Cannot Believe Ford's order process

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Here's an example of how it played out with the Mach-E. There are 2 dealers within 20 miles of my home. One was allocated about 4 Mach-E's, which were quickly sold. I walked into the second dealer and there were still about 40 of them sitting in their lot, and more on the way.

That's not how MME process worked at all. Everyone who placed an MME reservation, got an opportunity to convert it to an order in June 2929 (April 2021 for GT). There were only 2 ways for a dealer to get stock inventory of MME, (1) Abandoned customer order or (2) demo units. MME differed from Lightning in 2 important ways. (1) There never were anywhere 200,000 reservations for MME, and (2) and initial production of MME was significantly greater than Lightning.

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[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

That's not how MME process worked at all. Everyone who placed an MME reservation, got an opportunity to convert it to an order in June 2929 (April 2021 for GT). There were only 2 ways for a dealer to get stock inventory of MME, (1) Abandoned customer order or (2) demo units. MME differed from Lightning in 2 important ways. (1) There never were anywhere 200,000 reservations for MME, and (2) and initial production of MME was significantly greater than Lightning.

I didn't realize dealers could get unlimited allocations based on online orders. I guess they only used the allocation system for their own inventory.

When I got my Mach-e, the smaller dealer didn't have any on the lot, and said they only had a few deliveries from day one, and that they get one or two from time to time and they're gone pretty quickly.

On the other hand, my dealer (the larger one), has always has about 30-50 Mach-E's on their lot. None of them are from orders. They just always have a bunch in stock.

What bothered me most was that they normally have 300 or so F-150s on their lot, and when my 2016 F-150 broke down (it wouldn't start, and after 4 months of waiting I decided to trade it) I couldn't pick another one off the lot because they only had about 5 and they were loaded $80K+ models. I guess Ford gave chip priority to EVs so they had an easier time getting inventory.

 

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On the other hand, my dealer (the larger one), has always has about 30-50 Mach-E's on their lot. None of them are from orders. They just always have a bunch in stock.

I don't think that's true. Only 2 ways for a dealer to get stock inventory of MME, (1) Abandoned customer order or (2) demo units.

 

[Amps]

Doesnt sound like you ordered a truck to me.

Show us your Ford order page.

There may be some confusion here between what a reservation is and what an order is. To me, it seems he reserved a month and a half after reservations opened, got dealer prioritization early this year, and somehow they managed to mess up converting the dealer prioritization to an order. Or, the orders the dealer actually made on 2022 trucks they were going to receive were better 'Friends of the Dealer'. It is probably coming to light now because the 3/31/22 response date has passed. I think everything points to a dealer mistake, or shall we say prevarication.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I reserved 07/07/2021
Order Date Jan 2022 and was in the first pick to order truck,
I place order in same week.
Yet I was just told I do not get my lightning this year.
Having said that I called today and dealer said I was not pulled and would not get a truck this year

• How did you know to go into dealer to place an order, Ford corporate email or text message?
  
  
• Status change on your ford.com reservation convert to order?
  
  
• Do you show progression of the ordering process on your Ford.com reservation/order screen like this?

If not, the dealer bamboozled you into thinking you placed an order, maybe you placed a build specifications order, but it can only be loaded into WBDO after the the Moco has properly invited you to order.

If you have gone through these steps, and your screen is similar to the above .....THEN .... you're waiting in line like the 15,000 other mensch, eventually you will have your truck, just not your time line and business plan.

BTW, I use EcoFlow products, fantastic so far! I have 14.4KWH system 2 Pro's, 2 extra batteries and smart home panel, that has yet to be installed when I and my nephew complete all my other upgrades for the Lightning, revamping a 1946 cape is taking a LOT of work.

I plan to the EcoFlow system as my principal emergency back-up and will add PV to the system in 2023 (maxing out my US federal credits potential buying the truck this year).

