The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Every single day….”Hey, what’s up with your camper, have you heard anything from Ford yet?”

Unfortunately, the answer is still NO.

After opening a case with Ford Motor Company and working through the normal customer service channels, their Social Media Team also reached out on Facebook and X. They indicated they would be looking into it. I appreciated that contact and hoped it meant we were making progress.

Since then… nothing.

No updates. No follow-up. No decision.

I’m still trying to be patient, and I’m still holding out hope that someone inside Ford will decide this situation deserves another look. However, we’re reaching the point where waiting any longer starts making less sense.

This week I’m going to begin organizing an alternate repair plan in earnest so we can finally get Buttervale back on the road. My hope is that there will be real progress over the next several days, one way or another. I have been advised that at least one vendor could make the repairs in about two weeks. It would be sweet to get back on the road before the end of Summer.

I have to admit that this whole experience has been incredibly disappointing.

For most of my life I’ve been a Ford supporter. During my years with the rescue squad, I defended Ford ambulances as other nearby Squads bought Dodge and Chevy. I’ve always been a Ford motorsports fan as far back as Davey Allison in the Havoline 28 Ford Thunderbird. Our family has owned Ford vehicles over the years, and I’ve generally believed they are an honest, American company who built products they stood behind.

Maybe I’m being naïve in thinking anyone at Ford would care. This certainly isn’t my first encounter with Corporate America.

Still, it genuinely makes me sad that this appears to be where we are.

We’re talking about an engine that catastrophically failed at just 48,000 miles. I understand warranties have limits, and I understand companies can’t repair every vehicle always and forever. Still, aren’t there situations where doing the right thing matters just as much as following the policy?

Making this right would be a rounding error for a company the size of Ford Motor Company.

Instead, it has become a story.

Honestly, I thought Ford would do better. I really did.

What disappoints me the most is that this could have been a completely different story. I could have been writing about a company that looked at an unusual situation and decided to help one retired couple trying to live out their dreams on a fixed income. I could have been praising Ford to thousands of people, telling the story of how they stood behind one of their products even after the warranty clock had run out. I would have been a Ford Man for life.

That kind of goodwill is difficult to buy.

Instead, we’re still waiting.

I also want to make something clear: my disappointment remains primarily directed at Ford Motor Company, not the people at Beach Ford. Throughout this process they’ve been professional, courteous, and extremely helpful. They diagnosed the problem, communicated honestly, and have treated me with respect every step of the way.

I’m grateful for that.

Unfortunately, it looks like our paths may be parting soon as I move toward repair solution. That decision isn’t about Beach Ford. It’s simply about getting Buttervale back on the road as quickly and reasonably as possible.

I’ll continue to share every step of the process, whether Ford eventually responds or not.

Hopefully the next update will include some real forward progress.

Tomorrow the adventure continues.