04/04/22 Build Week Chat

[DrJay32]

Update:
The backlog my dealer is experiencing is due to them having exactly one (!) person who preps cars for customer delivery. In normal times, this isn’t an issue, because “dealer stock” cars can be put on hold for prep. But right now, nearly 99% of the cars the dealer is receiving are customer orders, meaning that they ALL need prepping.

Add to this the fact that (according to the sales manager I spoke with) Mach-E‘s are showing up from the factory with 10-30% SOC, they all need to sit on their L2 charger for 8+ hours to be brought up to 100% for customer delivery. They have exactly two (2) L2 chargers at their facility…

However, the sales manager I spoke to did get the ball rolling on my Ford Options paperwork to expedite my delivery when the car is ready. The good news: I’m still getting X-Plan. The bad news: They won’t honor the APR from the order date since technically I didn’t custom order the car (I figured I’d at least ask).

Making things even more fun, they offered me $2600 less than Carmax for a trade-in, AFTER they‘d said they’d have no problem “coming close” to that offer when I spoke to them over the weekend. So I will be taking my Escape to CarMax to sell it there.

BUT, thanks to this forum I was able to remind the sales rep that:

1) Ford Options allows a 30% downpayment (not 20% like he quoted me)
2) There is still a $500 rebate on Selects when you use Ford Options (he didn’t know this)
3) I got them to reduce their (BS IMO) dealer “document/admin fee” from $698 to $100 based on the X-plan agreement.

In conclusion:
Barring anything unforeseen, I’ll be picking up my car (Snowspeeder) in Denver on Friday afternoon.

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[CarDreams]

Update:
The backlog my dealer is experiencing is due to them having exactly one (!) person who preps cars for customer delivery. In normal times, this isn’t an issue, because “dealer stock” cars can be put on hold for prep. But right now, nearly 99% of the cars the dealer is receiving are customer orders, meaning that they ALL need prepping.

Add to this the fact that (according to the sales manager I spoke with) Mach-E‘s are showing up from the factory with 10-30% SOC, they all need to sit on their L2 charger for 8+ hours to be brought up to 100% for customer delivery. They have exactly two (2) L2 chargers at their facility…

However, the sales manager I spoke to did get the ball rolling on my Ford Options paperwork to expedite my delivery when the car is ready. The good news: I’m still getting X-Plan. The bad news: They won’t honor the APR from the order date since technically I didn’t custom order the car (I figured I’d at least ask).

Making things even more fun, they offered me $2600 less than Carmax for a trade-in, AFTER they‘d said they’d have no problem “coming close” to that offer when I spoke to them over the weekend. So I will be taking my Escape to CarMax to sell it there.

BUT, thanks to this forum I was able to remind the sales rep that:

1) Ford Options allows a 30% downpayment (not 20% like he quoted me)
2) There is still a $500 rebate on Selects when you use Ford Options (he didn’t know this)
3) I got them to reduce their (BS IMO) dealer “document/admin fee” from $698 to $100 based on the X-plan agreement.

In conclusion:
Barring anything unforeseen, I’ll be picking up my car (Snowspeeder) in Denver on Friday afternoon.

That's good to hear! This last week is by far the worst, ? it's frustrating the cars are so close but yet so far. We are almost there!

 

[NJ_MachE]

Update:
The backlog my dealer is experiencing is due to them having exactly one (!) person who preps cars for customer delivery. In normal times, this isn’t an issue, because “dealer stock” cars can be put on hold for prep. But right now, nearly 99% of the cars the dealer is receiving are customer orders, meaning that they ALL need prepping.

Add to this the fact that (according to the sales manager I spoke with) Mach-E‘s are showing up from the factory with 10-30% SOC, they all need to sit on their L2 charger for 8+ hours to be brought up to 100% for customer delivery. They have exactly two (2) L2 chargers at their facility…

However, the sales manager I spoke to did get the ball rolling on my Ford Options paperwork to expedite my delivery when the car is ready. The good news: I’m still getting X-Plan. The bad news: They won’t honor the APR from the order date since technically I didn’t custom order the car (I figured I’d at least ask).

