URGENT! Those who replaced Wilderness AT with tires not on the ford tire list

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

Hello,

Last night, I finally got my tires replaced per what I thought from reading the board would be a legit tire recall procedure. However, with me, I can always expect problems.

I researched this a while ago on this board, surfing around in the archives to see if I could find anyone taking advantage of this Wilderness AT recall and getting new tires that aren't on the crappy list, such as BF Goodrich All - Terrain TA's...and I found plenty of people who have gotten them replaced with tires that in fact ARENT on the list, and just paid the difference.

I ordered 31'' x 10.5 BFG All terrains for my truck at the ford dealer, and made an appointment for them to be replaced. They came the same day I ordered them and I waited 3 days for my appointment date to come around, and on my appointment date, after waiting a few hours at the dealership dispite my appointment, the service manager calls me up to the front desk and informs me that they cannot honor any type of reimbursement towards my Wilderness AT tires since I didn't order tires that were off the list, and that he didn't know why they didn't tell me that when I ordered the tires since I specified that this was all supposed to be for the AT recall. I've seen MANY people on this board say they did what I wanted to do, and if i could please have everyone that has speak up, and EMAIL me with some basic information so you can help me straighten this out. My email address is different than the one on the board, it's "Sellingthadrama@aol.com". Please include the dealer you got your recall taken care of, the tires you bought, the service advisor you dealt with, the FORD personnel you talked to for approval. I really appreciate it, as this is very frustrating and I know that it's possible to take care of this recall in this manner.

Thanks
chris
Sellingthadrama@aol.com

 

[bigtigexplorer]

I just purchased a set of BFG Mud Terrains for my '99 Explorer. With the understanding that under the latest Firestone Recall I could take the old Firestone tires and the ORIGINAL receipt for my new tires to the local Ford dealership and be reimbursed up to $110 for 15 inch tires and $130 for 16 and 17 inch tires.

My local Ford dealership told my that only the tires that were on his list of approved tires would be eligible for reimbursement, and since the BFG Mud Terrains are not on the list that I would not be reimbursed.

THIS IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT!!

According to Ford's Customer Service Center ( 1.800.392.3673 ) the list of tires the dealership has contains the only tires the dealership can use to replace the Firestone tires. As a consumer I/you have the option of purchasing ANY tire as a replacement for the recalled Firestone tires, and as long as the old Firestone tires and the ORIGINAL receipt for the new tires are brought to the local Ford dealership I/you will be reimbursed up to $110 for 15 inch tires and $130 for 16 and 17 inch tires.

So the moral of this story is I just got $600 worth of some kick a$$ BFG MT's for $120, now that's a deal tough to beat.

 

[Robert]

I think most of it has to do with the fact that you tried to buy "non-approved" tires through Ford. If you were to purchase them somewhere else and then take in your original Wilderness tires, they should give you a refund, up to the limits for your tire size. It has been done many times, however I don't remember reading any posts from anyone that said they did it directly at Ford. If you go to Ford, you will probably have to take an "approved" tire, usually not your choice of which brand you get.

 

[TarHeel085]

there screwin you dude. go to a dif Ford dealer those guys sound like ***** cause thats not true at all. take it somewhere else and bring em the damn tires back.

 

[RFR2212]

......definately a before & after topic.....

 

[YetiX]

My buddy went out and bought BFG's and then sent the receipt directly to Ford and recevied a reimbursement check like 3 weeks later for the full amount.

Don't get the tires at Ford, buy them elsewhere and then get reimbursed.

My story sucks too. My dealership was out of the replacement GoodYears and told me it would take four weeks before they got more in. I didn't want to put my wife and kid at risk so I replaced my Deathstones with some cheap Sears brand tires until the GoodYears came in. When the GoodYears came in, the A-hole at the dealership wouldn't just replace my Sears tires with the GoodYears. I actually had to pay to have the Deathstones put back on my X just so Ford could replace them with the GoodYears. I don't use that dealership anymore.

 

[TarHeel085]

there all dirty *******s. thats pretty much the way they all are.

 

[tbomb]

i think robert hit the nail right on the head. buy your tires somewhere else.

 

[97 Eddie Bauer v8]

Thanks!

Alright Fellas, thanks for your responces. I really appreciate it. See- that's what I thought.

RFR- Dude- if you have no input, don't post. Stop yer *****in'.

