This forum is giving me cold feet…

[jdsimard2012]

I’ve been looking forward to getting my GTPE for a long time now (I placed my reservation back in November 2019 during the announcement press event), and I have a build week of 7/11. This will be my first non-ICE car, and to be honest the posts which are floating to the top of this forum cause a bit of concern in my mind. Im not really worried about range anxiety or other things like that, but really about the software that is so core to the workings of this, or any other BEV.

I’ve been a professional software engineer in both an individual contributor and leadership role for over 20 years, so I understand how hard large, integrated software development challenges can be. I get it. That said, I’m highly concerned about seeing how recent software updates are leaving people with cars which are worse off than before the update, or the update outright bricks their car. These sorts of issues just shouldn’t be happening. When perusing other forums for recent EVs (eg. taycan forums), I see complaints which are more one-offs as opposed to singular issues which hit a wide swath of owners, like we see on the MME. Again, the fact that we are seeing such a few number of issues causing so much disruption is a concern about how software is developed/deployed with this vehicle.

I had hoped that the delay to get a GT would also get some of these teething issues out of the way, but it seems like we’re in the thick of that right now. I am still really excited to get this car and want it to be great, but man… Ford needs to improve their testing and deployment.

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

Not sure what to say. I'm not an "EV guy", my last vehicles included a V12, V10...etc., all petrol. I decided the time was right to try the "EV thing" and went ahead and purchased a MME in January of this year. Took delivery at end of January, in a Quebec winter, and have had an amazing experience. Have gone on several road trips (1,000km, 500km). Have had no MAJOR issues. Yes sometimes the phone as key buggers up and twice I've had screen static, but as someone who as owned pretty much every brand of vehicle out there, bang for buck, the MME as been a gratifying experience and introduction into the world of EVs. With that said, I have no regrets and would do it again. Cheers!

Sponsored

 

[barryvo]

I wasn't too concerned about most of the issues reported but just read about the car stopping on the highway after my initial post of how this forum drove me to order a MME. Hopefully this is not a common issue as it could cause me to cancel the car if a widespread unfixable problem. It is the first time I've heard of it, so I'm hoping it is not a widespread problem.

 

[timbop]

What you don't hear about are the majority of people like me who've had at most a few minor annoyances with the car. PaaK isn't ready for prime time yet so I just use the fob and don't worry about it, and many of the problems you see are related to that. Early on there was a LVB charging issue and there may still be a few quirks there still but in the end the car seems to do what it's supposed to do. There are still some one-off issues that are disconcerting, but those are not widespread issues as far as I can tell.

If it worries you that much, don't get one this year. It could end up costing you $7500 but sometimes peace of mind is worth more than that.

For the record I'm a 35 year software engineer and a pessimist as well.

 

[Badger_Prof]

I’ve been looking forward to getting my GTPE for a long time now (I placed my reservation back in November 2019 during the announcement press event), and I have a build week of 7/11. This will be my first non-ICE car, and to be honest the posts which are floating to the top of this forum cause a bit of concern in my mind. Im not really worried about range anxiety or other things like that, but really about the software that is so core to the workings of this, or any other BEV.

I’ve been a professional software engineer in both an individual contributor and leadership role for over 20 years, so I understand how hard large, integrated software development challenges can be. I get it. That said, I’m highly concerned about seeing how recent software updates are leaving people with cars which are worse off than before the update, or the update outright bricks their car. These sorts of issues just shouldn’t be happening. When perusing other forums for recent EVs (eg. taycan forums), I see complaints which are more one-offs as opposed to singular issues which hit a wide swath of owners, like we see on the MME. Again, the fact that we are seeing such a few number of issues causing so much disruption is a concern about how software is developed/deployed with this vehicle.

I had hoped that the delay to get a GT would also get some of these teething issues out of the way, but it seems like we’re in the thick of that right now. I am still really excited to get this car and want it to be great, but man… Ford needs to improve their testing and deployment.

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

Got mine in February. Loved it then. Love it now. Loved it in between. One day I had to push the button twice to get the door to open. Sorry that I did not bother to start a thread at the Forum to express distress. All the rest of the time it just works as it should. When I first got it, I had some issues. Turned out they were all my issues and were all resolved by reading the manual (e.g., the difference between lane keeping and lane centering, learning how to set the rain sensitive wipers, learning how to save radio stations, learning to kick straight in and out to open the tailgate rather than swiping my leg). Do I believe some people have had problems? Sure. Would I worry about buying the same car again or buying a second one for a family member? Absolutely not. This is my third EV (Leaf and Bolt) and it has been a joy.

