Your Thoughts on Ford (mustang) Moving To New Car Orders Only

[Smunczen]

This is just the first step in eliminating dealers altogether.

It‘s been coming on for a long time.

You are so right. Just wait it’s going to take a while. The dealers might turn into just used cars and some kind of factory service center and they could be just a few per state of regions. Ford wants all the money this is the first step to that end. The plan is in motion now.

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[Kermut]

The benefit to the customer is you get what you want down to all options and color but you will be paying more for it. No rebates, no haggle pricing, and no leftover inventory where you get the great deals. The only cars that will be discounted are the crap ones you can't give away otherwise.

IDK about the paying more part. Usually the only cars you get legit deals on are the ones that have been marinating on the lot for weeks/months. Anything desirable you are going to save money by ordering. And you better believe Ford is still going to be offering incentives; their goal is to sell cars.

I do think dealerships have a future, though it will mainly be used cars, warranty work, and demo vehicles for new sales

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

IDK about the paying more part. Usually the only cars you get legit deals on are the ones that have been marinating on the lot for weeks/months. Anything desirable you are going to save money by ordering. And you better believe Ford is still going to be offering incentives; their goal is to sell cars.

I do think dealerships have a future, though it will mainly be used cars, warranty work, and demo vehicles for new sales

Maybe you are right but it has already been written in the articles and stuff that one of the main reasons Ford would be interested in this is to get away from rebates. I guess time will tell.

Maybe the best thing is if they do plan on going away from rebates, it would force them to step up and get on par quality wise with Toyota or Honda so they can compete without dropping their pants on price.

 

[TMSBOSS]

This is just the first step in eliminating dealers altogether.

It‘s been coming on for a long time.

Then who will work on the cars? A dealership is more than the showroom.

 

[S550 HPP]

IDK about the paying more part. Usually the only cars you get legit deals on are the ones that have been marinating on the lot for weeks/months. Anything desirable you are going to save money by ordering. And you better believe Ford is still going to be offering incentives; their goal is to sell cars.

I do think dealerships have a future, though it will mainly be used cars, warranty work, and demo vehicles for new sales

When I ordered my Mustang in Feb 2020, I got it at invoice. Plus when I took delivery in May, 2020 I got 0% interest from Ford. I felt I got a good deal.

I read all the time pre-Covid about folks getting way, way, way, way under invoice and I am sure that was true. But I never found exactly what I wanted on the lot, and didn't want to settle. I waited 42 years for my first Mustang, I could wait a month or three for exactly what I wanted.

 

[Briebee72]

There are still honest dealers out there not intent on raping you. I just put in an order for a 2022 corvette and ill have it at end of October at msrp no mark ups.

These "shortages " actually make the manufacturers a ton more money. Lets use sony for example. The ps5. Not one has seen a store shelf and they claim parts /chip shortages. But if you go look at sales histories the PS5 has sold more units at this point then any other ps console. BY making them online only cause of "shortages" it makes people want them more and sales actually go up and now sony can sell more direct and pocket more money then ever before all while we sit here believing that everything has a shortage. Look at every single industry that is claiming shortages and then look at their sales and stocks. They are higher then they ever been. Funny how they are selling more then ever yet there is a shortage.... Its human nature tell them there isn't any and they cant have it and they become more determine to get one even if they didn't want one to start with. Marketing has been and always will be a phycology game. just like if they put a giant sale up front two hand soaps for a dollar they will sell the whole bin yet in the back on the soap isle the soaps are regularly 30 cents... they are cheaper not on sale.

 

[young at heart]

Then who will work on the cars? A dealership is more than the showroom.

Regional service centers. It’s been carefully planned for years. Go back to the ‘70s (maybe early ‘80s, I can’t recall exactly) when Porsche floated this trial balloon. They weren’t wrong, just a little too early.

I’m one of the older guys here so I may not see it implemented, but many of you younger guys will. Remember, you saw it here first.

