My Dealership Just F**ked Me!

[James L. Harrison]

Holy cow! I have an October order in with Autonation Ford St. Pete (XL ecoboost with only copilot as accessory in order to get quicker build schedule). Used them after getting doubletalk from Brandon Ford.
Still no build date; now worried about the order (but I did get confirmation email).
Now looks like my basic EB won't get to me for 6 or 7 months after order, after being told "maybe 3 months, but probably 4 months".
Frustration is building...

After BRANDON FORD assured me they would sell/order me a '22 Maveric priced at MSRP I casually asked about the add-on fees that everyone pays for things like tax, tag and registration and asked if there were any other fees. So they told me that there was a dealer fee of $1295 "that everybody charges". BOING!!!

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[Zxdiac]

Get your money back, go to another dealership and order your eco boost

Agree'd. They already effed you once. If they are unwilling to eat the cost difference from switching to the ecoboost, I'd take my money and order elsewhere.

 

[huunvubu]

I didn't realize you could buy a new car through Autonation. In particular, order a car through Ford. This whole things seems fishy.

AutoNation owns many dealerships. You buy through a dealership.

I purchased my Maverick Hybrid through AutoNation Ford Frisco TX and everything was great.

My review of AutoNation Ford Frisco is here:

5 STAR RATED DEALER - THEY DO EXIST - post the good ones here

 

[tsled]

GO to the dealership, ask for a sit down with the sales manager, explain to him in detail what has happened (he very well might not know). Ask him what can he do for you. If it sounds honest and good to you, ask him to put it in writing. If things don't sound good to you, inform him so and mention to him how you like to write reviews on many sites in social media and of your intent to write a letter to Ford Motor Co. Please let us know what happens.

 

[olderbudwiser]

Thinking more about this, how would your dealer know the order was not submitted? Did lightbulb go off on salesman, something from Ford Mo Co?
Ask to see the correspondnce from Ford that a problem has come up. If none dealer is playing you.

 

[mikelowrey]

Just found out that my hybrid order was never formally placed by the dealership! I placed the order and gave them a $500 deposit back in early August, but they never "finalized" it. Of course Ford won't take any more hybrid orders until next summer, so I am basically f**ked!
Considering my options:
1.) They'll give me my deposit back and I am back to square one.
2.) I can wait and see if a customer ends up canceling their hybrid order and I step in.
3.) I order with an ecoboost engine and they say they can get me a higher priority code.

I am kind of leaning toward #3. Obviously it's more $$$ and lower mpg, but need to calm down a bit before I decide.
Has anyone been unhappy with going with the ecoboost engine option? And did you upgrade to the AWD and do you think that is was worth the bang for the extra buck?

Did you receive a signed build sheet?

 

[huunvubu]

Did you receive a signed build sheet?

I would also like to know if the dealer had him sign and date a build sheet (usually a DORA) and took a copy of his DL because if the dealer didn't do that then the dealer would never have been able to verify the order in the ROVP system and on 11/18+ the dealer would have informed by Ford that the order would not be built.

 

[olderbudwiser]

I would also like to know if the dealer had him sign and date a build sheet (usually a DORA) and took a copy of his DL because if the dealer didn't do that then the dealer would never have been able to verify the order in the ROVP system and on 11/18+ the dealer would have informed by Ford that the order would not be built.

Agree, but then there would be a paper trail, email to share with customer. If that does not exist dealer story is just that a story.

 

[DAM]

Just found out that my hybrid order was never formally placed by the dealership! I placed the order and gave them a $500 deposit back in early August, but they never "finalized" it. Of course Ford won't take any more hybrid orders until next summer, so I am basically f**ked!
Considering my options:
1.) They'll give me my deposit back and I am back to square one.
2.) I can wait and see if a customer ends up canceling their hybrid order and I step in.
3.) I order with an ecoboost engine and they say they can get me a higher priority code.

I am kind of leaning toward #3. Obviously it's more $$$ and lower mpg, but need to calm down a bit before I decide.
Has anyone been unhappy with going with the ecoboost engine option? And did you upgrade to the AWD and do you think that is was worth the bang for the extra buck?

I originally ordered the hybrid then changed order to the AWD. No regrets I’m just about at 2k and I’m averaging 29mpg. Super comfortable to drive a few long trips mostly back and forth to work.

 

[DryHeat]

??? I am guessing you are confusing Autonation with Carmax possibly? Because Autonation has a lot of different brands and they all sell new cars.

Maybe confused, maybe just living in the past -- like me.

The last time I bought a car from AutoNation (maybe early 90s?) they were strictly a used-car operation. I don't know when they expanded into new cars, but I'm pretty sure it was after that.

(By the way... they sold me a stolen car. It's a long story, but several years later a DPS detective wanted to talk to me about it and see my purchase paperwork.)

 

[WJOHNM]

You sound very calm about it, I would be flipping out, I would be outside that dealer with a sign DONT BUY A CAR HERE !!!! until you get some satisfaction, as long as you're on a public sidewalk its perfectly legal. If you don't get satisfaction post the dealers name in as many places as you can find.

 

[MojoJojo]

Maybe confused, maybe just living in the past -- like me.

The last time I bought a car from AutoNation (maybe early 90s?) they were strictly a used-car operation. I don't know when they expanded into new cars, but I'm pretty sure it was after that.

(By the way... they sold me a stolen car. It's a long story, but several years later a DPS detective wanted to talk to me about it and see my purchase paperwork.)

currently they are the largest new car automobile dealer i believe i could be wrong but when i used to work with dealer financing in the backend at bank they had a separate team to handle Autonation accounts just due to shear size of volume received from them and was told they are the largest along with group1 auto dealerships.

They also have some large investments from big boys i.e. Bill Gates and co.

 

[huunvubu]

currently they are the largest new car automobile dealer i believe i could be wrong but when i used to work with dealer financing in the backend at bank they had a separate team to handle Autonation accounts just due to shear size of volume received from them and was told they are the largest along with group1 auto dealerships.

They also have some large investments from big boys i.e. Bill Gates and co.

I can attest that they are one of the largest new car automobile dealers. My wife currently works in the financial department and has to pull reports from the various regions and over the last 10 years they have been constantly adding more and more dealerships under the AutoNation name.

 

[rlhdweman]

I wonder how many orders like this happened around the country, probably in the thousands, I would hold out for the hybrid you wanted, even if you have to wait for a 23, at that point they should be willing to offer you some accessories that you might want at no or very reduced charge.

 

[mrjspence]

Just found out that my hybrid order was never formally placed by the dealership! I placed the order and gave them a $500 deposit back in early August, but they never "finalized" it. Of course Ford won't take any more hybrid orders until next summer, so I am basically f**ked!
Considering my options:
1.) They'll give me my deposit back and I am back to square one.
2.) I can wait and see if a customer ends up canceling their hybrid order and I step in.
3.) I order with an ecoboost engine and they say they can get me a higher priority code.

I am kind of leaning toward #3. Obviously it's more $$$ and lower mpg, but need to calm down a bit before I decide.
Has anyone been unhappy with going with the ecoboost engine option? And did you upgrade to the AWD and do you think that is was worth the bang for the extra buck?

I’d stick with hybrid if it’s your primary daily driver. If it’s say a 2nd camping/recreation/outdoorsy then I’d buy an EB off the lot or order one and wait until next summer. Just my 2¢

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