ice-capades

No word yet on the revised 2013/2014MY C-MAX timetable. The latest FDNB (Fleet Distribution News Bulletin) from last Friday still shows a 2013 Job Last date of 12/01/2013 which has to be incorrect since they just released the 2014 C-MAX Order Guides. Scheduling usually starts a month after the order guides are released and the USOB (Unscheduled Order Bank) is open. Job #1 is usually a month after scheduling starts. Hopefully Ford will update the C-MAX timetable soon so that these questions can be answered.

Sorry "Austin" but after managing new Ford inventory for 27 years, I've never seen or heard of "pre-production" vehicles being produced for company lease vehicles that are being used as guinea pigs. Ford normally will not even schedule retail or fleet orders until the "OK to Buy" status is reached which is normally at the time that the initial shipping release status is achieved. Even so, Flat Rock is not scheduled to start production until August 26th which makes your claimed July production date even more suspect. Further, the entire Flat Rock plant, including the Mustang assembly line, is scheduled to be "down" for most of July. Ford will not complete 2013 Fusion scheduling until Thursday this week with 2014 Fusion scheduling starting as soon as next Thursday, May 23rd. Even so, initial scheduling will be restricted to Dealer stock orders until the "OK to Buy' Status is reached. In addition, there is no information available yet as to whether Flat Rock's production of the 2014 Fusion will be restricted to certain models, powertrain, etc. In any event, scheduling at plants is determined by Ford and beyond the control of Dealers.

Thanks for buying a Ford vehicle! I've driven nothing but Mustang's for a company car for many years so I know how much you'll enjoy being part of the Mustang family. Enjoy!

07/13/2013 - 2013MY Job Last Date 04/19/2013 - 2014MY Order Bank Open Date 05/16/2013 - 2014MY Scheduling Begins - Hermosillo 06/13/2013 - 2014MY Scheduling Begins - Flat Rock 07/15/2013 - 2014MY Job #1 Date - Hermosillo 08/26/2013 - 2014MY Job #1 Date - Flat Rock The above information is from the latest FDNB (Fleet Distribution News Bulletin) released on May 10, 2013. The one change since then is that 2014 Fusion scheduling will not start this week as originally planned. Final 2013MY Fusion scheduling is to be completed on Thursday this week with 2014MY Fusion scheduling anticipated to start the following Thursday, May 23rd. As such, there has been NO 2014 Fusion scheduling yet. In addition Flat Rock scheduling does not start until June 13th with a Flat Rock Job #1 Date of August 26th!

2014 C-MAX Hybrid & 2014 C-MAX Energi Order Guides 2014 C-MAX Energi Order Guide.pdf 2014 C-MAX Hybrid Order Guide.pdf

There's nothing more disappointing for either the Dealer or retail customer to discover either vehicle damage or possible factory defect months after the vehicle arrived or was sold and delivered to a customer. Your Ford Dealer has the first responsibility to inspect the vehicle upon arrival and note any carrier damage on the Bill of Lading to support the in-transit claim and damage repair claim that will be filed. If there is no damage noted at the time of receipt, the Dealer is responsible for the cost of any repairs. Roof damage, with or without a Power Moonroof, is always a primary if not critical concern at initial inspection as some types of roof damage will render the car to be a "category" vehicle requiring the vehicle to be returned to Ford for repair and then sold at auction. I'm not suggesting the issue described here is of that caliber as the descriptions here sound relative minor and easy to correct. What's important here is that every customer inspect their vehicle prior to taking delivery! Should there be any evidence of either carrier damage or factory defects they should be addressed at that time and before the customer takes delivery. Doing so prior to delivery will eliminate a lot of problems afterward.

There is still no information on why the 2013MY Job Last Date has been pushed back to December 1st. Ford may just be trying to maximize the sales numbers for the 2013MY C-MAX Hybrid for future marketing purposes but even this is just speculation. I have seen nothing about any rumored drivetrain issues.

Thank you for buying a Ford product!

