No Maverick Scheduling This Week (3/9/23) + Key Constraints

[JimmyH]

The reason I wondered onto the dealership's website last August was because I was in need of a new vehicle. When I placed my order I knew there would be a wait and my dealer said "late spring for an EB." I figured I could wait until then as I do work from home. It is annoying to drive the Saturn death machine locally when my wife is driving her Escape, but given I just put gas in the Saturn for the first time since Thanksgiving, I figure I could wait until "late spring." It's not like it gets driven a ton.

Well, May qualifies as "late spring."

In September, I placed my order for an EB. In October, Ford published their retail order numbers and there was no reason Ford couldn't get all their EBs scheduled before the end of Spring. It wasn't until last month with fresh data that we see Ford has, if anything, underestimated the number of hybrids they could build and changed their capacity to reflect that. Meaning the EBs are about two months behind what their capacity reflects. Given how Ford is scheduling, my EB could show up as late as August or September now.

For those who have waiting longer, I feel for you. I really do. But I am just not going to wait longer than I have to in order to get the vehicle I need. I think waiting from September to May for a vehicle when my current vehicle is already mostly dead is a fair trade.

If Ford schedules my truck next week, it will still show up to me late, but I will deal with it. Including getting a rental or borrowing a truck for the week I really need it for Summer Camp the first week of June. But if they don't schedule, I just can't wait any longer. This summer, we need two vehicles and my Saturn is no longer a viable option.

I'm not going to get an intermediary vehicle because finding one at a decent price is almost impossible and I will have to get another vehicle in a year anyway when my daughter turns 16. I'd rather take the one hit to my credit on my vehicle before I start dealing with another. The Great Recession did me dirty and I just don't have the luxury at the moment to car hop, even if I could walk onto the dealership's lot and drive off with pretty much any vehicle on it.

Tl;dr: At the end of the day, Ford is a business selling a product and if they fail to deliver it when I need it, I'll get something else.

This is almost exactly my situation. Ford Maverick checked all the boxes. I ordered in September 2022. I knew there would be a wait, but figured that if I received my Maverick, at the latest, in May 2023 (before summer), then I could make it work. After all, I was ordering an XL EB, not a Lariat Lux Hybrid, so the possibility of constraints was limited, so it couldn't be that long. After my order was confirmed and COVP, I sold my Ram in October 2022 while the getting was good and made some money.

Nobody anticipated that 2023 model production start would be pushed two months. It is what it is, but figured that a May delivery was still reasonable.

I too will be purchasing a vehicle for a 16 year old and would like that to occur in the same month, as to not have a short gap between credit pulls and new accounts.

My wife even drives a 2020 Ford Escape SEL, that we love by the way.

But I won't ride this train for too long. While I prefer the Maverick, I'm not in it because I think it's the coolest thing on four wheels to roll on this earth. No offense to those that do. Like I said, the Maverick checked the boxes (size, utility, fuel economy, price, etc...), but there are other options, even if that means a compromise here or there. When you NEED it, a truck is better than no truck. I'm kinda starting to think of my Maverick order vs alternative situation as "Wish in one hand, sh1t in the other. See which one fills up first".

Sponsored

 

[commadorebob]

This is almost exactly my situation. Ford Maverick checked all the boxes. I ordered in September 2022. I knew there would be a wait, but figured that if I received my Maverick, at the latest, in May 2023 (before summer), then I could make it work. After all, I was ordering an XL EB, not a Lariat Lux Hybrid, so the possibility of constraints was limited, so it couldn't be that long. After my order was confirmed and COVP, I sold my Ram in October 2022 while the getting was good and made some money.

Nobody anticipated that 2023 model production start would be pushed two months. It is what it is, but figured that a May delivery was still reasonable.

I too will be purchasing a vehicle for a 16 year old and would like that to occur in the same month, as to not have a short gap between credit pulls and new accounts.

My wife even drives a 2020 Ford Escape SEL, that we love by the way.

