Complaint Review: Dulaney Motor Co

Major Repair Problems For A Prestigious Lemon
Produced By Ford Motor Company And
Maintained By Dulaney Motor Company Of Timonium, Maryland
1990 Lincoln Continental, VIN 1LNCM9840LY773792

This Lincoln Continental Is on Transmission No 5 and $12,945 for major repairs through 91,406 miles.

This Lincoln Continental was leased by AAI Corporation as an Executive Car for me through Sinclair Operating Company/Al Packer Lincoln-Mercury on 5/31/90. I bought the lease out on the Lincoln Continental on 7/20/94 thinking that this was a bargain for a premium quality previous owned car.

As it turns out, the Lincoln Continental has had a history of major transmission, steering, suspension, engine, AC, motor mount, electrical and brake system defects.

Five transmissions; five major AC repairs and a complete AC overhaul; five major brake repairs; replacement of head gaskets; and replacement of front struts, rear struts and air suspension pump along with the litany of problems listed above is hardly representative of the quality that Lincoln is known for.

It should be noted that Dulaney Motor Company provided servicing and repair for the Lincoln Continental from 7/20/94 (42,000 miles) through 4/12/01 (91,406 miles). Over 90 percent of the repairs required on the Lincoln Continental occurred between 42,000 miles and 91,406 miles while the car was being maintained by Dulaney Motor Company.

Research of the cost for a Extended Warranty Policy that would have covered this Lincoln Continental through 90,000 miles indicate that the average out of pocket cost beyond the cost for major repairs covered by the Original Factory Warranty is 25 to 30 percent of the repair cost experienced on this vehicle.

I claim the following -

1) Quality transmission repair and overhaul at 28000, 55566, 68351 and 74170 miles would have eliminated the need for a remanufactured transmission at 91406 miles.

2) Quality AC repair and overhaul at 40000, 48976, 56075, 66706,and 67465 miles would have eliminated the need for a complete AC overhaul at 77471 miles.

3) Quality diagnosis of early indications of suspension system problems would have resulted in suspension overhaul within warranty rather than replacement of rear struts at 74170 milesand front struts and air suspension pump at 86515 miles.

History Of Major Repairs

02/26/92, ~17,000m - Replace front brakes $ 317
07/20/92, ~21,000m - Replace engine mount 134
07/24/92, ~21,000m - Replace alternator 0
02/09/93, ~27,000m - Replace tie rod 0
03/18/93, ~28,000m - Overhaul transmission (erratic shift) 100
03/15/94, ~39,000m - Replace serpentine belt 89
03/15/94, ~39,000m - Replace temp, blend door actuator 394
04/27/94, ~40,000m - Service AC 101
07/20/94, ~42,000m - Replace front and rear brake rotors 728
01/11/95, 46,258m - Replace engine head gaskets 185

06/22/95, 48,976m - Erratic steering, AC and instrument
panel 1497
Warranty refund -695

07/31/95, 49,756m - Reinstall rear view mirror 0
07/31/95, 49,756m - Car lopes at 36 to 37 mph (unable to
duplicate symptoms and fix problem) 0
10/30/95, 53,595m - Replace alternator 100

10/30/95, 53,595m - Ride control warning light comes on and
noisy air suspension pump (unable to
duplicate symptoms and fix problem -
early indication of suspension system
problems 0

03/15/96, 55,566m - Overhaul transmission (broken washer
found in pan during routine service 0

03/15/96, 55,566m - Brake pads and left CV boot 501
04/19/96, 56,075m - Replace AC condenser O-Ring ?
12/16/96, 63,016m - Replace front and rear brakes 530
04/07/97, 65,133m - Replace radiator and door handle spring 621

04/28/97, 66,073m - Rewired heated windshield control so
that cracked heated windshield replaced
with standard windshield by outside
shop 130
06/19/97, 66,706m - Replace AC O-Rings 290
07/14/97, 67,465m - Service AC 30

08/18/97, ~68,151m - Lost all transmission fluid on trip to
western Maryland 100
08/21/97, 68,351m - Rebuild transmission(unable to find
transmission leak) 0

08/21/97, 68,351m - Replace rear window motor 330

05/13/98, 74,170m - Replace rear struts 1236

06/10/98, 74,709m - Overhaul transmission (erratic shifting) 0

06/10/98, 74,709m - Replace brake pads and turned rotors 233

10/02/98, 77,471m - Overhaul AC 1300

12/29/98, 79,422m - Repair heated windshield control
(overcharge alarm, de-ice light come
on, instrument panel lights dim when
driving at night) 306
04/12/99, 81,246m - Overhaul starter 294
06/12/99, 83,104m - Replace left CV boot and align 226

09/22/99, 86,515m - Replace front stabilizer bar, turn
rotors, replace front struts & air
suspension pump 1817

04/02/99, - Replaced engine mounts 162

04/10/01, 91,406m - Remanufactured transmission 1637
Tune up 252

Total $12945


Dulaney Motor Company advised me that the bill for the
remanufactured transmission installed on 4/20/01 was $2600. I discussed the gross inequity of this situation with Maja at the Ford Motor Company Customer Service Center and she contacted Dulaney Motor Company and managed to negotiated a token reduction
in the bill down to $1637.

John
Maryland, Maryland
U.S.A.