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Three month old order sitting in USOB


fmorriso

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If I'm leasing I don't have a trade-in. You'd still buy the car from the dealer and negotiate your trade-in - but you'd be able to order the vehicle directly from Ford at a fixed price (X plan e.g.).

Great, but at x-plan, which you agreed to with Ford, the dealer now has no markup to over allow for your trade. You are now going to get a wholesale number on your car, because you basically just bought your new one at the dealer's wholesale cost. Are you going to be ready to swallow that pill the day you go to pick up your new car, or now are you gonna be pissed, and trapped by a dealer that has "YOUR" new car on their lot? By the way, "your" is in quotations because the dealer is the one that bought the car from Ford with their money. Ford's not gonna build and ship a car to you on good intentions. They want their money too. Which brings us to financing, another thing the dealer gets you. The rates are going to change between the time you order it and when it comes in, as does the value of your trade. Way too many variables to assume are going to be O.K. when your car comes in. And now when you get mad at Ford, or the dealer because of the wholesale number you weren't expecting on your trade etc... , and storm out of the dealership to go someplace else, who is stuck with your new car? The dealer. So, what's to keep you from ordering one of those "Warriors in Pink" nightmares to stick the dealer with, because you're mad? WAAY too many problems. Bottom line is a car is a large puchase with a lot of different factors to weigh in. You have to negotiate. It's kind of like buying a house, except you don't trade your old house in, you have to sell it yourself. And I'm pretty sure it's ALOT easier to buy a car, than a house...Because of the services of your local dealer! :shades:

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Great, but at x-plan, which you agreed to with Ford, the dealer now has no markup to over allow for your trade. You are now going to get a wholesale number on your car, because you basically just bought your new one at the dealer's wholesale cost. Are you going to be ready to swallow that pill the day you go to pick up your new car, or now are you gonna be pissed, and trapped by a dealer that has "YOUR" new car on their lot? By the way, "your" is in quotations because the dealer is the one that bought the car from Ford with their money. Ford's not gonna build and ship a car to you on good intentions. They want their money too. Which brings us to financing, another thing the dealer gets you.

 

I use X plan now so I already get wholesale for my trade-in. I know that going in so it's not an issue. And I don't finance with Ford or the dealer - I use my own financing. If I can get an extra rebate I'll finance with Ford and then refinance in 2 or 3 months. So for me none of that is an issue.

 

I'm not proposing that people be FORCED to buy this way - keep buying the traditional way if that makes you happy. Just offering a service that a lot of people would like. And yes, there are lots of issues that would have to be worked out, but that's why it's just an idea.

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According to my dealer, allocations are no longer done strictly "by dealer." They are now done by region. This puts the "small dealers" on equal footing with the "big dealers" when it comes to priority. The impression I got was that orders are FIFO within the region - but as we all know, vehicles are not allocated to regions equally.

 

I ordered my MMH on May 22nd. My salesperson checked with a regional manager and told me on July 9th that my MMH was "next in line to pull" - but the order wasn't Serialized until July 31st. (Interestingly, the dealer felt that the wait for an MMH would be shorter than for an FEH, because even though there are fewer MMHs, there area also a lot fewer Mercury dealers to compete with)

 

Of course, then the question is, "How are the regions defined?"

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The problem is there's always a trade-in. Who's gonna buy your 1997 Explorer? Ford? No, the dealer will. That's why you can't go to Target, and pick your new Edge off the shelf. The closest Ford got to what you're talking about is with the Auto collection, and we all know how that turned out. I was with Ford during those days, and for all the talk about people not wanting to negotiate on their car purchase, NOBODY wanted what their trade-in was worth... They all wanted more, more, more. So the internet, and Kelley Blue Book are nice guides, but they won't buy your old car either. That's why you need the dealers. That and the virtual test drive just doesn't seem to ut it.

The trade-in issue is a valid point. That's why donating to charity and taking a tax write-off is a good option for some people, like me.

 

Dell didn't take my old Sony Vaio notebook as a trade-in for that shiny new D820 that I bought a few months back, but I still ordered the new one direct, over the internet. I tracked it through the Dell web site and the FedEx web site until it arrived at my door.

 

The dealer can still provide stock vehicles, provide new vehicle delivery prep work and subsequent service. Used cars are also an option.

 

It seems like a better business model to those of us (it's not just me) still waiting to have our April orders scheduled, never mind built and delivered.

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The trade-in issue is a valid point. That's why donating to charity and taking a tax write-off is a good option for some people, like me.

 

Dell didn't take my old Sony Vaio notebook as a trade-in for that shiny new D820 that I bought a few months back, but I still ordered the new one direct, over the internet. I tracked it through the Dell web site and the FedEx web site until it arrived at my door.

