How long do factory builds take?

[Rob Blubaugh]

My order for an XLT Hybrid started the ‘build’ phase 11/25 (according to the Ford ‘tracking thermometer’) and it had hexadecimal codes from modules about a week ago. Body shop fitment of soft tonneau, fender and hood film, spray on bed liner, and trailer receiver (which I suspect was an assembly line fitment), could delay shipment. Folks here oMTC are saying that there is a ‘post assembly’ bottleneck. I would suspect that some accessory options might be in short supply from the recent work stoppages.

For a time on 2023 builds, trailer receivers were a cause for delay to short supply.

Someone here was saying they could ‘see’ where their order was, miles on the odometer, and how much fuel was in the tank! How in the world could they determine all of that? The folks on this forum really know how to tap into some amazing resources. I’m resigned to waiting until it arrives in Morton, Washington. FoMoCo had best get it together soon though, or somebody else will get a sale. The whole process of ordering is really messed up. It was better, in my opinion and from this experience, to buy a vehicle off the lot at the dealership.

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[2Crew]

My order for an XLT Hybrid started the ‘build’ phase 11/25 (according to the Ford ‘tracking thermometer’) and it had hexadecimal codes from modules about a week ago. Body shop fitment of soft tonneau, fender and hood film, spray on bed liner, and trailer receiver (which I suspect was an assembly line fitment), could delay shipment. Folks here oMTC are saying that there is a ‘post assembly’ bottleneck. I would suspect that some accessory options might be in short supply from the recent work stoppages.

For a time on 2023 builds, trailer receivers were a cause for delay to short supply.

Someone here was saying they could ‘see’ where their order was, miles on the odometer, and how much fuel was in the tank! How in the world could they determine all of that? The folks on this forum really know how to tap into some amazing resources. I’m resigned to waiting until it arrives in Morton, Washington. FoMoCo had best get it together soon though, or somebody else will get a sale. The whole process of ordering is really messed up. It was better, in my opinion and from this experience, to buy a vehicle off the lot at the dealership.

I tried to activate mine on the app but no go

 

[Jeff D.]

My truck arrived at the dealer yesterday. I'm hoping to pick it up tomorrow. The two areas that seemed to slow my progress was the period between the modules "popping" and the truck being considerd "built". I believe this was the time the options were being installed. IIRC, this was just over two weeks. Once "built" per the tracking site, it was shipped quickly and made good progress on the train.

Once off the train it sat in a rail yard another 11 days.

As anxious as this all made me, many had and continue to have much worse experiences, so I guess I'll count myself lucky.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

...It was better, in my opinion and from this experience, to buy a vehicle off the lot at the dealership.

The days of endless inventory on dealer lots are over.
The problem with just getting something off the lot is that you have to settle for whatever they have, take it or leave it. I prefer to wait and get exactly what I want on a brand new vehicle that I may keep for many years.

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

The days of endless inventory on dealer lots are over.
The problem with just getting something off the lot is that you have to settle for whatever they have, take it or leave it. I prefer to wait and get exactly what I want on a brand new vehicle that I may keep for many years.

 

[BradnChristine]

...

Someone here was saying they could ‘see’ where their order was, miles on the odometer, and how much fuel was in the tank! How in the world could they determine all of that? The folks on this forum really know how to tap into some amazing resources. I’m resigned to waiting until it arrives in Morton, Washington. FoMoCo had best get it together soon though, or somebody else will get a sale. The whole process of ordering is really messed up. It was better, in my opinion and from this experience, to buy a vehicle off the lot at the dealership.

That seems to be a random occurrence. ALL of that is indeed determined by FordPass once you are connected to the vehicle. I have my 2024 set up in Fordpass and yesterday I told it to activate. I will not get anything until someone at the truck completes the activation. There have been a few folks who report their truck activated...maybe by a worker who notices the screen and does the customer a solid. Bit I expect my screen will say "Activation Pending" until it gets here. But once it arrives, this is what it looks like:

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

Ozark, I would agree that being able to place an order and get precisely what you want would be great. After an order for a ‘23 Maverick Hybrid was never built and the a big price hike for the same model in a ‘24, WITHOUT any price break consideration for a never filled ‘23, AND the delay, delay and more delay on this order, I’ not impressed.

My first experience with ordering a car was with my first new car in 1970. The car I ordered (a ‘70 Chevy Nova) was shipped in error to someplace in the Dakotas instead of Clay City, Indiana. The dealer consequently offered a much better deal on a better Nova that was already in inventory and on the lot. However, back then dealers had some room to deal with respect to list prices. Those conditions are mostly a relic of the past, but it taints one’s perspective.

