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Dealer ADM Consequence So Far


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1 hour ago, bbf2530 said:

Hi gang. Just as an FYI, and to avoid confusion: As per Ford's AXZD-Plan rules, Documentation Fees on AXZD-Plan purchases are capped by Ford/Lincoln at $75.

 

AXZD-Plan eligibility also applies to all vehicles, unless specifically excluded by Ford. These exclusions will usually always apply to Special Edition/Limited Edition models such as Ford GT's, Shelbys etc. And sometimes when a brand new model is first introduced.

Currently, all vehicles (non-Special Edition), including Escape/Edge/Explorer etc. are eligible for Plan sales.

But keep in mind that Dealer participation is voluntary, so an individual Dealer can refuse to accept AXZD-Plan sales on any vehicle they so choose. But they are not excluded by Ford.

So if a Dealer is refusing to accept an AXZD-Plan PIN for an Escape/Edge/Explorer etc., it is their choice, not because of Ford.

 

You can find an explanation of all the rules and regulations here: https://www.myplan.ford.com/myplanweb/jsp/howitworks/myplan_az_rules.htm#CanIbechargedadocumentfeedocf

 

Good luck.


At least on X plan the doc fee changed to $100 several years ago.

 

 

853532B8-66D3-478D-B9C7-342E58DA9C3B.jpeg

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3 hours ago, Flying68 said:

Just a thought but my hometown (pop.12,000) Ford dealer has a GT500 in the showroom for $40k over sticker.  My dad knows the GM pretty well and he was told by the GM that they put the ADM on there to keep the big dealers from the metro area (100 miles away) from buying their inventory.  If someone from the local area wants to buy it, the price would probably be much closer to sticker.  Pre-pandemic they used to sell a lot of their Expedition and Navigator inventory to those same dealers at sticker, who would have some sucker waiting to get ripped off.

 

"Other dealers taking inventory" is a pretty creative dealer tall tale. A fat ADM means the dealer has fallen in love with the inventory, and doesn't care who buys it as long as they pay up.  This kind of love turns hilarious when these jewels end up having birthdays on the lot, surrounded with newer models. 

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47 minutes ago, akirby said:


At least on X plan the doc fee changed to $100 several years ago.

 

 

853532B8-66D3-478D-B9C7-342E58DA9C3B.jpeg

 

 

Hi Allen. Yes, you are correct. The AXZD-Plan rules I linked to were dated "Effective October 13, 2018". However, a newer version of the rules can be found here (dated "Effective March 2, 2022): https://www.jdemmerford.com/ford-x-plan-official-rules.htm

Pronoun trouble. ?

 

And here is a direct link to the AXZD-Plan/Partner X-Plan rules from Ford, as opposed to being a Dealer link to the rules: https://www.fordpartner.com/partnerweb/jsp/howitworks/fordpartner_rules.htm#faq26

 

Good luck.

Edited by bbf2530
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1 hour ago, Donaldo said:

 

"Other dealers taking inventory" is a pretty creative dealer tall tale. A fat ADM means the dealer has fallen in love with the inventory, and doesn't care who buys it as long as they pay up.  This kind of love turns hilarious when these jewels end up having birthdays on the lot, surrounded with newer models. 

that's total BS....a Dealer cant just take anothers inventory....good lord....who comes up with this stuff....Dealers sell off inventory all the time, but its SOLELY their own decision....

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While Ford may not be letting dealers "raid" each others inventory, from what I'm told VW dealers can. Seems that VW is very much trying to make inventory going to or at a given dealership their own at least until the invoice gets paid, and to take further control VW pays the salespeople a commission on top of the dealers.

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Going back to the unusually large Bronco inventory at one small town dealer with of course ADM, I dragged in some more data. I centered the search via  cars.com (Ford won't let you search dealer inventory for Broncos) on 56258. That's Marshall, MN, a regional trade center in southwest Minnesota and I expanded the search out 100 miles which takes in the much larger Sioux Falls, SD as well as several other regional trade centers like Marshall.  Ford.com shows 34 dealers within that 100 mile radius and cars.com shows Broncos at 13 (there may be a few Ford dealers in this area that don't list on that site). The dealer in the larger Sioux Falls market shows no Broncos, same with nearby dealers in Luverne and Worthington, MN. 0f the 13 dealers offering Broncos, 7 have only 1, 5 show 2 or 3, and only one shows 6. That dealer, Schwieters in Montevideo, MN, has 7 other Ford dealers within a 50 mile radius and Montevideo has a population of ~5000 so they don't have a populous trade area. Their website shows blue (stock) window stickers for 2 of the Broncos and those have dates  From May and November of last year, suggesting these were the one every six months demo Broncos dealers were allowed to order. But the other 4 have no window stickers on their website so are they customer ordered Broncos or not?

 

So in a 100 mile radius why does one dealer in one of the smallest markets have 6 of the 27 known new Broncos when they have one of the smallest markets and all 6 have ADM?

