Nigel Bishop
New Member
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- #1
NEVER FACTORY ORDER A FORD...the process is a nightmare and the customer service is useless/non-existent. Ford don't give a rat's *** about you once they've booked the sale...they gamble on the fact that you won't cancel the order once they give you a delivery date as you will have already wasted up to 2 months waiting for this information.
Either buy off the lot or choose another manufacturer.
I custom ordered a fully loaded 2019 Mustang GT Premium Convertible from my local dealer on May 11th; remember, this is a $55,000 purchase. At that time I was told, in writing on my purchase order, that my car would be delivered within 6 - 8 weeks. OK, that was a mistake on the dealer's part and, when I still didn't have my VIN after 5 weeks, they admitted their mistake and revised that to a 10 - 12 weeks estimated delivery. I stated clearly at the time that I was ultra-sensitive to delivery as I had a very bad experience with a previous custom factory order.
I eventually got my VIN after about 6 - 7 weeks and COTUS showed my delivery date to be 17 - 18 weeks from the date of my order, with the admonishment that this date is not fixed... it could be longer! The factory order process is a big black hole from the customer's point of view. COTUS is useless...it was showing the details of a previously ordered and delivered Explorer until the VIN was created.
NO CUSTOMER SERVICE: My dealer told me that my order "does not exist" as far as Ford is concerned until the VIN is created. For 5 - 6 weeks they could not tell me when the VIN would be created. They stated that this was in the hands of the regional rep and that neither they nor I had any influence over this. I was told that I was not allowed to even talk to the rep. Ford Corporate were even less help...they claimed that hey had no record of my order and would not have any information until the VIN was created! I was/still am being bounced between Ford Corporate and the dealer.
As I said above, a couple of days after I received the VIN from my dealer COTUS was updated with a delivery date of September 5th, this was revised down to August 31st but, given that nobody, my dealer or Ford Corporate, can/will tell me what the scheduled build/shipping date is, I have no idea if this is accurate or not. But I've been warned again that my August 31st delivery date is not confirmed...with 5 weeks to go, it's almost guaranteed that it won't be delivered earlier but could well be delivered later.
I'm a member of several Mustang forums and I learned from another member last week that they are receiving their (very similar) mustang next week (4 weeks earlier than mine) even though they ordered their vehicle 2 weeks after me. So their net delivery time is 6 weeks earlier than mine even though I placed my order earlier.
I again contacted Ford's Customer Relationship Department but again, that was worse than useless. They claim that they have no knowledge of my build date and that I should work with my dealer. My dealer tells me that they have no more information than I do as they depend on COTUS as well.
So let that sink in...I have made a $55,000 purchase and Ford Customer Service claim that they have no information at all about my vehicle's build date...and, although somebody at Ford must have some information, unless the COTUS dates are totally fictitious, nobody knows or nobody will tell me anything about the status of my purchase...What I am being told is that NOBODY at Ford can/will tell me when my car will be built an delivered.
It is evident from my experience that Ford simply do not care about customers who factory order their cars. The process is arcane, not even my dealer can explain the process or the factors affecting scheduling/build/delivery. Ford operate this process entirely to suit their needs and not those of their customers...I've been told, not in so many words, that if your don't like it we don't care.
My guess is that factory orders are a nuisance to Ford and, as this probably doesn't represent a large revenue stream in the scheme of things, that they can afford to alienate buyers like me...this will by my 5th new mustang purchase, but this experience is sorely testing my loyalty to Ford.
This is not the first time that I've had this problem. I factory ordered a Mustang a number of years ago from another dealer who outright lied about the price/delivery...etc. I was given a 6 - 8 week delivery estimate which turned out to be 20 - 26 weeks. I had to sue the dealer to get my deposit refunded...Ford Corporate were no help then either.
Why is this an issue for me, other than impatience to receive my shiny new mustang convertible whilst the sun is still out? My trade-in is the issue. My trade-in value continues to diminish as every week goes by. Worse...I, like most buyers, am funding my new purchase by using the residual value in my existing Mustang. My dealer will not even discuss the value of my trade-in against the purchase of my new Mustang until the delivery has been scheduled, i.e., 1 - 2 weeks before my new car is due to hit the lot. At that time, I will be in a very weak bargaining position...they can, and probably will, low-ball me as they have me over a barrel. If I get an unacceptably low offer for my existing car, I'll either have to eat several thousand Dollars of loss, i.e., borrow more or, run round like a rat on crack trying to sell the car privately before I have to seal the deal on financing. I obviously can't sell my existing car early as I will then have no transport.
In summary, Ford operate the custom order system for their benefit and their benefit only. It is totally unacceptable to me, as it would be to any reasonable person, that I have committed to a $55,000 purchase and I can get no meaningful information as to when I will receive my product. Adding insult to injury, Ford simply don't care and they could not be less helpful.
