Ray-NYC

If Ford provided the dealers with the necessary information to satisfy our inquiries then we wouldn't need to go to Ford directly. There are multiple angles to approach this from. A large number of us have come to this forum as we heard Ford reads this board. After getting no where with CSR, SVT, Dealer, Zone Rep. and a variety of other names and numbers that have surfaced, we come here.

Dear Ford, I have been told that this forum is watched by corporate so I add this post. First a brief background. This will be my 3rd new Mustang, 7th overall Ford product (have some Lincolns in the family). First Mustang was a pre-ordered 2003 Mach . It was the first delivered to NY, I had pictures of the car being built. There was a 4 week push back on my ETA from when it was originally scheduled, but I was informed of each push back, so I was "OK." My 2006 GT was bought off the dealer floor as I was unwilling to pay the $20,000 markup on the 2007 GT500. (I won't tangent with the severe dissapointment with this dealership and their service department and warranty coverage, or lack there of - suffice to say, it's a disgrace). Now in 2010, I found a great, small dealership 90 minutes away that would sell a new Shelby for sticker, no haggling required. Placed order the day the banks opened, built April 15/16 ETA was May 3rd. I went to my bank branch 4/28, as I'm an employee so I need to obtain my loan directly. All is good and I have 30 days to finalize the loan and pickup a check to take to my dealer. The date pushes back in the system to May 8. Ok, no problem - loan is OK until 5/27. As of 5/25 there were no more updates on my car. My dealer (who I know well) has been making calls and hitting up everyone he can think of (His zone rep, has provided no information nor provided any assistance to date). 5/26, I sit with my bank and negotiate an extension on my loan until 6/15. This costs me a second inquiry on my credit report to "confirm" my credit is still good. After 6/15 I will have to do a totally new application +fee + a THIRD hit on my credit report - continuing to chip away at my top tier score each time. I can accept delay and holds. I can accept stock going to dealers while mine (and hundreds of the first built) are still sitting. I get the process and assembly line logistics. I do NOT get why my order still shows an ETA of May 8th as of the last update which was yesterday June 9th?!?! The car is now on it's second off-site trip from AutoPort. I'm paying for a 2006 GT that I'm not driving as to keep the mileage low for trade-in. I have a loan I either need to close on and begin the interest and payment schedule WITHOUT taking delivery of the car, or pay the app fee, and take a THIRD credit hit if I want to wait til the car is on the lot before taking the loan. These are decisions I am not able to make with out a VALID ETA and not just some random date stamped at the back of a computer print out. I made the mistake of believing the initial ETA and it has now cost me financially. (it's not the $75, as much as the principle). For $60,000, I feel I have a right to status on the timeline, I don't need specifics on the WHY (though I already know). As with many others, CSR, and even the SVT hotline provide nothing valuable. The dealer's inquiries are pushed aside. What does it take to get simple infomation and a commitment to an ETA? VIN: 1ZVBP8JSXB5107532 Sincerely, Raymond M.

Well I didn't read the entire thread. I skimmed through the posts and got a general feel on the topic. With that, I should have been more specific on my comment. Internally things may have changed at Ford. On the outside, it doesn't "look" that way. Yes, I know about the QC holds. We've had many valuable contacts from dealships and at the plants and others "in the know" passing on whatever they could back at The Mustang Source. I'm aware of why Ford is holding my car. For others that don't live on the web, all they see currently is Stock cars at dealerships and the car they/we ordered the day the banks opened are no where to be found. THe general lack of customer service/consideration, or whatever term you wish to use, is still out there. I, personally, was never looking for explanations of the holds, just status on a realistic ETA, so I can properly prepare for my car. I'm spending just south of $60,000 (I ordered a Shelby), I'm refraining from driving my '06 GT to keep the miles down for trade-in. I applied for my loan based on my, now long past, original ETA; that has since expired, i paid the small fee to extend that rate and it will expire again next week. WIth lack of an ETA, I cannot make a proper decision on how to handle the loan (there's more to it as I'm an employee of the bank, so it's not just go to dealer and sign papers like many can). However, to that, What about the guys with GT's that have now missed out on 0% rates that expired June 1, despite being some of the first orders in? I work in a department where Customer Service is crucial. If someone fails to respond to customer inquiries, or blows a deadline or ETA without update and explanation, heads roll... People get fired. This is for a few days or a week. We, with Ford, are going on weeks and months - dealers know nothing, CSR, knows nothing, so I return to my original comment with a caveat - FROM THE GENERAL CONSUMER'S point of view, not much has changed.

Fast Forward to 2010 and This is all still the same with the 2011 Mustangs.