I took my 1995 Ford Mustang, with 60,000 miles on it, to David Maus Toyota, Longwood, FL, (407) 831-9788, to check out why it the temperature gauge kept showing hot but the vehicle itself didn't appear to be overheating. They charged me $700 to replace the water pump and the timing chain seal.
One month and 270 miles later, the same problem happened again. I took the car back on a Thursday at 11:30 A.M., at which time I was asked if I would leave it for the weekend since it was so late. I refused. Three hours later, they called me and told me my Mustang needed a new motor. The person calling me, Ken, informed me that it had run 300 miles just fine since the $700 repair. He also said the engine was knocking, which it was not doing when I took the vehicle to them either time. He stated that the car is 8 years old (he apparently isn't too good at math, either), implicating that the age of the car had something to do with the problem. I purchased the Mustang in January, with 40,000 miles on it. It is in mint condition. Or at least it was until David Maus' mechanics got ahold of it.
When I went to pick up my vehicle, I found it had been driven 5 miles, which is usually not done just for a test drive. I could hear it knocking at this time. I took it to another shop and they drove it a very short distance, brought it back, and agreed that it now needs a new engine. A third shop said David Maus should have replaced the sending unit when they did the repairs, which is what caused the damage to the engine.
My credit card required a second opinion regarding this matter, so I took the Mustang to Mullinax Ford in Apopka, FL (407) 889-7600. They indicated it needs a motor, but refuse to say that the repairs made by Davis Maus' mechanics were faulty. They also refuse to return my calls. I paid them $58 for their second opinion and got nothing I didn't already know in return.in the meanwhile, I have $700 in charges on my charge card and a ruined engine.
I filed a report with the Florida Department of Agriculture regarding this matter. David Maus' executive assistance called me to offer me any vehicle on their lot for "invoice price" plus my Mustang. I refused. David Maus' reported to the Department of Agriculture that they offered me full price on my Mustang, as though there was nothing wrong with it, and any vehicle on their lot at "dealer price". The Department of Agriculture closed my complaint "satisfactorily resolved".
I contacted the Department of Agriculture and told them this matter absolutely was not closed satisfactorily and informed them of the two different "offers" made by David Maus. The representative stated she would inform the investigators of my unhappiness with their decision. I have heard nothing back from them.
David Maus' motto is "Whatever It Takes".in my case, it was ruining a perfectly good vehicle.
I plan to pursue this matter in a variety of ways. It will cost me over $4000 to undo the damage done by this dealership. I do not plan to have to pay for the repairs.
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