October 26 is apparently NOT when 2022 F-150 Lightning ordering begins (order bank opens)

[Fordskeptic]

I prefer the direct to consumer model vs the traditional dealer model, but the dealer model isn't going away anytime soon that I can see. I don't mind waiting, as this is a "want" rather than need vehicle for me. My ICE truck still works. If my order gets canceled as opposed to rolling over to 2023, I would be disinclined to go wrestle with a dealer for an F150L. Those who enjoy the dealership experience can have it.

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[Whiskey]

They should have just offered a number of reservations that had a realistic possibility of being fulfilled in year one. If the projected availability expanded, they could have offered another round. That would benefit Ford by drumming up more publicity.

I do think the online ordering system benefits the consumer because pricing is more transparent than working with dealer stock. There's still room for games but there's less incentive for the dealer to be slimy because the consumer can take their reservation elsewhere. If Ford had gone the traditional dealer stock order route, it would be almost impossible to find a truck at MSRP or without useless modifications.

Direct to consumer sales would be ideal in my mind, but the lobby is too strong for that to happen anytime soon.

The best case scenario under the current regime is online ordering by consumers with strict manufacturer rules about price gouging. If only Ford could figure out how to take the dealer out of the allocation equation. It makes no sense that I could have a super early time stamp and have to wait longer for my F150L than someone 25 miles away with a later time stamp and identical F150 build, just because their dealer has a better allocation formula.

It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we weren’t able to order our vehicle of choice off Amazon in the near future.???

 

[astricklin]

It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we weren’t able to order our vehicle of choice off Amazon in the near future.???

I'm going for I order it online and it drives itself to my house.

 

[F150ROD]

They should have just offered a number of reservations that had a realistic possibility of being fulfilled in year one. If the projected availability expanded, they could have offered another round. That would benefit Ford by drumming up more publicity.

I do think the online ordering system benefits the consumer because pricing is more transparent than working with dealer stock. There's still room for games but there's less incentive for the dealer to be slimy because the consumer can take their reservation elsewhere. If Ford had gone the traditional dealer stock order route, it would be almost impossible to find a truck at MSRP or without useless modifications.

Direct to consumer sales would be ideal in my mind, but the lobby is too strong for that to happen anytime soon.

The best case scenario under the current regime is online ordering by consumers with strict manufacturer rules about price gouging. If only Ford could figure out how to take the dealer out of the allocation equation. It makes no sense that I could have a super early time stamp and have to wait longer for my F150L than someone 25 miles away with a later time stamp and identical F150 build, just because their dealer has a better allocation formula.

I agree with you that it would be impossible to find a truck at MSRP. But at the same time you can tell the dealer you would like to order one at MSRP. The dealer would then counter with discounting the Truck in stock. The only way to stop the gouging is for Dealers to have more than enough stock.

As of now every dealer is bare bones and they use that to justify their Market Adjustment. I suspect even if they have more than enough stock they will find a way to hide in stock vehicles to continue this shady practice......until you tell them you are willing to wait 2+ months for a Factory Order then they will dance.

 

[Gsjdjdjdndb]

So you'd rather have to camp out at your local dealership every time a truck comes in?
How else is the manufacturer going to have some idea of demand? They need to have a way to anticipate demand at the different time frames they determined, that's why they had a reservation and then some period of time till actually placing orders. It let them have a rough estimate of how many people were $100 worth committed. Then they'll see how many people are more committed and then what sort of trim mix people are interested in when orders are placed.

very easy before you start bullshit promises. Set up a list to gauge interest once you have interest then go set everything up like having proper production numbers.

not gauge interest then still suck and fail at delivering at current rates you could expect a truck 5 years from now.

Ford isn’t ramping up 100k/yr until like mid 20’s

 

[Fordskeptic]

Dealers having more than enough stock is wishful thinking for the foreseeable future. Even before the stock shortages, the dealer model was unnecessarily time consuming and unenjoyable (from my perspective). Your experience of course could vary.

