I never wanted it to reach this point, but I thought it would be a good idea to share my experiences with my 2015 Tux Black FiST. At 2 years and 23k miles, I've absolutely had it with the repairs the car has needed. I absolutely love the car and the driving experience, but I can no longer make excuses for this thing.
That being said, I honestly believe that most FiSTs out there are very reliable, I just so happen to get one that slipped through quality control; it happens.
To date, the car has required/received the following repairs:
1) A new evap purge valve for engine stumbling after refueling
2) A new left driveshaft and wheel bearing
3) Two new HVAC door actuators.
4) A new HVAC control module
5) A new interior temperature sensor
6) A new sunroof (yes, the entire sunroof)
Pending issues as of this posting:
1) Paint defect on 3 of the 4 doors (corrosion at bottom door seam)
2) Front left strut clunking over large bumps
3) Engine stumbling again after refueling (prob. the evap system again)
In the last two years, the car has been into service at least once every 2 months. Some repairs have required more than 2 visits and some repairs have taken weeks to complete. The sunroof repair alone took 2 weeks. There's a running joke in my family that if I keep the car, by the end of the warranty, Ford would have built me and entirely new car.
What I've learned, which hopefully can help some of you out:
1) If you experience issues and the dealer is non-cooperative, contact Ford directly. In my case, formal letters were sent to their customer relations department. I found that when I sent physical letters to Ford, higher-ranking representatives (in my case, some sort of legal assistant or lawyer) responded; a lot better that speaking to those call-center representatives.
2) Don't be afraid to demand compensation. You know the saying: "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." After the first year of ownership, Ford ended up giving me an extended warranty for my troubles, though at this point it's not enough. Again, bypass the dealer and go directly to Ford.
3) Keep records of EVERYTHING (dealer service orders/invoices, service records/receipts, pictures of issues, videos, etc.).
4) Try emailing your service representative rather than only calling to speaking with them (so that there is a document trail); just avoid the "I didn't say that" BS.
5) Stick with one service representative (as much as possible). I've only has two the entire time I've owned the car, so they've been able to personally see the sheer amount of issues I've had and can vouch for me (they've actually been very sympathetic and helpful to the best of their ability).
6) If you get to where I'm at in my ownership experience, know your state's lemon law requirements and discuss your situation with Ford directly. I basically told them that if they didn't buy the car back I'd seek my state's lemon law arbitration process as I meet several criterion at this point. Again, it's best to bypass the dealer and speak directly to Ford. Be specific in your demands and request that ANY agreement be offered in writing.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for helping me with all my issues over the years. If I get another ST, I'll be back (most likely). If not, have fun out there!
That being said, I honestly believe that most FiSTs out there are very reliable, I just so happen to get one that slipped through quality control; it happens.
To date, the car has required/received the following repairs:
1) A new evap purge valve for engine stumbling after refueling
2) A new left driveshaft and wheel bearing
3) Two new HVAC door actuators.
4) A new HVAC control module
5) A new interior temperature sensor
6) A new sunroof (yes, the entire sunroof)
Pending issues as of this posting:
1) Paint defect on 3 of the 4 doors (corrosion at bottom door seam)
2) Front left strut clunking over large bumps
3) Engine stumbling again after refueling (prob. the evap system again)
In the last two years, the car has been into service at least once every 2 months. Some repairs have required more than 2 visits and some repairs have taken weeks to complete. The sunroof repair alone took 2 weeks. There's a running joke in my family that if I keep the car, by the end of the warranty, Ford would have built me and entirely new car.
What I've learned, which hopefully can help some of you out:
1) If you experience issues and the dealer is non-cooperative, contact Ford directly. In my case, formal letters were sent to their customer relations department. I found that when I sent physical letters to Ford, higher-ranking representatives (in my case, some sort of legal assistant or lawyer) responded; a lot better that speaking to those call-center representatives.
2) Don't be afraid to demand compensation. You know the saying: "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." After the first year of ownership, Ford ended up giving me an extended warranty for my troubles, though at this point it's not enough. Again, bypass the dealer and go directly to Ford.
3) Keep records of EVERYTHING (dealer service orders/invoices, service records/receipts, pictures of issues, videos, etc.).
4) Try emailing your service representative rather than only calling to speaking with them (so that there is a document trail); just avoid the "I didn't say that" BS.
5) Stick with one service representative (as much as possible). I've only has two the entire time I've owned the car, so they've been able to personally see the sheer amount of issues I've had and can vouch for me (they've actually been very sympathetic and helpful to the best of their ability).
6) If you get to where I'm at in my ownership experience, know your state's lemon law requirements and discuss your situation with Ford directly. I basically told them that if they didn't buy the car back I'd seek my state's lemon law arbitration process as I meet several criterion at this point. Again, it's best to bypass the dealer and speak directly to Ford. Be specific in your demands and request that ANY agreement be offered in writing.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for helping me with all my issues over the years. If I get another ST, I'll be back (most likely). If not, have fun out there!