Mannequin but no test drives?

[merek]

Hi All --

I have a Lightning on order, and am wondering if other dealers are taking a similar approach. My dealer got their mannequin earlier this week, and I asked about test driving it. I was told that it's going to be going directly to be a service loaner vehicle, and won't be allowed for any test drives -- even for people who have orders.

Is anyone else running into this? It seems absolutely crazy to me that they can't be bothered to allow a test drive when I have an $80k truck on order with them.


Thanks!

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[beatle]

I'm sure they're trying to keep its value as high as possible for when they're able to sell it, and it'll be good to have a similar loaner for when our early production trucks end up in service in a few months.

I'd like to drive one early, but realistically what is a test drive going to do for you if you already have an order? Even though I knew where my parents kept my Christmas presents, I didn't look lest I spoil the surprise.

 

[Amps]

High demand, low supply service loaner with a 0-60 time in the ~4.5s range doesn't seem like the very best idea to me. I think I'd want an employee riding every time it left the lot.

 

[Maquis]

I'm sure they're trying to keep its value as high as possible for when they're able to sell it, and it'll be good to have a similar loaner for when our early production trucks end up in service in a few months.

I'd like to drive one early, but realistically what is a test drive going to do for you if you already have an order? Even though I knew where my parents kept my Christmas presents, I didn't look lest I spoil the surprise.

Not sure. I would think a 1 hour or less test drive could be worked out in the service loaner environment. I can see not letting someone keep it overnight for a test drive. The dealership cannot sell the truck until it has so many miles on it. Shouldn’t matter if those miles are loaner vs test drive.
My dealer had a Bronco and a Mach-E for loaners last year. They were also available to test drive as long as they weren’t out or scheduled.

 

[merek]

Not sure. I would think a 1 hour or less test drive could be worked out in the service loaner environment. I can see not letting someone keep it overnight for a test drive. The dealership cannot sell the truck until it has so many miles on it. Shouldn’t matter if those miles are loaner vs test drive.
My dealer had a Bronco and a Mach-E for loaners last year. They were also available to test drive as long as they weren’t out or scheduled.

They said for Broncos they were able to test drive before it went in to loaner service.

I can understand why they don't want anyone walking off the street to test drive a car that they can't even put in a reservation for, but to not allow order holders just seems rude. I don't think there is much I can do about it unfortunately.

 

[EVBill]

Hi All --

I have a Lightning on order, and am wondering if other dealers are taking a similar approach. My dealer got their mannequin earlier this week, and I asked about test driving it. I was told that it's going to be going directly to be a service loaner vehicle, and won't be allowed for any test drives -- even for people who have orders.

Is anyone else running into this? It seems absolutely crazy to me that they can't be bothered to allow a test drive when I have an $80k truck on order with them.


Thanks!

They cannot get their desired $10-25k ADM on the mannequin vehicle unless they keep the mileage to an absolute minimum. I bet they don't let hardly anyone drive it and the bs on it being a service loaner vehicle is exactly that.

 

[RavenYZF-R6]

Agree with above. Service loaner on paper. Paper weight until eligible to sell. They don’t need to give test drives as they are all already sold and I don’t blame them for not. Lot of wasted time for sales people to deal with and constant charging depending on how long the drives are.

 

[Maquis]

They cannot get their desired $10-25k ADM on the mannequin vehicle unless they keep the mileage to an absolute minimum. I bet they don't let hardly anyone drive it and the bs on it being a service loaner vehicle is exactly that.

With the Mach-E, they couldn’t sell it until the car had 4000 miles on it. I don’t know what it is for the Lightning, but I suspect it’s similar.

 

[beatle]

With the Mach-E, they couldn’t sell it until the car had 4000 miles on it. I don’t know what it is for the Lightning, but I suspect it’s similar.

If that's the case, they'll probably open it up to test drives as they get closer to the 6 month holding period, or if Ford opens up the reservation system again.

 

[TRP]

With the Mach-E, they couldn’t sell it until the car had 4000 miles on it. I don’t know what it is for the Lightning, but I suspect it’s similar.

I believe there was a time limit on it as well since I bought my MME as a Demo and it only had 2100 miles on it.

It does sound like this dealer is trying to keep mileage low for a higher value sale later on

 

[metroshot]

Question:
If the dealer opts to make it a service loaner under FCTP, do they get extra "allowances" from Ford for keeping it that way ?

If I was the dealer, I'd title it is as a demo (licensed / tagged) and then when it's not used as a loaner, I'd want to encourage sales by allowing test drives...

 

[F150ROD]

My local dealer had a Mach-E se a service loaner but still allowed me to test drive it when I inquired about it.

 

[TRP]

Question:
If the dealer opts to make it a service loaner under FCTP, do they get extra "allowances" from Ford for keeping it that way ?

If I was the dealer, I'd title it is as a demo (licensed / tagged) and then when it's not used as a loaner, I'd want to encourage sales by allowing test drives...

If the dealer titles it, then the eventual customer does not get the tax credit. It would go to the dealer.

Some states require the dealer to title demo vehicles and some do not. It could blow a potential for someone that is expecting that credit

 

[LightningShow]

They cannot get their desired $10-25k ADM on the mannequin vehicle unless they keep the mileage to an absolute minimum. I bet they don't let hardly anyone drive it and the bs on it being a service loaner vehicle is exactly that.

Exactly this. It will never be loaned out.

 

[Ponypower50]

What’s this term “mannequin” I’ve followed the auto industry for a while and even worked at a dealer at one point, but I’ve never heard the term “mannequin” before.

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