 

[Lime Green]

Reservations are a marketing tool to generate media coverage. When people stop getting excited over reservation numbers (especially Tesla) manufacturers will stop doing it.

Yes, they are a marketing tool that generates a media buzz. But it’s also a way to secure your place in line — or at least it should be. That’s how it is with Tesla. Of course they still juggle production order around a bit from reservation order depending on logistics of production and delivery. Tesla no longer does reservations, outside of Cybertruck and Roadster. If you want the S, X, 3 or Y, you just go place your order and wait.

Ford tried the reservation system with the Bronco in the hopes of moving to more direct online ordering. It blew up in their face with all the parts shortages. Now they’re screwing all the reservation holders as the larger dealerships have been whining about no inventory to sell and small dealerships trying to game the system by over-promising special deals on the Bronco. Saw the writing on the wall months ago when Ford changed their tune from “we will build all Bronco reservations before dealer stock” to “if we can’t build a reservation due to parts shortage, but can build one for dealer stock, we’ll do that…”. Now they have changed their allocation assignments for 2022 and are favoring the large dealerships, not taking reservations into account. So dealerships like Granger or Horsham that have well over 1000 reservations each are only getting like two allocations while the big guys like Groove and AutoNation are getting hundreds or even thousands. Ford just tells their reservation holders that if they want their Bronco, they need to transfer their reservation to one of those dealerships. Then they won’t allow transfers to keep time stamps, so it’s a huge joke and those big dealerships that now have all the allocations are putting 20% mark-ups on their Broncos.

I can only imagine the amount of internal corporate lobbying taking place to get Ford Corporate to go along with all these dealerships that completely screw loyal customers. While Ford can’t dictate consumer pricing, they still can reward the dealerships which provide the best customer experience and value. They have chosen not to do this for Bronco orders, but let dealership greed win the day. I have been a loyal Ford customer for both retail and fleet purchases for years and they have always had great customer service. Not anymore…. Completely ruined my trust over one single day-1 Bronco reservation that I won’t realistically be able to get now until 2024.

It will be interesting to see how Ford handles the Lightning reservations and order conversions. If they pull the same stunt with Lightning reservations/ allocations like they did with the Bronco, then I’m probably done with Ford for a while. I’ll just let my two Lightning Pros go to someone else and will just buy the Rivian or Hummer EV for my personal truck and and be happy for the next few years.…. I know my small protest won’t amount to anything when so many people are falling over themselves to pay a premium for these trucks. But maybe, just maybe, if they piss off enough people like me, it will come back to bite them in the ass once supply catches up to demand and the world rebalances itself.

 

[Fordskeptic]

I am not a Ford fan to begin with. It has taken 20 yrs for my wife to even consider owning another Ford, so I won't be missed if I cancel my (hopefully near future order) over Ford's mismanagement of the reservation to order to build ot deliver process. I have no delusions that Ford actually cares. For now I remain hopeful and optimistic that Ford won't screw this up. Time will tell.

 

[F150ROD]

Yes, they are a marketing tool that generates a media buzz. But it’s also a way to secure your place in line — or at least it should be. That’s how it is with Tesla. Of course they still juggle production order around a bit from reservation order depending on logistics of production and delivery. Tesla no longer does reservations, outside of Cybertruck and Roadster. If you want the S, X, 3 or Y, you just go place your order and wait.

Ford tried the reservation system with the Bronco in the hopes of moving to more direct online ordering. It blew up in their face with all the parts shortages. Now they’re screwing all the reservation holders as the larger dealerships have been whining about no inventory to sell and small dealerships trying to game the system by over-promising special deals on the Bronco. Saw the writing on the wall months ago when Ford changed their tune from “we will build all Bronco reservations before dealer stock” to “if we can’t build a reservation due to parts shortage, but can build one for dealer stock, we’ll do that…”. Now they have changed their allocation assignments for 2022 and are favoring the large dealerships, not taking reservations into account. So dealerships like Granger or Horsham that have well over 1000 reservations each are only getting like two allocations while the big guys like Groove and AutoNation are getting hundreds or even thousands. Ford just tells their reservation holders that if they want their Bronco, they need to transfer their reservation to one of those dealerships. Then they won’t allow transfers to keep time stamps, so it’s a huge joke and those big dealerships that now have all the allocations are putting 20% mark-ups on their Broncos.

