FEH/MEH Special Orders -- order to build time

[GaryG]

Thanks GL and Scott

 

As soon as I get the '09, I'll confirm changes with the new engine and everything compared to my '05 FEH ASAP here in a new thread. It was real nice getting all the information from everyone here at Blue Oval. I've read the owners manual and half the Nav Sys link already. Checking out the new iPhone 3G because my pocket pc phone is acting up and it's time for new phones and a change in the family plan from Verizon. Anyone found any possible problems with the 3G and Sync/Nav Sys?

 

Anyway, for those that have not gotten a Vehicle Order Confirmation with your name on it and a good Priority code, I'd be asking questions to your salesperson. According to ViperPilot's tracking information, it was that VOC that Ford received the order from me and my dealership on 4/29. Ford did not consider the date I got the first VOC from my dealer with no name and a priority 80. I think that means an allocation hadn't been given yet for my unit.

 

The $3000 tax credit and the $500 AQHA rebate was enough for me to pay sticker and not take any chances on X Plan and not getting an allocated unit till next year or not at all. You folks that will get it all, God Bless you! Also, I personally considered the Dealership, fleet Manager and my Broker's jobs and profits during these hard times. I think we all agree, Ford is an American Institution that must survive.

[fmorriso]

This poll is tracking how long it's taking for people to get their ordered MMH/FEHs from the date they ordered it to the date it is estimated for delivery line.

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

[kprough]

Thanks to everyone for their info - it really helped me a lot. I am way behind most of you with an order date of 7/2/08. My dealer told me it could be up to 6 months until the car comes in, but that they had already received the one they had ordered in April for another customer. I'll bide my time and keep in contact with the dealer now that I know what questions to ask! :reading:

[ice-capades]

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!

[fmorriso]

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!

When the dealer was showing me my order online via CONCEPS on Saturday, it appears the top of the screen contains what I'll call the "order header", including the current status (CLEAN/UNSCHED) and last status update (07/10). The bottom of the screen appears to be some sort of "order history" (what we IT guys call a master/detail screen). In my case, there was a single line in the "detail" section, dated 4/21 with some wording like "order accepted". May I assume this means my order is sitting in the USOB waiting for an allocation "slot" to use for scheduling?