Dealer sold my reserved car

devmach-e

Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
1,161
Reaction score
1,412
Location
SF Bay Area
Vehicles
2022 Premium RWD ER, 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Occupation
Unix Sysadmin
Country flag
You’re really hung up on this burger thing.

First you don’t think the $18 burger exists, now they’re everywhere? Pick a lane bro! 😜

The whole point was it’s an example of things costing significantly different amounts in different places.

How about the price of a hotdog at Disney World is $15 and it comes with……. A small bag of plain lays potato chips. Take your pick, but there’s a lot of example of the same product costing significantly different amounts in different places.
Using the price of a burger to make the point was just a crappy one, that’s my point. As we’ve seen, way too much variance in pricing regardless of location. Pick something a little more concrete, like maybe the median price of a home in specific areas. Or the price of gas.
Sponsored

 

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,068
Reaction score
8,014
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
when I initiated my order, I really had the idea that the dealership would basically act as the paperwork processor and cashier. Ford gives you a price, and they use the term "order," and when you check on your order they talk about "your new Mustang Mach-E." We all know what those terms mean; I assume most of us engage in online shopping and are very well-versed in what that check-out website looks like, and what it signifies. In reality, it seems we're really just making a reservation; the dealership gets the order request from Ford's website, but they're the ones to place the order, and the car really belongs to them until we buy it from the dealership. And with that, the price is fully up to the dealership, as well. Ford has little to no power in this arrangement (or if they do, they've become unwilling to use it for the customer), even though we're under the impression that we're ordering something through Ford and just calling it down to the dealership's physical location.

I wonder how much unhappiness could be alleviated if Ford changed some of the wording on their website, and made it clearer what the process would be.
This is how I feel as well. I was also ignorant of what was happening when I submitted my order request via the Ford site.

We are all conditioned to what buying online is like, and it seemed like I was placing an order and my car would show up on my doorstep, delivered by FedEx. Well, I didn't really think FedEx would deliver my car, but at that time I didn't understand what I just did.

But ignorance is not a good excuse. I placed a $58k order for something without being careful about fully understanding the process. I agree Ford should make things more clear, but I have to take responsibility for my own actions and my own money. Does it make sense that spending $58k on something that requires a ton of paperwork to complete is done with just a click? No, it doesn't. I should have known better.

Luckily my dealer is honest. They called me an hour or so after placing my order request and asked when I wanted to come in to "finalize the order". Finalize? What? Then I figured it out. And I went in and got a signed agreement. Later I converted it to X-Plan, because I learned about X-Plan in this forum.

Anyway, I agree with you and Ford needs to make things more clear. The fine print is not sufficient. But in the end, it is our money we are spending so our ignorance our fault, not Ford's. If you look hard enough, and it is not very hard, you will see the fine print. You will figure it out. We are not buying socks from Walmart.
 

Mach1E

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2021
Threads
76
Messages
7,717
Reaction score
9,595
Location
Florida
Vehicles
Mach 1, Chevy SS-sold, GTPE delivered oct 2021
Country flag
Using the price of a burger to make the point was just a crappy one, that’s my point. As we’ve seen, way too much variance in pricing regardless of location. Pick something a little more concrete, like maybe the median price of a home in specific areas. Or the price of gas.
🤦‍♀️

The WHOLE point of the burger example is that there is “variance in pricing” at different locations.

“Pick something a little more concrete, like maybe the median price of a home in specific areas.”

Seriously? You mean like the exact example I gave in the first post you replied to? My goodness….


Or a $300,000 house here would be $3,000,000 in California.
It’s a pretty simple analogy. Some products cost significantly different at different places. If you got that point…… move on please. This isn’t about cheeseburgers. 😜
 

leeman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Leith
Joined
Jun 6, 2021
Threads
70
Messages
529
Reaction score
162
Location
Orange County
Vehicles
Mach E GT
Occupation
Engineer
Country flag
Dealers are doing everything they can to survive Ford is trying to respond to the fact that dealers are doing this because people that come up with thousands of dollars over sticker will take priority if the cars and picked up usually within 72 hours of the date it was delivered. There are several alternatives to the Ford product that are good. Both Kia and Hyundai have great offerings.
 

Reign of Ravens

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
454
Reaction score
498
Location
Hawaii
Vehicles
22 Mach-E Premium, Chrysler PacHy
Country flag
We are all conditioned to what buying online is like, and it seemed like I was placing an order and my car would show up on my doorstep, delivered by FedEx. Well, I didn't really think FedEx would deliver my car, but at that time I didn't understand what I just did.

But ignorance is not a good excuse. I placed a $58k order for something without being careful about fully understanding the process. I agree Ford should make things more clear, but I have to take responsibility for my own actions and my own money. Does it make sense that spending $58k on something that requires a ton of paperwork to complete is done with just a click? No, it doesn't. I should have known better.
I sort of agree, and sort of don't. The reason I lean toward disagreement: Tesla.

