I bought a 97' Ford F-150 super crew 4x2 from Tidewater Auto in Norfolk, VA in January and hadn't had a problem I took a trip to NY from VA. I was driving in upsate NY when I heard wierd noises from my engine. I pulled over called a tow truck and had it towed to a Nemith Motors in Lathem, NY and they diagnosed the problem as a spun main bearing in the bottom of the motor. Nemith Motors referred me down the street to Lathem Ford because of their great reputation for working on trucks. I paid the 84.00 Nemith bill and had my truck towed down the street to lathem ford.
I ended up taking the bus back to VA and left my vehicle at Lathem Ford. The next day Frank from Lathem Ford calls to find out whats wrong with the truck and what I wanted done. I told him that I had a Wynns Warrenty and to take it from their. Frank stated that he has expierenced wynns warrenty problems before and had to eat the cost of repairs prior, but wouldnt mind trying again giving Wynns the benifit of the doubt. After calling Wynns, Lathem Ford was given permission to tear down the motor by Wynns to see what the mechanical failor was, and to see if it was covered or not. Lathem Ford took the motor out of my truck for teardown. The motor is all apart except for the intake manifolds and heads. The engine oil was put in a container for wynns inspectors to view for diagnossis. Lathem Ford Agreed with Nemith Motors that my 6 cylinder ford motor did spin a main bearing and wore the crankshaft as well as damaged the #4 cylinder wall.
Lathem Ford was even good enough to detect that a faulty part-time running oil pump was to blame for the problem and recommended a new motor or short block which is a rebuilt motor w/out some upper parts where as a long block is a complete rebuilt motor. Wynns, sent a indipendent inspector down within a week to inspect the damage. The inspector inturn agreed that my truck atleast needs a short block and submitted his findings to Wynns.
I then called wynns and checked to see what was going to be covered, and Dan a Wynns adjuster, told me and Lathem Ford that they would cover the crankshaft and bearnings worh 1100.00's, plus teardown and thats it, stating that Wynns will only cover parts gone bad, and not those that were damaged by parts that went bad.
Lathem Ford told me that they would do the repair of parts covered and honestly said to me that the motor is not going to make it far without other parts being replaced as well. So, I then called wynns again and talked to numerious customer service reps, and ajusters to find out thats all they are paying for, and that I should be happy that the parts are new and not used, cause as stated in the contract New, Remanurfactored or other like wise parts which DAN from Wynns stated means used, or the same price for used parts. I was raged, and couldn't believe what I had just heard, and argued with Dan, Paul his supervisor and so on until I realized that it was all I was really going to get from Wynns.
Anyways, Wynns has yet to pay for the tear down or parts as stated verbally to me and Lathem Ford as its now going on a month of hassle by Wynns Warrenty since May 29th, 03. So, I just got a 2yr, 4000.00 loan from my bank and sent it to Lathem Ford for a new motor and to pay costs Wynns Warrenty never payed for as of yet.
The total was 75.00 for the 1st tow, 45.00 for the 2nd, 82.00 for the bus ticket back to VA, 315.00 engine teardown and 3685.00 for the new motor with a 3yr 32000 Mi warrenty and will be ready for pick-up July 1st, 03 which is just days away and have to buy another bus ticket back to NY to pick up my Truck so I can drive to CA to fulfill the rest of my Military Enlistment I will update this report when I receive them.
Joseph
09568-1509
U.S.A.
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