But I won't ride this train for too long. While I prefer the Maverick, I'm not in it because I think it's the coolest thing on four wheels to roll on this earth. No offense to those that do. Like I said, the Maverick checked the boxes (size, utility, fuel economy, price, etc...), but there are other options, even if that means a compromise here or there. When you NEED it, a truck is better than no truck. I'm kinda starting to think of my Maverick order vs alternative situation as "Wish in one hand, sh1t in the other. See which one fills up first".

My wife enjoys her 2020 Escape SEL. In fact, it is her auto-cruise that spoiled me.

My current alternative is an Explorer. While not a truck, it has a cargo capacity (with third row down) similar to an enclosed Maverick. And the steering wheel controls are similar enough to the Escape that my brain will make the jump without too much effort (the problem with looking at another brand).

 

[dusty1787]

Well just pray nothing happens to your current vehicle that you will have to make a decision on what to do if your maverick is still not scheduled!!!

That's a great idea! But what if your Maverick doesn't get built this year. Now you might be stuck with something you really don't want!

If it doesn't get built this year and I got a temp car because my current one was totaled or was on its last leg and died....then at least I currently then have a mode of transportation. I would most likely get a suv but slightly newer/less miles than my 09/225k... as up until that moment it was checking the boxes I needed it for, as the Maverick would check more boxes for all the things I need/want.
So if my current one died, I would get something comparable and deal with it until the Maverick that I picked out with everything I wanted, came in. Even if the replacement vehicle was ugly color, or no lux package...etc.

 

[JimmyH]

My wife enjoys her 2020 Escape SEL. In fact, it is her auto-cruise that spoiled me.

My current alternative is an Explorer. While not a truck, it has a cargo capacity similar to an enclosed Maverick. And the steering wheel controls are similar enough to the Escape that my brain will make the jump without too much effort (the problem with looking at another brand).

The Escape is nice and we love it. After a few of cross country trips in it, I realized that I wanted something that drove and rode nicer, day to day, than my Ram. That combined with the selling of my boat, purchasing of kayaks and the amount of gas I was having to put in the fullsize truck, made me realize that I could do anything that I needed to in a smaller package. For the 16 year old, another Escape is at the top of the list, although not a loaded one like we have now, probably SE.

 

[commadorebob]

The Escape is nice and we love it. After a few of cross country trips in it, I realized that I wanted something that drove and rode nicer, day to day, than my Ram. That combined with the selling of my boat, purchasing of kayaks and the amount of gas I was having to put in the fullsize truck, made me realize that I could do anything that I needed to in a smaller package. For the 16 year old, another Escape is at the top of the list, although not a loaded one like we have now, probably SE.

For my 16 year old, I'm actually looking at a used Nissan Leaf. Given the prevalence of EVs and the move to that tech, I want her to have experience driving an EV on top of driving an ICE vehicle.

Plus the Leaf has a range of 80 miles so it isn't like she can run off...

 

[AntD]

I can’t believe Ford is allowing dealers to put in stock orders for Maverick Tremors before they are all scheduled. They better schedule and build my Tremor!

Question, is the trailer hitch a constraint even if it is part of a package? I have Lariat Lux Package.

 

[commadorebob]

I can’t believe Ford I allowing dealers to put in stock orders for Maverick Tremors before they are all scheduled. They better schedule and build my Tremor!

Question, is the trailer hitch a constraint even if it is part of a package? I have Lariat Lux Package.

Hitch is part of the Lariat Lux. But Ford allowing Tremor stock is just a reflection on how few retail Tremors there are.

Allocations is still king.

 

[B2000]

I think those of us that ordered in 2022 knew that only a percentage of hybrid orders would get built and based on the number of Ecoboost orders and the monthly production that it could take until July or August to build them all. That assumes that Ford is going to build at least some vehicles for dealer inventory and for fleet sales. If you did not understand that then you understand that now.

Ford did not make any deals that I know of that guaranteed any vehicle would get built especially that the oldest orders would get delivered the soonest. Expecting them to build and ship vehicles they make the least money on (because of price adjustments and in some cases grandfathered financing deals way below market) is not reasonable especially on a vehicle that is low profit to start with.

