Ford Moving toward Build-to-Order, Away from Packed Dealer Lots

Langwilliams

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My experience with ordering what you want.

My first was a 1983 Mercury Cougar, with every available factory option except a sun roof, trailer hitch, and two tone paint. It was, according to the dealer the first V8. It has throttle-body injection to boot. Took 3 months to get, only to find out the rear brakes were 7 inch drums, and if the weather was cold (I lived in Denver, then), it wouldn't stop when backing up. The alarm quit, the push button entry system failed three times, and the list goes one.

I tried it again in 2003, but the dealer ordered the car twice, and still got it wrong. The first one that arrived after 3 months, was the wrong color! The second one didn't have automatic HVAC, even though it was on "my" copy of the build invoice.

If Ford doesn't do any better these days, perhaps they should transfer their EU VP, and let him try to straighten thing up!

Until then, nada for me!
My friend ordered a new Dodge 3500. it was over 90K an it took so long he was pi$$ed the 2022's came out an his was a 2021. Then it arrived without 3 options he checked but the dealership failed to transfer over from the form he filled out to the online order they do. He refused it an ordered a 2022. Still waiting.
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My experience with ordering what you want.

My first was a 1983 Mercury Cougar, with every available factory option except a sun roof, trailer hitch, and two tone paint. It was, according to the dealer the first V8. It has throttle-body injection to boot. Took 3 months to get, only to find out the rear brakes were 7 inch drums, and if the weather was cold (I lived in Denver, then), it wouldn't stop when backing up. The alarm quit, the push button entry system failed three times, and the list goes one.

I tried it again in 2003, but the dealer ordered the car twice, and still got it wrong. The first one that arrived after 3 months, was the wrong color! The second one didn't have automatic HVAC, even though it was on "my" copy of the build invoice.

If Ford doesn't do any better these days, perhaps they should transfer their EU VP, and let him try to straighten thing up!

Until then, nada for me!
I've ordered 3 vehicles in my life - 2 Saturns, which both took about 8 weeks or so and my Ranger, which took almost 13 weeks. In all 3 cases, what was delivered was exactly what we ordered and all 3 vehicles were good transportation for us.

The Ranger, although it took longer, was well worth the wait to get exactly what I wanted.

I would certainly hope things have improved since 2003.
 

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I don't see this as a long term move. More so an interim move to keep product moving during oddball supply chain issues.
 

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I know the States seem to be up and running again, but the other countries are still getting hammered. We are in Red alert ECQ and the hospitals have patient beds outside and in their own vehicles. If you dont have money up front, you dont get treated. If you run out of money during treatment, you will get kiked out. Oxygen is a huge problem of all things. Almost everything is shut down except grocery and banks. The covid crap is not over yet.
 

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My experience with ordering what you want.

My first was a 1983 Mercury Cougar, with every available factory option except a sun roof, trailer hitch, and two tone paint. It was, according to the dealer the first V8. It has throttle-body injection to boot. Took 3 months to get, only to find out the rear brakes were 7 inch drums, and if the weather was cold (I lived in Denver, then), it wouldn't stop when backing up. The alarm quit, the push button entry system failed three times, and the list goes one.

I tried it again in 2003, but the dealer ordered the car twice, and still got it wrong. The first one that arrived after 3 months, was the wrong color! The second one didn't have automatic HVAC, even though it was on "my" copy of the build invoice.

If Ford doesn't do any better these days, perhaps they should transfer their EU VP, and let him try to straighten thing up!

Until then, nada for me!
Maybe you need a more recent example?? I mean "in 1983" is not relevant.

Me, I do not pay this much $$$ for crap I don't want. If I am shelling out this much money, I am ordering exactly what I want.

My last 2 vehicles were both custom ordered. 2014 F150 and 2019 Ranger.

Zero issues with either order.
 


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This is going to equate to lost sales for Ford. People like me will never buy a truck I can't see first.

It's like Ford is saying "lets see if we can get customers to pay more for their vehicles and wait for them too." The answer, no, I'll buy a different make. Discounts and rebates are going to go away and say hello to 4-12 week lead times. No thanks. I'm not married to Ford.
 

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I can see dealers stocking basic models to cater to the fleet/ commercial industry, plus mostly loaded vehicles in the most popular colors, but requiring that you order if you want to customize. It would suck if you needed a car quick, like if your current vehicle was totaled in an accident. Maybe they think they can get the lead time down to a few weeks.

This is the way everything is going so I guess cars should be no exception. The days of going down to Sears and coming home with whatever you needed are over.
I could see dealers offering a temporary rental fleet if you order a car and need another immediately.
 
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AzScorpion

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I think some miss this part below? They're still going to have inventory just not a parking lot full like before. Sounds like they'll have some basic models and probably a few top of the line models otherwise you'll need to order exactly what you want.

"We are really committed to going to an order-based system and keeping inventories at 50 to 60 days' supply,"
They'll most likely have a couple dealer demos like they do now with the Bronco. I wasn't going to shell out $50K without trying one but I finally got to test drive a dealer demo on Friday. Not the exact build of mine but close enough to make a solid decision. This isn't going to be the new Carvana where you just order online and have it shipped to your door without ever trying it out. Once you're order arrives if for any reason you don't like it you walk away with your deposit fully refunded.
 
