In May 2015, I have leased for four years a FORD ESCAPE from a dealer in Montreal, FORD LASALLE where I have performed all the checks until November 2018. Following the dealer suggestion, I bought a complete set of winter wheels (rims + tires) and since it was very convenient for me and not that expensive, I was used to store do the summer/winter tires change at their garage.

Around the beginning of 2019, I got a phone call from FORD GABRIEL, in Montreal, and I have been told that all the customers of FORD LASALLE, because of its closure, where moved to them.

Getting to the end of the lease (may 2019), since I have decided to change brand, I begun dealing with them on the returning on the car and they made me in contact with a company for the final check. Since it was winter, I had my winter tires and rims on at the time of the check (beginning of April) and, naturally, it reported the missing summer set (original mags + tires).

I called FORD GABRIEL to fix the date for the returning of the car and than begun one of the worst customer experiences I have ever had in my life…and I had quite a few!!

It happened that, when I switched the summer with the winter set of wheels in November 2018 at FORD LASALLE, as usual, I asked the dealer to keep my tires (I have no space for them) and, my BIG mistake, I did not check the bill at that time. I did it when FORD GABRIEL told me that my tires where missing and, since their storage was not included in the bill, I had to buy a new set (around 1.400 CAD) in order to return the car.

I spent days talking with the dealer which made researches on my tires but, since there was no outcome, they suggested me to call FORD CREDIT to discuss directly with them about my issue. I spoke with one manager who told me that they could not do anything BUT in case i would have bought another FORD, the price of the missing tires set would have been taken off from the price for the new car. Naturally I declined!

To put an end to this bad experience, I have bought a used mags+tires and return the car.. but the story does not end here!!! Since it was April and, in any case I had to put on the summer tires, I asked FORD GABRIEL if they would have dealt with the switch without any cost for me! They replied that, since I still missed one of the checks (included in my lease), I would not have to pay anything but… it did not go like that. In fact, I got a bill of 39.95 CAD (plus taxes) for the service because the car was already returned. I was so fed up about it that I would have payed even more to put an end at this regrettable situation.

I feel scammed in a way! Not only I had to pay for some mistake occurred when FORD GABRIEL took over the client of FORD LASALLE but I had also to pay to switch the tires!!!

I do not know who did the mistake and, frankly, I do not care. I just know that an important brand as FORD would need to take care of clients and FORD GABRIEL, knowing the situation and giving me the wrong advice on the switch of tires, could have switched the tires for free....