 

[bwr1338]

I’ve been looking forward to getting my GTPE for a long time now (I placed my reservation back in November 2019 during the announcement press event), and I have a build week of 7/11. This will be my first non-ICE car, and to be honest the posts which are floating to the top of this forum cause a bit of concern in my mind. Im not really worried about range anxiety or other things like that, but really about the software that is so core to the workings of this, or any other BEV.

I’ve been a professional software engineer in both an individual contributor and leadership role for over 20 years, so I understand how hard large, integrated software development challenges can be. I get it. That said, I’m highly concerned about seeing how recent software updates are leaving people with cars which are worse off than before the update, or the update outright bricks their car. These sorts of issues just shouldn’t be happening. When perusing other forums for recent EVs (eg. taycan forums), I see complaints which are more one-offs as opposed to singular issues which hit a wide swath of owners, like we see on the MME. Again, the fact that we are seeing such a few number of issues causing so much disruption is a concern about how software is developed/deployed with this vehicle.

I had hoped that the delay to get a GT would also get some of these teething issues out of the way, but it seems like we’re in the thick of that right now. I am still really excited to get this car and want it to be great, but man… Ford needs to improve their testing and deployment.

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

I ordered my First Edition the day after the launch and waited 1.5 years to get it. I knew then that this was a new car and that Ford was not a computer company so there were going to be issues to work out. When I did finally get my car earlier this year it would not charge at home at 240. Turned out to be a common issue for people on COMED power in Ill. They fixed it 45 days later with a software update. I have had the dealer install two updates and Ford pass has been updated three times so far.

I love this car and drive it most days just for fun. I send ford feedback via the forum since it is really the only way to give them more detailed feedback on software issues and Ideas.

I am hoping that Ford will continue to try and make their software better. The actual car's fit and function is very good overall and I am sure will improve as they build more. The real challenge is that it is all about the software which is not Ford's strong suit. That said, it is not hard to address by committing the resources needed to move the software forward.

All the traditional car companies are going to struggle to pivot to EVs. Tesla and all the new electric car companies will push the software and technology like Tesla has. Ford's first ev designs are getting great reviews so they are off to a good start.

I would tell you to get the GT model knowing that many of the early software issues will be fixed and I expect to see software enhancements in the months ahead.

Oh, you will love driving one fo the fastest cars on the road.

 

[markboris]

Forums for cars in production are by their very nature filled with the problems and annoyances with the car. This forum is no exception. There are people who have problems with the Mach-e. They're here and rightfully complaining about the issues and seeking some form of guidance on how to deal with them.

On the other hand, those with few or no issues, aren't going to be here talking about how their car works as expected. My car has been great, with almost no issues, and those that I've had are very minor and transitory. That's probably where most mach-e's are. This is the nicest car I've ever owned. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But this is the first year of a new model and design. There will be more issues than designs that have been hammered out over many years.

You couldn't have said it any better. These are my thoughts exactly and any little issues I've had don't bother me a bit. This is one of the best cars I have ever owned and I'm 66. I enjoy it every time I go to the store or a long 200+ mile drive.

 

[trutolife27]

Mache or no mache? If you get all your facts, worries, and conclusions from a forum. You might not what to buy 99% of things you have if you went to forums about those also.

Mache has been love since day one. Kinda like my kids. Do they do things sometimes that make me go" here we go again"? yes. But in the end, my love is unconditional same as the mache.

You won't regret it.

 

[Carsinmyblood]

Remember also, at this early stage you're getting up to $7,500 in federal taxes returned to you. That's one heckofan inducement to not wait til Ford passes the 200,000 unit mark.

 

[noname]

Yeah, I would stay away from higher trims or GT because all of them share the same software. Base trim as a commuter is fine.

 

[tminter4]

This was my first EV purchase and by far the nicest ride I've bought. With the minimum amount of issues it has, I would do it all over again. Ford is a large company with a lot on the line carrying the Mustang name on this car. With that being said, I am confidant they will fix the issues everyone is having. None of the issues I have had affects the driving of the car and the enjoyment I have driving it. Only you can decide how comfortable you are in making a purchase of this size. No one will fault you either way. Regardless, I will still drive mine proudly and continue talking with those daily that are asking questions.

