BernieEdge

I have thought about this, and searched Ebay and other sites, and could buy a replacement for as low as $200. Then my paranoia speaks up..... Might this void my warranty and extended service plan? There are sensors in the wheels!!!! They talk to the computer onboard, that talks to Ford whenever I go to the dealer for service. I have been going to the same Ford Deler for 12 years. I have a favorite service writer there. He has always taken good care of me and been very honest. I will call him and see what he says.

I slightly bent one of my plastic chrome wheel covers on my 2011 Ford Edge SEL. My fault, I gotta pay to replace it. So I go to the dealer to see how badly this is going to hurt. I ask the parts guy, "How much to replace the chrome plastic wheel cover on my Edge?" He rolls his eyes, he has been through this before. "Um, well, you have to replace the whole wheel. I stare at him. "What?" The wheel cover is "bonded" to the wheel. You can't get it separately. $768.12, plus mounting and balancing. But they will give you back $50 for the old wheel. They will recycle it for you." How sweet and Green of Ford. I stare. They go on to explain what a great engineering design it is. "Putting chrome on the wheel this way saves weight and cost. It improves your MPG." Yeah well, I think it is a calculated money grab by Ford to make sure you spend $800 bucks, instead of $80, or $150, for something %60+ of owners are going to damage sometime in the car's life. I do not think it was an engineering design at all, but a purposeful design to extract as much money from their clients after they purchase the car. Now I know how they could avoid the bailout, by building in a crazy expensive design that screws their clients. Nice Ford!