Order deposit stolen

[shutterbug]

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.

Have you contacted your credit card company and disputed the charge? Since it's a year old, it's probably too late (but check anyway). At the time you took delivery, your credit card company could have helped you.

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[shutterbug]

Possible OP changed dealers before order?

If so, the $500 gets refunded automatically.

It's the $100 reservation deposit that got refunded automatically when changing dealers. $500 (or more) order deposit was taken at the order time and at that point dealers could not be switched.

 

[Coolbreeze704]

Possible OP changed dealers before order?

If so, the $500 gets refunded automatically.

Yes, that happened to me. I changed dealer and when I picked up my truck I asked why my down payment was not included. They said they never received it. I called Ford customer service and they shared it would have been refunded when I changed dealers. Sure enough when I looked back on CC history it had been.

 

[F150ROD]

Shady dealer acting like idiots. They know they got the money. My dealer promptly sent me a check for $500 a couple of weeks later, smh.

 

[jazzmanmonty]

When my Lightning was delivered, I had a problem with them having record of my $100 and $500 deposits. I had all my paperwork and screenshots from the order process. But they insisted they didn't see it anywhere on their end. They made note of it and said they'll have their secretary take a look the next day. I thought to myself, "Sure, I'm out $600." But at the time i was fine because they honored my A/Z plan. Sure enough, next day I got a call that the accounting secretary tracked it down. It was older than 6 months and they couldn't find them in their system. But she was able to find record of them from the screenshot dates i gave them when i made the deposit and it was all cleared up and i got my $600. The only place i didn't win was getting the $100 refund from the increase in destination fee. But i was happy with the deal I got and wasn't going to ruin a relationship with dealership over $100.

 

[Monkey]

Have you contacted your credit card company and disputed the charge? Since it's a year old, it's probably too late (but check anyway). At the time you took delivery, your credit card company could have helped you.

This. I would still probably contact them, even though it's months after finalizing the purchase.

I've had to dispute charges in situations like this where I order or reserve something months in advance, then when the time comes Company XXXX can't seem to find my deposit or whatever. It's amazing how fast they find it once the charge is disputed. Because they have to acknowledge the charge and substantiate their reasoning for holding onto it once it's disputed.

If there's something going on with payments on the back end or dealer side of the deal, that's not the customer's problem. That's their problem and their responsibility to sort out. I'd call BS on that anyway...

 

[GDN]

The dealers have a "Customer Portal". - Go to the dealer where your order was when you gave the additional $500. Within about 5 clicks that dealer will be able to refund your money to the credit card you paid it with. The money is with that dealer.

If you don't know - then go to both dealers and ask them to pull up the customer portal. You noted you've already had to walk them through each step of your purchase process - so you just have one more.

The money is with the dealer, it is in the customer portal. They can refund with just a few clicks.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Incredible......

During my sale closing I sent the sales agreement back twice for corrections regarding price protection on the shipping fee change and the reservation and order deposit credits, had all my evidence in hand, finally worked out in the end, but it is shocking how many dealers have not prepared themselves on the e-commerce processes, I'm sure FORD provided the training, but how serious the sales and finance staff took it is another story.

COME ON MODEL-E

 

[MickeyAO]

In the rush (quick turnaround) to purchase my truck, I forgot about the reservation fee and deposit. Reminded them a couple of days after and the dealer cut a check to cover the fees.

 

[gymgeek]

When I picked up my Lightning, I was so focused on the PCO + price protection and making sure the dealer applied that correctly, I forgot entirely about the $600 I had already given them ($100 reservation + $500 deposit). When I realized that a day or 2 later, I emailed my sales rep and asked them how they were going to make it right.

Sales rep called me fairly quickly and acted completely clueless. So, I explained it again over the phone and she said she'd research it on their end. She called me the next day and gave me the same BS that they never got that money and Ford kept it. I immediately and emphatically called BS on that. She offered to follow up with the GM. My plan was to reverse the CC charge and leave the dealer a bad survey response if they didn't give me my money back.

Sales rep tried to play the dumb card a couple more times over text. I was just about done playing games with them and she relented and said they'd cut me a check for $600. She implied that it was charity or some BS like that. Obviously, a dealer isn't going to hand out $600 checks just to make a customer happy.

TLDR: My dealer played games with my deposit, but when pressured enough, finally found it and refunded it.

 

[bmwhitetx]

What is most disheartening in all these stories is the extent @Ford Motor Company refuses to offer any real help. We know many dealers are useless in this whole model so expect Ford to back up their promises. They talk big about being customer focused but at the end of the day they refuse to correct these mechanisms they have built and hold dealers accountable.

In this case the reservation and order deposits originated from their corporate web site and they shuffled the money to the dealer. They should be able to prove to the dealer that they got the money and not have us do that.

 

[Amps]

All these "honest mistakes"...dealers gonna be stealers because that's what they do. They still acted like I stole the $100 reservation fee, despite having all the evidence with their name on it and after having tried to act like I didn't ever pay them the $500 deposit.

Most credit card companies have online access to at least a year's worh of statements. It should be easy to find the line items. I'd try that before going too much further.

 

[LUXMAN]

If the dealers and @Ford Motor Company are still playing games with you at this point, go for the CC dispute if you can.
The CC companies have always been very helpful in this regard for me.

 

[Maquis]

What is most disheartening in all these stories is the extent @Ford Motor Company refuses to offer any real help. We know many dealers are useless in this whole model so expect Ford to back up their promises. They talk big about being customer focused but at the end of the day they refuse to correct these mechanisms they have built and hold dealers accountable.

In this case the reservation and order deposits originated from their corporate web site and they shuffled the money to the dealer. They should be able to prove to the dealer that they got the money and not have us do that.

I don’t think that’s correct. My deposits immediately posted to my credit card showing the dealer as the merchant. Ford never handled the money and would have no direct visibility into the transaction between the dealer and the credit card.

 

[greenne]

I don’t think that’s correct. My deposits immediately posted to my credit card showing the dealer as the merchant. Ford never handled the money and would have no direct visibility into the transaction between the dealer and the credit card.

Ford doesn't handle deposits. The deal is between you and a dealer(either the original one OR the new one). Ford won't touch your money...they sell to the dealer who sells to you. That's how it works.

This is why when you change dealers your money is refunded instead of given to the new dealer. Ford will not "touch" your deposit..even to facilitate transfer of it to the new dealer.

Your beef is with the dealer..not Ford

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