 

[BVA254]

I ordered a new Mustang last week on a Monday. Received the order confirmation that night from Ford. On Tuesday night received a production date and VIN number. Then on Saturday night received another email stating the production date had moved up a week earlier. The dealer sold the car at invoice minus $500.00 as they sponsor our local Mustang club. Locked in the current finance incentives. And if any other rebates or incentives are better when the car arrives I can have those as well. I had a trade that they also gave me a trade figure on that would be good when the car came in so I could continue to use it. But It gave me a chance to sell it myself in the meantime and I got more money for it even considering the tax advantage. Everything worked out well so far.

 

[cactus_kid]

Full circle ............ This is how it was done long ago. Dealerships were smaller. They had half a dozen vehicles at most of various models. One sat down and ordered the car or truck to spec. Some 6 weeks later you went back and picked it up. Get used to it because it is the future in the automotive world post COVID 19.

 

[Interceptor]

Like Michael Jackson sang
A-B-C easy as 1 2 3
1. Dealer service and parts center.
2. One of every model for demo
3. Basically one price window sticker
I also heard about this in 1997

 

[ICU812]

DEALERS ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
But the days of dealers having 150 units in inventory will go bye bye.
There was a time that dealers had a small number of vehicles on lots, and you ordered what you wanted, unless you wanted the basic no frills unit the dealer might have in stock.
Dealers will still order them and have them on the lots, for those that get a wild hair on a week end to go get a new vehicle.
Ford just won't be offering the rebates to move the current m.y. stock like they do now. If a dealer orders a bunch of stock and it doesn't sell, they are going to be eating it.
WHAT will happen is dealers will stock their inventory with known movers, And will have lower stock as the m.y. comes closer to the end, to not get hung with year old left overs that they can't move without taking a bath on.
So basicly if you want a mustang that isn't optioned the way that most buyers would want it, you'll be ordering it.
The days of the dealerships ordering manager not worrying about ordering sales duds , and knowing the oem will offer rebates to clear them out of that mess are coming to an end.
Those that order stock are going to have to be on top if what sells and what sits on the lot 30/45/60+ days before it sold.
Ford don't care if a dealer orders 15 mustangs , what they care about is not having to offer rebates to help clear them out for the new my units.
If the oem's allow a dealer to have a tiny floor plan (inventory) or even no NEW car inventory and still order you a mustang and be able to undercut the larger dealers that have higher overhead, A small dealer could become a niche model (mustang for example) dealer.
What I got out of this is, ford telling dealers , forget rebates to move stock, learn your market and load your floor plan with inventory movers.

 

[gadgtfreek]

They have tried that forever. Why will it work now? I do see it makes business sense to make less cars and cut dealer out. But, dealers brought them more business and more often.

When I bought this car, I filled out everything online, including trade-in details. I then submitted images of my vehicle. Drove up there, they walked around my car, signed 30 mins or papers, and then was gone. No need for traditional dealers anymore. Plus many are already no-haggle.

I don't see them disappearing, but the business model is changing.

 

[Stage_3]

Why will it work now?

Internet, and an increasing number of folks who are more comfortable with it than they are people.

BINGO!!!
I bought my 2 Mustangs online.

 

[young at heart]

BINGO!!!
I bought my 2 Mustangs online.

I didn’t even get that sophisticated on my last two. I bought them both over the phone, and there were trades on both deals. Bought my ‘20 GT convertible last fall over the phone and did a 100% contactless delivery. They didn’t even walk over and look at my trade. Bought a new Ascent today and again, nobody bothered to look at my trade which was a substantial part of the deal. They shoved the papers in the new car through a crack in the widow, I signed them and handed them back with a check and I was gone.

Boys, get used to it or don’t but it doesn’t matter. It’s coming anyway.

 

[Stage_3]

I didn’t even get that sophisticated on my last two. I bought them both over the phone, and there were trades on both deals. Bought my ‘20 GT convertible last fall over the phone and did a 100% contactless delivery. They didn’t even walk over and look at my trade. Bought a new Ascent today and again, nobody bothered to look at my trade which was a substantial part of the deal. They shoved the papers in the new car through a crack in the widow, I signed them and handed them back with a check and I was gone.

Boys, get used to it or don’t but it doesn’t matter. It’s coming anyway.

Both of mine were trade-ins as well.
It's painless and super easy. I have no issue with it at all. In fact, I prefer it.

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