North Country Ford
reviews and complaints

I purchased a used 2018 Ford Explorer from this dealership in May . However, it is now the end of May and I still haven't received my permanent license plate from the DMV. I have reached out to the dealer multiple times, both before and after the temporary license plate expired, through phone calls and texts to the salesperson. Unfortunately, most of the time my calls go to Jessica's voicemail and I have never been able to speak with her. I have left numerous voicemails but have not received any response. Today, when I called, the lady who answered was rude and unwilling to help, blaming the DMV for the delay. This situation has left me feeling helpless, as I am driving with an expired license plate and have no evidence or paperwork to explain to a police officer if I were to get pulled over. I just wish the dealer would fulfill their responsibilities by 1) informing customers before the sale about what to expect, 2) assisting customers with any necessary legal paperwork to avoid any legal issues, and 3) showing empathy and care. As a result of this experience, my family and friends have decided not to do any further business with this dealership. Good luck to anyone else dealing with them.

I had a terrible experience with North Country Ford and I strongly advise against doing business with them. I brought in my 2016 Ford Escape because of a check engine light, and after two days, they informed me that it was a sensor issue that would cost $1300 to fix. Reluctantly, I paid for the repair. However, just two weeks later, the same check engine light came back on. I took my Escape back to them, and after having it for a week, they told me that they couldn't fix the problem unless I paid them $3500. Frustrated, I decided not to proceed with the repair. It didn't make sense to invest $5000 into fixing a check engine light on a 2016 vehicle in 2020.

Instead, I decided to purchase a new vehicle and approached North Country Ford to see if they would cover the cost of the repair in exchange for me buying a brand new 2020 model from them. They had the necessary parts, mechanics, and expertise to fix the issue at a much lower cost than what they were asking from me. The sales manager even test drove my vehicle and offered me $9100 for my trade-in if I bought a new vehicle. My 2016 Escape was in impeccable condition, as I had just had it refinished. Excited about the prospect of getting a new car, I test drove a 2020 model and was ready to make the purchase. However, the dealership then informed me that they would only give me the $9100 trade-in value if I repaired the Escape first. This was a deal-breaker for me, and I left the dealership feeling extremely disappointed.

I felt compelled to write this review to warn other potential buyers to steer clear of North Country Ford. Their vehicles only seem to last up to around 90,000 miles before needing significant repairs that can be quite costly. It's simply not worth it. A reputable company would have offered to refund me the $1500 I spent on the initial misdiagnosis and applied it towards the $3500 repair. That would have been a fair and honorable approach to customer service. Unfortunately, North Country Ford did not demonstrate such integrity. I strongly urge you to find a better dealership that will provide you with a fair deal and reliable service.

On January 25, I made the decision to trade in my 2016 Ford Edge for a 2018 Ford Edge at North Country. However, I was disappointed to discover that they did not fulfill their obligation of paying off the loan associated with my previous vehicle.

I had a really disappointing experience with this company. They advertised false pricing for their vehicles online, and when I went to get my current vehicle appraised, they gave me an incorrect and significantly reduced price. This caused me to make the mistake of running a credit check based on false information. When I finally went to the dealership to purchase the vehicle, I was shocked to find out that my vehicle was only worth a fraction of what they had advertised online, and the vehicle I wanted to buy was actually more expensive than what they had listed. It felt like a classic bait and switch fraud.

In January 2022, I brought my 2014 *** Escape to this dealership due to the engine light being on and the car being immobile. Unfortunately, it took more than three weeks for them to return the vehicle to me. To my disappointment, after only three days, the engine light reappeared and the car once again refused to move. I was informed that the engine was covered by a one-year warranty. Just recently, the engine light illuminated once more, prompting me to contact the service center for guidance. However, it took an agonizing three days before I received a response from them. When they finally did reach out, I was informed that it would take approximately three weeks to fix the issue and that I would not be provided with a loaner vehicle. I have already paid a staggering $9,000 for an ongoing problem that this company seems incapable of resolving. In light of the persistent nature of this issue, I inquired about the possibility of being given priority treatment, but unfortunately, my request was denied.

I took my car to the shop on April 2, because the radio had stopped working. This seems to be a common issue with this particular make and model. They ran a diagnostic and were able to identify the problem. They assured me that I could bring my car back at any time to have it fixed.

