Buying a mannequin demo Lightning - any reservations?

[Replika]

What kind of mileage are on the mannequins?

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[Amps]

What kind of mileage are on the mannequins?

I saw one listed with 6,000 miles on it last week. It had a telltale blue sticker but the guy said it was not a demo.

 

[Replika]

I saw one listed with 6,000 miles on it last week. It had a telltale blue sticker but the guy said it was not a demo.

That’s what I’m seeing too (sample size of one or two). The leather seats already look quite worn at that point. What is the blue sticker?

 

[Lime Green]

Depends on what the dealership did with their mannequin(s). There's one I'm still considering, if Ford still hasn't shipped my '23 here in about 10 days. It has 75 miles on it because it's been a showroom queen the entire time. They have another mannequin that was used solely for test drives and presumably has a lot of miles on it. Most dealerships that received just one mannequin probably used it for test drives...

 

[Amps]

What is the blue sticker?

Mannequins have blue borders on their Monroney stickers.

If you're looking, you can pull them up by pasting the VIN after =:

https://www.windowsticker.forddirect.com/windowsticker.pdf?vin=

 

[Jhalkias]

Just signed paperwork to buy a dealer's Mannequin at MSRP today. 4,000 miles. For another one with no miles they wanted $10K ADM, that I got down to $4K ADM, but I will NOT pay ADM. So, I am happy with MSRP - and they extended the warranty to 42,000 miles.

 

[Replika]

Just signed paperwork to buy a dealer's Mannequin at MSRP today. 4,000 miles. For another one with no miles they wanted $10K ADM, that I got down to $4K ADM, but I will NOT pay ADM. So, I am happy with MSRP - and they extended the warranty to 42,000 miles.

What was the spec of the truck?

 

[Jhalkias]

What was the spec of the truck?

Lariat, ER, Max Tow Package with spray in Bed liner. EXACTLY what I was looking for.

What I did not mention is that I had a reservation and was first on the list at my original dealer. I did not want to order the truck without driving it, so I passed to order later. Then came the price increases. Then came the new law on tax rebates.

Then I got to use one as a loaner while my Mach E was in for warranty work and fell in love with the truck.

 

[Replika]

Well I drove a mannequin today with 6,000 miles. The leather seats were worn (and look bad to start), it had a loud rattle from the driver door, and a good bit more wind noise than other lightnings. To top it off, they kept it charged to 100% at all times (GOM showed 210 miles at 100%, 80F, extended range model). Really wanted one of these but now I’m not so sure - the build quality seemed iffy.

 

[Monkey]

Hi guys, I've been lurking here for a long time. Anyway, I bought a mannequin and it's turning into a bit of an ordeal. The dealership was not up front about how long it would be before I could take delivery. They implied it would be in a few weeks, for sure by years end for the tax credit. "Have ways to make it work", they said. They have two, maybe three test-drive Lightnings. It's not like they need another mannequin. One of those test-drive vehicles is a platinum with all the trimmings and it had less than 150 miles on it when I test drove it, they could put that in the showroom. We didn't do a deposit to hold the showroom truck I bought, but rather a full sale, where I financed most of it. My first payment is due now in 3 weeks. Now I'm being told that since the truck just came in last month, I can't have it until May! This did not set right with me. They were full on dishonest.

I contacted Ford and started a case with them. My challenge to them was that the dealership needs to release the truck to me now that they have actually sold it. It no longer meets the criteria for a demo or mannequin. They can no longer use it for test drives, it had less than 50 miles on it to begin with and better still be under 50 when I take delivery. And if it's in the showroom, they can't be letting people climb through it. My insurance has looked at the paperwork and asks how I can't have it... No agreement with the dealership allowing them to withhold it. They won't place it on my policy like my other vehicles until I take possession. If they insure it under the current situation, I'll be insuring it as if it's placed on display, like a car museum or a shopping mall. And they want an agreement from the dealership with terms and dates and insurance cert from them. Dealership is not being cooperative on that, telling me insurance is all my responsibility now that I own it. Which is great they put that in an email, which I also sent to Ford.

