Buying process frustration

[Alphacharlie56]

Hello. I ordered my Mach e in July 2020. Been reading the forums and watching tons of YouTube’s on the car. So with all this knowledge I was expecting a smooth process buying the vehicle when it arrived at my dealer. (March 10) according to the Ford app.
I heard from my dealer 3 days later and set up an appointment the next week to go over the numbers. I am flabbergasted to say that I am writing this days later still without a car! I guess I was expecting some fanfare or knowledge about this car since it is the future of automobiles and a big step for Ford.
My salesperson/dealer had almost zero knowledge of the financing of this car. I was offered a traditional loan and a Red Carpet lease. I asked about the “balloon” option and he had no ideA. I took his figures and left with the credit app in hand.
Later that day I texted him a pic of the Dealer Bulletin from Ford credit about the Ford Mustang Mach e financing options. His response was “I will look into this and get back tomorrow”. I’m still waiting !
As I said, I’m flabbergasted and shocked at the lack of preparedness, education and “fanfare” from this dealership and I guess Ford for the total disregard for this new and innovative vehicle.
Has anyone else had a similar experience and what is your advise. I feel like calling a Ford rep to complain. I know management at the dealer won’t be any help because they too are obviously in the dark too. I’m in New York, Long Island.

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[sockmeister]

Hello. I ordered my Mach e in July 2020. Been reading the forums and watching tons of YouTube’s on the car. So with all this knowledge I was expecting a smooth process buying the vehicle when it arrived at my dealer. (March 10) according to the Ford app.
I heard from my dealer 3 days later and set up an appointment the next week to go over the numbers. I am flabbergasted to say that I am writing this days later still without a car! I guess I was expecting some fanfare or knowledge about this car since it is the future of automobiles and a big step for Ford.
My salesperson/dealer had almost zero knowledge of the financing of this car. I was offered a traditional loan and a Red Carpet lease. I asked about the “balloon” option and he had no ideA. I took his figures and left with the credit app in hand.
Later that day I texted him a pic of the Dealer Bulletin from Ford credit about the Ford Mustang Mach e financing options. His response was “I will look into this and get back tomorrow”. I’m still waiting !
As I said, I’m flabbergasted and shocked at the lack of preparedness, education and “fanfare” from this dealership and I guess Ford for the total disregard for this new and innovative vehicle.
Has anyone else had a similar experience and what is your advise. I feel like calling a Ford rep to complain. I know management at the dealer won’t be any help because they too are obviously in the dark too. I’m in New York, Long Island.

Common issue that dealers aren't aware of it, but it's not Ford's fault. The dealers never bothered to set it up. There is a brochure shared by @hybrid2bev that helps to share with your dealer that shows them exactly where to look to set it up, but I can't find it yet....
Some similar threads were started recently on this topic.
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/ford-options-is-a-a-cluster.3970/#post-120724

 

[Maquis]

Your experience adds to what others have posted about the "broken dealer model" for selling cars in the digital age. To be fair, some dealers are trying to keep up and serve the customers, but too many resist change.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Hello. I ordered my Mach e in July 2020. Been reading the forums and watching tons of YouTube’s on the car. So with all this knowledge I was expecting a smooth process buying the vehicle when it arrived at my dealer. (March 10) according to the Ford app.
I heard from my dealer 3 days later and set up an appointment the next week to go over the numbers. I am flabbergasted to say that I am writing this days later still without a car! I guess I was expecting some fanfare or knowledge about this car since it is the future of automobiles and a big step for Ford.
My salesperson/dealer had almost zero knowledge of the financing of this car. I was offered a traditional loan and a Red Carpet lease. I asked about the “balloon” option and he had no ideA. I took his figures and left with the credit app in hand.
Later that day I texted him a pic of the Dealer Bulletin from Ford credit about the Ford Mustang Mach e financing options. His response was “I will look into this and get back tomorrow”. I’m still waiting !
As I said, I’m flabbergasted and shocked at the lack of preparedness, education and “fanfare” from this dealership and I guess Ford for the total disregard for this new and innovative vehicle.
Has anyone else had a similar experience and what is your advise. I feel like calling a Ford rep to complain. I know management at the dealer won’t be any help because they too are obviously in the dark too. I’m in New York, Long Island.

What is the dealership name/city? Who are you working with at the dealer? I can try to have the Ford Credit rep call the dealer to sort out the Ford Options financing.

 

[Alphacharlie56]

What is the dealership name/city? Who are you working with at the dealer? I can try to have the Ford Credit rep call the dealer to sort out the Ford Options financing.

Riverhead Ford.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Riverhead Ford.

Thanks. Is there a specific salesperson or finance person you were working with?

 

[Alphacharlie56]

Ed

 

[shutterbug]

I asked about the “balloon” option and he had no ideA

This seems to be a common refrain. I actually feel better that my dealer's finance guy was vaguely aware of it, just didn't have a clue how to set it up or how it was supposed to work. It took him 2 hours and several phone calls to Ford Credit to get it. Mind you, I told them a month ago that I was interested in Ford Options, so they had plenty of time to research it. But they didn't.

