Since it is a large truck I opted to store it in Texas; however after nine months I decided it was time to sell it.  When a friend, acting as my agent, initially went to Carmax they were informed that my vin number was missing from my dashboard, and were turned away.  The vin plate is not missing, but it had fallen into the dash and was flipped upside down, but was still legible and visible.  I was returning to Texas and ended up extending my stay for a week to have this taken care of.

I went to the Charlie Hillard Ford dealership in Benbrook, TX that my father purchased the truck from new, assuming they would help my with my problem.  They offered to tear the dash out for a monumental amount of cash, and fish it out for me.

After four days of research and running around I ended up at the auto theft devision of the Fort Worth police dept.  The officer informed that I technically did not have to have the vin plate replaced, since it was still visible, but offered the vin reassignment to make selling the vehicle a non-issue.  He said he had never seen anything like it.  Normally they deal with cars that have been stolen or bought used, not new off the lot.  The officer took numerous pictures, and informed me that it appeared that Ford had never riveted the vin plate into place.  This is a fairly important action the manufacturer should have taken, and you think they would have replaced it, not taken a slightly misogynistic tone and informed me that it was my problem, and I could pay to have the dash ripped out if I so wished.

I changed my plane ticket again and set off to Carmax.  They now were satisfied with the replacement vin that did not have to be replaced to begin with.  They ran my car through their inspection process, and proclaimed it to be in great condition barring one hitch.  The milage was incorrect.  I had 829 miles less on it than the title claimed.  Now they didn’t refuse to buy the vehicle because of the odometer issue, but they did offer my 2,500 for truck valued at 7,100 Kelley blue book value.  This would sell to an individual for approx. 9,000 or through a dealership for even more.  If they had refused to buy it based on what is clearly clerical error, it might be understandable, even forgivable, if not extremely irritating.  But to in fact take advantage of me, and a future consumer, is unforgivable.

I called my insurance company Alan Gann State Farm to find out what I should do.  They informed me no one in their right mind would roll back a digital odometer 2,000 miles and not to worry about it.  I should point out that they insured the truck from when it was rolled off the lot, and my father and I have been with the same company for over 20 years.

If Carmax had refused my vehicle, so be it; however, by low balling me to an extreme it says a great deal about their company.  If I ran the truck into a tree today I would get a check for over 7,000.  The fact that Carmax would offer 2,500 is a disgrace.

As far as Ford is concerned, they make a great Ford F150XLT, that being said, the way I was treated during the vin debacle is unforgivable.  It seems to me if you would warranty a drive train for 100,000 miles, you should take care of the vin.