I can only imagine the amount of internal corporate lobbying taking place to get Ford Corporate to go along with all these dealerships that completely screw loyal customers. While Ford can’t dictate consumer pricing, they still can reward the dealerships which provide the best customer experience and value. They have chosen not to do this for Bronco orders, but let dealership greed win the day. I have been a loyal Ford customer for both retail and fleet purchases for years and they have always had great customer service. Not anymore…. Completely ruined my trust over one single day-1 Bronco reservation that I won’t realistically be able to get now until 2024.

It will be interesting to see how Ford handles the Lightning reservations and order conversions. If they pull the same stunt with Lightning reservations/ allocations like they did with the Bronco, then I’m probably done with Ford for a while. I’ll just let my two Lightning Pros go to someone else and will just buy the Rivian or Hummer EV for my personal truck and and be happy for the next few years.…. I know my small protest won’t amount to anything when so many people are falling over themselves to pay a premium for these trucks. But maybe, just maybe, if they piss off enough people like me, it will come back to bite them in the ass once supply catches up to demand and the world rebalances itself.

I am also a Ford Loyal customer, Escort, Escort ZX2, Fiesta ST, Focus ST/RS, F-150. However, I won't hesitate to jump ship if they try to pull any stunts. My ICE F-150 is perfectly fine and capable. It will just mean I have to add a new Tesla for my commutes, that's it.

 

[Whiskey]

I'm going for I order it online and it drives itself to my house.

I can see it now, the “Big Brown” truck towing my Ford Lightning down the driveway (in less than 3-days after I ordered it).

 

[Granger Ford]

May have answered this somewhere, but as a Dealer do you have the ablity to easily look @ the reservations you have and see the "priority" order?

Just wondering if I should ask my dealer

I reserved 18 minutes after they opened up, so I assume I'm pretty early.

Yes, we can see the order of timestamp by pulling a report from Ford.

 

[Losi]

This is no big secret but I saw a short article in the NY Times that Toyota is reducing production 15% in October due to chip shortages, can’t imagine they’re the only one. Normally I’m a pretty positive person but I’m afraid the Lightning rollout is going to be pedestrian at best and will take years before it reaches any sort of efficient production. I understand it doesn’t rely on chips as much but still…

this whole supply thing is making car buying ridiculous where I live. Inventory is essentially nonexistent and prices for new and used cars are absolutely through the roof—just a snapshot but used Kia Soul’s with 60k miles are selling close to new prices, it’s a joke. I’m riding my 2010 minivan with 145k miles until it absolutely dies.

 

[personalt]

I was looking to move my reservation to Chapman based on my nj location and the no nonsense approach to pricing. Should allocations be something for me to be concerned about?

 

[jbirdzee]

I am also a Ford Loyal customer, Escort, Escort ZX2, Fiesta ST, Focus ST/RS, F-150. However, I won't hesitate to jump ship if they try to pull any stunts. My ICE F-150 is perfectly fine and capable. It will just mean I have to add a new Tesla for my commutes, that's it.

I share a similar sentiment - I don't need a new car yet, but I have very low tolerance for BS these days (Lately I think the patience of most people has been put to the test TBH). Model Y with all of its loose fitting panels is my option #2 if lightning order is met with all sorts of red tape.

 

[Brian Head Yankee]

Yes, we can see the order of timestamp by pulling a report from Ford.

Does your report show reservations at your dealership or is it nationwide? it would be interesting if Ford published the timestamp list.

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