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ice-capades

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Posts posted by ice-capades

    2009 Escape & 2009 Escape Hybrid Price Increases

    in Escape & Kuga Forum

    Posted

    I have the same question, but I don't think it has been asnwered by anyone yet. Can anyone explain whether any orders in the system are effected by this? And if so, how far do you have to be in the process to not be effected?

     

    I placed an order around 7/21 with my dealership, but don't have a PIN assigned yet.

     

    I'm already paying more than I wanted for features that I don't want, but are required to get the features that I do want. Whose bright idea was it that you have to order the Sun & Sync package in order to get a roof rack and the amenities package on an 09 Mariner? I didn't really want leather, but it was cheaper to upgrade to the Premier rather than adding a moon roof which I definitely didn't want (based on the other options that I wanted).

     

    As long as you have a valid "Retail" order that was received by Ford prior to the price increase it will be "Price Protected". It doesn't make a difference whether or not you have a VIN or whether the vehicle is scheduled yet or if the order is still in the USOB (Unscheduled Order Bank).

    2009 Mustang Price Increase

    in Mustang Forum

    Posted

    Ford Dealers were notified Friday that 2009 Mustang prices will increase, effective August 1st, according to the following schedule.

     

    Increase V6 Coupe Deluxe by $260 MSRP

    Increase V6 Coupe Premium by $350 MSRP

    Increase V6 Convertible Deluxe by $260 MSRP

    Increase V6 Convertible Premium by $350 MSRP

     

    Increase all GT Coupe and Convertibles by $350 MSRP

     

    Price Protection

    2009 MY units invoiced prior to August 1, 2008 will not be re-invoiced.

     

    Automatic price protection will be provided on all 2009 MY retail orders received by Ford Motor Company on or before August 1, 2008.

    2009 Escape & 2009 Escape Hybrid Price Increases

    in Escape & Kuga Forum

    Posted

    Ford Dealers were notified Friday that 2009 Escape prices will increase, effective August 1st, according to the following schedule.

     

    2009 Escape

    Increase all arrays by $385 MSRP

    Increase D&D (Destination & Delivery) by $30 MSRP

     

    2009 Escape Hybrid

    Increase all arrays by $1,000 MSRP

    Increase D&D (Destination & Delivery) by $30 MSRP

     

    Price Protection

    2009 MY units invoiced prior to August 1, 2008 will not be re-invoiced.

     

    Automatic price protection will be provided on all 2009 MY retail orders received by Ford Motor Company on or before August 1, 2008.

    2009 Fusion Order Guide

    in Fusion Forum

    Posted

    Well, on Ford's website you can finally use the "build and price your Ford" feature and guess what? If I try to build an SAP equipped V6 SEL FWD, it will not let me add Navigation!!

     

    Very strange... I guess you found a workaround when you printed that example order. Doesn't matter, I like the Blue Suede Package version better now anyway!

     

    It seems to be another one of the glitches that Ford still hasn't realized and as such won't correct until sometime in the future. My first thought is to point it out as an example of the quality work being done in some departments working with reduced staff. Just look at how difficult it is to read and understand some of the information in the vehicle order guides this year.

    FEH/MEH Special Orders -- order to build time

    in Escape & Kuga Forum

    Posted

    Went to my dealer today and saw the DORA. Their ordering guy starts priority codes for Type 1 (Retail) at 12 not 10 like the guy in CT does, but each ordering guy is free to divvy up the values of 10-99 any way they want to, so no big surprise there. What is surprising is that there are only two retail-type 09 FEH's on order from this dealer. The other type 1 order has a priority of 13.

     

    The impression I get from talking to the dealer is that they and Ford HQ are playing a big game of "chicken" in terms of allocation. The dealer is balking at Ford HQ's attempt to make them take two Expedition allocations in order to get one Escape Hybrid allocation. And as the inventory guy from CT points out: No allocation = No VIN = No Vehicle. I wonder which one is going to "blink" first? Is Ford HQ willing to let an order from April 21 sit around and go unfilled forever or will their need to book revenue ASAP force them to stop their allocation "game playing" with the dealer and actually schedule the vehicle to be built? Will the dealer eventually bend over, grab the ankles and say "thank you sir, may I have another [Expedition]!" in order to keep a customer even if it makes zero economical sense to take in two "boat anchors" that won't sell for quite some time, thus incurring huge carryig costs?

     

    I feel like a wish-bone being pulled from both sides. I don't want special treatment. I just want fair treatment. If I'm way back in the line despite having ordered back on April 21, so be it. Stuff happens (material availability, ramp-up time for new third shift, etc.) that can cause other vehicles to be built before mine. The issue right now is, I'm not even in line (no allocation = no VIN = no vehicle).

     

    Hey Ford HQ! How about some open, honest, transparent communication from all segments of Ford involved in the process of selling a vehicle? Thank goodness there are Ford employees working on the assembly lines that are willing to provide information via this forum. Same kudos goes to the inventory manager up in CT for all the excellent information about VOC, DORA, CONCEPS, USOB, DNB, Commodity Reports, and the (not so anymore) dirty secret about the dealer fight to get allocations to place orders against.

     

    Bottom line: Based upon what I know, the three most important things to remember about getting your FEH/MMH in a decent amount of time are: Allocation, Allocation, Allocation

     

    At least here in the Northeast, there is no bartering going on between Ford and its Dealers to get Hybrids scheduled. No one at Ford is telling us that we can get a Hybrid scheduled if we'll also buy another Expedition, etc. There's a good reason why... they're building all the Hybrids they want to and don't have to offer any deals to Dealers!