From the accounts I've read, Tesla basically does have it where you order online and it gets dropped off at your doorstep (or curbside, as it were). I don't know of any other manufacturer who is doing this (although I have read about rare dealerships delivering your vehicle to your home) but if Tesla is doing it, it is possible. As I would imagine many here do, I keep up with electric vehicle news and am familiar with the common opinion that most automotive companies are trying to copy multiple things about Tesla. Ford already did something unique with the Mach-E ordering process that other manufacturers have not by allowing you to interface and "order" from their website directly; most manufacturers will allow you to customize a vehicle and then either kick you to a site that searches inventory for matches or close matches, and/or refers you to dealers in your area to make the order. It was thus all too easy an assumption to make, that Ford had somehow altered the sales process to minimize how much time you would need to spend with your dealer, and how involved they would be.

It's a perfectly deceptive mix. Hear about what Tesla is doing, then get presented with a website that could be at home as an Amazon check-out page... the fine print shouldn't be needed for something so blatant. And while we could rightfully tsk-tsk someone who buys a Mach-E and asks where the gas tank is, needing to be well-versed in the rest of the sales process shouldn't need to be a thing. Given the number of confused posts on this forum, I don't think we can say it's just a matter of not doing due diligence. The sales process might have been confusing in the past, but now it's misleading as well. That one is not on us, it's on Ford. This could easily be changed by using the wording "reservation" in place of "order," or not allowing a deposit to be paid online (thereby forcing a customer to go to their dealer to complete the order process). My dealership also required me to come in to show ID and sign paperwork (or so they said - there was no paperwork, they just presumably scanned my ID), but some people have reported ordering and not interacting with their dealers until delivery day.
 


ridgebackpilot

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Mar 27, 2022
Threads
33
Messages
497
Reaction score
733
Location
Carmel Valley, CA
Vehicles
2022 MME GTPE; 2022 MME Premium ER
Occupation
Attorney
Country flag
Until laws change protecting dealerships/franchises, your dealership is in a massive minority I feel. You keep harping how it's so easy to never get an ADM, but that's so far from the truth in this market for a lot of MME buyers.

I still don't know of a single auto dealership in So Cal that offers on-lot MSRP pricing for MME/ultra hot cars. So Cal has a lot more dealerships than No Cal as well.

Don't make it sound like NEVER ADM is a common thing and easy for everyone to get (it feels insulting to me from your high/mighty horse).
You must not have looked very far if you assume every dealer is applying ADM.

To avoid paying thousands over sticker price, anyone can jump on Southwest Airlines and buy a car out of town. Plenty of dealers don't believe in ADM and never apply it to their cars, no matter what the demand. You just have to look for them and do a little research!

If you're willing to travel to buy one, you can easily find a MME for sale without ADM.
 

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,068
Reaction score
8,014
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
You must not have looked very far if you assume every dealer is applying ADM.

To avoid paying thousands over sticker price, anyone can jump on Southwest Airlines and buy a car out of town. Plenty of dealers don't believe in ADM and never apply it to their cars, no matter what the demand. You just have to look for them and do a little research!

If you're willing to travel to buy one, you can easily find a MME for sale without ADM.
I flew from Richmond VA to Newark NJ to get my car. Seven hour drive home. The car before the MME I purchased from a dealer near Chicago. My wife made me promise to stay in a hotel on the drive back after picking that one up. And the one before that I purchased in Florida and drove it home.

As Michael said, if you want a deal, you can find it if you are willing to make the effort. But make sure your have a signed agreement before you get on the airplane!
 

yngwenli

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
1,033
Reaction score
719
Location
So California
Vehicles
2022 MME Premium RWD SR
Country flag
If you're willing to travel to buy one, you can easily find a MME for sale without ADM.
Travel is still time/cost/$$ = ADM in my book.

My point is still in stock/on-lot cars in your area for no-ADM. Ask Hawaii/So Cal folks how many Ford dealers they know of doing on-the-lot no ADM for MME. (I still know of 0).

We all know plenty of dealers doing no ADM for ordered cars (I'm waiting for that myself).
 

TonyaE

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2022
Threads
13
Messages
671
Reaction score
841
Location
NC
Vehicles
2009 Ford Flex. 2022 MME premium RWD ER o 1/26/22
Occupation
RN
Country flag
Travel is still time/cost/$$ = ADM in my book.

My point is still in stock/on-lot cars in your area for no-ADM. Ask Hawaii/So Cal folks how many Ford dealers they know of doing on-the-lot no ADM for MME. (I still know of 0).

