Mechanic’s Apprentice Wrecks Supercharged Mustang
A Colorado enthusiast dropped his new S550 Mustang off at the dealership for what he thought was a simple supercharger install.
It’s every Mustang owner’s worst nightmare. You drop your new vehicle off at the dealership for some work, but instead of getting a call to tell you the job is done, your service advisor says they crashed your car. Such was the case for Mark Grage in Colorado and his new, S550 Mustang.
The Drive’s Rob Stumpf has the lowdown on a tragic incident involving a new muscle car and an over-exuberant apprentice mechanic. After purchasing a new PP2 Mustang GT, Grage wanted more power. Simple enough. He delivered the 266-mile car back to the original dealership, Loveland Ford, for a Roush supercharger install.
That’s where everything went sideways. Including his Mustang.
Grage took to social media to express his dismay after learning about his Mustang GT’s fate. “After buying my new Mustang from Loveland Ford I decided to have them install a supercharger,” he posted on his Facebook page. “After the supercharger was installed, the mechanic’s apprentice and his friend took the car out to see what it would do. The mechanic’s apprentice totaled out my new Mustang with only 266 miles on it. To my knowledge, he still works there. I won’t be returning to Loveland Ford for any reason due to how unprofessional this matter was handled.”
That sounds about as bad as these situations can get. Which sadly aren’t all that uncommon.
The Drive reached out to the dealership, who relayed a slightly different explanation of how things went down. Loveland Ford’s general manager, Harry Johnston, told The Drive that the Mustang was taken on the standard test drive that all cars undergo post supercharger surgery. Johnston also noted that the technician was cited for careless driving and then later fired from Loveland Ford. “Stuff happens, you know?” said Johnston. “Unfortunately it’s stupid as hell that the kid was test driving that vehicle in obviously the wrong fashion.”
The dealership paid off the loan for the wrecked Mustang. They then sold Grage a Shelby-modified 2016 Mustang. They also said Grage came out ahead with cash in hand. Apparently that’s when things took another turn for the worse.
Grage took to Facebook again after he heard that the dealership had spoken with The Drive. “To set the record straight, I DID NOT GET A FREE CAR OUT OF THIS, I AM PAYING FOR MY SHELBY. I just found out that the dealership talked to Power Nation and [The Drive] and gave them some untrue information,” he wrote. “The dealership called me yesterday and asked if I would remove my posts and they would make things right with me. So I thought I would do the right thing and do it, not knowing that they talked to Power Nation and the Drive. I DID NOT GET A FREE CAR. The dealership reimbursed me for cancellation fees of the service contract and the gap insurance, and the parts I already purchased for the car that they totaled.”
Photos: Mark Grage/Facebook
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