Ordered 2022 Lightning - My Experience

[FordLightning]

I’ll also add, that I didn’t simply place and order last week and now complain about the process. I placed my order back in May with no contact from the dealer (except generic, we see you placed an order, and someone will be contacting you).

I finally reached out on my own to the dealer yesterday and heard about their intention to revise the terms. This was Koons Ford in Annapolis in case I forgot to mention the dealer.

Sponsored

 

[greenne]

That works if you only want a Ford or a Lightning. Most people after getting bad customer service will just buy a different brand. If this doesn’t work out next week, that is exactly what I will do.

I’m just being nice enough to: give Ford a chance to intervene, let them know why/how they potentially lost me as a customer, and to warn others…

My feedback will not unfortunately help “fanboys”.

Thats certainly an option...by all means if you think your Rivian or Tesla CT experience will be better...go for it.

 

[Pedaldude]

I’m just being nice enough to: give Ford a chance to intervene, let them know why/how they potentially lost me as a customer, and to warn others…

My feedback will not unfortunately help “fanboys”.

If you're looking for fanatical behavior, check out Tacomaworld. Someone will share an observation that their reverse camera is a little fuzzy compared with their other vehicles and they will suddenly become a pariah.

There's plenty of critical discussion about Ford products here as well as their practices.* Meanwhile, Ford as a company, while guilty of many sins; have their hands tied when it comes to dealer ADMs. About Ford's only recourse is to produce as many trucks as they can to prevent scarcity from impacting dealer pricing.

Many state laws prohibit Ford from intervening, along with many other anti-competitive laws that increase consumer pricing. I forget about the particulars but recently there was an attempt at making it harder to open up a bakery by creating legislation that would require anyone who opened a bakery to have been employed as an apprentice at a bakery for a certain amount of time. I will give you one guess whose idea that was!

That works if you only want a Ford or a Lightning. Most people after getting bad customer service will just buy a different brand. If this doesn’t work out next week, that is exactly what I will do.

Your experience at Koons Ford will probably be similar at other Jim Koons Automotive Group dealers, which sell Chevrolet, GMC, Toyota, Jeep and more. Oftentimes too, in some areas competing dealers will collude with each other to fix prices, so your only recourse is to go outside of your immediate geographic area for good deals.

This is one of the advantages Tesla has had, since they weren't encumbered by the dealer system. However, they have had to fight for exemptions, extensions to those exemptions and even have to open showrooms on Native American tribal land to skirt the power imposed by the dealer system. It will be interesting to see if Rivian and others can follow suit.

*though apparently, not as critical as they could be.

 

[Silenze]

There used to be independent dealers in every town. Now they have consolidated and are owned by large holding groups. They own may own all the brands or all of one brand in the entire state.

 

[Pedaldude]

Yet...there are literally more than 2,000+ Broncos on cars.com right now....But with 2000+ listed is it REALLY a problem finding one?

Without poring through all those listings, I have to guess that ten to one, most of those mid-size Broncos are there to get customers on the dealer's hook, either to be on a waitlist, or to get them to their lots to try and sell them the Escape based Bronco Sport. While my local dealership has been selling at MSRP to order holders, they have been selling $10K-$25K over for the orphan trucks and selling them the same day that they roll them out of the back into the showroom.

My guess is that the ones that are $65,000 and up for higher trims and the ones $40,000 and up for base trim are legit. For all the other ones, they're the stuff dreams are made of.

There used to be independent dealers in every town. Now they have consolidated and are owned by large holding groups. They own may own all the brands or all of one brand in the entire state.

That sounds familiar:

 

[Snakebitten]

I have had 7 Ford F150's and F350's in the past 22 years. Usually 2 at a time. And have been pretty fortunate with them. Very reliable work horses.

But I'm not alone in liking Ford trucks since 750,000 of them are sold annually.

If I am a fanboy because I like the product, in spite of the typical American Car dealership attempts to maximize profits, I'm in good company.

Again, I wish no one would be confronted with any ADM over MSRP for a Lightning of their dream. But being labeled a Fanboy because I didn't let 500 bucks keep me from enjoying what promises to be an amazing truck.............well, I'm not sure someone who walks over it really actually wanted one THAT much.

Which is OK, of course. I have my limits too. I've walked on a few deals over the years. But still bought the Ford I wanted elsewhere.

 

[FordLightning]

I have had 7 Ford F150's and F350's in the past 22 years. Usually 2 at a time. And have been pretty fortunate with them. Very reliable work horses.

But I'm not alone in liking Ford trucks since 750,000 of them are sold annually.

If I am a fanboy because I like the product, in spite of the typical American Car dealership attempts to maximize profits, I'm in good company.

Again, I wish no one would be confronted with any ADM over MSRP for a Lightning of their dream. But being labeled a Fanboy because I didn't let 500 bucks keep me from enjoying what promises to be an amazing truck.............well, I'm not sure someone who walks over it really actually wanted one THAT much.

Which is OK, of course. I have my limits too. I've walked on a few deals over the years. But still bought the Ford I wanted elsewhere.

Unfortunately, 7 trucks in 22 years isn’t very reassuring for reliability, even at (2) at a time. You sound like Ford’s dream customer; someone who will spend more than they should on a truck to the benefit of their stockholders.

I’m looking to maximize the value received on what I spend…I have other places to spend money, including my family, home, and travel.