Making things even more fun, they offered me $2600 less than Carmax for a trade-in, AFTER they‘d said they’d have no problem “coming close” to that offer when I spoke to them over the weekend. So I will be taking my Escape to CarMax to sell it there.

BUT, thanks to this forum I was able to remind the sales rep that:

1) Ford Options allows a 30% downpayment (not 20% like he quoted me)
2) There is still a $500 rebate on Selects when you use Ford Options (he didn’t know this)
3) I got them to reduce their (BS IMO) dealer “document/admin fee” from $698 to $100 based on the X-plan agreement.

In conclusion:
Barring anything unforeseen, I’ll be picking up my car (Snowspeeder) in Denver on Friday afternoon.

Glad you are close! Sorry to hear about the delays/lack of APR protection-- so they are only offering you 3.7% with Options? Perhaps you are considering refinancing to a lower rate after getting the incentive?

Also--minor point, but the Ford Options max down payment is now 45%-- it changed at some point in late 2021 so some of the older threads still list the 30% from before. In effect that means someone could lower there monthly payment significantly (0-$200 depending on residual) and have most of their loan tied up in the balloon payment.

 

[DrJay32]

Glad you are close! Sorry to hear about the delays/lack of APR protection-- so they are only offering you 3.7% with Options? Perhaps you are considering refinancing to a lower rate after getting the incentive?

Also--minor point, but the Ford Options max down payment is now 45%-- it changed at some point in late 2021 so some of the older threads still list the 30% from before.

Thanks for letting me know about the down payment max. It probably won’t make too much difference in my particular situation, but it’s definitely an area where things are fluid and difficult to find, even for sales reps.

TBH the Ford Options rate is not really all that different from what USAA offers for new car financing, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open. I like having the flexibility of knowing that I can return the vehicle at the end of the 36 month period or trade it in. While I expect the value of EVs to remain high in general, there’s always a risk with new car models. If for some reason there were issues with 2021-22 MMEs, it’s good to have a back-door way of returning it without too much pain. Besides, 3 years from now who knows what improvements there will be in EV…. it might be worth getting a new one!

 

[NJ_MachE]

Thanks for letting me know about the down payment max. It probably won’t make too much difference in my particular situation, but it’s definitely an area where things are fluid and difficult to find, even for sales reps.

TBH the Ford Options rate is not really all that different from what USAA offers for new car financing, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open. I like having the flexibility of knowing that I can return the vehicle at the end of the 36 month period or trade it in. While I expect the value of EVs to remain high in general, there’s always a risk with new car models. If for some reason there were issues with 2021-22 MMEs, it’s good to have a back-door way of returning it without too much pain. Besides, 3 years from now who knows what improvements there will be in EV…. it might be worth getting a new one!

Exactly the reason I am also going with Ford Options as well. But the $2,500/$2,000 incentive in NJ plays a huge role too... Makes it much cheaper then any other traditional loan I can get right now. In fact, I think it's still cheaper then paying with cash even with very little down payment!

 

[GrandPrixPete]

Ford just sent me a "purchase your Mach-E now" email, so we are getting close. Just double checking the thread hive-mind, if I went through Ford Options for financing I still should be eligible for the federal tax incentive? I am thinking about doing it because it is a quasi-lease with the ability to let go of the car after 3 years. Is anyone else thinking about doing Options rather than a regular purchase?

 

[FrostyICE]

That's good to hear! This last week is by far the worst, ? it's frustrating the cars are so close but yet so far. We are almost there!

I sooooo feel ur pain!!! After my train ride no one scanned my car to update order tracker or even Ford. I seriously thought it would be a month only cause another Houstonian said they WERE stuck there a month. So I was EXTREMELY surprised when I got the txt/pic from the dealer. I went back on order track and it's still shows Kansas?. So don't loose faith, as I did, hence why I was ? when I got the pic?.