Basically I told them I'd bust them up if they didn't do what I want and they got scared...I mean, I even said to them If they weren't going to give me a credit towards my new tires, I'd want the old tires back, and they initially refused to give them to me!! So it turns out that, dispite the fact that I purchased the tires through the dealership's parts department, I recieved a $550.00 credit towards the purchase of my BFG 31'' AT/KO tires, plus a free installation and static balance to rid my chrome wheels of the unsightly apprearance of balance weights. I only had to pay the difference in price per tire. I'm one happy bull. Nobody knows what they're doing. Thing is, the 31'' tires weren't that much bigger than the 235/75/15 Wilderness AT's...and since i'm far from rubbing in any perspective, I think I could have gotten away with 32'' tires without any modification except for the TT/Shackle mod that I have already done several months ago. I will post pics to make RFR happy so this turns to what his standards call "on topic"

 

[taxx]

I replaced mine with the 31" BFG's and tokk the reciept to ford and four weeks later got my money no questions askd.

 

[COMMOCOZY]

Pete i think thems fighten words

MAN all this *****in over tires wow people get worked up to easy.

 

[Dutch26]

I just replaced my Wilderness AT's with Yokohama Geolandar HT's (i know, i know...it's a highway tire on a 4x4, but at least I'm honest about how I use my explorer!). The dealer said, of course, that he could not reimburse my purchase since the tires weren't on the 'approved' list. However, like a smart Explorer owner, I read this forum first, and told him that I knew other folks that had done the same. He blushed, and told me that I could get them reimbursed, but I would have to wait months and months to get the reimbursement from Ford, directly.

What I would like to know is how much of this is true...

I can stand to wait a couple of months, 8-10 weeks, and cover the purchase of my Yoko's, no problem. I was just wondering whether it's really going to take 3 to 4 months (which is what he told me) or whether it would be worthwhile to trade my Yoko's for Goodyear's (ugh) in order to get reimbursed more quickly.

 

[BadEgg]

I have a question fer you guys. Back in August of 99 I replaced the factory 235x75xr15's with 30x9.5xr15's Wilderness ATIII's. (got a good deal) Well when the Firestone recall came out I was told I was SOL because the tires were not the factory size for that year. (not on the list) My question is if I purchase 30x9.5xr15 Yokahama Geolanders could I get a refund on the purchase price even though I'm replacing a non-factory size?

 

[BadEgg]

I wanted to clarify that I was talking about the original Firestone recall back in 2000 and now the Ford recall of Firestone tires. Does that make sense????

 

[RFR2212]

Word homeslice. I see someone representin. Want my imput? get a big truck and get it muddy with boggers. There it relates to tires now.

 

[FrankRizzo]

FYI,

I replaced my 235/75/15 AT's with Cobra R wheels and 275/55/17's. I sent the invoice for the tires to Ford and got a check for $690.00. Don't ask me how, the 15's were only supposed to be worth $110.00 each....

 

[ChuckW]

Dutch26,
When I replaced my Wilderness AT tires with Michelin Cross Terrain SUV's, I took my 5 Wilderness tires to the nearest Ford dealer. He took the tires and a copy of the receipt and said I would get a check in a month from THE DEALER(not Ford) and I ended up getting the check in less than 3 weeks.

What happens is the dealer turns in the tires to Ford and Ford reimburses the dealer, who then reimburses the consumer. If this Ford dealer is telling you months and months it is because THEY(the dealer) is stalling and not filing their paperwork with Ford promptly.

I suggest going to another Ford dealer. It doesn't matter what dealer you use to get reimbursed.

 

[01EB5.0]

DO NOT GO TO FORD for tire replacement if you want something not on the list! Ford won't do it. You need to go somewhere else. What are they going to say then if the tires are already installed?! If they give you a hard time say the tires you got were all the tire place you went to had that would fit your vehicle and you just wanted the wilderness AT off. Thats what I did and the dealer didn't say much except "Those 16" Sport Trac rims look sweet on that truck!" DOn't give into the dealer and get some crappy tire you will not be happy with...just go somewhere else!

 

[01EB5.0]

Originally posted by BadEgg
I wanted to clarify that I was talking about the original Firestone recall back in 2000 and now the Ford recall of Firestone tires. Does that make sense????

Badegg,
the firestone recall has been stopped a while ago. They quit doing the recall because they said 97% of the affected tires had been returned. You may still be able to get new tires through ford's recall, but I dunno.
Good luck!

 

[rustytr]

The dealer I went to for the replacement only had BFG AT's.