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When can a Ford dealer book a sale?


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Wondering if you guys can shed some light on this... Just got a Ford Customer Viewpoint survey asking about my "recent purchase" of a 2013 C-MAX Hybrid from my dealership. The survey goes on to state, and I quote, "...related to your purchase experience on June 30."

 

The thing is, my car wasnt built until July 11, and is still in transit. I don't expect to take delivery until July 26 (current ETA per Ford). I'm not trying to assume the worst here, but...did my dealership take credit for my sale before it actually occurred? The specific mention of June 30 as the "purchase date" makes me a bit suspicious, as that's the last day to take credit for June sales.

 

So...is it kosher to take "credit" for a sale on a car that hasn't even been built yet? Am I missing something? Am I being too suspicious? Am I asking too many questions? :)

Edited by MadManMoon
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No, it's not kosher if that is in fact what happened. I would ask the sales manager about it and see what date is on the paperwork. Unless they're helping you out with rebates or something like that I would make them change it since it affects your warranty and it could negatively affect your rebates. If they refuse just call Ford.

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Booked June 30?

 

Hmm...... I wonder if someone, somewhere had a performance spiff related to monthly sales.....................................................

Exactly my concern, Richard. If it helps them, but doesn't hurt my rebates or warranty start, then no harm, no foul. So we'll see how this turns out. Sales manager hasn't returned my call yet.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Quick follow-up...received a welcome packet of sorts from Ford today congratulating me on my purchase, again showing the June 30 purchase date. However, the VIN was also listed...and it's not my VIN. I feel sorry for the person that actually owns this car and apparently did buy it on June 30, because I'm getting all their brochures and service coupons. :)

 

I'll have to correct this at the dealership when I pick it up later this week (hopefully).

 

At least my suspicions that the dealer was pulling some sales quota shenanigans didn't prove to be true.

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Quick follow-up...received a welcome packet of sorts from Ford today congratulating me on my purchase, again showing the June 30 purchase date. However, the VIN was also listed...and it's not my VIN. I feel sorry for the person that actually owns this car and apparently did buy it on June 30, because I'm getting all their brochures and service coupons. :)

 

I'll have to correct this at the dealership when I pick it up later this week (hopefully).

 

At least my suspicions that the dealer was pulling some sales quota shenanigans didn't prove to be true.

When I bought the FFH the dealer set down for all the signing and I discovered, right away, that it was the wrong car/VIN. You got to wonder how much this happens.

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Quick follow-up...received a welcome packet of sorts from Ford today congratulating me on my purchase, again showing the June 30 purchase date. However, the VIN was also listed...and it's not my VIN. I feel sorry for the person that actually owns this car and apparently did buy it on June 30, because I'm getting all their brochures and service coupons. :)

 

I'll have to correct this at the dealership when I pick it up later this week (hopefully).

 

At least my suspicions that the dealer was pulling some sales quota shenanigans didn't prove to be true.

The dealer pulled shenanigans. It doesn't affect you, but shenanigans occured.

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Unfortunately there are dealers that will report vehicle sales prior to delivery in order to inflate their sales numbers which can help in Ford contest standings and/or allocation for future production. Further yet, the vehicle "in service" date starts when the vehicle is reported sold to Ford which can become an issue for the consumer should there be an issue related to warranty coverage when a service issue occurs and a warranty claim is rejected because of the elapsed time.



The other problem is when a dealer reports a stock unit as sold and the same vehicle is then swapped to another Ford dealer. It's a mess getting the sale status reversed so that the vehicle can be transferred into the receiving dealer's inventory. Many years ago there was a dealer in CT that was reporting stock units as sold on a regular basis. The problem got so bad that the only way we'd do a swap was them was to first run an OASIS report first to make sure that there was no "in service" date for the vehicle. In another case, another CT dealer won a Ford dealer contest by cheating and got caught. As a result, they lost the contest and it was awarded to our dealership. As a result, the Dealer Principal sent me to the Ford "Dealer Intro Show" in Las Vegas at Ford's expense!


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Unfortunately there are dealers that will report vehicle sales prior to delivery in order to inflate their sales numbers which can help in Ford contest standings and/or allocation for future production. Further yet, the vehicle "in service" date starts when the vehicle is reported sold to Ford which can become an issue for the consumer should there be an issue related to warranty coverage when a service issue occurs and a warranty claim is rejected because of the elapsed time.

The other problem is when a dealer reports a stock unit as sold and the same vehicle is then swapped to another Ford dealer. It's a mess getting the sale status reversed so that the vehicle can be transferred into the receiving dealer's inventory. Many years ago there was a dealer in CT that was reporting stock units as sold on a regular basis. The problem got so bad that the only way we'd do a swap was them was to first run an OASIS report first to make sure that there was no "in service" date for the vehicle. In another case, another CT dealer won a Ford dealer contest by cheating and got caught. As a result, they lost the contest and it was awarded to our dealership. As a result, the Dealer Principal sent me to the Ford "Dealer Intro Show" in Las Vegas at Ford's expense!

reminds me a dealer down here that was giving everyone D plan numbers from his employees when the program started...he too got caught and fined up the.....

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