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Langwilliams

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I think when most people get "new car fever" they want it now. I'd like to know what percentage of sales are ordered. I've bought close to 20 new cars an never ordered one.
 
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AzScorpion

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I think when most people get "new car fever" they want it now. I'd like to know what percentage of sales are ordered. I've bought close to 20 new cars an never ordered one.

Funny as I've had the opposite where almost every new vehicle I've purchase has been ordered. I was lucky with my Ranger as my dealer had one in stock exactly the way I would've ordered it minus the running boards. One thing I do like about ordering is that most dealers won't throw on their ADM's. Mine had a bunch of overpriced dealer add ons which I had to waste time negotiating for them to either take off or reduce the price 75%. Ordering also saves the time haggling back and forth all day, you order what you want and know the exact price right there in a few minutes not hours.
 

Langwilliams

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Funny as I've had the opposite where almost every new vehicle I've purchase has been ordered. I was lucky with my Ranger as my dealer had one in stock exactly the way I would've ordered it minus the running boards. One thing I do like about ordering is that most dealers won't throw on their ADM's. Mine had a bunch of overpriced dealer add ons which I had to waste time negotiating for them to either take off or reduce the price 75%. Ordering also saves the time haggling back and forth all day, you order what you want and know the exact price right there in a few minutes not hours.
The only add on my truck had from the dealer was the plastic drop in bed liner for around $400. I would have argued the item an price but I was getting $6100 in incentives but had to take delivery out of dealer stock.

When they first hit the lots a few rangers got the sports bar/rack, bed cover, bed liner, wheels/tire upgrades to maximize profit. The only advantage I see to that is if it's what your looking for you can roll a lot of your mods into the payment an not clean you bank account out. There's pretty much multiple dealers for every brand within easy driving distances here so the dealer addon's aren't that common because you can just drive 15 minutes an look for one without them. They usually save that for new vehicles an limited production vehicles with limited availability.

I just retired so this my be my last "new car" I've bought 2 or 3 certified pre owned cars back when I was married an had to have 2 reliable cars. It saved me quite a bit on a mariner, 18K on it, 2 years old, roughly half price.
 

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I'm assuming they'll keep a decent supply on lots of the most popular configurations but the days of overflow lots with 150+ vehicles in stock are probably over.
It may seem that the dealer has full control over inventory. Often times they are forced to accept large numbers of vehicles from the manufacturer in times when they over build.

Right now that ain't the case, my local dealer just got a new top of the line Bronco in and it was the only new car on the lot... gone in two days.
Other industries are suffering the same, I just bought a new TREK FX4 Sport Carbon, the only one my dealer got this quarter... next one will be in October.

Before the collapse of the USSR, in eastern Europe, you had to pay up front and wait 7 years for a car, and that was a Trabby or a Lada.
Glad I have my Ranger(and a couple of back-ups)!
 
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The only add on my truck had from the dealer was the plastic drop in bed liner for around $400. I would have argued the item an price but I was getting $6100 in incentives but had to take delivery out of dealer stock.

When they first hit the lots a few rangers got the sports bar/rack, bed cover, bed liner, wheels/tire upgrades to maximize profit. The only advantage I see to that is if it's what your looking for you can roll a lot of your mods into the payment an not clean you bank account out. There's pretty much multiple dealers for every brand within easy driving distances here so the dealer addon's aren't that common because you can just drive 15 minutes an look for one without them. They usually save that for new vehicles an limited production vehicles with limited availability.

I just retired so this my be my last "new car" I've bought 2 or 3 certified pre owned cars back when I was married an had to have 2 reliable cars. It saved me quite a bit on a mariner, 18K on it, 2 years old, roughly half price.
Take a look at the ridiculous price ($3K) they had for these add ons. :shock: Truck didn't go any faster with their "performance package". lol Dealer said they do this with all their dealer ordered vehicles but if you order one there are no ADM's.



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I’m not saying I would never order a car, honestly I’d love to custom order a C8 Corvette and do pick up at the museum. Then again the cars I have had in my life up to this point never gave me the feeling of, “I wish I could’ve spec’d it differently.”

I can see where this would alleviate the need for a dealer having hundreds of vehicles in stock. Though as it has been said before, they’d need to have something. Too many people, myself included, have gone to a dealer and walked out with a car.
 

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Funny as I've had the opposite where almost every new vehicle I've purchase has been ordered. I was lucky with my Ranger as my dealer had one in stock exactly the way I would've ordered it minus the running boards. One thing I do like about ordering is that most dealers won't throw on their ADM's. Mine had a bunch of overpriced dealer add ons which I had to waste time negotiating for them to either take off or reduce the price 75%. Ordering also saves the time haggling back and forth all day, you order what you want and know the exact price right there in a few minutes not hours.
Same here. Only bought one new car off the lot. All others were ordered. When spending that much money I’m going to make sure it is exactly the way I want it. Besides, waiting for the order is sweet torture. It always brings back memories of waiting for Christmas morning.
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