I'm throwing this story around to get as much input as possible about how to proceed. each day i get more info, i feel i should be doing more to find out what's really going on.....
the story...short version....on a sunday a couple of weeks ago i got a flat tire in my '03 cobra (about 24000 miles on her). had it towed to a "ft. lauderdale area svt dealership", as the lug lock key was at home (had just moved, packed away....dumb!). so the next day they call me, need two new tires (which i figured), we'll have it done by EOB tomorrow. get a call later the next day, oops, time for a brake job (also figured), gonna be a few days for the parts........
a few days later they call and tell me they'll have it done by the end of the day. around 4 pm the service manager calls me, and here's where the story gets good: during a test drive, the car broke down, "about a mile away" from the dealership. they're sending a guy out to look at it and bring it in if necessary. i'm really, really unhappy about this turn of events but keep my cool. get it back in and call me asap i tell him. as soon as i hang up i call svt, wanting to know what distance should be traveled to test a brake job. he tells me a mile should do it.
service manager calls me back, tells me they're gonna have to look at it more closely tomorrow. i mention that svt said a test drive should be about a mile. he tells me, in his best "know it all" tone, that actually ford wants us to test drive for 6 miles (:"wants us"????? aren't YOU ford???). i drop it for then and await the word.
the word comes the next day....not good. the chain was thrown, cam damage, header damage, god knows what else. gonna be a week or so to get it fixed. they set me up with a rental............
a few days pass and i get THE call. ford has decided that there's so much damage, they're going to replace the engine........at the time i knew this was big, but the more i think about it the more i realize it's REALLY big. the general consensus from friends and associates, including mechanics and car buffs, is that ford doesn't just give away engines......something stinks. that test drive. furthur consensus is someone missed a gear on that drive and over-revved (i'm told in this circumstance the rpms could pass the rev limiter). further consensus is that i could potentially have other problems as a result, mostly transmission related.
how i'm feeling right now is that i'm not getting the whole story, and i'm not going to get the whole story unless i start making some noise. i'm very concerned about the future driveability and value of my car. this situation could take a drastic toll on both. there's been mention of lawyers, ford district reps, me walking in and asking for documentation, etc. i'm kind of resolved to dropping in for a long meeting as the first step. what do you all think? who at ford should i start with for a complaint. will svt help me at all?
thanks in advance, ryan