SnBGC

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Threads
46
Messages
5,955
Reaction score
9,749
Location
Phoenix
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E FE, 2021 Wrangler 4xe High Altitude
Occupation
Manager
Country flag
I just hope that if Ford ever decides to add a heat pump.....they make it optional. That way I can opt without. That is an added expense that isnt necessary for my use.
Sponsored

 

BlueMach

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
549
Reaction score
716
Location
USA
Vehicles
Mach-E First Edition
Country flag
You are swinging at windmills.

Many dealers are still local and have considerable community influence. Often dealers are one of the biggest supporters of local high and middle school sports. They are involved in local organizations. They are members of the local chambers of commerce.

Dealers are also heavily involved in state politics and have the pull to keep the dealership model required.

To be clear, not all dealerships are local (i.e. Autonation's chain) but the managers know to spend money and support locally.

Tesla and Elon much don't care anything about the towns they are in. Just give your money to the big company and go on.
I didn't say I'd ever get my way, but that doesn't mean I have to resign myself to that.

I hope for a day when I can buy from Ford without a government-mandated middleman mafia in the way.
 


SnBGC

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Threads
46
Messages
5,955
Reaction score
9,749
Location
Phoenix
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E FE, 2021 Wrangler 4xe High Altitude
Occupation
Manager
Country flag
I didn't say I'd ever get my way, but that doesn't mean I have to resign myself to that.

I hope for a day when I can buy from Ford without a government-mandated middleman mafia in the way.
I would prefer the government regulation be eliminated or updated at least.

I also prefer a dealership network though. I would NOT want to rely on the manufacturer for parts and service. When I need help....I need it right away and I need it wherever I may be at the time.

The current Tesla model for service is unacceptable for many consumers and tolerated because EV consumers have very few choices. Hopefully that changes as more choices and options become available.
 

timf

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Sep 4, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
61
Reaction score
79
Location
Michigan
Vehicles
2016 Tesla Model X
Country flag
I would prefer the government regulation be eliminated or updated at least.

I also prefer a dealership network though. I would NOT want to rely on the manufacturer for parts and service. When I need help....I need it right away and I need it wherever I may be at the time.

The current Tesla model for service is unacceptable for many consumers and tolerated because EV consumers have very few choices. Hopefully that changes as more choices and options become available.
The government regulations force the all or nothing approach Tesla uses. I'm sure Tesla wouldn't mind having affiliates in some areas to help them expand more quickly, but as soon as they give in to using a franchise anywhere they lose their leverage to operate all their own sales and service centers. Unfortunately, dealership lobbies are too strong that they would never allow the government to get rid of their protections, so we are stuck without the choices provided in virtually every other industry.
 
OP
OP
ChasingCoral

ChasingCoral

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Threads
376
Messages
12,403
Reaction score
24,517
Location
Maryland
Vehicles
GB E4X FE, Leaf, Tacoma, F-150 Lightning ordered
Occupation
Retired oceanographer
Country flag
For as much (deserved) flak as dealers take, dealer franchise laws were created for a reason. Dealers suck, but we learned the hard way back in the 1900s that direct sales from manufacturers have the potential to suck even more. IMO, dealers need to wake up, evolve into the 21st century, and emphasize that they can add community value as local service touchpoints better than faceless multi-billion dollar OEMs can. But nuking the dealer model overall would be a rash move that would definitely not have the sunshine-and-rainbows outcomes that many people seem to believe it would.
For some reason the problems of the "company store" model just weren't communicated well on the internet in the 1900s, leading to the car dealer model ;)

The fact that a particular retail model didn't work well a century ago has almost no relevance today.
 
Last edited:

ClaudeMach-E

Well-Known Member
First Name
Claude
Joined
Mar 28, 2020
Threads
9
Messages
1,076
Reaction score
828
Location
Quebec Canada
Vehicles
Mustang Mach 3- Tempo- Malibu(3)-Actual Kia Sportage AWD
Occupation
Retired
Country flag
Efficiency doesn't really matter: A heat pump does what the name suggests: moves heat from one place to another. Efficiency just means that it won't lose any heat along the way.

If there is very little residual heat in the air (e.g. very cold) a heat pump will do nothing.
A heat pump uses less electricity from the battery then a resistive heater does which is mainly a short circuit, so not efficient at all energy wise and that is where heat pump are much more efficient.
 