 

[dtbaker61]

I’ve been looking forward to getting my GTPE for a long time now (I placed my reservation back in November 2019 during the announcement press event), and I have a build week of 7/11. This will be my first non-ICE car, and to be honest the posts which are floating to the top of this forum cause a bit of concern in my mind. Im not really worried about range anxiety or other things like that, but really about the software that is so core to the workings of this, or any other BEV.

I’ve been a professional software engineer in both an individual contributor and leadership role for over 20 years, so I understand how hard large, integrated software development challenges can be. I get it. That said, I’m highly concerned about seeing how recent software updates are leaving people with cars which are worse off than before the update, or the update outright bricks their car. ...snip... Ford needs to improve their testing and deployment.

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

I totally appreciate your perspective having spent 15+ years developing and managing software development, release, and the update/release cycle. I have a couple comments that should cheer you up:

1. the EV driving experience, combined with lack of emmissions will REALLY put a smile on your face.

2. The only *significant* issues early on had to do with:
- tweaking some charge parameters to handle the auto-charging of the 12v battery from the big HV pack in extreme cold weather... classify this as release 0 issues that have been resolved in new builds.
- some communication issues between phones/vehicles for some of the *automatic* features like Phone-as-a-key.... still a little glitchy, but coming along. pretty complex since Ford is dealing with a complex vehicle, but also a raft of different phones with different OS and different bluetooth specs. I'd say they are working on them, but have a little way to go. Fortunately, there are manual workarounds so you can unlock/lock, and DRIVE THE CAR!

..... so, sit back, participate, and be vocal about what (some of us) know is 'best practice' when it comes the bug fixes, release notes, and update testing/release.

 

[Benny’66]

I’ve been looking forward to getting my GTPE for a long time now (I placed my reservation back in November 2019 during the announcement press event), and I have a build week of 7/11. This will be my first non-ICE car, and to be honest the posts which are floating to the top of this forum cause a bit of concern in my mind. Im not really worried about range anxiety or other things like that, but really about the software that is so core to the workings of this, or any other BEV.

I’ve been a professional software engineer in both an individual contributor and leadership role for over 20 years, so I understand how hard large, integrated software development challenges can be. I get it. That said, I’m highly concerned about seeing how recent software updates are leaving people with cars which are worse off than before the update, or the update outright bricks their car. These sorts of issues just shouldn’t be happening. When perusing other forums for recent EVs (eg. taycan forums), I see complaints which are more one-offs as opposed to singular issues which hit a wide swath of owners, like we see on the MME. Again, the fact that we are seeing such a few number of issues causing so much disruption is a concern about how software is developed/deployed with this vehicle.

I had hoped that the delay to get a GT would also get some of these teething issues out of the way, but it seems like we’re in the thick of that right now. I am still really excited to get this car and want it to be great, but man… Ford needs to improve their testing and deployment.

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

OP - you ordered the GTPE, 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. That is quick! I’m waiting on the same trim and can NOT wait! If your looking for words of encouragement…wait till you pound that pedal to the floor and your passenger flies into the back seat baby! Come on! Get pumped for an adrenaline rush in 2 months!
If this car will be the only piece of steel getting you and your family around town, that might be some reason for pause. If you have access to another car if you hit a slight bump in the road, I wouldn’t sweat at all. My ‘66 has left us immobile may a time, but the thrill of pushing 600hp in a classic mustang brings a smile to my face always.

 

[SpacePony]

Going on 3 months of ownership and driving, and besides a couple of trivial bugs in the infotainment (mostly just settings not sticking), I have had no issues and love LOVE my car.

 

[rgreene]

Exactly this for me. The hardware on the MME is very attractive and is why I am excited by this car. I have no interest in owning a Tesla and I can’t justify the cost of other alternatives which will give me similar performance.

It really feels like it comes down to how much we trust Ford to deliver on that 1.0 promise. I’m fine with it being in “beta” for a bit as I plan on having the car for 5+ years.

All the positive comments on this thread are certainly encouraging.

 

[JB20]

Car has really only been out for 6-7 months. This is the first year. There will be some teething going on. Every now and then some owners will be affected more than others. Tesla is constantly pushing updates to make minor and major bug fixes.

Sponsored