akirby Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I wonder if one of the reasons they don't have a good tracking system is that if a person saw it on the Ford website, it might encourage them to order a specific car, rather than just buying off the lot. How big is the percentage of people that order, vs. the number who just buy one off the lot? That's not it. Ford doesn't really care whether they order one or buy it off the lot. Some dealers care, but most don't because an order is still a sale and they get to keep their stock to sell to someone else immediately. It's just delayed revenue. This is more about it just not being a big priority and the technical issues involved in taking a system designed for internal use and making the info available externally. I think you'll see it for Lincoln first, then Ford later in another year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 This is more about it just not being a big priority and the technical issues involved in taking a system designed for internal use and making the info available externally. +1 Currently, dealership personnel and fleet (FIN) customers are the main user groups (outside Ford Motor Company itself) for Ford's vehicle order status/tracking applications. Here's another 'yay' for Ford to make it available to other customers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmajical Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 +1 Currently, dealership personnel and fleet (FIN) customers are the main user groups (outside Ford Motor Company itself) for Ford's vehicle order status/tracking applications. Here's another 'yay' for Ford to make it available to other customers as well. I still can't believe they don't have something to handle this, but they can't even seem to get the Etsi correct... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romans5.8 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 (edited) I would LOVE the order process to be a little more 'fun'. As it is now, I'm getting the occasional phone call from a salesman, who can only see limited information and passes it on to me. Heck, I can remember when the brochures had all kinds of stuff in there to help you order. Now they have nothing! Okay, the webcam idea would be cool; but obviously not practical due to employees who may not like the cameras (this is assuming the plant doesn't already have cameras? But what about 'photo stations' throughout the line? In each section, paint and body, assembly, etc. If I got an email every couple hours as my car passed through various stages of assembly, that would be way cool! To see it 'come to life' And of course, being able to look the order stuff up myself, or get e-mail notifications would be a great way to move into at least the 1990's here in technology... All in all I've not been too thrilled with the order process. It's kind of tedious, and there's very little information. Weeks with nothing until suddenly something happens, with no idea when the next thing to happen is going to be... Although, in hindsight, I'm sure Ford probably wants to encourage you to purchase from dealer stock. But when you're an oddball who still likes to shift his own transmission AND thinks if he's gonna buy brand new he's going to buy EXACTLY what he wants! Well then, you've gotta special order. Or, well, at least I think the dealers would prefer that. They have to pay 'floor fees', like interest, to keep the cars in stock. So they are paying the MoCo each month for a car that sits on the lot. On the one hand, a special order car is pure profit because there are no floor fees, and it'll never even take up space of have to be shown and sold. On the other hand, that customer is ordering a car instead of taking one off the lot before another months 'fees' are due! Edited November 7, 2013 by Romans5.8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac760 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I completely agree. Especially helpful for those coming of lease and need to know if they are going to be out of a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac760 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 (edited) Yep, nothing but a way to get the window sticker...... Already got that. Edited December 6, 2013 by jmac760 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xr7g428 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 I could have written half the posts in this thread in 2005. Ford is really clueless on this. Surprise and delight? Nah... let Toyota do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Not clueless. Just a matter of priorities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac760 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Just recently bought a new Audi. I was able to track the car from the factory, onto its ship, to the receiving port and prep, down to the dealer and when it was ready for pickup. A great way to build your excitement for your new car..... Not so much for Ford! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Burns Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Was the audi made in germany? I would love to see a ford tracking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xr7g428 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I bought three new Fords in 2005, all were dealer orders. The first one was so painful that I didn't even care if the next two got built. I just told the dealer that if it ever showed up give me a call, but until then I considered it a dead issue, they could keep the deposit if that was what they thought best. Funny me: I thought that spending over $30K for a new car should be fun. Bottom line: I haven't bought or ordered a new Ford since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Fumarolo Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I can see both sides of the argument. I am a programmer, and although the "technical" part of this would be easy, there's a lot of other thought that would have to go into it. I can see why Ford wouldn't want you to have to the second info about shipping, etc. so that people are camped out