Buying a mannequin demo Lightning - any reservations?

[Lucky EV]

New member first post

I've got a $500 refundable deposit and am first in line on a mannequin ER Lariat with tow package, my local dealer called me the day it came in and asked if I wanted to take a test drive...silly question. I can't actually buy it until mid December when the terms of the FCTP program are met for the truck. The dealer assures me they will be very careful about who they let test drive the truck. I'm new to the Lightning but not new to EVs, looking forward to learning all about it before the purchase. Wife's daily driver is a 21 Mach-E select and I have a 22 Ioniq5 SEL and a 19 Zero S. The dealer will sell it at MSRP +Tax +Title +$400 doc fee...no ADM. The Ioniq5 is going to have to go because my wife is not giving up her Mach-E, too bad because I really love the I5. If I sold the I5 today I should be able to get all my money back out of it, we'll see what the market is like in December. The demo is sold as new so still available for the Fed tax credit. Warranty I believe is from the day it went into service as a demo so I'll loose 6 months there, no big deal. Would you have any reservations about buying a demo Lightning?

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[YankeeCP]

Would buy one in a heart beat- especially if at msrp

 

[jpepper07]

Seems wild they are not marking up a demo. I am scared my dealer will mark up my custom order let alone a demo.

 

[rdr854]

New member first post

I've got a $500 refundable deposit and am first in line on a mannequin ER Lariat with tow package, my local dealer called me the day it came in and asked if I wanted to take a test drive...silly question. I can't actually buy it until mid December when the terms of the FCTP program are met for the truck. The dealer assures me they will be very careful about who they let test drive the truck. I'm new to the Lightning but not new to EVs, looking forward to learning all about it before the purchase. Wife's daily driver is a 21 Mach-E select and I have a 22 Ioniq5 SEL and a 19 Zero S. The dealer will sell it at MSRP +Tax +Title +$400 doc fee...no ADM. The Ioniq5 is going to have to go because my wife is not giving up her Mach-E, too bad because I really love the I5. If I sold the I5 today I should be able to get all my money back out of it, we'll see what the market is like in December. The demo is sold as new so still available for the Fed tax credit. Warranty I believe is from the day it went into service as a demo so I'll loose 6 months there, no big deal. Would you have any reservations about buying a demo Lightning?

Sounds like your dealer is in it for the Long game rather than a one-time sale!

 

[Lucky EV]

Sounds like your dealer is in it for the Long game rather than a one-time sale!

same owners of multiple dealerships, small market, no ADM at any dealership, said they don’t want to tick off their local loyal customers…guess it’s working

 

[Astraea]

So I have some experience with this and happy to weigh it! My Mach-e is a demo! I had ordered my Mach-e back in March of last year and the dealership got the demo in a few days later. I was the very first to test drive it and the first to take it on loaner when it got put into the program to be officially taken for more than just test drives. I was also the last one to take it out on the loaner and finished putting the miles on it that it needed to be able to buy it. I dont know if this part of my situation will apply to your case or not, but my dealership had to put actual plates on it so it could be used as a loaner and because of that they were the first owner. So Ford went ahead and knocked the $7500 off the top of the sale for me because I wouldn't able to get the tax credit as "second owner."

 

[Lucky EV]

So I have some experience with this and happy to weigh it! My Mach-e is a demo! I had ordered my Mach-e back in March of last year and the dealership got the demo in a few days later. I was the very first to test drive it and the first to take it on loaner when it got put into the program to be officially taken for more than just test drives. I was also the last one to take it out on the loaner and finished putting the miles on it that it needed to be able to buy it. I dont know if this part of my situation will apply to your case or not, but my dealership had to put actual plates on it so it could be used as a loaner and because of that they were the first owner. So Ford went ahead and knocked the $7500 off the top of the sale for me because I wouldn't able to get the tax credit as "second owner."

I believe the titling laws differ by state. The dealer let me take the truck for a weekend to show the wife and play with it and it just had dealer plates.

The FCTP rules vary by model. Lightning is 6 months min with no mileage min.

https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vi...-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/05/EFC10054.pdf

 

[Roy2001]

Buy it since you can get tax credit.

 

[merek]

My dealer said they had to take ownership of their mannequin and were going to title it and sell it used at some point.

 

[Amps]

The FCTP rules vary by model. Lightning is 6 months min with no mileage min.

https://docs.google.com/viewerng/vi...-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/05/EFC10054.pdf

Thanks for posting that document. It's the first I've seen the 'real' rules.

PS: Buy it. Sounds like you got a good dealer.

 

[Lime Green]

I have a deposit on a mannequin, they can't sell it to me until late November they think. But if I have an order in for a '23 before they can sell the demo truck to me, I'll just keep waiting. They can sell it to me sooner if someone refuses their lightning at delivery or can't get financed and they can put that truck in inventory as their demo in place of the current mannequin. But that's unlikely. I really wouldn't go after the mannequin normally. They've already had a ton of people climbing in and out of it but it's in the showroom with like 10 miles on it. I jut had to ask about it since it's configured exactly the way I'd spec mine, color and all. No one had spoken for it yet so I put down my deposit.

As we saw with the Bronco, some dealerships are selling their mannequins early and tempting fate with possible repercussions from Ford. Those seem to carry a high price tag. I guess they figure if they can make $10~$20K or more over MSRP, they'll take a chance.

 

[Roy2001]

My dealer said they had to take ownership of their mannequin and were going to title it and sell it used at some point.

This could be the deal breaker due to $7500 tax cresit.

 

[merek]

I have a deposit on a mannequin, they can't sell it to me until late November they think. But if I have an order in for a '23 before they can sell the demo truck to me, I'll just keep waiting. They can sell it to me sooner if someone refuses their lightning at delivery or can't get financed and they can put that truck in inventory as their demo in place of the current mannequin. But that's unlikely. I really wouldn't go after the mannequin normally. They've already had a ton of people climbing in and out of it but it's in the showroom with like 10 miles on it. I jut had to ask about it since it's configured exactly the way I'd spec mine, color and all. No one had spoken for it yet so I put down my deposit.

As we saw with the Bronco, some dealerships are selling their mannequins early and tempting fate with possible repercussions from Ford. Those seem to carry a high price tag. I guess they figure if they can make $10~$20K or more over MSRP, they'll take a chance.

Remember that they were also the first vehicles off of a brand new assembly line.

Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Lucky EV]

Remember that they were also the first vehicles off of a brand new assembly line.

Just something to keep in mind.

that’s a bad thing or a good thing?

 

[ShirBlackspots]

that’s a bad thing or a good thing?

Usually, first set of vehicles to be built will have small but minor build quality issues.

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