Ford reimagining the Dealer Network?

[NorthShoreMaverick]

The way they have handled Maverick orders is abysmal.

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[jhud042002]

I actually think Ford is more pro-dealer network than other manufacturers.

I will say that if you don't get on board with Ford's programs (i.e. Electric vehicle, etc.) and drag your feet, you can and will be left behind.

I think they've been more than fair.

How about Granger give some allocations to smaller dealers in the area? 7/7 order in Iowa at a small dealership and can't get scheduled.....

 

[Maverickman74]

Can I get same day delivery soon?

 

[T McG]

Also, I wonder how many of these “allocations” have been manipulated with priority code assignments by the “GMs”. I’d make a bet … a nice % of the first built and delivered customer ordered units for some dealerships went straight to employees and friends of employees who then resold for an easy “ADM”. Sadly…If I had known in June what I know now, I would have 10 Hybrids at home already…selling em as fast as possible. Instead, I failed to educate myself on how to be a successful Ford customer and only ordered one for a family NEED and happened to pick the local small town dealer.

 

[Nw_adventure]

Would be nice to see Ford implement a dealer operating standard if they really want to go to more of a direct customer purchase. - Such as timelines to order, responses from sales in a timely fashion, expectations, customer service/etc. What I have seen lately in the last year while going thru a local dealer and Fords absence of any real product wide update such as they did with the Bronco has been pretty underwhelming.

 

[Nw_adventure]

The way they have handled Maverick orders is abysmal.

Even worse than the Bronco fiasco- IMO

 

[Mav_Not]

Are you sure about that? I didn't notice any posts from members who got scheduled who went through LM this week. I did see one person who left in the default criteria for posting their scheduling info though, which could be confusing.

you may well be correct about this.
I did not intend to advocate against the large or small dealers. I like my small dealer, they have always been fair during new vehicle purchases and have competitive service rates (and do not upsell unnecessary services). I have bought 4 Fords and 2 Hyundais from them over the last 10 years or so. I hate to see them in the bind of not being able to provide any insight into how Ford fills their allocations. They have had several meetings with the regional manager and still aren't any wiser. It's a fairly bleak living selling "market-priced" used cars at values that approach or exceed new vehicle prices. They have maybe 3-4 new stock cars on the lot and a few customer-ordered cars.

 

[jbpoole]

I would prefer to order online and receive a buyers order (contract) for the out the door price at that time. Salesmen would be largely a thing of the past. Eliminate the shell games that the dealers play. You would just pay MSRP less any Ford discounts. Small town dealers would be on equal footing with the huge dealerships.

 

[Aherpa]

Like many others I have been waiting a long time for a Maverick. In my specific case, I have a confirmed order from June 10th (hybrid Lariat lux) with no sign of a build date. My dealer seems to have allocations but only gets one or two builds approved per month. Big dealers, especially those that cast a wide net to include out of state orders appear to get their entire allocation scheduled in the first week of the month. They then go on to get transfer allocations from other (smaller) dealers to fill out the rest of the month. I don't think Ford is unaware of the seeming unfairness of this system and it's not that they don't care but they are fully engaged with the "build to order" model. Car manufacturers have long felt constrained by the Dealer network. What a perfect time (pandemic) to thin out and perhaps permanently remake the Dealer network model by making small dealers economically impractical. If Ford could push small and medium-sized dealers out of business and move to fewer, larger distribution-type dealers they would achieve essentially an Amazon type network of fulfillment Dealers who take less per car sold but push large volumes. Just a thought, without any evidence and this plus $5 will get you coffee at Starbuck's.

Just my thirty cents;
The salesman at my local small Ford dealership told me that because of Ford's remodeling to the 'Carvana' way of selling cars, it means that his dealership will have very few, if any, new vehicles on the lot. They will eventually become a repair shop for Ford.
I like my local Ford 'dealership' and it's integral 'repair shop'. The relationship has been there for over twenty years and we've treated each other fairly. I like seeing new vehicles and kicking the tires. I don't want to wait for someone else to actually buy one to look at it.

