**UPDATED** '09 GT500 Clutch Dilemma-Need advice!
Wanted to let everyone know the status of my clutch situation. Two weeks ago I was contacted by a member of this board, Ashley, who is a Ford employee. He asked that I PM him my info and Ford would start a case & have a regional representative contact me. For the record Ashley has been very professional & helpful, it is the ones above him that have not been.
To recap where we were, I was waiting on a Mcleod RXT clutch & flywheel while my Shelby had been on the Ford dealers lift for over a week. So the next day a lady who said she was the Southeast Regional manager called my cell. She said Ford would pay $1500 towards the replacement which was now a $3000 bill(down from $3800 when it was all out of my pocket) I said great but I was going to put in an aftermarket clutch since two Fords had failed. The labor at the dealer was $750, would they pay that(half of the Ford clutch offer) and I would go away. I had $1550 in the clutch, flywheel & throwout bearing/slave cylinder at this point. Her attitude turned 180 degrees. No! they wouldn't pay anything on an aftermarket clutch! I tried to discuss the TSB with her but she kept saying that was for the flywheel only. I said it is the flywheel that is overheating the clutch & causing it to fail but she kept talking over me so I finally said "Whoever your superior is have them call me." & I hung up on her. That is not something I usually do, but the situation has been incredibly frustrating.
About an hour later a gentleman from Ford called, evidently her superior, the number was from Central Florida. He was much more sympathetic to my problem & very polite, but still towed the company line that it was a "wear" issue. I asked him if it was his car would he put another twice failed clutch in? He said probably not but if I went with the Ford clutch it would carry a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. I said if that was the case why had I not been offered any warranty(besides the $1500 that same day a week after the ordeal had begun) The 2nd clutch that had failed me was only six months old & had only 1500 miles(500 before me & around 1000 by me). Well that started the hem hawing & he said he would have to talk to someone else & get back to me. That was 2 weeks ago & have not heard a word from anyone despite several PM's from Ashley promising I would hear from them "the next day" for sure.
The Mcleod was installed the day after the phone conversations & I paid the dealer the labor out of pocket which puts me around $2500 on a FORD CERTIFIED used car that was 4 weeks into my ownership that had a FORD extended warranty & the failed clutch was still in warranty. I am warranty poor & $2500 poorer!
The Mcleod is an outstanding clutch & I am still breaking it in after 2 weeks, no regrets on it. What course should I take at this point? I have thought of sending my story to the Ford board members or possibly consulting an attorney(on principal, probably wouldn't recoup the money on that route). Thanks for letting me vent!
Joel S.
Wanted to let everyone know the status of my clutch situation. Two weeks ago I was contacted by a member of this board, Ashley, who is a Ford employee. He asked that I PM him my info and Ford would start a case & have a regional representative contact me. For the record Ashley has been very professional & helpful, it is the ones above him that have not been.
To recap where we were, I was waiting on a Mcleod RXT clutch & flywheel while my Shelby had been on the Ford dealers lift for over a week. So the next day a lady who said she was the Southeast Regional manager called my cell. She said Ford would pay $1500 towards the replacement which was now a $3000 bill(down from $3800 when it was all out of my pocket) I said great but I was going to put in an aftermarket clutch since two Fords had failed. The labor at the dealer was $750, would they pay that(half of the Ford clutch offer) and I would go away. I had $1550 in the clutch, flywheel & throwout bearing/slave cylinder at this point. Her attitude turned 180 degrees. No! they wouldn't pay anything on an aftermarket clutch! I tried to discuss the TSB with her but she kept saying that was for the flywheel only. I said it is the flywheel that is overheating the clutch & causing it to fail but she kept talking over me so I finally said "Whoever your superior is have them call me." & I hung up on her. That is not something I usually do, but the situation has been incredibly frustrating.
About an hour later a gentleman from Ford called, evidently her superior, the number was from Central Florida. He was much more sympathetic to my problem & very polite, but still towed the company line that it was a "wear" issue. I asked him if it was his car would he put another twice failed clutch in? He said probably not but if I went with the Ford clutch it would carry a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. I said if that was the case why had I not been offered any warranty(besides the $1500 that same day a week after the ordeal had begun) The 2nd clutch that had failed me was only six months old & had only 1500 miles(500 before me & around 1000 by me). Well that started the hem hawing & he said he would have to talk to someone else & get back to me. That was 2 weeks ago & have not heard a word from anyone despite several PM's from Ashley promising I would hear from them "the next day" for sure.
The Mcleod was installed the day after the phone conversations & I paid the dealer the labor out of pocket which puts me around $2500 on a FORD CERTIFIED used car that was 4 weeks into my ownership that had a FORD extended warranty & the failed clutch was still in warranty. I am warranty poor & $2500 poorer!
The Mcleod is an outstanding clutch & I am still breaking it in after 2 weeks, no regrets on it. What course should I take at this point? I have thought of sending my story to the Ford board members or possibly consulting an attorney(on principal, probably wouldn't recoup the money on that route). Thanks for letting me vent!
Joel S.