The Ford representative who is handling my case says that after my paperwork is reviewed, if they find I have met all the criteria to meet my end of the sale, they will have the dealership release the truck to me. Which I have. It's now in the hands of the dealership to give me the truck with temp registration/tags. Everything is done up to the point where they submit the sale paperwork to Ford for them to release the MSO/ title kit. I'm thinking the dealership might have to eat the pre-sale penalty on this one. That's their problem, not mine. I don't know how long Ford will take to review.

My insurance agent and my accountant both think I should start invoicing the dealership for the days they hold my truck, since I own it but can't use it. I know they won't pay it, but I'll send an invoice just because. Charge them fair market value for truck rental and let a few invoices pile up then send them to collections. If Ford rules they made a complete sale and have to hand over the truck, then I have more leverage on the invoicing.

So watch out, shady dealerships trying to game the system. Now they've already been paid *in full* for a truck that is supposed to sit there and not be sold for the next 4~5+ months. Helps them on year-end sales numbers I guess. And I've got nothing to show for it but a huge blemish on my credit score and a payment due for a truck I can't park in my driveway.

I'm not sure how ugly this might get or how much I should post online just yet, but needed to vent.

 

[Replika]

JFC, how can they complete the vehicle sale and refuse to release your property? Sounds like lawyer time.

 

[Monkey]

JFC, how can they complete the vehicle sale and refuse to release your property? Sounds like lawyer time.

Already contacted. Attorney has sent a demand letter to the dealership and CC'd Ford's legal department. Not going to comment further until I see how a few things shake out in the coming week. Never can be sure who's reading this.

 

[Monkey]

I'd love to give a real update on my situation, but it's becoming quite muddy. The very laws in place to protect me as the consumer are what will ultimately hinder me from having the sale completed and taking delivery of the truck. None of the existing laws or legislation take into account inventory shortages or high-demand vehicles or screwy demo "mannequin" programs that restrict a dealership for 6 months.

In a nutshell, our state laws don't consider a sale complete until I take possession of the truck and drive it off dealership premises. Or accept/acknowledge delivery or receipt of it off their premises. They have 30 days from signing the contract to get the vehicle into my possession. If they can't do that in 30 days, then I can terminate the sale and walk away with no cost/harm to me. But if I want the truck and don't terminate the sale, they can drag it out until the mannequin term expires. I guess I just have to keep waiting while they remind me that I can walk away at any time. And also know that they could try to force me to mediation and/or court to try and hold me to the purchase -- as I could also do to them. And I could see them trying to hold me to the purchase if they decide they won't get as much for the truck if I walk away and they have to sell it to someone else in another 4 or 5 months.

Ford has a case on this and is monitoring it all. They have offered the best assurance so far of anyone. They say that if the dealership takes delivery of another Lightning into general inventory, they will have them place it as a mannequin to get my truck released.

The lady at Ford handling my case is trying to see if corporate will approve the release of my truck (where the dealership doesn't get penalized) since I've fulfilled my end of the purchase and the dealership has set the truck aside since it can't be used for test drives and they can't let anyone sit in it now. We shall see... She said they have approved some others in this situation, but none that were sold within days of arriving at the dealership as mine apparently was. And there is also a rash of these right now as dealerships are trying to get these mannequins off their books for year end. Also being compounded by consumer demand, people trying to get the sale done for the tax credit. But the tax credit can't happen for me if I don't take possession and have that temporary registration/ sale acknowledgement from the state.

The dealership wants the truck released as much as I do. They want me out of their hair as a happy customer, not a nagging pain in the ass. They're willing to do whatever they can to let me have the truck as long as it doesn't cost them another cent. So they're basically saying I can have it as soon as Ford releases it and leaving it up to me to convince Ford to do so.

 

[WileyKyle]

I just had a dealer tell me that in Pennsylvania the demo units are considered used vehicles. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Focus to Lightning]

Is the 42,000 mile warranty showing in your Ford account? We were told we also get the 42,000 which is standard with the mannequins. Online, it still shows 36,000 miles and the date the dealer received the truck.

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