Dealership will NOT sell ordered Lightning

[adoublee]

If you're at all uncertain if you're going to be retaining your Lightning, don't let your dealership become aware of it. I don't want to create angst or uneasiness, but apparently a custom ordered vehicle can be sold to whoever the dealer wants without any real ramifications.

It sounds like the dealership got heavy vibes the truck was going to be bought to be flipped. And honestly it seems a little off that you refer to it as his truck but over a year after reservation he didn't know if he would keep it after buying. Yes, sharing thoughts of flipping is a ticket to losing a high demand vehicle with any brand in todays market. And maybe it is all for the best if it was going to be a struggle to pay to keep.

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[jazzmanmonty]

It sounds like the dealership got heavy vibes the truck was going to be bought to be flipped. And honestly it seems a little off that you refer to it as his truck but over a year after reservation he didn't know if he would keep it after buying. Yes, sharing thoughts of flipping is a ticket to losing a high demand vehicle with any brand in todays market. And maybe it is all for the best if it was going to be a struggle to pay to keep.

I was a first day reservation, got to order original Wave 1 in January, and got my PRO in August. I was as excited as everyone else and was on this forum multiple times daily. During the time from when I ordered up until I purchased, i too was on the fence if i should keep it or flip it. My first EV, my wife was skeptical about it (now she doesn't want to drive anything else), and seeing others flip for nice profits makes you wonder if you should keep or sell. Hell, back in July they were being flipped for $50k profit, and in August, i'd probably get around 80K for my 40K Pro. But I fell in love with it and so did my wife so we decided no way in hell we'd get rid of it. So i understand where the OP's dad was coming from, and i'm sure many others went through the same emotions and thought process, so you guys gotta give the guy a break. If he's paying 90K of his own money and wants to see a no-resale clause before he signs, that's called being smart.

 

[Kev12345]

OP should buy a Chevy. Send the pic of your brand new Silverado to Jim Farley with your Ford dealer story.

 

[Regular150]

Oof, yes I agree it's an unprofessional move on the dealers part, but I wouldn't have even brought up resale thoughts. Lightnings, like Broncos and Super duties, Mavericks, all are in short supply so dealers are marking them up and selling them faster than they can get retail units in. Good luck to your Dad.

 

[Lime Green]

Something about this story isn't adding up:

For them to be able to order in a non-ZEV state with a June reservation, they would have to have gotten a priority bump from their dealer. Dealers don't treat their priority customers this way...

Blue sticker implies dealer mannequin or dealer stock (I think), either of which isn't a customer order...

This right here. Nothing in this story adds up. If he had an order, it would be a green sticker. Period.

There is a signed agreement to buy the truck. Ford required it of all Lightning orders and will not accept an order or schedule production without it.

Ford is absolutely not imposing any type of no-resale. That would be coming from the dealership, which would only be slimeball scare tactics as it doesn’t work that way - as in it’s titled property and for them to hold any right or restriction on resale would require the dealership to be a party to a lien on the title. The only piece of this story that holds water is them not being able to supply the language or terms about the no resale. Because that doesn’t exist.

The truck that was referenced had a window sticker for a dealer mannequin. That is absolutely NOT this guy’s ordered truck. It’s possible that they have a mannequin that’s identical to the guy’s order that’s now eligible to be sold. They’re fishing to see how interested he’d be or willing to pay extra or agree to something weird. But in reality, I’m calling BS on this whole thread.

 

[Lime Green]

I'm not going to delve into the Ford reservation/invitation to order system, it's not perfect, but he got invited to order and he did order. I posted a screen shot of it earlier.

It's not a blue sticker, I'm not posting the VIN or window sticker, but it's a green sticker, customer ordered.

Ok that’s a bit different than what I gathered up to this point. Has he contacted Ford about this? I’m also bringing up the order agreement again that he almost certainly signed unless the dealer did something super shady there as well. I’d be taking a copy of that and have an attorney issue a demand letter to complete the sale. That’s another rabbit hole you could crawl down, rarely traveled as vehicles are traditionally common items. But an agreement with pricing and a customized order they now refuse to sell is more than enough to consider the truck disputed property. Would be a shame if a DA/ judge slapped them with a cease and desist so they couldn’t sell it to anyone else until this is resolved. …that’s a whole lot of brain damage for a truck though.

 

[TaxmanHog]

This horse is beat, end of discussion!

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