Ford Rental at John Grose
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Do not expect them to take care of old and vulnerable people
My Dad bought his last 4 vehicles from John Grose in Ipswich and previously he said the staff here were knowledgeable and took very good care of him! However he’s now 78 and he needed a new car and had been treated so well in the past that it wasn’t even a decision we arranged from him to go back here! He attended to buy a new car, he didn’t want the hassle with a used car and as depressing as it was he just kept saying it’s his last car he wants something he doesn’t have to worry about! I told him to lease something but he was adamant 3 years warranty and Ford assist he wanted a new car and he trusted this company! I couldn’t go with him the day he bought his Ford Kuga but he said he was asking about new cars, manuals and the salesman and everyone he dealt with were so young and didn’t seem to possess the knowledge that their previous colleagues had. He pressed on and took a car for a test drive he wanted a manual but the salesman kept pushing him towards an automatic he drove it and wasn’t overly happy then someone came in to look at a 50k truck and they palmed him off on someone from the used car side. My dad explained he just wants the peace of mind of a new car he doesn’t have to worry about servicing or repairs and it’s reliable! The used car salesman pointed him towards a used Ford Kuga saying the person who had that car before was a very good customer who looked after this vehicle so it was as good as a used car but cheaper! Turns out despite Dad paying for Ford assist, using John Grose for every service and MOT despite being able to get cheaper and literally utilising them for everything even when he needs new run flat tyres he trusts this company! Engine light comes on so he calls Ford assist they tell him he’s booked in at John Grose they will take in and diagnose and sort! They took in and the fault code which didn’t come up with our mechanics said the emissions were reading incorrect! No fault on any specific part just the emissions were off! They saw there was a recall on a particulate filter so in their service manager’s words they did a £1500 repair and charged Ford for it! Two months late the lights still coming on so they call you and tell my elderly Dad he has to pay to have the fault diagnosed! I call up explaining the car is a 21 plate having done 28,000 miles that they’ve only ever serviced and MOT’d and clearly they’d not sorted the original fault! They eventually agreed to take in to look at for no charge and then came back saying the emissions are off so it needs a new wire mesh in the exhaust! I called and said the emissions were off when we brought in months ago and they guessed it was the particulate filter cuz they get paid £1500 from Ford I do not think it’s reasonable they charge my elderly dad when firstly he never wanted a used car and if it was new it would be under warranty, secondly they never had a fault code for the particulate filter it was always the mesh and thirdly it’s done 28,000 miles services to great expense with them and they are forcing my Dad to pay £126! He has a service and MOT coming up do they really need that money? My Dad has bought 5 cars off this company over the years now it’s run by children and a few managers who are so cold and uncaring and unappreciative of all the business my dad gave them it was just not a nice experience. I’m finding more and more I have to manage everything for my Dad not because he’s not capable but because nobody he deals with seems to care about old people! I eventually spoke to the service manager and I was not happy so I asked to speak to someone else and he said there is no one higher! With that in mind please do not allow anyone you care about to trust this company or expect any kindness, consideration or decency because whatever they tell you it doesn’t exist! Years ago this company was exceptional now it’s full of kids and dishonest managers!