Trying to schedule production out more than a month in a market with supply chain problems, labor shortages, and probably cartel issues down there just makes no sense. If you need a guarantee your choices are what is out there right now so go make your best deal and be happy.

 

[AntD]

Hitch is part of the Lariat Lux. But Ford allowing Tremor stock is just a reflection on how few retail Tremors there are.

Allocations is still king.

Thanks! I’m starting to become impatient. At first I was all good because I’m going to have a hefty down payment now with all the extra saving but now I just want to make sure it gets built!

 

[commadorebob]

Thanks! I’m starting to become impatient. At first I was all good because I’m going to have a hefty down payment now with all the extra saving but now I just want to make sure it gets built!

If you can wait, then I think you are getting a decent little truck. I definitely would prefer it over my alternatives. I'm just approaching a hard deadline where I have to have something.

 

[dcs12345]

Seriously now, if Toyota has a compact truck with similar specs and price, I would jump ship and switch over to Toyota right way. My 480+ days wait is long enough and still no scheduled build, I am sure that it will be at least 500+ days before I get the Mav I ordered back in 2021.

Note: I am on schedule to buy 3 new vehicles within the next couple years. I am very sure now that the other 2 will not be a Ford.

I would be open to a toyota...but from what i understand, they don't really let you "order" what you want. The dealer lets you pick from what they have ordered...at least that is what I have heard.

Then the other issue is the nearest Toyota dealer near me only has 20-30 vehicles on the lot and I would estimate that >90% are used.

 

[Jeddums]

Ford did not make any deals that I know of that guaranteed any vehicle would get built especially that the oldest orders would get delivered the soonest.

Well . . . Ford did say:
"Traditionally, we have allocated vehicles to dealerships based on historical sales data, which helped determine the scheduling of orders. While we initially followed this process for Maverick, we quickly pivoted when customer demand exceeded expectations. As a result, orders are scheduled in the order in which they are received, regardless of dealer, pending any capacity and commodity limitations. Oldest Maverick retail orders are prioritized first." (emphasis mine)

But if your point is that Ford doesn't follow through on what they say they're going to do, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

 

[B2000]

Well . . . Ford did say:
"Traditionally, we have allocated vehicles to dealerships based on historical sales data, which helped determine the scheduling of orders. While we initially followed this process for Maverick, we quickly pivoted when customer demand exceeded expectations. As a result, orders are scheduled in the order in which they are received, regardless of dealer, pending any capacity and commodity limitations. Oldest Maverick retail orders are prioritized first." (emphasis mine)

But if your point is that Ford doesn't follow through on what they say they're going to do, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

I don't think they were even serious about that at the time but I also don't think they ever retracted it. It's obviously not what they are doing and as I said it doesn't even make sense from a business standpoint. Business is about making money and Ford desperately needs to make money. Fairness is a great concept but I don't think that drives corporate policy. If people are mad and/or need a vehicle now they should move on- I would.

 

[Maverstang]

Earnings -$.49/share 2022 vs GM $2.12
They could "sell" all the vehicles in the universe but if they can't make deliveries to turn them into revenue it doesn't matter. That said it's a neat package I am still holding out for

To be clear, Ford is NOT losing money on operations.

The reported number includes a large paper loss on the Rivian shares market value. This after booking a huge paper gain last year on the Rivian IPO jump. This is not relevant to operations P/L, and was a net gain anyway since Ford’s cost basis was much lower as an original investor.

Ford’s vehicle operations are profitable, although as Farley stated they would be much more profitable had it not been for their very high warranty costs and over staffing compared to their peers.

 

[Automate]

I don't think they were even serious about that at the time but I also don't think they ever retracted it. It's obviously not what they are doing and as I said it doesn't even make sense from a business standpoint. Business is about making money and Ford desperately needs to make money. Fairness is a great concept but I don't think that drives corporate policy. If people are mad and/or need a vehicle now they should move on- I would.

Short term the allocation system may make sense to Ford. But long term it is driving customers away from Ford and will probably force some smaller dealer out of business.

Sponsored