I understand what you're saying but from a Dealer's perspective will respectfully disagree. Holding off on the next generation Mustang's reveal until the anniversary date and/or Job #1 date will just push back availability of the new model that much longer. It's quite common, even the rule, that Ford will hold 4-6 weeks of production for thorough quality inspections at the plant before issuing the initial shipping release. With that I mind, holding the reveal and/or Job #1 date to coincide with the anniversary date would mean that the shipping release wouldn't happen until nearly June of next year with cars hitting Dealers' lots in mid-June or so. The Mustang model year production change has taken place in the late January, early February time frame for many years now and I'd expect that Ford is planning on keeping that cycle in place as long as everything is ready for continuing the same changeover schedule. Ford will have multiple opportunities to market the next generation Mustang to the enthusiasts and to the public... spy shots, early magazine articles, public reveal, etc. A lot of these questions will be answered when Ford releases the 2015 Mustang order bank, scheduling and production timetable later this year! Many of us here are old enough to remember the days when all the new models were unveiled at the same time in the Fall of each year. As the business has changed over the years, manufacturers just can't afford to wait to put cars on the market. Considering the hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars involved in creating and producing new models, they just can't afford any delays in getting those new models into customers hands. Further, it's been years since Ford has used an official sale date before Dealers can sell and deliver a new vehicle. For a number of years now, Ford has authorized its Dealers to sell new Model Year vehicles upon receipt. Thanks!

While it may benefit customers to see all these individual options available for order, it makes it much, much more difficult for Dealers trying to order the right mix of models and features/options. The all-new 2014 Transit Connect has 15 different body codes just to start with!

Ford will release information on the next generation Mustang on its own schedule but from what's been reported online recently, we're being told not to expect a too radical makeover as Ford recognizes the importance of the Mustang heritage and knows that the all-new car must be instantly recognizable as a Mustang. I's expect to see the new car at the Los Angeles show at the latest as the Detroit show will be very close to what I expect the 2015MY Job #1 date to be and the New York auto show will be too late as Ford will want the car to be available for sale by the 50th anniversary date.

Ford Dealers received large color chip samples about 6+ weeks ago including the new Dark Side & Sunset colors. The Dark Side is another "near Black" color but I'll have to look at the sample tomorrow morning when I'm back in the office to describe the tint. The new Sunset looks very good but does have an Orange tint to it.

2014 Mustang Price Increase... Effective May 2, 2013 V6 $0 V6 Premium $100 GT $150 GT Premium $250 Shelby GT500 $150 2013MY Edge and 2014MY Mustang, Taurus and Flex units invoiced prior to May 2, 2013 will not be reinvoiced. Automatic price protection will be provided on: • Firm 2013 and 2014-model fleet, retail, and demonstrator orders signed and dated on or before May 1, 2013, and received by Ford Motor Company on or before May 1, 2013.

2014 Transit Connect Order Guide... April 30, 2013 2014 Transit Connect Order Guide.pdf

2014 Taurus Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2014 Taurus Order Guide.pdf

2014 Mustang Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2014 Mustang Order Guide.pdf

2014 Flex Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2014 Flex Order Guide.pdf

2014 Explorer Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2014 Explorer Order Guide.pdf

2014 Escape Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2014 Escape Order Guide.pdf

2013 F-150 Order Guide... Updated April 30, 2013 2013 F-150 Order Guide.pdf

Deanh... It's driven me crazy for years that the original Pony Car, in particular, the new Mustang GT is shipped with Pirelli tires rather than Goodyear Eagle tires which have a performance history going back for decades.

Too much speculation here regarding causes for the delay in the 2014MY C-MAX especially due to CAFE requirements! Based on my experience with Ford in the mid 1980's, Ford knows exactly at any time where they stand in regard to the CAFE requirements and will cut back production of models, if necessary, that have the biggest negative impact on the CAFE requirements. That was then and I expect that meeting the annual CAFE requirements will again become critical in future years but it's just not a problem for Ford now. Ford's CEO has pushed "best in class" fuel economy as the objective for a number of years now and Ford is producing and selling a substantially more fuel efficient model mix now compared to just a few years ago. As such, I just don't buy the CAFE issue as an excuse for the 2014 C-MAX delay! The latest information available is that the 2013 "Job Last" date for the 2013 C-MAX is 12/01/2013. There is no information available as to the 2014 C-MAX timetable regarding order bank, scheduling or production start dates. I'll try to post updated information when it becomes available but I wouldn't expect anything further for several months. Joey Tetreault Advertising Manager & New Vehicle Inventory Manager Bob Thomas Ford (Hamden, CT) www.BobThomasFord.com

Per the above posts, the "Job Last" date was recently pushed back to 12/01/2013. There is no information as to why this is being done or any dates released for the 2014 C-MAX order bank, scheduling or production dates. I'll try to post updates as they become available but I wouldn't expect any further information for several months. Joey Tetreault Advertising Manager & New Vehicle Inventory Manager Bob Thomas Ford (Hamden, CT) www.BobThomasFord.com

The full size Transit, to be sold as the Ford T-Series in the USA will replace the E-Series which is being killed.

The order banks open at the same time for all dealers nationwide. See my posts in the 2014 Fusion Forum section for all the timetable information on the 2014 Model Year Fusion order bank, scheduling and Job #1 dates.