Order deposit stolen

[Brucejennn]

I have owned my 2022 Lariat Lightning for seven months and 8500 miles. It has been everything we expected and more. We have had the usual frustrations with slow software and lack of DC fast charging availability, but none of the issues with OTA updates, modem failure or PAAK failure.

Our only frustrations have been the original transaction. Our dealer played no games and we paid MSRP as agreed, although the dealer seemed clueless as to the process. We coached them the whole way using this forum as reference, telling them when we had an order invite, how they had to accept the order, etc. When we took delivery they told us they did not yet have our $500 order deposit from Ford, and that we should contact Ford directly. They also managed to screw up the timing on reporting the order to Ford, which cost us the charging hours incentive and the $500 charger install Visa card that was offered to those Lariat and Platinum orders taking delivery before June 30.

To date, neither the dealer nor Ford have been responsive as to the $500 deposit. Each points to the other and for some reason it is impossible to simply pick up the phone and figure it out. The Ford zone rep won't talk directly to me and Ford customer service people have no information at all. As the months have gone by without a resolution I have come to realize that this is my first and last new Ford vehicle. I don't do business with people I can't trust.

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[Monkey]

Ford never took a $500 deposit. If you paid $500, then it was to the dealership at time of order. The only money taken directly by Ford was your initial deposit of $100. This should have been credited by the dealer at the time of purchase.

 

[shutterbug]

Ford never took a $500 deposit. If you paid $500, then it was to the dealership at time of order. The only money taken directly by Ford was your initial deposit of $100. This should have been credited by the dealer at the time of purchase.

The initial $100 deposit also went straight to the dealer.

 

[bmwhitetx]

Your credit card statement shows who it went to. My reservation deposit of $100 clearly shows it went to my dealer. I would think both the $100 reservation deposit and the $500 order deposit would show it went to your dealer. They can't argue with that.

 

[HaroldCal]

I had to remind my dealer about the $100 + $500 deposits as well. But once reminded, they immediately factored it into the deal. I know they were trying to be slick, and I caught them doing it. But no hassle about it once I mentioned it.

 

[Oafy44]

Not defending the dealer or Ford but please put this into perspective. This is a brand new way of selling/buying a car with Ford so there are/will be a few hiccups they will iron out this year hopefully.
My guess is you paid the $100 and $500 on a credit card online? Then on your FordPass website on desktop / (not on phone version) there should be a reservation order for your lightning. I believe the website should show the $100 and the $500 towards the total MSRP. This is what the dealership should have charged you when you purchased it plus tax and any “dealer processing fees ect if any).

if you can find that total from FordPass website and the total msrp the dealership charged you are the same minus tax/tag/title ect then in fact you don’t get any money back. They already took it off on the msrp. If there is a $100-$500 or $600 total difference then you paid ford directly online and the dealership owes you the money directly , not Ford.

 

[TheBigBezo]

My dealer was awesome, I forgot about the deposit, they caught it immediately and credited it to me.

 

[SilverBrewer]

I had the same problem. Have the dealer have their inventory person check the order. They can initiate the refund there. It has to do with the fact that dealers could process / take a check or you could pay it online, which I did. The folks at the dealership had no idea and I went all the way to the finance manager. When I talked to the lady who manages the inventory and ordering in passing she had it fixed in 2 minutes.

 

[ryun]

Did you use a credit card for the deposit? It's possible you could do a chargeback but I'd only go this route after exhausting all other options.

 

[metroshot]

Possible OP changed dealers before order?

If so, the $500 gets refunded automatically.

 

[Quietfly]

its usually on subtracted from the order directly

 

[Maquis]

its usually on subtracted from the order directly

That online order pricing summary is in no way (automatically) connected to the pricing agreement between the dealer and the buyer. They should match exactly, but it depends on the dealer manually entering it into the purchase agreement.

 

[boggle]

Thanks for this post, just realized my dealer never cut me that difference off the invoice either. DEPOSIT SUBMITTED WITH ORDER was NA on my purchase order, despite giving them $1000 last August when I ordered the truck. My fault for not catching it, was too focused on the dealer playing games with me over the Price Protection. Can't wait to see what bullshit story they come up as to why they don't owe me my deposit back. Surprisingly painless, actually; will either be refunded to my card or cut a check.

 

[Quietfly]

That online order pricing summary is in no way (automatically) connected to the pricing agreement between the dealer and the buyer. They should match exactly, but it depends on the dealer manually entering it into the purchase agreement.

True but that's what should be used as a template to keep everything on the up and up. Some of these dealers aren't the most dependable people.

 

[Brucejennn]

OP Here. For clarification, I changed dealers in the reservation process, prior to the order invite. My reservation deposit was promptly credited back to my credit card, and the new (selling) dealer did not collect a reservation deposit. The $500 order deposit showed the dealer name on the credit card transaction and it showed on the on-line order summary.

The dealer says they "never got the money". I have shown them the credit card statement. There is a "back of house" process that goes on, so I have no idea when or how they got or should have gotten the money. I put my credit card information in on a Ford.com website. Someplace in the background that generates a charge in the name of the dealer. Do they get the money immediately? when they accept the order? when they make the sale? when they report the order? I certainly don't know. I have communicated with my salesman, the sales manager, the finance manager, the dealership GM and the dealership Owner. All deny access to the deposit or the system by which others on this forum say the deposit can be credited back.

I have asked Ford customer service to call the dealer and tell them how the system works. No action from that. I have written to Ford customer service; not even an acknowledgment of receipt for that. I have not tried to reverse the credit card charge. The card transaction was six months old when I took delivery and is over a year old now.

In the overall scheme of things, given the travails of others as to ADM and order deferral, it probably isn't a big deal. I don't work on following up every day, but I have spent some considerable hours at the dealer and on the phone. My perception certainly is that I am the only one making any effort.

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