 

The dealer can still provide stock vehicles, provide new vehicle delivery prep work and subsequent service. Used cars are also an option.

 

It seems like a better business model to those of us (it's not just me) still waiting to have our April orders scheduled, never mind built and delivered.

Yes, but does everyone have the cash to buy a vehicle in this matter. A new Dell can be bought for less that $500. You can always find a vehicle on E-Bay if you do not want to wait for a dealer. I already saw a couple of Escape 09 Hybrids available there. Just a thought. I know I hate waiting to, but I think comparing ordering a vehicle to a computer is not a fair comparison.

 

:happy feet: I have my VIN now and this may show in my different aspect of looking at this situation, but we do have to realize that the plant has been closed for the past two weeks.

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I decided to commemorate today's three month "anniversary" of my April 21 order for a Ford Escape Hybrid Limited by calling Ford directly to ask them why my order hasn't been scheduled yet.

 

..snip...

"Gail" of Ford Customer Response Center called again today. She hasn't heard back from the people she's been emailing to find out what's taking so long to get my vehicle scheduled, never mind built or delivered.
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"Gail" of Ford Customer Response Center called again today. She hasn't heard back from the people she's been emailing to find out what's taking so long to get my vehicle scheduled, never mind built or delivered.

 

What customer service contact number did you use on your original call?

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:finger: I guess I should not feel as bad if you are still waiting for your VIN also. I did however see in the tracking thread that people who ordered even in May were getting Ship dates. What happeneded to First in First Out ordering.

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty! I'm free at last!

 

Free to track my VIN, that is. Got an email and a phone call from the dealer just after Noon today.

 

That's 117 days from order placement to VIN generation, for those keeping score.

 

And yes, I already have the VIN tracking request posted in the other forum.

 

I wonder if it was the calls and emails to the Ford Customer Response Center that shook things loose? I'm sure the ultimatum I shouted into the phone at "Gail" of Ford CRC just before I slammed down the telephone during our last "conversation" a few days ago had nothing to do with it, right?

 

Or, could it be the electronic complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau the day before yesterday? Nah! Too soon for that to have made any difference.

 

Maybe none of the above?

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Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty! I'm free at last!

 

Free to track my VIN, that is. Got an email and a phone call from the dealer just after Noon today.

 

That's 117 days from order placement to VIN generation, for those keeping score.

 

And yes, I already have the VIN tracking request posted in the other forum.

 

I wonder if it was the calls and emails to the Ford Customer Response Center that shook things loose? I'm sure the ultimatum I shouted into the phone at "Gail" of Ford CRC just before I slammed down the telephone during our last "conversation" a few days ago had nothing to do with it, right?

 

Or, could it be the electronic complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau the day before yesterday? Nah! Too soon for that to have made any difference.

 

Maybe none of the above?

 

Do you have a large deposit down? If not how can you complain to the BBB? I would not complain to the BBB about ordering a vehicle because that complaint ultimately will get back to the dealership and they can decide to not sell you the vehicle.

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Do you have a large deposit down? If not how can you complain to the BBB? I would not complain to the BBB about ordering a vehicle because that complaint ultimately will get back to the dealership and they can decide to not sell you the vehicle.

 

If I was the dealer, that's exactly what I'd do.

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Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty! I'm free at last!

 

Free to track my VIN, that is. Got an email and a phone call from the dealer just after Noon today.

 

That's 117 days from order placement to VIN generation, for those keeping score.

 

And yes, I already have the VIN tracking request posted in the other forum.

 

I wonder if it was the calls and emails to the Ford Customer Response Center that shook things loose? I'm sure the ultimatum I shouted into the phone at "Gail" of Ford CRC just before I slammed down the telephone during our last "conversation" a few days ago had nothing to do with it, right?

 

Or, could it be the electronic complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau the day before yesterday? Nah! Too soon for that to have made any difference.

 

Maybe none of the above?

 

Congratulations. I am very happy to hear that you finally have received your VIN. I do happen to disagree with the way in which you have gone about voicing your views on the process here and the way in which you have described people involved with Ford that have been trying to help you. I also don't think shouting, demanding ultimatums, slamming phones and filing complaints with the BBB is the way to go about enabling change but you are of course, free to express yourself the way you see fit. Good luck with the vehicle build process. I hope you understand that ViperPilot who volunteers to track vehicle progress does just that...volunteers. Sometimes you will find that updates do not come frequently and sometimes they do.

 

They have added a third line now so your build time may be actually much shorter than those of us who got our VINs some time ago. If that is the case I hope you throw out as much praise over that process as you have the opposite on the wait for a VIN.