Once the system is complete I'll be semi-green with load shaving, if a major disaster outage occurs, the Lightning becomes a supplement to the EF system, and when I need to be mobile (that' what trucks are for) then the EF system continues until I'm home again.

Good luck getting your Lightning!!

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

I don't think that's true. Only 2 ways for a dealer to get stock inventory of MME, (1) Abandoned customer order or (2) demo units.

Based on that I can only assume the dealer made a hundred or so web orders with different names, then abandoned them because they always have a bunch right there on the lot. That's how I got mine. They still have tons of them sitting there.

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

This is a situation that many on this forum has faced with 2022 builds. Ford allowed dealers to prioritize more customers than they would get 2022 allocation. You could have been the very first reservation that made it into Fords system but if the dealer elected to prioritize other orders you end up behind those customers when it comes to allocations.

I really can't answer as to what is fair for a method to distribute Lightnings. Should it be the first clicker on line? Should dealers (who presumably know their community) have a say by selecting some of their best customers who support their business but weren't as fast at clicking? Should Ford or dealers seek out those with noble pursuits? I don't think anyone has a good answer.

Your dealer will be getting a 2022 Mannequin unit. Maybe you can buy it when it come available for sale.

Dealers in Canada, some are USA only, like USA even were allowed to order before Canada.

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

• How did you know to go into dealer to place an order, Ford corporate email or text message?
  
  
• Status change on your ford.com reservation convert to order?
  
  
• Do you show progression of the ordering process on your Ford.com reservation/order screen like this?

If not, the dealer bamboozled you into thinking you placed an order, maybe you placed a build specifications order, but it can only be loaded into WBDO after the the Moco has properly invited you to order.

If you have gone through these steps, and your screen is similar to the above .....THEN .... you're waiting in line like the 15,000 other mensch, eventually you will have your truck, just not your time line and business plan.

BTW, I use EcoFlow products, fantastic so far! I have 14.4KWH system 2 Pro's, 2 extra batteries and smart home panel, that has yet to be installed when I and my nephew complete all my other upgrades for the Lightning, revamping a 1946 cape is taking a LOT of work.

I plan to the EcoFlow system as my principal emergency back-up and will add PV to the system in 2023 (maxing out my US federal credits potential buying the truck this year).

Once the system is complete I'll be semi-green with load shaving, if a major disaster outage occurs, the Lightning becomes a supplement to the EF system, and when I need to be mobile (that' what trucks are for) then the EF system continues until I'm home again.

Good luck getting your Lightning!!

Thanks

 

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Based on that I can only assume the dealer made a hundred or so web orders with different names, then abandoned them because they always have a bunch right there on the lot. That's how I got mine. They still have tons of them sitting there.

That's possible. If you use Ford's search function for NYC, there are well over a 100 MME in stock or on the way (that includes non-abandoned orders). However, in my area (Phoenix Metro), there are only about 30.

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

Doesnt sound like you ordered a truck to me.

Show us your Ford order page.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Yup, you're dealer input your order previously, so now all your tracking data will be secured from them

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

that’s what i was going to say. As far as we know everyone who has ordered is getting a 2022. There hasn’t been any news of cancellations.

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

Doesnt sound like you ordered a truck to me.

Show us your Ford order page.

 

[WPG_SKYDIVER]

I think your main issue is here; they didn't build very many Pro or base XLT models this year, as you and dealer assumed. They seem to have prioritized Lariats above all. There's a graph somewhere out there that I've seen that shows less than 30% of total units were Pro or XLT combined. My guess is Lariats and Platinums at your dealer were prioritized ahead of you because there were more of them being made.

I guess my sales guy made a bad call buy thinking going a low end model would have more success because of the chip shortage. Lesson learned.

 

[LightningShow]

Looks like you have an order to me. I'd be surprised if your truck wasn't being built for 2022. If your dealer is telling you your order is delayed until 2023 then I would contact Ford directly. It looks suspiciously like they are trying to screw you out of your order.

EDIT: Or, being more charitable, perhaps they are just confused about the scheduling.

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