at shipping yards. But that problem has already been solved with airplane tracking... just add a delay. Allow us to track it through the factory, then delay shipping info by 24 hours or something. That'd be good enough for most of us! My sister ordered a Fusion last fall that was built at the Hermosillo plant. That was my first experience with trying to decode window stickers. In retrospect, the codes on the sticker show it was scheduled to build about a week after she ordered. The sticker doesn't show a build date like it does for some of the other models, so I don't know how long it took from there, but then the car wasn't delivered for another 3 months. The dealer was at a loss, and they said they didn't have any more info. Now my wife and I ordered an Escape on 3/1 with the dealer, which they put into DORA on 3/3. Dealer claims they won't have info until a VIN is assigned, which from what I'm reading on the forums isn't necessarily true. By the way, even going on 4 weeks later, we're still waiting on a VIN. Even if the tracking offered is vague, I'd just like to know the status. I don't need nitty-gritty details, but I'd like to not feel like my 6-8 week estimate I was originally given is starting to feel very unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botts Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Even if the tracking offered is vague, I'd just like to know the status. I don't need nitty-gritty details, but I'd like to not feel like my 6-8 week estimate I was originally given is starting to feel very unlikely. You nailed it with this statement here. A smaller delivery estimate than the 6-8 weeks would be useful. Especially when the 6-8 weeks is going to be missed, a heads up would be nice. It looks like my 6-8 weeks will be 10-14 weeks now. I have a VIN, but no build date on ETIS yet. As someone who has been blessed with Amazon Prime's tracking, and a regular FedEx customer, I really, really miss having tracking on the car order. Even my suits come with more tracking on their construction than the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 When UPS starts building and shipping cars then you can track them the same way. This is infinitely more complicated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botts Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 When UPS starts building and shipping cars then you can track them the same way. This is infinitely more complicated. I would hazard a guess that Ford already has bombproof tracking for builds internally. It's a matter of making that system open for customers. One of the concerns might be setting unrealistic expectations if there's a delay, but that's something Ford PR could mitigate. It is most likely not a technical reason why we can't more accurately track our builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Fumarolo Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I have a VIN, but no build date on ETIS yet. ETIS won't show a build date until the build is completed. Have you tried grabbing your sticker? The build date appears there about a week before the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpinedaddy Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I just ordered my Fusion on the 7th. Already having patience issues. Its never been my strong point. I too have been used to amazon prime and FedEx tracking. My friend just ordered a bmw last month and has got two emails a week letting him know every step. Even got a picture of it on the production line. Guess im just jealous. Thankfully cyberdman offers some updates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chough Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Having a way to track online would be great. I appreciate the help on Blue Oval! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemike Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I too feel Ford should offer a web site that allows customers to track the build and shipping of their factory order. I also would love to see automated photos at one or two points along the assembly line for the car a customer has registered to track. Thanks for considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minx88 Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Do other manufacturers let you track the build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemike Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 Mini lets you track the production and shipment, I followed mine that I waited 9 months for back in 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Seems like a fairly obvious thing for customer satisfaction, so there must be an underlying business reason why Ford won't divulge shipping info. I wish I (or someone) could track down my order. NM0AS8FX0E1162601 17 weeks I've waited so far. No E.T.A. One Ford internal web site shows it was built on 13 May. But I can't find any other info. Meantime my 20-yr old daily driver is making unhealthy sounds. I need that new car! Maybe it is here, but stuck in U.S. Customs at port of entry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 There is a very simple answer. Your dealer has all of the information available on your vehicle. If they're not sharing it with you then you need to discuss it with the dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustangchief Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) Have you tried using this? http://www.cotus.ford.com/ updated to reflect it is no longer beta, dropped the b after US Edited June 26, 2014 by mustangchief Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteakNEggs Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 Have you tried using this? http://www.cotus.ford.com/ updated to reflect it is no longer beta, dropped the b after US Tried it with our Flex which all we have right now is the order/dealer codes, no go. Tried it with a "dealer ordered" VIN and a stock VIN, no go. Seems to only work for Mustangs right now as I have no problem pulling up their VINs.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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