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Congratulations. I am very happy to hear that you finally have received your VIN. I do happen to disagree with the way in which you have gone about voicing your views on the process here and the way in which you have described people involved with Ford that have been trying to help you. I also don't think shouting, demanding ultimatums, slamming phones and filing complaints with the BBB is the way to go about enabling change but you are of course, free to express yourself the way you see fit. Good luck with the vehicle build process. I hope you understand that ViperPilot who volunteers to track vehicle progress does just that...volunteers. Sometimes you will find that updates do not come frequently and sometimes they do.

 

They have added a third line now so your build time may be actually much shorter than those of us who got our VINs some time ago. If that is the case I hope you throw out as much praise over that process as you have the opposite on the wait for a VIN.

Actually, while waiting for a VIN, I've occasionally peeked at the employee-only forum and replied via PM to praise the folks who actually build the vehicles. :hyper:

 

That praise of the UAW line workers is in stark contrast to how I feel about the people who manipulate the ordering system back at Ford HQ. Getting a VIN doesn't change the fact that the ordering system stinks to high heaven and needs to become more transparent. :shades:

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Actually, while waiting for a VIN, I've occasionally peeked at the employee-only forum and replied via PM to praise the folks who actually build the vehicles. :hyper:

 

That praise of the UAW line workers is in stark contrast to how I feel about the people who manipulate the ordering system back at Ford HQ. Getting a VIN doesn't change the fact that the ordering system stinks to high heaven and needs to become more transparent. :shades:

What date did the dealer originally give you? If they gave you anything earlier than October then you have reason to complain to the dealer. If not then you should not be complaining because the dealer set the right expectation.

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What date did the dealer originally give you? If they gave you anything earlier than October then you have reason to complain to the dealer. If not then you should not be complaining because the dealer set the right expectation.

In addition did Ford ever promise a date to you that they have not met? :censored:

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Congratulations. I am very happy to hear that you finally have received your VIN. I do happen to disagree with the way in which you have gone about voicing your views on the process here and the way in which you have described people involved with Ford that have been trying to help you. I also don't think shouting, demanding ultimatums, slamming phones and filing complaints with the BBB is the way to go about enabling change but you are of course, free to express yourself the way you see fit. Good luck with the vehicle build process. I hope you understand that ViperPilot who volunteers to track vehicle progress does just that...volunteers. Sometimes you will find that updates do not come frequently and sometimes they do.

 

They have added a third line now so your build time may be actually much shorter than those of us who got our VINs some time ago. If that is the case I hope you throw out as much praise over that process as you have the opposite on the wait for a VIN.

 

 

Hmm,, Hey Green, Don't you already have your feh???

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Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty! I'm free at last!

 

Free to track my VIN, that is. Got an email and a phone call from the dealer just after Noon today.

 

That's 117 days from order placement to VIN generation, for those keeping score.

 

And yes, I already have the VIN tracking request posted in the other forum.

 

I wonder if it was the calls and emails to the Ford Customer Response Center that shook things loose? I'm sure the ultimatum I shouted into the phone at "Gail" of Ford CRC just before I slammed down the telephone during our last "conversation" a few days ago had nothing to do with it, right?

 

Or, could it be the electronic complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau the day before yesterday? Nah! Too soon for that to have made any difference.

 

Maybe none of the above?

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Hmm,, Hey Green, Don't you already have your feh???

 

Nope, it was just built this week and is marked as having been shipped but my dealer does not yet have it. I have also seen others order after me and get theirs before me but understand that is just how the process goes sometimes. I have my fingers crossed for everyone that they get their vehicles as quickly as possible though.

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Congratulations. I am very happy to hear that you finally have received your VIN. I do happen to disagree with the way in which you have gone about voicing your views on the process here and the way in which you have described people involved with Ford that have been trying to help you. I also don't think shouting, demanding ultimatums, slamming phones and filing complaints with the BBB is the way to go about enabling change but you are of course, free to express yourself the way you see fit. Good luck with the vehicle build process. I hope you understand that ViperPilot who volunteers to track vehicle progress does just that...volunteers. Sometimes you will find that updates do not come frequently and sometimes they do.

 

They have added a third line now so your build time may be actually much shorter than those of us who got our VINs some time ago. If that is the case I hope you throw out as much praise over that process as you have the opposite on the wait for a VIN.

Let me see now…passive, lie there supine, wait around hoping Ford would do the right thing, "play defense" approach got me….bupkis.

 

Aggressive, grab 'em by the private parts to get their attention, "go on offense" approach got me….a VIN!

 

You're welcome to take the passive approach of waiting for others to do things for you. It's a free country after all. As for me, I take the approach that you're guaranteed to never get 100% of the things you never aggressively pursue.