We all know plenty of dealers doing no ADM for ordered cars (I'm waiting for that myself).
Couldn’t you just pay to have it shipped to you? That would be a lot cheaper than ADM I would think🤷🏾‍♀️
 

ridgebackpilot

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Mar 27, 2022
Threads
33
Messages
497
Reaction score
733
Location
Carmel Valley, CA
Vehicles
2022 MME GTPE; 2022 MME Premium ER
Occupation
Attorney
Country flag
Travel is still time/cost/$$ = ADM in my book.

My point is still in stock/on-lot cars in your area for no-ADM. Ask Hawaii/So Cal folks how many Ford dealers they know of doing on-the-lot no ADM for MME. (I still know of 0).

We all know plenty of dealers doing no ADM for ordered cars (I'm waiting for that myself).
Well, I bought mine in-stock, on-lot in March with no ADM. I know of at least three Ford dealers in northern California alone that never charge ADM on the MME or any other model.

A plane ticket from SoCal to NorCal would be a LOT cheaper than paying ADM, even if you take a few days to drive home!

As Pasteur said, "Chance favors the prepared mind!"
 
Last edited:

mkhuffman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Nov 19, 2020
Threads
24
Messages
6,068
Reaction score
8,014
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 MME GT, Jeep GC-L, VW Jetta
Country flag
Travel is still time/cost/$$ = ADM in my book.

My point is still in stock/on-lot cars in your area for no-ADM. Ask Hawaii/So Cal folks how many Ford dealers they know of doing on-the-lot no ADM for MME. (I still know of 0).

We all know plenty of dealers doing no ADM for ordered cars (I'm waiting for that myself).
A one way ticket to NJ was less than $200. And I got to try DCFC (twice) and learn about my car on the way home. And I got to visit my brother who lives in NJ! Easy decision for me.
 

yngwenli

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
1,033
Reaction score
719
Location
So California
Vehicles
2022 MME Premium RWD SR
Country flag
Well, I bought mine in-stock, on-lot in March with no ADM. I know of at least three Ford dealers in northern California alone that never charge ADM on the MME or any other model.

A plane ticket from SoCal to NorCal would be a LOT cheaper than paying ADM, even if you take a few days to drive home!

As Pasteur said, "Chance favors the prepared mind!"

Well, we'll never agree here and just agree to disagree moving forward since a plane ticket ($$) and more importantly, TIME to drive it back down or ship it ($$) is still a cost.

My point again has always been that not everyone is like you and lives near any Ford dealer that will charge NO ADM for a non-ordered car sitting on the lot. If they did, I'd give up my ordered one and just get whatever was on the lot (and I'm on this forum far too much) to miss anyone mentioning any in So Cal alone.

Like someone winning lotto, not everyone will win nor will someone get an on-lot MME for no mark up in their area.

The risk with flying is if the dealer sold it for whatever reason, you're really screwed now.
 

yngwenli

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
1,033
Reaction score
719
Location
So California
Vehicles
2022 MME Premium RWD SR
Country flag
Couldn’t you just pay to have it shipped to you? That would be a lot cheaper than ADM I would think🤷🏾‍♀️

Of course, but again, it's still $$/ADM if they were ok with that and are these dealers offering on-lot no ADM going to ship to a far off person when a local can just buy it?

I've seen posts here stating that those dealers want to sell to more local folks from threads I've seen.
 

ridgebackpilot

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Mar 27, 2022
Threads
33
Messages
497
Reaction score
733
Location
Carmel Valley, CA
Vehicles
2022 MME GTPE; 2022 MME Premium ER
Occupation
Attorney
Country flag
Ford Mustang Mach-E Dealer sold my reserved car E694605C-CE09-4852-8A71-2FFA0877F2ED
 

devmach-e

Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
1,161
Reaction score
1,412
Location
SF Bay Area
Vehicles
2022 Premium RWD ER, 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Occupation
Unix Sysadmin
Country flag
Travel is still time/cost/$$ = ADM in my book.

My point is still in stock/on-lot cars in your area for no-ADM. Ask Hawaii/So Cal folks how many Ford dealers they know of doing on-the-lot no ADM for MME. (I still know of 0).

We all know plenty of dealers doing no ADM for ordered cars (I'm waiting for that myself).
For some people, their time to get a car from out of state and drive it back to their state is worth it to avoid having to give extra money to owner of the dealership so the owner can make their boat payment that month. It's the principle of the matter. And other people are happy to pay the extra $5K to get the car right now. I personally opted to wait 8-months to get mine at MSRP. I had the luxury of being able to wait, other people are not so lucky.

There are times where I'm willing to pay a premium for convenience. I'll throw money at people to do some stuff that I don't want to do, like car maintenance, even though I can do some of that stuff myself. But when it came time to replace a lost key-fob for my wife's car, I didn't want to pay the dealership over $500 when I was able to get the same thing and program it myself for less than $250, including the cost of the fob and the rental of the programmer.
Sponsored

 
 




Top