what they are and when they happen so we can return with confidence we'll be treated fairly.  But meanwhile, she made things right.  Today her top service person showed up with a new, never-opened cutting machine that is two notches better than the one we purchased.  And, while here he fixed the embroidery machine.

So, I say all of that to say get your details together and have a serious conversation with the right people.  It can make a difference.  

[Gsmblue]

Good to hear you got to the right person and got it resolved!

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks.

In a bizarre twist, I am now getting suggestions on Facebook to send the regional sales manager a friend request.    I doubt very much that she wants to be my friend.

On top of that, I'm getting lots of adverts on Facebook about sewing and/or quilting.  It feels like my communications have been tapped.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

Thanks.

In a bizarre twist, I am now getting suggestions on Facebook to send the regional sales manager a friend request.    I doubt very much that she wants to be my friend.

On top of that, I'm getting lots of adverts on Facebook about sewing and/or quilting.  It feels like my communications have been tapped.

Welcome to the world of the internet, where EVERYTHING you do or search is tracked. I have my Google account linked to my phone, and so whatever I look up on my phone, gives me an ad for it on my laptop, and vice versa.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it is all interconnected.  I looked the lady up on LinkedIn, and called her.  And looked up the cutting machine on Google.  So all of that fed back to the advertisers.

[BigBrother-84]

Just for fun, today I went to one of my client's home, a Ford collector.  Just to show him BigBro restoring result, knowing he will be captivated.

First time I went there, couple of years ago, I had to park my GMC Terrain there, but everywhere were signs with "Ford only, all others will be towed".  This gives you an idea about his humour.

Unfortunately, he wasn't at home. This gentlemen owns two Ford-T, one 82 F-150 (brand new, less than 100 miles.  Right, not 100,000, but really only 100), a Ford fire-truck with skis and caterpillar, and some other machines that Ford museum asked to have, but he refuses.

I took this picture at his "private museum" (totally private, no public there).  He transformed his garage looking as a vintage gas station.  What a character he is!  

[Gary Lewis]

He sounds like a character!  See if you can get him to join.  He'd be a hoot to talk to.

And, I'd like to document his '82.  In other words, put up a page with dozens of pictures of it as well as of him in the Documentation/Picture Gallery section.  Show him the 1983 XLS Survivor.  Or the 1981 F100 With 318 Miles.

And maybe a page on his museum?

Are you a good photographer?  If not, do you know one?  I'm serious, the truck and the museum need to be documented.  

[kramttocs]

That's a great photo! Hope you're able to get some photos of his bullnose.

[BigBrother-84]

I'll go back meet him and see what he agrees to share with us.

I'm not a professional photographer, but I have a good equipment and I can take pretty good pictures.  Hope he will agree to let me document his "Aladdin's Ford Cave".

Not sure he can join a Web Forum...  The phone is maybe the most technological device he can use.  

We never know, I'll discuss with him and see.

[Gary Lewis]

Sounds like a plan, Stan.  

You might show him some of the other pages.  Maybe that will persuade him to have his truck & his place immortalized.  And we don't need to tell where it is if he doesn't want to be "on the radar".

As for joining, tell him I'm 74 and we have older people on here.  It isn't to late.  

[grumpin]

That’s neat!

I’ve always thought it’d be cool to live in an old two service bay gas station.

[BigBrother-84]

Well, this is what we call a crash:
Today, end of afternoon (16:00), we'll reach 50°F (10°C).
At 03:00, less than twelve hours later, gonna be 1°F (-10°).
What a drop!