    Losing dealership options fast - are you kidding me?

    in Executives & Management

    Posted

    Just curious, how many requests for quote from sites like Edmunds or KBB do you receive every day? Do you respond to them?

     

    I ask because between myself and my father-in-law, I can count three vehicles sold this way. The dealerships that responded to our requests got the business (assuming they were the best quote). Those that didn't respond (the majority, btw) weren't given any further consideration.

     

    The lady at the Toyota dealer that I got my wife's Highlander from was dedicated (full-time) to just responding to those internet requests. She said, as I picked up the Highlander, that the internet turned the dealership around from dying to expanding.

     

    We use our corporate site, Ford Direct, CARS.com & VEHIX.com. Most of our leads come through the Ford hosted site. We dropped AutoTrader.com after a year due to disappointing lead numbers and quality but are seeing a big difference since starting with CARS.com a few months ago. VEHIX.com is a new and recent addition but showing very poor results so far. I won't disclose actual lead volume for any sources, or actual number of sales but can tell you that our Internet sales have increased six fold since we set up a new BDC (Business Development Center) about six months ago. Our Internet Sales Manager follows up on every lead, provides vehicle quotes, is very successful in setting up appointments and is involved in every aspect of the buying process. We do regular, long term follow-up on an ongoing basis and will be adding a new eNewsletter shortly to provide updated Dealership information, vehicle specials, parts and service coupons, etc. In addition, a big plus to our increasing sales is the fact that our Dealer Principal is at the store all the time and is accessible to all customers. It's very common to see him talking with a sales customer as well as service customers.

    How about a factory dual exhaust option for the V6 ?

    in Mustang Forum

    Posted · Edited by ice-capades

    I agree that the Mustang should get a dual exhaust setup option. The V6 Fusion has dual exhaust and it sound good with factory mufflers. Ford can do the same thing with the Mustang. They already have half the parts to make it happen. It doesn't need to have a loud sounding exhaust for the V6 duals. They may find that performance on the V6 and gas mileage would pick up just a little with the better flowing exhaust system.

     

    As to the comment with too options already, there are never too many options that you can put on a car. And you being a car dealer should know that already. It sounds like you don't like to strain your brain when ordering cars and trying to guess which options will sell a car on your lot that people want.

     

    OUCH! I'm sorry to read that you disagree with my opinion about the number of options available for a new Mustang but won't argue with you. My company "Demo" is a 2008 Mustang GT/CS edition and I've been managing my Dealershipo's new vehicle inventory for 22 years now so I think I have a pretty good idea about the Ford vehicle ordering process. The new Fast Turn Order (FTO) suggestions are a welcome addition in assisting Dealer's to order units that will sell quickly. Fast Turn Order (FTO) recommendations help Dealers order units that will sell more quickly. Unfortunately, every time that Ford offers new options to a Mustang, it makes it that much more difficult for Dealer's to order units that will sell quickly. The best opinion I can offer about vehicle ordering complexity is for the F-150. The F-150 Order Guide is 26 pages!

     

    In addition, there are local Market situations that each Dealer must consider. In my Market, the fastest selling Mustang version is the GT/CS edition. Yes, we still sell V6 Mustang's but in our Market we sell mostly GT's. Actually, we gone as far as 600 miles to buy new Mustang's from other Dealers.

    Which Brands are GM Dissing for Good?

    in Competing Products

    Posted

    The report out today is that GM is about to cut thousands of workers and abandon at least one division and perhaps more. Speculation is that Saturn and Saab will go. I see Saturn surviving cut. Saab is a given and will be for sale I believe. IMO, Pontiac, Buick, and GMC need to go. The G6 is good seller and fuel efficient, but it's high rental fleet seller and only volume seller in Pontiac fleet....GONE or should be gone. Buick vehicles are dismal sellers and Enclave can easily go to Cadillac brand. With truck volume sinking fast, GM does not need TWO truck divisions. Get rid of it NOW. Chevy knows how to sell trucks and can deal with it. For me, Saturn should get vehicles like Astra and other European, global vehicles with good gas mileage. If GM is to survive, Chevy, Cadillac, and European based Saturn stay and rest go way of Oldsmobile. GM's anchor is way too heavy to stay afloat in 13 million new car market, and needs to cut links out now in order to stay afloat. I'm assuming Hummer will be sold to Russian outfit sometime this year.

     

    In my opinion, the only two viable divisions of General Motors are Chevrolet and Cadillac. Quite frankly, I never understood Saturn. As widely reported, GM is burning through cash rapidly and announcing that they're going to shut down divisions will cost them greatly. They'll be putting hundreds of thousands of Company (GM) and Dealership employees out of woirk and there will be a lot of Dealership real estate suddenly available at bargain basement prices.

     

    Should GM reduce itself to only Chevy & Cadillac divisions, it will be interesting to see how it stacks up competitively against Ford & Lincoln. What no mention of Mercury? I think that Ford will have Mercury die a slow death so that so they can avoid the costs associated with an announcement and resulting Dealership litigation that they're shutting down the Mercury Division. They'll stop development of future Mercury product, as already reported widely, and just let Mercury die leaving only the Lincoln Division which they're obviously promoting with new products. The smaller Lincoln/Mercury stores will be forced to close and the resulting Lincoln stores will be stronger as a result because there will be less competition.

     

    These are just my thoughts, based on 22 years of experience, and presented here as my thoughts on the current and future Market situation as I see it.

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