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

[Rael]

Um, I think we're already living in the new world.

It's too late now to go shopping on a car lot. Keep your memories. Businesses have to go forward, not backward. That old business model won't become more profitable than the evolving ones.

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[99Zeus99]

I have a 2018 GT and a 2020 F150. It is quite likely I will never buy another new Mustang and maybe not another new truck again. I am 48. I have plenty of funds but I foresee lots of issues coming between supply chain and quality problems at Ford. My GT only gets summer use, I have a 70 in resto and Subarus for winter driving. A Super Duty may be in the my future but I'm not sure where Ford or any other manufacturer will be down the road.

 

[5.Oh Crush]

Um, I think we're already living in the new world.

It's too late now to go shopping on a car lot. Keep your memories. Businesses have to go forward, not backward. That old business model won't become more profitable than the evolving ones.

Yeah, if it’s the new world, I’m not paying the premium for a salesperson and ordering online unless at a discount.
Otherwise no new cars for me.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Half the time I went to Dealer lots locally, they hardly ever had anything decent in inventory - and I'm talking before 2020 COVID life.... years before... it was always the same "basic" orders, or same colors, or same option (or no option) packages.

Being able to order a car to your exact likes/dislikes online is better than having to settle for the crap on many Dealer lots (or in some cases, no crap at all). Plus you also don't have to deal with the onslaught bum rushing of Salepeople trying to coerce you into a sale as you just step foot onto the Dealer lot to even browse what is there....

 

[Smunczen]

I’ve always been lucky buying off dealer lots. I always looking for the odd ball deal and found 2 last year.

 

[5.Oh Crush]

Half the time I went to Dealer lots locally, they hardly ever had anything decent in inventory - and I'm talking before 2020 COVID life.... years before... it was always the same "basic" orders, or same colors, or same option (or no option) packages.

Being able to order a car to your exact likes/dislikes online is better than having to settle for the crap on many Dealer lots (or in some cases, no crap at all). Plus you also don't have to deal with the onslaught bum rushing of Salepeople trying to coerce you into a sale as you just step foot onto the Dealer lot to even browse what is there....

I’ve been lucky on lots. I don’t need everything down to the detail. I’m just saying this is bad for business.

 

[llinthicum1]

I'm ok ordering online as long as dealer doesn't put additional add-on's when the vehicle is delivered (e.g., doc fees, pin stripes, paint protectant; etc.). If ordering online is going to be the new norm, I suspect there will be fewer stand alone options, rather options will be bundled. But, that's already the direction; it makes it easier to manufacture that way. There will still be negotiation on price with the dealer before you place the order, but expect less discounts.

 

[TMSBOSS]

What's old is new again......
I bought most of my vehicles online for the last 20 years. 2003 F-250, found it online and had my dealer go get it on a dealer trade. I have 5 fords now and bought all online or through a few phone calls. My 2019 GT350R was bought from a dealership 500 miles from my home. Yep, internet to the dealership. Who set up the suspension/alignment to my specs as part of the delivery??
Thinking dealerships will "Go Away" is interesting. MOST vehicle have warranties only dreamed of 30 years ago. Who services those warranty claims?? The dealerships. Who works through the "Special" issues some cars have with the electronics?? The dealership service departments. The service department develop a relationship with the factory where they exchange info and get cars fixed. Don't expect this from a shop, even a great independent shop,
Who wrecks a car and then waits for a replacement 6-8 weeks after order?? Will your insurance company cover the 2 month rental? Not likely. Where will you find the car you need now?? yep, same place as before.
Is the market changing? Of course. The dealer I have worked with for 40 years just built a new store. The service waiting area looks like a high end internet cafe. Coffee bar, snacks, WiFi for free to all who wait. I thought they were crazy. Nope, service department numbers went through the roof. Folks can wait on their car while working on their laptops. This dealership did not go away, it adapted and expanded because of the demand they created.
Will floor plans shrink to cut costs, bet on it. In the late 70's early 80's dealerships entered into "Cooperatives" to increase access to parts locally. One would specialize in body shop parts, another in engine, the next in transmission parts. Drivers moved parts between the stores. Expect the same with cars.

 

[5thGT]

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.

Bill what is the build date? I ordered mine last Friday. thx

 

[dmcg940]

I have my 2021 GT Premium on order. I configured it on Ford.com and brought the configuration to a few dealers. One of them offered me X-Plan pricing so he got the business. (Another offered me $800.00 over MSRP. He got a good laugh.) The Ford configurator has an "Order Now" button, or somesuch, but if you do that you seem to be agreeing to pay MSRP. I wasn't willing to do that. A 40-minute drive and a few minutes with the dealer saved me $2,500 and I am good with that. Just about the same deal and same arrangement as I had on the 2015 I ordered in 2014. I hope we can continue that system in the future.

 

[dmcg940]

Thinking dealerships will "Go Away" is interesting.

I agree. A family friend, who owned dealerships for years, always said he'd be about as happy to not sell cars, because he didn't make much money selling cars. He wanted the service departments. Those were the goldmines. And those are not going away. You can't get a service department over the Internet.

 

[5.Oh Crush]

I agree. A family friend, who owned dealerships for years, always said he'd be about as happy to not sell cars, because he didn't make much money selling cars. He wanted the service departments. Those were the goldmines. And those are not going away. You can't get a service department over the Internet.

Totally agree on service needed.
but, some day you can go on the internet and tell your car to take itself to the dealer and back.

 

[hlh1]

Why does anyone think the "no haggle" price is a good thing? The dealers, and Ford, would love it. "No Haggle" = you pay their high price whether you like it or not. $20k over MSRP for the GT500? "No Haggle" and no problem for the smiling dealer/seller. Whenever they tell me that's our "no haggle" price I walk. If this new model price is only 5-10% over the real cost/invoice I'll be surprised. "No, we don't want you to haggle with us"...

 

[Jimayy]

I got lucky on the dealer lot with my mustang. 23k drive out for a 2016 ecoboost base model with 7 miles on it. That was also thanks to a newspaper ad for black friday. I'd imagine the days of browsing newspaper ads for car deals are long over. No more one only, or few to choose from types. the used lot wanted 25k for a used 2016 ecoboost, so I think my deal was solid. Mustangs and F-150s were always plentiful on the lot before covid, now the autonation lot is pretty empty. so it's a rough time to car shop, but orders seem to be pricey.

i liked that i got a nice deal. yes I'm a bit limited in what I got, and settled for this, but had it since nov 2016 and she's treated me well. We'll see how it goes when I try to get a bronco some years down the road lol.

 

[UserName]

My thoughts on ordering are simple. I shouldn’t have to order a car AND pay extra. I would have jumped on a gt500 if the dealer didn’t want 10k to 25k over asking. It’s a car ffs. I ended up ordering a Porsche GT4 for a replacement for my mustang. I got an allocation at Porsche prescribed price. I wouldn’t ever do business with Ford again. The dealership experience I’ve had with my Mustang is enough to tell me no.

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