Deposits - what are you hearing?

AndyS_OSU

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Curious what you’re hearing from your dealers about deposits at the time of conversion form reservation to order.

The impression I got from my dealer was that the reservation amount would be refunded at the time of order but another $500 deposit would be required to the dealer at the same time. Not sure if that second one is refundable or not.
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Rocky29670

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Curious what you’re hearing from your dealers about deposits at the time of conversion form reservation to order.

The impression I got from my dealer was that the reservation amount would be refunded at the time of order but another $500 deposit would be required to the dealer at the same time. Not sure if that second one is refundable or not.
Same thing my dealer told me. I don't get the impression the second one is refundable. They said once you order that it's yours. So if you decide not to buy then I guess you don't get the $500 back.
 

abr

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Curious what you’re hearing from your dealers about deposits at the time of conversion form reservation to order.

The impression I got from my dealer was that the reservation amount would be refunded at the time of order but another $500 deposit would be required to the dealer at the same time. Not sure if that second one is refundable or not.
According to all prior info, the $500 deposit for RESERVATION will be refunded by Ford when you order (or cancel). Upon ordering, your designated dealer may require a deposit. Make sure you get in writing that this deposit is FULLY refundable if you choose not to go through with purchase. We are all ordering without ever having driven the vehicle and the vast majority have not even seen one in person. I have received written agreement that the dealer deposit is fully refundable if I don't actually purchase.
 

methorian

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My dealer indicated they wouldn't require a deposit...

Basically "I don't believe we'd have a hard time finding another buyer..."
 

Stickboy46

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Same thing my dealer told me. I don't get the impression the second one is refundable. They said once you order that it's yours. So if you decide not to buy then I guess you don't get the $500 back.
I would find a different dealer if they make the deposit non-refundable on a car you can't see or test drive yet ....
 


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AndyS_OSU

AndyS_OSU

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They have been super friendly and pretty candid with me so I’m not too concerned.
 
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I can confirm that Ford refunds your $500 reservation deposit - after I Placed the order online and my dealership submitted the order, thereafter, same day, I received my reservation refund after 2 business days (they say allow up to 10 business days.)

And I did pay a $1,000 order deposit to my dealer which will go towards the vehicle purchase. Each dealer has their own policy on refunding order deposits but mine in particular relayed that my deposit is refundable until I take possession of the vehicle. I would imagine most dealers would operate this way, however, there are likely some that don't.

Although I believe in ALL cases if you cannot take possession of the vehicle for some reason beyond your control - i.e. financing falls through - then they have no choice but to refund your money to you if you reside in the 50 states.

Though as ABR said - you should be able to get their policy in writing. And if it isn't a fair policy then you should look to do business elsewhere.

According to all prior info, the $500 deposit for RESERVATION will be refunded by Ford when you order (or cancel). Upon ordering, your designated dealer may require a deposit. Make sure you get in writing that this deposit is FULLY refundable if you choose not to go through with purchase. We are all ordering without ever having driven the vehicle and the vast majority have not even seen one in person. I have received written agreement that the dealer deposit is fully refundable if I don't actually purchase.
 
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Rconkling

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Apparantly if Ford transferred the money directly to the dealers, it violates a money laundering law.

I thought I was going to need to give my dealer a deposit but they converted order with out my consent and didnt request any money.
 

opennetus

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It seems like MSRP pricing and a $500 dealer deposit is the ”default” setting in Ford’s online ordering system; Ford’s recommendation. The vast majority of dealers are setup that way, at least in my testing of different dealers in the order system, and based on the reports of other users here.

The “clueless” dealers that don’t seem to know about or understand the online ordering system have that deposit amount and pricing making me think even more so that those are the default parameters Ford sets up for dealers after they are “EV certified” and added to the system. (Not an amount the dealer really thought/strategized about carefully; hard to believe so many dealers would just so happen, by chance, pick the exact same amount)
 

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Email / text your dealer and ask whether the deposit is refundable. I reached out to two local dealers, and both provided in writing that the deposit is refundable.
 

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Curious what you’re hearing from your dealers about deposits at the time of conversion form reservation to order.

The impression I got from my dealer was that the reservation amount would be refunded at the time of order but another $500 deposit would be required to the dealer at the same time. Not sure if that second one is refundable or not.
The $500 reservation deposit will be refunded directly to the source of initial payment upon ordering or cancelling. I have reservations with each of two dealers in Madison, Wisconsin. One (Corey Noltner at Middleton Ford), has been super responsive and is charging a $500 order deposit. The second (Kayser Ford) has chosen to not return my online or phone messages (when I call in, the person who answers does not even know if they have someone who is handling Mach-E orders and when I am transferred to a sales agent, I never get an answer) and is charging a $1000 deposit. I called the Ford Help Line and requested that my reservation with Kayser Ford be moved to Middleton Ford. They said that would take "up to" five days and I cannot place that order until they make the dealer change.
 

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I converted Saturday. My credit card was hit with a charge directly to Koons Ford Silver Spring, MD for the $500 order deposit. On Monday my reservation deposit was credited to my credit card. I have an email from my dealer the order deposit is refundable.
 

macgyver60

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I had made my reservation with a dealership that happens to be right along my drive to work thinking this would be very convenient but they seem to be totally out of the loop at least on this vehicle. I spoke to two people there on the phone trying to find out if the deposit is refundable. Both times "I don't know anything about this car. Didn't know you could place an order already. I'll have to check and get back to you" Which they never did. Then I decided to stop in this past week on my way to work and the salesman said he had to check with the manager only to come back and say they had no information on the car and knew nothing about the ordering process... "check back in a week or two". The next closest dealer is 1/2 hour in the opposite direction but I am beginning to think it's time to switch. If they don't even know how to order the car what are the chances they will know how to service it when the time comes.
 

opennetus

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I had made my reservation with a dealership that happens to be right along my drive to work thinking this would be very convenient but they seem to be totally out of the loop at least on this vehicle. I spoke to two people there on the phone trying to find out if the deposit is refundable. Both times "I don't know anything about this car. Didn't know you could place an order already. I'll have to check and get back to you" Which they never did. Then I decided to stop in this past week on my way to work and the salesman said he had to check with the manager only to come back and say they had no information on the car and knew nothing about the ordering process... "check back in a week or two". The next closest dealer is 1/2 hour in the opposite direction but I am beginning to think it's time to switch. If they don't even know how to order the car what are the chances they will know how to service it when the time comes.
I had a very similar experience, sadly. It is so frustrating. Their entire job, as a Ford dealer, is to be knowledgeable about Ford's products and they don't even know the most basic of things.
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