Fast forward to May 14, when I brought my car back to have the issue resolved. Unfortunately, the service technician failed to order the necessary part for the replacement. They asked me to bring it back on May 19, as the part had finally arrived. I dropped off my car at 7:15 am and proceeded to call the shop five times throughout the day to check on the progress. It was quite frustrating that I didn't receive any updates. Eventually, at 4:40 pm, the technician called me back to inform me that my car was still not fixed and required an additional part that would cost $600. He mentioned that the manager would be contacting me to discuss my options, but that call never came. It was clear that something was not right with their service.

Later on, the technician called again and informed me that they would remove the part they had previously installed, and I could pick up my car on May 20. Overall, this experience has been characterized by poor service, lack of communication, misdiagnosis of the problem, a three-day period without my car, and the radio still not being fixed.

We received a recall notice for our car in Fall 2019, but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the necessary parts were not available at that time. Since then, we have been experiencing issues with our brakes and have made several calls to inquire about the availability of the parts. Each time, we were informed that the parts were still not available.

However, on April 16th, we received a letter stating that the parts were now available and we were instructed to schedule the repair. Following the instructions, I scheduled the repair and contacted the Coon Rapids dealership to inquire if I could drop off the car the night before. Unfortunately, I was informed that the parts were still not available and was told that Jeremy would call me. However, I did not receive any call from Jeremy, except for a reminder call from the service department about my appointment the next day.

Concerned about the conflicting information, I called again and explained my situation. The person I spoke to checked with the service department and confirmed that they did indeed have the necessary parts.

The next day, I received a call from the dealership asking what they should do with the vehicle. It was then explained to me that they would run a check on the car, and if it failed, they would submit it to Lincoln for approval. Unfortunately, the car did fail the check, and as a result, they have now ordered the required parts. However, they were unable to provide an estimated time of arrival for the parts. Additionally, I was informed that Ford does not offer loaner vehicles, so we are left waiting indefinitely.

In light of these circumstances, we would appreciate a courtesy rental vehicle and a clear date of completion for the repair.

04/21

Dear Sir or Madame,

I am writing this letter to express my deep disappointment with the treatment my wife and I received from North Country Ford in Coon Rapids, MN. As senior citizens in our 70s, we had been diligently saving for a new car for many years. We considered this purchase to be our last, and therefore, we specifically requested certain features such as "Lane assist" or "Collision avoidance" system, as well as an "auto-park" feature to accommodate our age-related slower reflexes. We paid in cash to avoid any payment concerns and also requested an on-board GPS. We made sure to communicate all these requirements to our salesperson, Jason.

After discussing our needs, Jason presented us with a car that supposedly had all the features we desired for a test drive. We were satisfied with how the car handled and decided to proceed with the purchase. We then proceeded to add on various extras such as undercoating, paint sealant, extended warranty, and tire warranty. We were excited about our new car and eagerly awaited its delivery.

Unfortunately, we were unable to drive the car for two weeks due to the undercoating needing time to dry. When the car was finally returned to us, we noticed a significant paint chip that required repair, causing further delay. We were hesitant to drive our new car in the salty slush, so we patiently waited for the repairs to be completed.

Once we were able to start using the car, I began familiarizing myself with its features and quickly realized that the three specific items I had requested and believed I had purchased were missing. I immediately returned to North Country Ford and spoke with Jason about the issue. He admitted his mistake and offered to upgrade our car at no additional cost. However, his boss insisted on selling us another car with the desired features.

This turn of events was extremely distressing for us. Not only did we lose our cash payment, but our car's value also significantly depreciated. We would now have to pay the difference, as well as sales tax and license fees, all over again. Additionally, we would need to repurchase all the extras we had previously bought, incurring thousands of dollars in additional expenses. The entire experience, which was meant to be a joyous reward for a lifetime of hard work and saving, has turned into a nightmare.

Despite our pleas, the manager refused to assist us in any way other than offering to sell us another car at a great expense to us.

We are deeply disappointed and frustrated by the treatment we have received from North Country Ford. This experience has left a lasting negative impact on us, and every time we think about it, we feel a knot in our stomachs.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]