 

The dealer didn't know when the vehicle would be built. I had to tell him about the May 15 scheduling start and the June 23 first day of production dates. Once informed of those dates, he said that since my order was one of the first, it should be scheduled fairly early, subject to parts availability and scheduled plant shutdowns. 3.5 months isn't my idea of "scheduled fairly early", especially in light of seeing identical vehicles that were ordered as many as six weeks after mine get scheduled, built, transported and delivered.

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Let me see now…passive, lie there supine, wait around hoping Ford would do the right thing, "play defense" approach got me….bupkis.

 

Aggressive, grab 'em by the private parts to get their attention, "go on offense" approach got me….a VIN!

 

You're welcome to take the passive approach of waiting for others to do things for you. It's a free country after all. As for me, I take the approach that you're guaranteed to never get 100% of the things you never aggressively pursue.

 

The dealer didn't know when the vehicle would be built. I had to tell him about the May 15 scheduling start and the June 23 first day of production dates. Once informed of those dates, he said that since my order was one of the first, it should be scheduled fairly early, subject to parts availability and scheduled plant shutdowns. 3.5 months isn't my idea of "scheduled fairly early", especially in light of seeing identical vehicles that were ordered as many as six weeks after mine get scheduled, built, transported and delivered.

You are putting way too much emotion into this process (go back and review every one of your posts on this site). It is a car, not your first born child. Your "aggressive" actions did not move the process along any faster than if you focused all that emotion and energy on something constructive. As you stated, the dealer did not have much info (i agree that this is an issue) and once you pressed him it sounds like more information came your way but it did not get your vehicle built any faster.

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You are putting way too much emotion into this process (go back and review every one of your posts on this site). It is a car, not your first born child. Your "aggressive" actions did not move the process along any faster than if you focused all that emotion and energy on something constructive. As you stated, the dealer did not have much info (i agree that this is an issue) and once you pressed him it sounds like more information came your way but it did not get your vehicle built any faster.

I agree, it just makes him sound like a customer who should wait until what he is looking for is on a lot. :banghead: Or go with a manufacturer that can provide this information on a custom order. Don't know of one, but there may be one out there. :finger:

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Let me see now…passive, lie there supine, wait around hoping Ford would do the right thing, "play defense" approach got me….bupkis.

 

Aggressive, grab 'em by the private parts to get their attention, "go on offense" approach got me….a VIN!

 

You're welcome to take the passive approach of waiting for others to do things for you. It's a free country after all. As for me, I take the approach that you're guaranteed to never get 100% of the things you never aggressively pursue.

 

The dealer didn't know when the vehicle would be built. I had to tell him about the May 15 scheduling start and the June 23 first day of production dates. Once informed of those dates, he said that since my order was one of the first, it should be scheduled fairly early, subject to parts availability and scheduled plant shutdowns. 3.5 months isn't my idea of "scheduled fairly early", especially in light of seeing identical vehicles that were ordered as many as six weeks after mine get scheduled, built, transported and delivered.

 

 

Your cause and effect viewpoint may be true but cannot be validated. You are free to live your life any way you see fit, and judging by your attitude you do just that. I simply do not agree with your views/tactics and would not teach my children that the louder you scream the more ice cream you get...which is, in effect, what you are preaching here. Glad you got your VIN, regardless of whether you think your kicking and screaming helped that along, and I hope you get your vehicle soon. Heck, you can get yours ahead of me and I will be fine with that.

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Your cause and effect viewpoint may be true but cannot be validated. You are free to live your life any way you see fit, and judging by your attitude you do just that. I simply do not agree with your views/tactics and would not teach my children that the louder you scream the more ice cream you get...which is, in effect, what you are preaching here. Glad you got your VIN, regardless of whether you think your kicking and screaming helped that along, and I hope you get your vehicle soon. Heck, you can get yours ahead of me and I will be fine with that.

With the extra shift at the plant I think delivery dates are being pushed in. I just got a call from my dealer saying that instead of the estimated delivery date of September 7th that I got a week ago it is now estimated for delivery on September 1st. :happy feet: Maybe you will get yours quicker than expected.

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With the extra shift at the plant I think delivery dates are being pushed in. I just got a call from my dealer saying that instead of the estimated delivery date of September 7th that I got a week ago it is now estimated for delivery on September 1st. :happy feet: Maybe you will get yours quicker than expected.

 

Yeah, I am not worried about mine one bit. It is already built and in transport. I knew the third line was kicking in after return from vacation and that people's estimated dates would pick up. I just wish some people would learn to temper their frustrations some. Heck I have had a VIN for a while now myself but I just got built this past week after vacation was over. It happens. There might just be a bit more involved in ordering a vehicle and taking it to production with others than what the system is given credit for.

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