SnBGC

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Threads
46
Messages
5,955
Reaction score
9,749
Location
Phoenix
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E FE, 2021 Wrangler 4xe High Altitude
Occupation
Manager
Country flag
The government regulations force the all or nothing approach Tesla uses. I'm sure Tesla wouldn't mind having affiliates in some areas to help them expand more quickly, but as soon as they give in to using a franchise anywhere they lose their leverage to operate all their own sales and service centers. Unfortunately, dealership lobbies are too strong that they would never allow the government to get rid of their protections, so we are stuck without the choices provided in virtually every other industry.
Good point.
I do believe there are many point of sale regulations across state lines that are in need of review. Some should go away completely while others need updating.

I believe consumers should have a choice of providers for most things that we purchase.
 

janitorjim

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Threads
27
Messages
658
Reaction score
1,603
Location
plano
Vehicles
ford f150 2001, explorer xlt 2013
Country flag
I am sure this has been brought up before but I did not find the mach e in the valid
Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicles (IRC 30D)
I don't know if this a 2020 chart and just not updated since the actual cars were "sold" until the last week of the year
IRC 30D New Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)

Model YearVehicle DescriptionCredit Amount
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018Focus Electric$7,500
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017C-MAX Energi$4,007
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018Fusion Energi$4,007
2019, 2020Fusion Energi$4,609
2020, 2021Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring$6,534
2020Escape Plug-In Hybrid$6,843
 

MerryBrown

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mary
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
809
Location
Northern, CA
Vehicles
2018 Ford Escape, Red Ford Mach-E on order
Occupation
Finance
Country flag
Well when the salesman tells you "if I don't get a 5, I'll lose my commission on this sale" (last Ford salesman told me that to my face), I think the reviews get somewhat inflated. Same way that Uber fires drivers below 4.5/5. 5=anything from mediocre to awesome, 1-4 means "salesman tried to murder my family."

I've gotten an *angry* phone call from a Ford dealer manager when I didn't give them 5 stars on the survey. I mean this man was ANGRY. "You should have WARNED US (emphasis his) if you weren't going to give us all 5s! We could have discussed options so that you didn't have to give us a 3."

Just take the stars with a massive grain of salt.
I really hate that "5 Star" stuff. It's not valid at all. It's my one complaint about Ford. They need to get past it and figure something else out because they coach the customers to rate everyone to give the 5 stars, or there are issues.
 

DaveRuns

Banned
Banned
First Name
Dave
Joined
Jun 24, 2020
Threads
4
Messages
1,130
Reaction score
1,695
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
N/A
Country flag
I really hate that "5 Star" stuff. It's not valid at all. It's my one complaint about Ford. They need to get past it and figure something else out because they coach the customers to rate everyone to give the 5 stars, or there are issues.
Screw them. If they want 5-Stars, they Better provide 5-Star service. I can tell you right now, my dealer is starting out at 1-Star. Their lack of communication is subpar at best.
 

TheVirtualTim

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Oct 11, 2020
Threads
26
Messages
1,211
Reaction score
2,184
Location
Dearborn, MI
Vehicles
Mach-E First Edition, Escape Hybrid
Country flag
Heat pumps lose efficiency as the temperature drops. If you research them, you'll find they are recommended for heating at temps above freezing. If it's below around 30°F it is recommended that they be supplemented with some other form of heat. It isn't that they don't run ... it's that they don't offer much heat for all the energy you put into running them.
 

MerryBrown

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mary
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
809
Location
Northern, CA
Vehicles
2018 Ford Escape, Red Ford Mach-E on order
Occupation
Finance
Country flag
For some reason the problems of the "company store" model just weren't communicated well on the internet in the 1900s, leading to the car dealer model ;)

The fact that a particular retail model didn't work well a century ago has almost no relevance today.
I think we will see multiple delivery models going forward. I think different people have different needs. I know my Ford dealer has old style sales reps, and internet sales reps. If you do all the work with the internet rep, you basically make all the choices before you get there and things are pretty well done by the time you get there. My Rep is more like a coach. He kind of clues me into interesting things like the MachE, and how I can get it. Then he helps me decide on the best financing and I never feel any pressure. I keep using him because of that. He gets a lot of repeat buyers that way.
I think that's the way of the future.
Sponsored

 
 




Top