What is the point of my Ford Dealer?

[CuddleMuffin]

My Ford Maverick (order) is my first new vehicle ever. Never wanted a new car, never wanted a Ford, and I never wanted/ needed a truck. This has been the worst and most pointless experience when dealing with a car, ever. After seeing used car prices skyrocket and my sturdy 2008 Honda Civic approaching 200k miles, it was time for a change. The Maverick hit my price range, was a hybrid, and I had much more use for a truck now as a landlord. I reserved the truck on the first day of reservations choosing the hybrid.

The day after my reservation I get a call from my dealer to come in and talk about the vehicle. Great, there wasn't a ton of information about what some of the options were (I'm a newbie). I get to the dealer and I asked about the options and standard options like cruise control and things like that. The entirety of my conversation with the dealer was him saying "I don't know" and him "looking it up" which was him going to the build page that i had access to. The conclusion of our conversation, after taking time off work, was to build it online and wait for the portal to open.

I get a call mid July that my truck was ready to be ordered. I scoot down to the dealer and start asking more question about previous unanswered ones. Their answer was the same, the build the truck online, don't have access to window sticker information, couldn't tell me if there was cruise control on the base model, etc. I decided to upgrade to the XLT for one reason, cruise control. Not sure why I couldn't do this online, but here we are.

I couple weeks later i get a tracking number and a production date (9/22). I call my dealer to ask what the build process is and what the expectations are. They don't know. Seeing a trend?

Shortly after that i stumble across this wonderful forum where there is tons of information. Here i learn about build dates, where they are being assembled, hybrid hold ups, and everything else. I noticed that many of you guys were able to order your truck on the same week that the reservations became available. My dealer did not. I called them up again to see if they learned anything. Where is my truck? "Let me look that up..... TBD, we have no idea" (I already know the answer), What is going on with the hybrids? (again, I know the answer) "What do you mean?" The dealer doesn't know of the hybrid hold up. I tell him what I know and he doesn't believe me about the EPA and that he cant answer any questions on the MPG. I then ask him why it took so long for their portal to open so I could order the truck. Dealer told me their portal opened on the same day as everyone else (lies). Finally, I ask, "Have their been any production issues or quality control issues?". Dealer states, "None that we are aware of". Nobody in their building could answer any of my questions over the last few months. They had 0 information that was different than Ford.com.

I know Ford cant sell to consumer, but... WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF MY FORD DEALER IF THEY DID NOTHING THAT I COULDNT DO, KNOW LESS THAN I DO, AND DONT TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH THEIR PRODUCT?

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[Dan]

Honestly my dealer didn’t know much. When my dad got his Powerboost F-150 they didn’t even know it was a hybrid…

 

[olderbudwiser]

My Ford Maverick (order) is my first new vehicle ever. Never wanted a new car, never wanted a Ford, and I never wanted/ needed a truck. This has been the worst and most pointless experience when dealing with a car, ever. After seeing used car prices skyrocket and my sturdy 2008 Honda Civic approaching 200k miles, it was time for a change. The Maverick hit my price range, was a hybrid, and I had much more use for a truck now as a landlord. I reserved the truck on the first day of reservations choosing the hybrid.

The day after my reservation I get a call from my dealer to come in and talk about the vehicle. Great, there wasn't a ton of information about what some of the options were (I'm a newbie). I get to the dealer and I asked about the options and standard options like cruise control and things like that. The entirety of my conversation with the dealer was him saying "I don't know" and him "looking it up" which was him going to the build page that i had access to. The conclusion of our conversation, after taking time off work, was to build it online and wait for the portal to open.

I get a call mid July that my truck was ready to be ordered. I scoot down to the dealer and start asking more question about previous unanswered ones. Their answer was the same, the build the truck online, don't have access to window sticker information, couldn't tell me if there was cruise control on the base model, etc. I decided to upgrade to the XLT for one reason, cruise control. Not sure why I couldn't do this online, but here we are.

I couple weeks later i get a tracking number and a production date (9/22). I call my dealer to ask what the build process is and what the expectations are. They don't know. Seeing a trend?

Shortly after that i stumble across this wonderful forum where there is tons of information. Here i learn about build dates, where they are being assembled, hybrid hold ups, and everything else. I noticed that many of you guys were able to order your truck on the same week that the reservations became available. My dealer did not. I called them up again to see if they learned anything. Where is my truck? "Let me look that up..... TBD, we have no idea" (I already know the answer), What is going on with the hybrids? (again, I know the answer) "What do you mean?" The dealer doesn't know of the hybrid hold up. I tell him what I know and he doesn't believe me about the EPA and that he cant answer any questions on the MPG. I then ask him why it took so long for their portal to open so I could order the truck. Dealer told me their portal opened on the same day as everyone else (lies). Finally, I ask, "Have their been any production issues or quality control issues?". Dealer states, "None that we are aware of". Nobody in their building could answer any of my questions over the last few months. They had 0 information that was different than Ford.com.

I know Ford cant sell to consumer, but... WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF MY FORD DEALER IF THEY DID NOTHING THAT I COULDNT DO, KNOW LESS THAN I DO, AND DONT TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH THEIR PORDUCT?

I totally understand your frustration. I have always built my vehicles on line printed out document and taken with me. Still a lot of sales people do not know their product. It's sad.

In the dark times I would make a written list and take that in.

 

[Connect]

I typically know a lot about the vehicle I am about to purchase or even just looking at for that matter, so it always bugs me when I know more about it than the person showing/selling me. Let me qualify that.....It really bugs me when they tell me stuff that I know is wrong. I'm totally fine with you not knowing, but tell me that, don't make something up. Sometimes I will ask a question that I know the answer to....sometimes it's to see what they tell me and sometimes it's to keep it from being awkward.

