Test drove a Mach-E GT Performance, dealer told me MachE are backordered 12-18 months? (Cross shopped MYP vs Mach-E)

[HeyMomTheMeatloaf]

It just goes to show; don’t trust dealers? I don’t know if that is truly the right answer. I thought dealers were supposed to be honest, albeit constantly looking to fatten the sale/margin.

Either way it is sliced; I don’t want to enter a transaction with a sometimes-truthful dealership. I naively thought; who would know better about delays than the company that makes the vehicles - and the representatives in their showroom.

As a consumer, I wasn’t willing to go any further in the transaction. I wasn’t going to fact-check the dealer, and try to call their bluff (once again, I truly thought they were being honest and frank - trying to properly set expectations; telling me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear.).

The answer to this one is right on the Ford website: 5-7 months.

 

[HeyMomTheMeatloaf]

Appreciate it. We thought the purchase was low-risk. All the used Tesla’s we’ve been watching on Carvana and Autotrader are selling above MSRP - which is just the most ridiculous (automobile purchase) stuff I have ever seen in my life. If the Model Y turns out to not be for me; I will be surprised. I can sell it, and walk away without much financial loss (might even make money……).

It’s like an Apple iPhone or MacBook Pro, for those who have never used one. They are so popular, so highly praised, etc - that if the device isn’t for you, then….go against the grain and be the Android user, if you really think it is better. Basically, Tesla’s are still so popular that people will pay above MSRP for vehicles with 20k miles on them - even with the risk of some sort of build quality issue. That……speaks volumes (if the competition was so good, then maybe Tesla would have to focus on build quality more, instead of advancing charging tech, battery tech, infotainment, etc). Because of that, Tesla focuses on its core competency - which is leading EV tech. Every legacy auto company would certainly love it if Tesla hit pause on their R&D with tech, and spent a couple years tinkering with their assembly lines (as legacies have done over the past several decades).

I’ve basically become convinced that build quality might not be perfect, but….it isn’t bad enough to stop people from lining up for 12months+ to buy certain configurations, or stopping people from paying above MSRP. And that it isn’t that Tesla doesn’t know how to build quality vehicles; it’s just that nuts & bolts issues are more easily addressed than software or battery tech, where as battery tech and software are less easily addressed than nuts and bolts issues.

This isn’t to say the Mach-E is perfect and free of issues; the trunk privacy screen was cheap, and broken. While it isn’t a build quality issue per se, it speaks to the fit and finish of the Mach-E materials; where its price tag is way up here, but the quality of that particular component is that of a 1998 Ford Probe. I have followed the Mach-E forums enough to see the issues about the screen hum/whine noise, and other…..(i dont want to call them dumb issues, but thats what the Tesla issues seem to be….dumb/simple issues we shouldn’t be dealing with - especially at these price points) issues. I didn’t want this thread to turn in to car vs car bashing; really it is meant to highlight the dealership experience and how it was so off putting that it easily convinced me to not buy a Mach-E.

Thanks for your opinion. However, many of us on this forum actually owned Teslas before buying a MME. I was also in love with my Tesla after the test drive. 4000 miles later, a trunk misalignment, peeling paint, rattles, along with other small things and the honeymoon period wore off. Good luck to you.

 

[generaltso]

I thought dealers were supposed to be honest

?

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

Appreciate it. We thought the purchase was low-risk. All the used Tesla’s we’ve been watching on Carvana and Autotrader are selling above MSRP - which is just the most ridiculous (automobile purchase) stuff I have ever seen in my life. If the Model Y turns out to not be for me; I will be surprised. I can sell it, and walk away without much financial loss (might even make money……).

It’s like an Apple iPhone or MacBook Pro, for those who have never used one. They are so popular, so highly praised, etc - that if the device isn’t for you, then….go against the grain and be the Android user, if you really think it is better. Basically, Tesla’s are still so popular that people will pay above MSRP for vehicles with 20k miles on them - even with the risk of some sort of build quality issue. That……speaks volumes (if the competition was so good, then maybe Tesla would have to focus on build quality more, instead of advancing charging tech, battery tech, infotainment, etc). Because of that, Tesla focuses on its core competency - which is leading EV tech. Every legacy auto company would certainly love it if Tesla hit pause on their R&D with tech, and spent a couple years tinkering with their assembly lines (as legacies have done over the past several decades).

I’ve basically become convinced that build quality might not be perfect, but….it isn’t bad enough to stop people from lining up for 12months+ to buy certain configurations, or stopping people from paying above MSRP. And that it isn’t that Tesla doesn’t know how to build quality vehicles; it’s just that nuts & bolts issues are more easily addressed than software or battery tech, where as battery tech and software are less easily addressed than nuts and bolts issues.

This isn’t to say the Mach-E is perfect and free of issues; the trunk privacy screen was cheap, and broken. While it isn’t a build quality issue per se, it speaks to the fit and finish of the Mach-E materials; where its price tag is way up here, but the quality of that particular component is that of a 1998 Ford Probe. I have followed the Mach-E forums enough to see the issues about the screen hum/whine noise, and other…..(i dont want to call them dumb issues, but thats what the Tesla issues seem to be….dumb/simple issues we shouldn’t be dealing with - especially at these price points) issues. I didn’t want this thread to turn in to car vs car bashing; really it is meant to highlight the dealership experience and how it was so off putting that it easily convinced me to not buy a Mach-E.