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

My truck arrived at the dealer yesterday. I'm hoping to pick it up tomorrow. The two areas that seemed to slow my progress was the period between the modules "popping" and the truck being considerd "built". I believe this was the time the options were being installed. IIRC, this was just over two weeks. Once "built" per the tracking site, it was shipped quickly and made good progress on the train.

Once off the train it sat in a rail yard another 11 days.

As anxious as this all made me, many had and continue to have much worse experiences, so I guess I'll count myself lucky.

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

Hope you can take delivery tomorrow, Jeff, and that you will enjoy a reliable little truck for many years. It’s cool to get a new ride!

 

[Old Man]

Ford's definition of "in production" starts when they send the order to the factory which can be up to 10 days prior to the actual start of the build/assembly. As noted earlier, assembly can take a couple of days or several depending on what options are on the order, any shortages, production line issues, failed inspection, damage during assembly, holidays, etc. "Released to shipping" means the factory considers their part done. It can sit for hours or days waiting to be loaded onto the autorack car. "Shipped" involves two or more railroad companies transporting it to the nearest drop yard near your dealer. It is usually not a direct route and can go on a cross country journey. At the drop yard it can take a day to weeks to get on a truck to the dealer. Ford has zero control on how long it takes to get from the factory to the dealer.
The pizza tracker is notoriously inaccurate. If you are going to use that a your excitement/anxiety meter you will be on a ride. Your dealer sales manager has a more accurate system to show status and a map showing its enroute location.

 

[Llamaryudo]

Thanks again, Brad. The window sticker from the dealership shows ‘CC42’ in that box for whatever that might mean. Maybe they will transfer from rail to truck in Arizona for a ride on an 18 wheeler through California, Oregon and then Washington. We’ll see what happens!

CC42 is in Oregon. Looks like your truck and mine is in the same convoy. I'm picking mine up in Marysville, WA. Ford tracker says between Dec. 21st - Jan 3rd arrival.

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

With the ‘tracker’ saying delivery between 12/21 and 01/03, you are way ahead of any delivery for me. Tracker is stuck for mine since 11/25, but from some tips found here to a link on ‘modules popping,’ I discovered about two weeks ago that the build of my order was complete, at least to the point of the vehicle sending data to the big FORD computers.

The link to obtain a window sticker does not work yet, so I suspect the build is in body shop purgatory waiting for fender / hood protective film, spray-in bed liner, or for soft fold tonneau cover. Something along this line must be out of supply and awaiting back order.

Sure hope your time line on delivery holds and you get your truck soon.

 

[ilikebike]

With the ‘tracker’ saying delivery between 12/21 and 01/03, you are way ahead of any delivery for me. Tracker is stuck for mine since 11/25, but from some tips found here to a link on ‘modules popping,’ I discovered about two weeks ago that the build of my order was complete, at least to the point of the vehicle sending data to the big FORD computers.

The link to obtain a window sticker does not work yet, so I suspect the build is in body shop purgatory waiting for fender / hood protective film, spray-in bed liner, or for soft fold tonneau cover. Something along this line must be out of supply and awaiting back order.

Sure hope your time line on delivery holds and you get your truck soon.

Use this link to get your sticker, the one on the tracking page is broken.

http://fordwindowsticker.com/

That just pulls it from Ford's site using the correct URL.

 

[Rob Blubaugh]

Thanks, Ililebike! That worked, although my printer did not. I did have a window sticker that the dealership printed for me a few months ago, I was hopeful that by having more data in the FORD computers, and allowing a customer printout, it might mean some progress towards shipping and delivery.

Our first daily driver (‘14 Mazda 3 purchased new ten years ago) has been on loan to our daughter and son-in-law for about ten days, with one of their cars being down awaiting a switch that lets the shifter come out of ‘Park.’ (KIA Sorento with very limited availability on the lockout switch). So we are down to one car (‘14 Subaru Outback) apart from a hobby car (MGB) that’s in storage for winter. The car on loan to the daughter will be our trade on the ‘24 Maverick and it has been making transmission noises for more than a year. . . . . It’s a matter of ‘hurry up, FORD,’ or I may be buying something else. We loved the MAZDA 3 and it still gets better mpg than the Hybrid Maverick will get, but the tranny has to fail eventually for the noises coming from it for more than a year. Time to trade!!

Going with FORD in part because the Maverick is a good vehicle with good mpg and at a good price, but primarily because the Ford dealership in our town is the ONLY garage in town and there is no other service garage of any kind within about sixty miles. (We are in the Cascade mountains right between Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier.. It’s pretty here, but a a bit remote and inconvenient in some ways.

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