1) Visteon built the head unit.
2) What and whose advertising did you rely on?
3) To the extent there is literature describing features, one should look for the "specifications subject to change without notice" language.
4) That would allow for the dealer to perhaps have a third party claim against Ford, but the literature I quoted above advises a dealer to go to a dealer only web site to get the latest specifications. Did your selling dealer do that?

Also, with the adaptor mentioned above, it does play MP3s.

The claim would be against the salesman who made the statement about the unit's capability and his employer, the dealer.

 

2. the ford website, ford brochure, and the window sticker stuck on my vehicle.
3. there was no disclaimer on the window sticker.

as i said before about adapters, that is total bs. i'm sure i could buy a kit that makes my vehicle amphibious but that doesn't make it boat-ready.

 

Nice quote Tim. It reminds me of Tommy Boy. (Paraphrase: A piece of crap in a box marked guaranteed is really just a guaranteed piece of crap.)

I'm a little miffed at this whole thing myself. When we purchased it, we made the assumption that given the NAV system was the highest system option available, it would support the most features, i.e., MP3 and Satellite ready. Unfortunately the salesperson who is a personal friend knew no different either, leaving us to look like real asses to go back on him for that.

Ultimately, any resolution offered by either Ford or the dealer is going to be limited to supplying one of the following:

1) A cash refund. This seems the least likely option IMO.
2) A software upgrade. Most likely IF possible. (I'm betting it's not that simple.)
3) Replacement of the NAV system with the Audiophile deck. (Also unlikely.)
4) Complementary MP3/Satellite adaptor. (Most likely IMO, due to lowest cost and hassle.)

While option 4 still won't make it capable of playing MP3 or Satellite independently, at least it will then be truly "capable" of playing these outside sources as well as anything else one might choose to hook up to that input.

Frankly, as much as I like my MP3 CDs, we will likely be going the portable MP3 player route at some point in the near future anyway. While it is extra expense, a 60GB iPod or similar will allow us complete portability of nearly our entire collection. Even in the more compact form of MP3 CD-Rs, that is still a crapload of CDs to carry around. So I strongly favor option 4.

 

Nice argument except that Sirius ready requires the purchase of a tuner and antenna.

I do wish you luck with this. I had thoroughly researched this before my purchase and was well aware of the Nav system's limitations. I can appreciate someone being upset if they didn't know.

 

5) Abosolutely nothing is done until attourneys convince some schmuck they can make him/her a bundle with a class action lawsuit. Ford settles out of court with the lawyers. The lawyers walk away with $4million in legal fees, the customers get a McDonalds Gift Certificate for a free medium shake (if purchased with a regular menu item).

 

Wow, you just dropped the fees from $40,000,000 down to $4,000,000. Not sure you can even get an attorney out of bed for that. You are definitely in dessert mode....ice cream cones and milk shakes.

 

I was feeling generous I guess..... I'd forgotten the earlier post

 

Yes, but the Sirius Ready units come with an input in the back of the radio specifically for a satellite tuner, have a button on the unit for SAT, and the headunit itself is able to display and control the satelite radio. Same goes for an MP3 capable unit....the CD player will accept and play mp3 encoded CD's with no adapters and allow the display and control of those CD's.

If my Mariner came with pontoon mounting brackets on the side, was pre-wired for a propeller motor in the rear, and had a button on the dash labelled "boat mode"....then I'd call it boat ready. Just because you can "turn it into something else" doesn't make it "ready" or "capable".

 

Update:
I spoke with a rep at Ford today (800-392-3030) regarding the situation. His response to my claims was that I had to take it up with the Dealership as this was a "sales issue". He also basically denied any responsibility for this on Ford's behalf.

He claimed:
- Ford does not produce any advertising that offers any specifics about any vehicles. All advertising is produced by the Dealership.

-Ford does not produce the window stickers on the vehicles. They are printed by the dealership.

When asked about the brochures he admitted Ford made them. When asked where the information for the window stickers came from he responded "from the VIN number". When asked if the VIN# information was provided by Ford his response was "I don't know, probably". When asked who provided vehicle information to the dealerships he said "they have many sources of information". When asked if Ford provided information about their vehicles to the dealers his answer was "probably".

I said, "well then presumably Ford has some responsibility here."

His response: "Well, unfortunately I can't act on presumption."

 

Wow, that fellow you spoke to at Ford has a bright future in the legal profession.