I brought my 99 Mercury Cougar to Cal Worthington service department on 17 June 04 for a major engine malfunction. I have an extended warranty with Heritage warranty insurance. I was seen by a service technician named Brant.
I am an active duty Air Force member who was due Permanent Change of Station on 1 July. I expressed to Brant that I needed the car back before the 1st of July as I was driving out of the state on official military orders. He reassured me that my car would be a high priority and he would file my claim with Heritage Warranty insurance company. I phoned Brant on the 20th of June and was told that the engine was torn down and that he called for an inspector from Heritage to inspect the engine as he would have to authorize the repairs.
I phoned Brant several more times between the 20th and the 28th and each time I was told that he was still waiting on an inspector from Heritage to come out and look at the torn down engine. I was also informed that if I paid for an engine and had them install it that the old engine would be set aside and an inspector from Heritage could still come and authorize the repairs. I decided to buy a used engine and have your service department install the engine. I made this decision based on Brant's statements and the fact that I was leaving on military orders. The engine arrived and I was informed by Brant that the new engine would be installed and ready by the 2nd of July. When I tried to phone Brant on the 2nd of July, I could not reach him. I went to your dealership at 11:00 am on the 2nd of July and was informed that it was Brant's day off; I was also informed that the mechanic that was working on my vehicle also had the day off. I was referred to Mr. Pat Mount. Mr. Mount took me back to my vehicle and that is when we discovered that the original engine was still in the vehicle in the same condition as when I first brought it in. The tear down had not been accomplished.
Mr. Mount took over for Brant and made sure that the new engine was installed and ready to go by the 3rd of July. Mr. Mount admitted to myself and my wife that Brant had been less than honest in the statements that he made that the engine was torn down and waiting on an inspector from Heritage.
Heritage warranty insurance company denied my claim, stating that I did not receive prior authorization. They also informed me that they were never called to come out and do the inspection of the engine. Yes, I'm ticked off at Heritage too, but If Brant from Cal Worthington would have been honest with me, I would not have been pressed for time and backed into a corner with little or no options.
I have voiced my displeasure several times with various employees of Cal Worthington, but I get the same response. I am told that they are not responsible, because I authorized the repairs. I feel they should share some of the cost, because it is because of their employees deceit and lies, that I was forced to authorize the repair. Meanwhile I am out $2,200 dollars, and no one wants to claim responsibility.
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