 

[sockmeister]

This seems to be a common refrain. I actually feel better that my dealer's finance guy was vaguely aware of it, just didn't have a clue how to set it up or how it was supposed to work. It took him 2 hours and several phone calls to Ford Credit to get it. Mind you, I told them a month ago that I was interested in Ford Options, so they had plenty of time to research it. But they didn't.

Worried about the same thing. I told my dealer I want to use Ford Options, but they basically just ignored it. Probably hadn't heard of it...

 

[shutterbug]

Worried about the same thing. I told my dealer I want to use Ford Options, but they basically just ignored it. Probably hadn't heard of it...

I went in on a Tuesday morning and was literally the only customer there. So I had his undivided attention. It also helped that he had a brain and was able to figure it out. I also had a stack of papers that countered every one of his boneheaded thoughts. I don't think we could have worked through this via email and phone calls. Bottom line, come prepared. Loan calculator spreadsheet posted by @macchiaz-o was a great help.

 

[machefan]

Riverhead Ford.

Funny thing too is that Ford options is even on the listings of this dealer.

Amazing...

Well the next buyer will benefit your pain.

 

[shutterbug]

Funny thing too is that Ford options is even on the listings of this dealer.

What makes you think any of the dealer's employees actually looked at its site?

 

[pdxzzr]

This is my experience so far, too. Got the call that my Mach E had arrived this past Saturday. I wasn't able to go in to see it until Monday, which is when it took about 30 seconds of talking to the finance or business manager to get me really worked up about how much I do not like car dealers. The seeming lack of knowledge about Ford Options was one problem. I really feel like the guy just hand waved me off and didn't really give a crap about what I was bringing up. I got "quotes" that look a lot more like leasing calculations, and are off the estimates provided by both the Ford Options calculator on the Ford website and the spreadsheet on this forum by over $250-$300/mo.

Another problem was the lack of knowledge of the State rebates that can be included as $2500 cash for the down payment. The guy didn't know about them and was absolutely adamant that even if they exist (they do, it's called the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate), they were not interested in participating. If I want this rebate I have to apply for it after the deal, which a different customer service experience from what other dealers in the area (*cough Chevy cough) are willing to do.

On the bright side, maybe ... there is an option on your account on the Ford site, where you can actually start the purchase under Ford Options. After you select the terms for term and mileage, it can find out what Ford discounts apply, you put in any additional down payment (where I added in the rebate) and get an estimate for your trade, and it puts out a summary of the overall deal. You can have the system run your credit report and actually apply for the financing there, or apply other financing options, and I think basically get about 90% complete on the deal, leaving just a test drive, verification of the info you put into the site, and sign. It's a little clunky, but nowhere near the frustration of interacting with that finance guy.

My status is that I went through this tool up to the point of running my credit because I still want to test drive before I let that happen. I had the system email the dealer with the details of the deal that was worked up, so I'm hoping it will make them take a more serious look at the financing tool. That said, the sales guy has been radio silent after giving him more information about the Oregon rebate and the Ford Options details. Either way, I'm going to make the decision to buy or give up the order altogether by tomorrow.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Going through this now. Finance guy tried to tell me he would set me up with a Ford+ financing. I told him I wanted the Ford Options. He admitted he hadn’t done one before and tried to get me to do regular financing. We’ve been back and forth a few times. I just emailed him a printout from the Ford “order a Mach-E” website with the numbers I want to use. I included final price and down payment I wanted, and total financed. I told him I would pay the tax, title, registration, etc separately beyond my down payment.
We’ll see if he gets it right this time.

 

[hybrid2bev]

Hello. I ordered my Mach e in July 2020. Been reading the forums and watching tons of YouTube’s on the car. So with all this knowledge I was expecting a smooth process buying the vehicle when it arrived at my dealer. (March 10) according to the Ford app.
I heard from my dealer 3 days later and set up an appointment the next week to go over the numbers. I am flabbergasted to say that I am writing this days later still without a car! I guess I was expecting some fanfare or knowledge about this car since it is the future of automobiles and a big step for Ford.
My salesperson/dealer had almost zero knowledge of the financing of this car. I was offered a traditional loan and a Red Carpet lease. I asked about the “balloon” option and he had no ideA. I took his figures and left with the credit app in hand.
Later that day I texted him a pic of the Dealer Bulletin from Ford credit about the Ford Mustang Mach e financing options. His response was “I will look into this and get back tomorrow”. I’m still waiting !
As I said, I’m flabbergasted and shocked at the lack of preparedness, education and “fanfare” from this dealership and I guess Ford for the total disregard for this new and innovative vehicle.
Has anyone else had a similar experience and what is your advise. I feel like calling a Ford rep to complain. I know management at the dealer won’t be any help because they too are obviously in the dark too. I’m in New York, Long Island.

The Ford Credit dealer rep is on top of this request. Sounds like the Sales Manager at the dealer has what they need now.

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