 

[Snakebitten]

Unfortunately, 7 trucks in 22 years isn’t very reassuring for reliability, even at (2) at a time. You sound like Ford’s dream customer; someone who will spend more than they should on a truck to the benefit of their stockholders.

I’m looking to maximize the value received on what I spend…I have other places to spend money, including my family, home, and travel.

How would you possibly know if I paid too much? That's quite the assumption. Pre-covid, anyone could walk into my rural dealership, that is basically a Ford truck dealership, and purchase an F150 XLT 302A CrewCab for $12-14,000 off MSRP. It's actually not difficult to get a good price for the best 1/2 ton value equation in the business, in my opinion.

If I own 2 at a time (one to work/tow) and the other for family hauling, then 22 years would average out to 7 years each. (Although admittedly some were less and some were more)

Sounds like the F150 Lightning is drawing a very different crowd than the typical truck crowd. Or at least a fair percentage. I've spent my 63 years riding in grandpa's and dad's trucks, and then my own. So perhaps I just view the new All Electric F150 as something like a Raptor or some other low supply /high demand truck, except this one has drawn a lot more angst and fussy folks.

 

[astricklin]

Unfortunately, 7 trucks in 22 years isn’t very reassuring for reliability, even at (2) at a time. You sound like Ford’s dream customer; someone who will spend more than they should on a truck to the benefit of their stockholders.

I’m looking to maximize the value received on what I spend…I have other places to spend money, including my family, home, and travel.

If you're looking to maximize value, a first generation electric vehicle is the wrong place to be looking. Just keep driving whatever vehicle you own. If you absolutely must replace your current vehicle, then get a well maintained used truck (or currently a new truck at any amount of discount may be a better deal) and then drive it till it no longer can be repaired. If you are waiting for a lightning, you are going to have to be without a vehicle for some time unless you 1) are already out a vehicle or 2) your current vehicle somehow magically manages to need a cost prohibitive repair at the exact time your lightning manages to be delivered.

 

[Sdctcher]

I do not think we are going to hear much real information leaking from dealers.

Ford did not make its previously announced October 26th goal of a Lightning Order Window opening, probably because of confusion surrounding what the new tax credits or rebates will finally be if and when Congress passes the Build Better Plan. We will probably have to wait until next week to find this out. But other problems could have been future build problems with chip and battery shortages, pricing, inflation worries, reservation rules, and internal Ford squabbles we will never understand.

I am sure Ford Media is completely in disarray and no one can make a decision on what to say. They are in a squeeze between consumers and dealers and the Press.

Adding to all of this Ford will announce their 3rd Quarter Earnings today (October 27) at 5:00 pm EDT. Sometimes the SEC frowns on any company releasing news that would affect stock price in the days and hours leading up to release (quiet period rules).

Today we may get some new information about the future after 5 pm. I will be watching (CNBC, Fox Business, and Others) tonight at Earnings release because they will probably interview Ford CEO Jim Farley (Late Comedian Chris's Cousin). This morning GM released their Earnings and promptly lost 5%

I share this info because I am both a Reservation Holder and Shareholder of Ford and the Stock Market is the tail that wags the dog much more than the consumer.

 

[ShirBlackspots]

I do not think we are going to hear much real information leaking from dealers.

Ford did not make its previously announced October 26th goal of a Lightning Order Window opening, probably because of confusion surrounding what the new tax credits or rebates will finally be if and when Congress passes the Build Better Plan. We will probably have to wait until next week to find this out. But other problems could have been future build problems with chip and battery shortages, pricing, inflation worries, reservation rules, and internal Ford squabbles we will never understand.

I am sure Ford Media is completely in disarray and no one can make a decision on what to say. They are in a squeeze between consumers and dealers and the Press.

Adding to all of this Ford will announce their 3rd Quarter Earnings today (October 27) at 5:00 pm EDT. Sometimes the SEC frowns on any company releasing news that would affect stock price in the days and hours leading up to release (quiet period rules).

Today we may get some new information about the future after 5 pm. I will be watching (CNBC, Fox Business, and Others) tonight at Earnings release because they will probably interview Ford CEO Jim Farley (Late Comedian Chris's Cousin). This morning GM released their Earnings and promptly lost 5%

I share this info because I am both a Reservation Holder and Shareholder of Ford and the Stock Market is the tail that wags the dog much more than the consumer.

Ford reported $1.8 billion of net income on $36 billion of revenue, with $31.5 billion of cash on hand, and $47.4 billion in liquidity. A year ago, Ford had $30 billion in cash on hand and $45 billion in liquidity.

 

[Snakebitten]

I don't know exactly what that all means, but I do know that Ford wants to make and sell trucks. So hurry up and do it and then let's see the numbers.

 

[rdr854]

Ford will also be paying a dividend for the 4th quarter to shareholders. Yippee!!,

 

[sotek2345]

Hmm..for the Mach-e crowd (and some Ice F150s, it seems Blue cruise OTA update has been delayed until next year. That is sure to upset some folks.

 

[Snakebitten]

Been waiting 63 years for self-driving vehicle. I won't pitch a fit over a delay.

Besides, the Powerboost already gets really close to requiring nothing from me except a tiny little nudge to stop that "hands on the wheel" nanny. I don't use it all that much because it's a little creepy. Lol

Sponsored