All in all, I think a lot of them just stumbled into a job and don't have a lot of interest and so that is what we get....people who don't know a lot because they don't care to.

 

[OTACORB]

My little hometown dealer (Hixson Ford in Alexandria, LA) is excellent. The person that helped me with my order was knowledgeable about the process. He confirmed my order, took my license and I signed my Buyer Order, DORA and got a confirmation via email while I was sitting at his desk. He has called me or texted me at least once a week. He knew all about the Maverick in detail. He invited me when the trainer truck came in. He and this dealer have been absolutely top notch. Just touched based with him today as my truck has shipped. I've done all the financing stuff and it's just a matter of them getting it ready, me looking it over and signing the papers. MSPR, tax credit for a truck I sold them of over $2,000 and $399 doc fee. So Yeah, they've done me 100% right!

It's unfortunate that dealers and some sales staff can be so crappy, but it's the way of the world.

 

[Edge Haley]

It has almost reached the point that Dealer "Sales" is useless. I went to a Ford Dealer 3 months ago to look at the Bronco Sport & potentially Maverick. I knew far most than a sales rep...way more. Yesterday I saw a Maverick (unlocked) in the same dealers lot and for 2 hours I went thru every crook and cranny, hood, trailer hitch, all over the Maverick...2 hrs and a sales men never came out to the lot to see if I wanted to order or buy one.

The only thing dealers do is add accessories to pad their sale price...and service the vehicles...Most dealers make more money on service than new car sales. All the dealers are trying to turn into Carvans, CarMax, Vroom, etc. Let the customer figure the vehicle out and Build and price themselves....

 

[JohnHartshorn]

With the exception of ordering two through Military Auto Sales, this is the first vehicle I ordered to spec. In the past, I just cruised the lots (usually near end-of-year markdowns) and found what I wanted (or as close as I could get) at substantial markdowns since they were trying to clear the lot of "last years" models to make room for the new years model coming in. I was less than impressed with my dealer. Not so much with Maverick knowledge, but lack of knowledge on how to order a spec vehicle. I get the idea it's not something they do on a regular basis. It is a small town dealership, but I would think they would know how to enter an order into the system, I mean they have to order their "Stock" inventory, right?

 

[olderbudwiser]

It has almost reached the point that Dealer "Sales" is useless. I went to a Ford Dealer 3 months ago to look at the Bronco Sport & potentially Maverick. I knew far most than a sales rep...way more. Yesterday I saw a Maverick (unlocked) in the same dealers lot and for 2 hours I went thru every crook and cranny, hood, trailer hitch, all over the Maverick...2 hrs and a sales men never came out to the lot to see if I wanted to order or buy one.

The only thing dealers do is add accessories to pad their sale price...and service the vehicles...Most dealers mae more money on service than new car sales. All the dealers are trying to turn into Carvans, CarMax, Vroom, etc. Let the customer figure the vehicle out and Build and price themselves....

Maybe you didn't look fancy enough

Had a family member owed his own roofing company. Went in dealer buy 3 new work trucks F350's. Had his dirty work clothes on. No one came up. Went some place else.

 

[bgillen35]

The point of my dealer is to ignore me until my vehicle comes in and they are ready to take my money....

 

[stoptothink]

All in all, I think a lot of them just stumbled into a job and don't have a lot of interest and so that is what we get....people who don't know a lot because they don't care to.

They are car salesmen, this isn't a career for most of them (at least they hope not). The large majority of them did indeed stumble into the job, usually because they didn't currently have a lot of options. The young man I am working with doesn't know even close to as much about the vehicle as I do, but he's pleasant and has returned my emails and calls in a timely manner; that's pretty much all I can ask for.

 

[MLowe05]

Honestly what is the point of basically any car dealership? My Maverick process has been fine so far, but I've bought so many cars and dealerships are all the same. They all suck.

 

[A Dodge that drives Fords]

For new car's there's almost no reason to go to a dealership. That said, I've been with the same sales rep and dealership for over 30 years and my guy knows his stuff. My dad works there for over 40 years. Most people are not brand loyal. Not me LONG LIVE FORD LoL. But most people want to test drive vehicles before buying. Plus then there's the whole used market. I do agree with you sales reps should know their products more than they do. I'm a tech junkie I go to Best Buy and it seems like I know more than most of the people in there trying to sell me a TV.

 

[Hank3]

I hear you. Also my first custom order. I too put my reservation in the very first day, but wasn't able to actually submit an order until my dealer told me they "opened up" in mid-July. I signed the sales order, they took my drivers license. But they obviously never submitted my email address because I've never gotten anything from Ford, and nothing shows up on my ford.com account. They insist my order was "confirmed" but I can't get the dealer to send me a copy of the confirmation.

Yes, I've written numerous times asking for them to please make sure my email is included in my order, yes I write them every couple of weeks for an update on the status (still no build date). They tell me I'm a priority 10 and I've got an order number-- but that's it. They don't seem to want me to have access to information on my own.

Don't get me wrong-- the sales guy I'm working with is nice enough. He always returns my emails, he responded right away when I wanted to delete mud flaps and bedliner (thanks to this forum) and change the color. But if I don't keep emailing and making noise, all that I get back is crickets. I've suggested he might want to start reading this forum to get some info he can share with his customers.

 

[snowcatxx87]

Relax. The average consumer orders, and gets a call, it shows up. If you are on a forum, looking to get all the extra nerdy information, you are not an average consumer.

 

[KenB]

I totally understand your frustration. I have always built my vehicles on line printed out document and taken with me. Still a lot of sales people do not know their product. It's sad.

In the dark times I would make a written list and take that in.

What I really like about my dealer- Granger Ford in Granger, Iowa is that they really have their act together. Looking forward to completing the purchase with them once my Maverick hybrid arrives.

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