 

[FrostyICE]

Not doing Ford options. But I was offered 0/36, .9/48 or 1.9/60. Was also told price protection and we are x plan members. But when I try and complete the purchase online, I noticed the price is the 2k higher (Increase in December). And we ordered in October. So obviously not completing online, guess we will wait and do the finance dance at 4:00. Hubby is my finance guy and he says the same thing all the time, "if it doesn't look right I'm walking away" ya, but but but 10 other customers are lined up waiting.?. Really hope all goes according to plan. Meanwhile I'll be checking out exterior and interior or else it's gonna stay there and be fixed.

 

[FrostyICE]

Congratulations SNOWSPEEDER. Friday can't get here fast enough!!!!!

Ps carfax has ALWAYS offered me more. But you had to try, dealers are desperate for any kinds car they can get. But sounds like to me same ol same ol

 

[NJ_MachE]

Ford just sent me a "purchase your Mach-E now" email, so we are getting close. Just double checking the thread hive-mind, if I went through Ford Options for financing I still should be eligible for the federal tax incentive? I am thinking about doing it because it is a quasi-lease with the ability to let go of the car after 3 years. Is anyone else thinking about doing Options rather than a regular purchase?

Yes, the full federal credit will still be available. Do double check the contract language to ensure that YOU are listed as the owner on the title (and not a leasing company). Apparently some Ford dealers are not very smart about how Ford Options works and think it's a lease... But if your dealer has done at least a few Options sales already, you should be fine.

If you can get 2.49% (or lower if you ordered a GT) and any sort of financial incentive ($500-$2,500) Options is a no brainer. It becomes much less compelling without the rebate and with higher rates, because with the balloon payment your total interest paid will end up higher than a traditional loan. Also, if you are like @FrostyICE and somehow can get 0% traditional financing still... then yeah, it might make sense to take that instead especially if you know you want to keep it.

Not doing Ford options. But I was offered 0/36, .9/48 or 1.9/60. Was also told price protection and we are x plan members. But when I try and complete the purchase online, I noticed the price is the 2k higher (Increase in December). And we ordered in October. So obviously not completing online, guess we will wait and do the finance dance at 4:00. Hubby is my finance guy and he says the same thing all the time, "if it doesn't look right I'm walking away" ya, but but but 10 other customers are lined up waiting.?. Really hope all goes according to plan. Meanwhile I'll be checking out exterior and interior or else it's gonna stay there and be fixed.

WOW-- those rates are... hard to beat.

Totally get it on the online checkout, doesn't make sense for those with pre-December orders for sure.

 

[CarDreams]

@FrostyICE the dealership is on my way to work, and some quick stalking this morning confirmed it is not there yet ?

But they have received quite a few new cars in the last week, the lot is filling up again

 

[BluePony]

@FrostyICE the dealership is on my way to work, and some quick stalking this morning confirmed it is not there yet ?

But they have received quite a few new cars in the last week, the lot is filling up again

I am picturing you standing across the street with binoculars seeing if there is a Mach-E on the lot.

 

[NJ_MachE]

I am picturing you standing across the street with binoculars seeing if there is a Mach-E on the lot.

LOL I had the same thought-- not only that, looks like @CarDreams is taking that photo from on top of an abandoned warehouse.

 

[CarDreams]

I am picturing you standing across the street with binoculars seeing if there is a Mach-E on the lot.

There is an overpass near the lot ??, was standing there LMAO.

There is a White Mach-E there now ???

 

[tnd78]

We picked up our Grabber Blue Premium last night. BlueCruise was great on the late 30+ mile drive home from the dealer after spending too much time waiting on the finance guy. (We got the "privilege" of breaking in a new guy.) Thanks to this forum, we knew enough to guide him toward the Ford Options parameters we wanted instead of accepting some terms he tried to sell us as a Ford mandate.

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