Dealership Price Adjustment Games

[Old Farmer]

The dealership sales manager is telling me that the XLT that was originally ordered in March 22, rolled into 23, and then rolled into 24, and received in January of this year is not eligible for any price adjustment or rebate.
Ford marketing is going to send me an email detailing the negative feedback assigned to the dealership because of the manager's response.
What options are available to the customer at this point?
And is there a way to shortcut the process?
If a Ford employee at a corporate level is monitoring this site, please understand that a new Ford customer (former GM guy, 75 years old) is about to trash Ford's reputation wherever and whenever possible.
Until the dirt hits my forehead.

Sponsored

 

[csuh13]

You didn't get your private offer applied from ford? (That's assuming the dealer reordered your truck correctly.) Technically, Ford does not call that a "price adjustment" or "rebate."

You should also get "price protection" to account for the few hundred that the 24 model price went up since it was reordered.

 

[CTYankee]

I don't really get posts like this, other than that I agree you have a right to be ticked off at the dealer. It sounds like Ford is trying to help you with information, yet it is their reputation, not the dealers, that you will trash. Why?

By all means hold the dealer accountable, but make sure Ford was responsible, in part or in whole, before making them the target of your anger.

 

[Old Farmer]

I don't really get posts like this, other than that I agree you have a right to be ticked off at the dealer. It sounds like Ford is trying to help you with information, yet it is their reputation, not the dealers, that you will trash. Why?

By all means hold the dealer accountable, but make sure Ford was responsible, in part or in whole, before making them the target of your anger.

I understand your point as far as it goes.
However, a brand is only as good as its reputation.
And if Ford can't control what their dealerships are doing to the Ford reputation, why would anyone buy a Ford?
In this case, Ford gave the authority to the dealerships to give (or not give) the monetary adjustments because of delays.
That makes Ford responsible for their customer's experience caused by the dealerships.
In my humble opinion.

 

[mcluvin]

What options are available to the customer at this point?

I'd watch this video, read a few of the previous threads in this forum, then go back to your sales manager with better insight on how it works. They may cave when you start using terms like DORA, Smart Vincent, and Ford Dealer Portal. Ultimately, they want you to walk so they can sell it off the lot.

It is funny how the official Ford account is active in many parts of this forum, but not this one.

 

[SLINGSHOT]

The dealership sales manager is telling me that the XLT that was originally ordered in March 22, rolled into 23, and then rolled into 24, and received in January of this year is not eligible for any price adjustment or rebate.
Ford marketing is going to send me an email detailing the negative feedback assigned to the dealership because of the manager's response.
What options are available to the customer at this point?
And is there a way to shortcut the process?
If a Ford employee at a corporate level is monitoring this site, please understand that a new Ford customer (former GM guy, 75 years old) is about to trash Ford's reputation wherever and whenever possible.
Until the dirt hits my forehead.

 

[Old Farmer]

I'd watch this video, read a few of the previous threads in this forum, then go back to your sales manager with better incite on how it works. They may cave when you start using terms like DORA, Smart Vincent, and Ford Dealer Portal. Ultimately, they want you to walk so they can sell it off the lot.

It is funny how the official Ford account is active in many parts of this forum, but not this one.

What other parts of this site does the official Ford account appear in?
Maybe I could post there and hope for action.

 

[BradnChristine]

What other parts of this site does the official Ford account appear in?
Maybe I could post there and hope for action.

The official Ford account responds here like it is only an AI Bot. Don't plan on any action from them. BUT, your dealer is the problem. NOT Ford. I have 2 Mavericks in the garage, built as ordered, each sold to me below MSRP on Ford's X-Plan pricing.
The 2023 had a Private Offer of $2750 as it was a rollover from a 2022 order. FORD set it all up, my dealer (and I) followed along and there were NO glitches in any of it, because the dealer did it right.

Your problem is with your dealership.

 

[MM Mav]

Order banks were closed by March of 2022. You may have submitted a pre-order in March 2022, but your actual order would not have been placed until Sept 2022, making it eligible for the 2023 private offer.
I am not sure why your dealer is saying you're not eligible, unless they had not COVP'ed your MY 2023 order or they did not ensure they followed the guidance to ensure your MY 2024 order was submitted to ensure you would get the private offer.

 

[CTYankee]

However, a brand is only as good as its reputation.
And if Ford can't control what their dealerships are doing to the Ford reputation, why would anyone buy a Ford?
In this case, Ford gave the authority to the dealerships to give (or not give) the monetary adjustments because of delays.

State dealer franchise laws pretty effectively block manufacturers from holding dealers accountable for poor business practices. You could have the same experience at any brand of dealership. In fact, there are at least a couple of GM dealers in my area that have similar reputations to your Ford dealer. So customer experience is going to vary more by who is reputable in a specific market region than by the vehicle brand name on the sign outside.

I think it would make sense for Ford to change the price protection scheme to operate more like a qualified rebate that can be applied upon sale of the vehicle rather than through a refund process that relies on the dealer, but I don't know how that would work given that the dealer is actually Ford's customer and you are the dealers customer.

All that said, your dealer is more the problem than Ford and blaming Ford effectively lets the dealer off the hook.

Whenever I read about an experience like yours, I just thank my lucky stars I never had to go through the order process because I found a refused order on a reputable dealer lot and bought it with no dealer games even attempted. I wish you the best of luck getting whatever price protection is due.

 

[JetFixxxer]

We know it's a dealership issue, but they represent FORD. FORD is going to take the blame. It's kind of like when you call customer service at X Company and they piss you off even more. You're not going blame the CSR you're going blame the X company. So when someone ask your opinion about X company, you're likely to give it a negative review. Knowing it's wasn't the company it was the CSR.

 

[Joe Strummer]

Just cancel your order and go back to GM. You'll obviously be a lot happier.

 

[40caliber]

[/QUOTE]

I'd watch this video, read a few of the previous threads in this forum, then go back to your sales manager with better incite on how it works. They may cave when you start using terms like DORA, Smart Vincent, and Ford Dealer Portal. Ultimately, they want you to walk so they can sell it off the lot.

It is funny how the official Ford account is active in many parts of this forum, but not this one.

*** ******It's FUNNY you'd think that's the official Ford account
He's the internet salesperson at a dealer that takes the time to make videos and comment here off and on.

Sponsored