I'm not a fan of the faceless 'Carvana' model because, if that is the only way to buy a car, you can't drive it to see if you like it first. So called 'influencers' will become the prominent reviews about a model you are looking at. Can you trust that over getting behind the wheel and judging for yourself? Not for me.

Before people jump all over me for the 'Carvana 7 day come and get it' warranty, I think that can be just a waste of time and energy. This is a car I'm buying, not a pair of jeans that didn't fit right. There's alot more time and energy consumed dropping off and picking up multi-ton vehicles than the UPS guy consumes running his normal route.
As far as the 'Carvana drop-off boxes' go, for me in Iowa, they will be hundreds of miles away from me. Maybe people in large cities can get excited about that, but it's not for me.

If manufacturers eventually won't build a vehicle until Carvana has an order for it? ...... if you think you don't like wait times on the Maverick now, buckle up.

Also, hasn't consolidating many businesses into just a few taught us nothing about what will happen to competition over the long run?

Thanks

 

[Old Ranchero]

Can I get same day delivery soon?

Sure! Just look up in the sky and wait for the Amazon drone to air drop it at your house!

 

[Old Ranchero]

The way they have handled Maverick orders is abysmal.

How does it Compare to Mach-E rollout?

 

[Old Ranchero]

Like the OP I too have a 6/10 order dat for a FE hybrid.

I went through my local dealer (3 mile drive, and over the years he and I have become friends).
During my last visit I know that between two locations they have 250 ordered and have received 4!
none of them hybrids.

I have no desire to fly to Kansas to pick up a vehicle and drive it home, of fly anywhere for that matter.

I like my salesman and the service manager and will stick with them, but FoMoCo is just plain pissing me off! The people at the dealership just shrug their shoulders and say " we have no control over what and when we get a vehicle in. Right now they have 0 new vehicles on the lot!!
H0w does Ford expect them to stay in business?

you can't handle the truth? it is what it is...

 

[olderbudwiser]

Just my thirty cents;
The salesman at my local small Ford dealership told me that because of Ford's remodeling to the 'Carvana' way of selling cars, it means that his dealership will have very few, if any, new vehicles on the lot. They will eventually become a repair shop for Ford.
I like my local Ford 'dealership' and it's integral 'repair shop'. The relationship has been there for over twenty years and we've treated each other fairly. I like seeing new vehicles and kicking the tires. I don't want to wait for someone else to actually buy one to look at it.

I'm not a fan of the faceless 'Carvana' model because, if that is the only way to buy a car, you can't drive it to see if you like it first. So called 'influencers' will become the prominent reviews about a model you are looking at. Can you trust that over getting behind the wheel and judging for yourself? Not for me.

Before people jump all over me for the 'Carvana 7 day come and get it' warranty, I think that can be just a waste of time and energy. This is a car I'm buying, not a pair of jeans that didn't fit right. There's alot more time and energy consumed dropping off and picking up multi-ton vehicles than the UPS guy consumes running his normal route.
As far as the 'Carvana drop-off boxes' go, for me in Iowa, they will be hundreds of miles away from me. Maybe people in large cities can get excited about that, but it's not for me.

If manufacturers eventually won't build a vehicle until Carvana has an order for it? ...... if you think you don't like wait times on the Maverick now, buckle up.

Also, hasn't consolidating many businesses into just a few taught us nothing about what will happen to competition over the long run?

Thanks

If that was any where near being true the dealers would not be gouging customers on popular vehicles.

Lots are slim picking because of supply issues.

 

[Maverickman74]

Sure! Just look up in the sky and wait for the Amazon drone to air drop it at your house!

I think Jeremy Clarkson bought a toyota that way once.

 

[baseballchamps]

I think everyone is forgetting about the pandemic and the supply chain issues. Ford system is designed for normal supply availability. Most of the problems associated with dealer allocation would not exist if not for supply constraints. So, I do not believe Ford is intentionally trying to reduce or eliminate smaller dealerships.

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