Kuga owners cry foul
IN A bid to reassure and compensate Kuga owners and offset the plummeting value of the inf(l)amous SUV‚ Ford South Africa has extended its original warranty by two years or 80 000km.
“While we cannot make up for any inconvenience or discomfort you may have experienced as a result of the Kuga 1.6 safety recall‚ we would like to reassure you that safety is our top priority‚” Ford said in an email to Kuga owners.
The extension‚ bringing the warranty to six years or 200 000km‚ whichever comes first‚ applies to all Kuga models sold between 2012 and 2016‚ not just the 4 556 1.6 models which were the subject of the safety recall in midJanuary‚ after about 50 of them caught fire on South African roads.
The “extended plan” is transferable‚ Ford told Kuga owners‚“so if you ever decide to sell your vehicle‚ the new owner can take advantage of the same great coverage”.
“More than 1 000 components are covered by this plan‚ and we hope that it will go some way towards restoring your peace of mind,” reads the email.
The manufacturer is also offering Kuga 1.6 owners trade-in assistance‚ but many have said it’s not enough.
Justin Bodill of Durban asked Trans Union’s Auto Dealer’s Guide – the source the motor industry uses – for the trade-in value of his 2014 Kuga 1.6 and was given a figure of R230 000.
But with Ford SA’s trade-in assistance‚ Bodill was offered a trade-in deal of R188 000, and even less – R150 000 – as a straight buy-out.
“That’s the reality for us as Kuga owners despite this issue having received such media attention,” Bodill said.
“We are sitting with a car that we don’t trust and that we can’t sell for a decent price‚ and I don’t think it should be us taking the knock.”
Bodill has lost faith in Ford as a brand and has no intention of buying another one.
“I don’t want to keep the car. I don’t trust it‚ and now they are trying to win us back with an extended warranty‚ as if they are doing us a favour. ”–