Why I hate Ford .2: How a new car warranty will screw you

Buy a new Ford, and Ford will throw in a 60,0000 mile warranty. Sounds great, what?

You get this terrific warranty on a new car -- 60,000 miles or 5 years (or whatever), stem-to-stern. Oh, I'm living in clover, you think. What they don't tell you is that the dealership makes small profit on fixing a problem when it's under warranty. And if you have a Ford, that you'll have a problem, that I can guarantee.

Hence, the dealership doesn't really care about any problem under the cloak of warranty. That's not their meal ticket. Not even small potatoes; just annoying potatoes. Potatoes they wish would just wilt and die. Particularly if you bought the car for cash, outright. They'll get around to your problem, when they're good and ready. And maybe the service department will call you, and maybe it won't. After they've worked on the big-ticket items -- the ones that pay the bills, the major money, out of pocket.

Under warranty? You are the dealership's worst nightmare and charity case, something the corporation foisted on them all. The dealership will hate you, and wish you'd go away; better yet, just collapse from the frustration of it all.

A Ford warranty? When your car dies at 11,000 miles, you will not receive satisfaction, an apology, service, or anyone who cares. Oh, and most importantly, you will not have a car. Unless you rent one, partially or entirely charged to your own credit card.

It's my fault. A Ford? What was I thinking? Why did I get a sudden surge of patriotism and feel compelled to buy American. Previously, my life had been so calm and easy, when all my cars spoke Japanese.