How’s this for Tesla dealership experience. There were 50-75 Teslas parked at my local showroom / service center. Not a single one for sale. All customer cars waiting for service and repairs.

It also seems like Tesla being “better at tech” is more gospel than fact. It was missing a lot of basic features (like a garage door opener). Spotify was limited to 96kbps despite paying for the premium connectivity package. No Apple CarPlay so I was having to change songs on my phone if I wanted decent quality.

But there is fart mode and Santa mode if that’s what you mean by “tech”.

 

[yngwenli]

Some issues from a random youtuber who has owned/tested nearly every Tesla out there:




OP is probably not a troll, but seems have a strong sense of wanting purchasing confirmation approval from random Internet strangers.

Just buy whatever you feel like...we all read/do the same research and 'most' here went with the MME (why they're here). We all know the dealership model sucks, but my experience has been pretty good (very good) so far.

No need to seek people telling you you did the right thing and list all the negatives of some other vehicle when practically everyone on here knows all about them. I suppose that's why people look at Tesla fanbois and just roll their eyes.

 

[Glen]

This. I’ve driven a Y dual motor LR and a Perf. Co-worker and neighbor’s. The Only thing I liked was the acceleration, and I’m sorry, it’s quick but I’ve been in much quicker so that’s not enough for me.

The Y uses the old-school Detroit method of stiffening up handling - increase spring rates and use stiffer dampers and then bigger diameter roll bars - this results in a very firm, flat ride but it has no nuance to it. Ford, GM and others have moved on to really dialing in damper tuning which allows the spring rates to be decreased while maintaining good ride with body control.

Tesla has an advantage in HV batteries and software for the moment, however, they are Neanderthals where chassis tuning is concerned.

Plus, garbage build quality that you can see without even trying too hard. Inexcusable after 12 years of mass market production.

Not according to some around here. TESLAS are gold and perfect. Lol ?

 

[Ride_the_lightning]

Also, it’s a bit ridiculous that you are trying to convince those of us that have OWNED both cars (in my case, a 2021 model of each) why your opinion is valid based on your TEST DRIVE of both cars.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Where is this dealer who has a GT-PE available for test drives, I wonder? They are still so absolutely invisible around here. Heck, if the dealer is anywhere near me I would want to go beat on their test drive car. ??

 

[HeyMomTheMeatloaf]

There is probably a fair amount of that purchase confirmation approval going on with this

Some issues from a random youtuber who has owned/tested nearly every Tesla out there:




OP is probably not a troll, but seems have a strong sense of wanting purchasing confirmation approval from random Internet strangers.

Just buy whatever you feel like...we all read/do the same research and 'most' here went with the MME (why they're here). We all know the dealership model sucks, but my experience has been pretty good (very good) so far.

No need to seek people telling you you did the right thing and list all the negatives of some other vehicle when practically everyone on here knows all about them. I suppose that's why people look at Tesla fanbois and just roll their eyes.

 

[HeyMomTheMeatloaf]

Yeah I didn’t know it was such a unique thing tbh. I was looking to test drive any Mach-E. This was the only one they had. It seemed like they were holding it hostage for someone willing to pay 10k~ over MSRP, and they were also comfortable asking that price while racking up (literally) thousands of miles on the vehicle - which seemed bold.

They definitely weren’t going to get me to buy that vehicle at that price. I wanted to be talked out of the Model Y. But all Ford dealer did was sell me a Model Y, or sell me on the idea that the Model Y is the obvious choice if I want a vehicle in the next 3-4 months.

Where is this dealer who has a GT-PE available for test drives, I wonder? They are still so absolutely invisible around here. Heck, if the dealer is anywhere near me I would want to go beat on their test drive car. ??

 

[Draconfier]

Where is this dealer who has a GT-PE available for test drives, I wonder? They are still so absolutely invisible around here. Heck, if the dealer is anywhere near me I would want to go beat on their test drive car. ??

Thought he said 4000 miles on it? Maybe its an Airtag (shipping container) car from Florida., wasn't there a post about one missing??

 

[devmach-e]

Naw, I am in US. I just get down with Djibouti

Your dealer lied to you. Probably to get you to buy something on the lot right now.

I ordered a Premium extended RWD online from Ford directly and selected a local dealer for delivery. Originally quoted 24 weeks to get it. Based on when mine is supposed to go into production (next week) and delivery times, that 24 week timeline looks to be fairly accurate.

I briefly considered a Model Y. But can’t get past the miminalist Interior, single central screen, and the lack of traditional instrument cluster and controls. And the spousal unit didn’t want to give money to Musk. Coupled with an available tax credit, the MME comes out to be cheaper, too.

 

[mrpeterman]

I wanted to be talked out of the Model Y. But all Ford dealer did was sell me a Model Y, or sell me on the idea that the Model Y is the obvious choice if I want a vehicle in the next 3-4 months.