Don't even get me started about how Ford prioritized the Bullitt build, frequently with no live customer orders, above the build and delivery of vehicles with real live customers who placed orders in good faith. Another example of Ford stiffing their customers and prioritizing their own interests above those of the customer.
Either buy off the lot or choose another manufacturer.
I custom ordered a fully loaded 2019 Mustang GT Premium Convertible from my local dealer on May 11th; remember, this is a $55,000 purchase. At that time I was told, in writing on my purchase order, that my car would be delivered within 6 - 8 weeks. OK, that was a mistake on the dealer's part and, when I still didn't have my VIN after 5 weeks, they admitted their mistake and revised that to a 10 - 12 weeks estimated delivery. I stated clearly at the time that I was ultra-sensitive to delivery as I had a very bad experience with a previous custom factory order.
I eventually got my VIN after about 6 - 7 weeks and COTUS showed my delivery date to be 17 - 18 weeks from the date of my order, with the admonishment that this date is not fixed... it could be longer! The factory order process is a big black hole from the customer's point of view. COTUS is useless...it was showing the details of a previously ordered and delivered Explorer until the VIN was created.
NO CUSTOMER SERVICE: My dealer told me that my order "does not exist" as far as Ford is concerned until the VIN is created. For 5 - 6 weeks they could not tell me when the VIN would be created. They stated that this was in the hands of the regional rep and that neither they nor I had any influence over this. I was told that I was not allowed to even talk to the rep. Ford Corporate were even less help...they claimed that hey had no record of my order and would not have any information until the VIN was created! I was/still am being bounced between Ford Corporate and the dealer.
As I said above, a couple of days after I received the VIN from my dealer COTUS was updated with a delivery date of September 5th, this was revised down to August 31st but, given that nobody, my dealer or Ford Corporate, can/will tell me what the scheduled build/shipping date is, I have no idea if this is accurate or not. But I've been warned again that my August 31st delivery date is not confirmed...with 5 weeks to go, it's almost guaranteed that it won't be delivered earlier but could well be delivered later.
I'm a member of several Mustang forums and I learned from another member last week that they are receiving their (very similar) mustang next week (4 weeks earlier than mine) even though they ordered their vehicle 2 weeks after me. So their net delivery time is 6 weeks earlier than mine even though I placed my order earlier.
I again contacted Ford's Customer Relationship Department but again, that was worse than useless. They claim that they have no knowledge of my build date and that I should work with my dealer. My dealer tells me that they have no more information than I do as they depend on COTUS as well.
So let that sink in...I have made a $55,000 purchase and Ford Customer Service claim that they have no information at all about my vehicle's build date...and, although somebody at Ford must have some information, unless the COTUS dates are totally fictitious, nobody knows or nobody will tell me anything about the status of my purchase...What I am being told is that NOBODY at Ford can/will tell me when my car will be built an delivered.
It is evident from my experience that Ford simply do not care about customers who factory order their cars. The process is arcane, not even my dealer can explain the process or the factors affecting scheduling/build/delivery. Ford operate this process entirely to suit their needs and not those of their customers...I've been told, not in so many words, that if your don't like it we don't care.
My guess is that factory orders are a nuisance to Ford and, as this probably doesn't represent a large revenue stream in the scheme of things, that they can afford to alienate buyers like me...this will by my 5th new mustang purchase, but this experience is sorely testing my loyalty to Ford.
This is not the first time that I've had this problem. I factory ordered a Mustang a number of years ago from another dealer who outright lied about the price/delivery...etc. I was given a 6 - 8 week delivery estimate which turned out to be 20 - 26 weeks. I had to sue the dealer to get my deposit refunded...Ford Corporate were no help then either.
Why is this an issue for me, other than impatience to receive my shiny new mustang convertible whilst the sun is still out? My trade-in is the issue. My trade-in value continues to diminish as every week goes by. Worse...I, like most buyers, am funding my new purchase by using the residual value in my existing Mustang. My dealer will not even discuss the value of my trade-in against the purchase of my new Mustang until the delivery has been scheduled, i.e., 1 - 2 weeks before my new car is due to hit the lot. At that time, I will be in a very weak bargaining position...they can, and probably will, low-ball me as they have me over a barrel. If I get an unacceptably low offer for my existing car, I'll either have to eat several thousand Dollars of loss, i.e., borrow more or, run round like a rat on crack trying to sell the car privately before I have to seal the deal on financing. I obviously can't sell my existing car early as I will then have no transport.
In summary, Ford operate the custom order system for their benefit and their benefit only. It is totally unacceptable to me, as it would be to any reasonable person, that I have committed to a $55,000 purchase and I can get no meaningful information as to when I will receive my product. Adding insult to injury, Ford simply don't care and they could not be less helpful.
Don't even get me started about how Ford prioritized the Bullitt build, frequently with no live customer orders, above the build and delivery of vehicles with real live customers who placed orders in good faith. Another example of Ford stiffing their customers and prioritizing their own interests above those of the customer.
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