So it sounds like you had already decided you wanted to buy a Model Y/Telsa product and were looking have your mind changed? Either way as long as you are happy with the product you ended up buying then that should be what matters. Just like how many members are happy with the Mach-E they bought, both are great cars and would likely satisfy the majority of buyers.

I vote obvious troll is obvious.

 

[ChasingCoral]

That is for the U.S. While it’s not been confirmed, we think the OP may be elsewhere?

I trust little of this troll's post, much less living in Djibuti.

It just goes to show; don’t trust dealers? I don’t know if that is truly the right answer. I thought dealers were supposed to be honest, albeit constantly looking to fatten the sale/margin.

Car Salespeople:
“Tying for the lowest (trust) score is members of Congress, who also earned an 8 percent approval rating.”
https://bestlifeonline.com/least-trusted-job-news/

 

[Chicago-E]

I finally got a chance to test drive one of these today. I was chatting with the dealer, and they said it would be 12-18 months to receive one. Does this sound right?

FWIW - the price tag on the GT Performance was marked up 10k~ over MSRP. I had been cross shopping the Q4 Etron (hah - the online pictures that is!), Rivian R1S (hah - the online pictures that is!), Mach-E, and Model Y. After test driving today, I ended up purchasing a Model Y Performance. I really enjoyed the Model Y, especially with the upgraded MCU that has the new AMD Ryzen chip. The February delivery can’t be beat, especially compared to everything else (that isn’t Tesla).

I was blown away by the dealers remarks - I thought the Mach-E was only backordered 6 months, and didn’t know if they were trying to get me interested in buying the marked up model they had on the lot. I was willing to entertain the Mach-E, but that delay was pretty much going to be a dealbreaker. I also wasn’t too interested in having to deal with all of the dealer games.

I know the Model Y isn’t for everyone, but something everything I’ve come to experience with the brand is so……awesome. Chill dealer experience. Super easy charging payment authorization (none required). No markups or haggling.

If anyone is interested in my perspective on the two different vehicles; the Mach-E is definitely more of a “normal vehicle” - the regen breaking is reallllllly weak, and with the regen setting off (I don’t think this is possible on the Tesla), you could take your foot off the accelerator and not slow right down. This was my second EV I had ever drove. The Model Y Performance definitely left you feeling like you just experienced the future, whereas the Mach-E is kind of got a foot in the past and a foot in the future - still fun, but for a $70k purchase - I want to experience the future. The chill mode seemed to adjust the power curve toward what you might see in a high performance ICE car. Unbridaled was fun. The engine noise is lame - although it would be cool if you could customize it. For some reason I felt a blind spot changing lanes on the highway. I wish the Mach-E had more interior color options. The interior was nice, but still very Ford-y, very ICE’y. I briefly checked the navigation software out, and it did have the ability to find chargers, but I don’t think it specified if they were DC fast chargers or not. The Sync infotainment was not something I would write home about it; still a bit sluggish and just underwhelming - especially compared to the Tesla - and the new Ryzen CPU seems to set a new standard for car infotainment performance / speed. Trunk storage was a bit disappointing as there wasn’t any space beneath the trunk floor-thing. The trunk had some sort of plastic security cover that kept falling off and seemed pretty cheap - especially in a vehicle that the dealer is trying to ask something like 75k for.

Before buying the Model Y, I watched Ford CEO talk on Bloomberg for 10 minutes, and I watched a battery day highlights video with Tesla. Those two videos almost perfectly represent the commitment each of the respective brands seem to have toward making EV’s. Ford CEO was vague, spoke in generalities, buzzword bingo - scaling up, synergies with suppliers, etc. Meanwhile over at Camp Tesla - there is a very visible passion and drive toward one thing - making the best EV that consumers can buy. There is definitely a feeling that one brand tried harder to make the best vehicle (giving it everything they got), and the other brand worked to make a good vehicle - giving it everything they were allowed to give (Which is to imply, there is more Ford could have done to make a better vehicle).

I wish Ford did more to make the dealership experience less old school. I wish they quit with the dealer pricing games. I could watch YouTube videos of the Sync system, but I wanted to experience it in person; and it stinks. It is the best Ford has done - without a doubt; and had Tesla (along with Audi and Mercedes) not come out with such improved technology, it would probably be the best infotainment on the market today. I reallllllly want there to be more competition for Tesla. I don’t want this turning in to Apple vs. Android like ecosystem. Where Tesla is Apple, and everything they make is pretttty much perfect and awesome - albeit with criticisms. I don’t want everything that isn’t a Tesla to be seen as less-than.

2 years ago, I would have trash talked Tesla build quality, but after following their tech more - it is obvious that these folks are the smartest in the room; and that it isn’t that Tesla can’t make a well built vehicle, it is that they are focused on simply having the best EV tech that exists. Cosmetic issues like panel alignment are easily fixed - bolts and wrenches-type work. Poor software and less range are issues that none of us or a mechanic can fix. I inspected every Model Y being delivered at the service center - and I could not find the obvious alignment issues I have been able to easily catch in the past.

hopefully your rear motor doesnt fail. There has been a ton of reports of that on Model Ys recently.

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