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2 hours ago, GearheadGrrrl said:

Going back to the unusually large Bronco inventory at one small town dealer with of course ADM, I dragged in some more data. I centered the search via  cars.com (Ford won't let you search dealer inventory for Broncos) on 56258. That's Marshall, MN, a regional trade center in southwest Minnesota and I expanded the search out 100 miles which takes in the much larger Sioux Falls, SD as well as several other regional trade centers like Marshall.  Ford.com shows 34 dealers within that 100 mile radius and cars.com shows Broncos at 13 (there may be a few Ford dealers in this area that don't list on that site). The dealer in the larger Sioux Falls market shows no Broncos, same with nearby dealers in Luverne and Worthington, MN. 0f the 13 dealers offering Broncos, 7 have only 1, 5 show 2 or 3, and only one shows 6. That dealer, Schwieters in Montevideo, MN, has 7 other Ford dealers within a 50 mile radius and Montevideo has a population of ~5000 so they don't have a populous trade area. Their website shows blue (stock) window stickers for 2 of the Broncos and those have dates  From May and November of last year, suggesting these were the one every six months demo Broncos dealers were allowed to order. But the other 4 have no window stickers on their website so are they customer ordered Broncos or not?

 

So in a 100 mile radius why does one dealer in one of the smallest markets have 6 of the 27 known new Broncos when they have one of the smallest markets and all 6 have ADM?

If you use the YAA search you can pull the VIN, then use a sticker look up to find the green window stickers. The dealership is advertising retail orders to inflate stock numbers to get people to the lot. Ask them about any of those no-sticker advertised Broncos and they'll say they're already spoken for. Well, yes...they're retail orders. 

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I saw something interesting on a YouTube video of a 2022 F250 demo ride.  The person making the video showed the window sticker listing the equipment and the camera slipped for about 2 seconds and I saw the Additional Dealer Markup of $10,000.  It was a dealer in my home state --- oops.

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Known or posted mark-up isn’t really a problem.  The dealer isn’t trying to hide anything, the customer decides whether to pay it.  It’s the other shady dealer tactics that should be investigated, such as…

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-napleton-auto-settlement-ftc-illegal-fees-black-customers-20220401-4cmp6qnknzg7bahyhb5maqpsme-story.html

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1 hour ago, 02MustangGT said:

Known or posted mark-up isn’t really a problem.  The dealer isn’t trying to hide anything, the customer decides whether to pay it.  It’s the other shady dealer tactics that should be investigated, such as…

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-napleton-auto-settlement-ftc-illegal-fees-black-customers-20220401-4cmp6qnknzg7bahyhb5maqpsme-story.html


Dealers who allow a customer to order without giving them a firm price are just as bad as the ones who do huge ADMs.  Especially with Maverick and Bronco sports which have a lot of first time buyers.  Ford should require the dealer to document the selling price as part of COVP.  If they want to charge ADM and the customer agrees, fine.  But no surprises.

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On 4/2/2022 at 4:06 PM, akirby said:


Dealers who allow a customer to order without giving them a firm price are just as bad as the ones who do huge ADMs.  Especially with Maverick and Bronco sports which have a lot of first time buyers.  Ford should require the dealer to document the selling price as part of COVP.  If they want to charge ADM and the customer agrees, fine.  But no surprises.


that’s actually a great idea and be able to document it in the notes of if using x plan, price protection (as some dealers are not doing it) and other incentives during the order discussed about. 

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Hi gang. Not condoning dishonest Dealerships (or dishonest anything, for that matter). However, I would add..Customers need to have a little bit of common sense and insist on a purchase contract. All pricing, taxes, fees, etc...and a final purchase price... should be clearly listed. It is foolish for a buyer not to insist on a contract for any purchase, let alone one as expensive as a new vehicle.

 

Anyone who naively agrees to buy anything without a contract is only setting themselves up to be taken advantage of.

 

And if a Dealer refuses to give a fully detailed and signed contract, or stalls/delays, then they should not be trusted.

 

Just another perspective on the subject.

 

Good luck. ?

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1 hour ago, bbf2530 said:

Hi gang. Not condoning dishonest Dealerships (or dishonest anything, for that matter). However, I would add..Customers need to have a little bit of common sense and insist on a purchase contract. All pricing, taxes, fees, etc...and a final purchase price... should be clearly listed. It is foolish for a buyer not to insist on a contract for any purchase, let alone one as expensive as a new vehicle.

 

Anyone who naively agrees to buy anything without a contract is only setting themselves up to be taken advantage of.

 

And if a Dealer refuses to give a fully detailed and signed contract, or stalls/delays, then they should not be trusted.

 

Just another perspective on the subject.

 

Good luck. ?


Of course I agree but I’ve softened that stance here for a couple of reasons:

 

When you do build and price it shows you MSRP.  When the dealer provides a printout it shows MSRP.  People are used to buying things online and the price you see is the price you pay.  And I bet at least 90% of the people with orders have never ordered a vehicle before.

 

Therefore since MSRP is being advertised I put it back on the dealer to let the customer know if it’s going to be different.

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I don't think it has been addressed here, but on a plan purchase, how would one verify the plan price on a retail order if the price changes between the time ordered and the invoice date, when Ford specifically states that the vehicle would be invoiced at the current price in effect when the invoice is generated.  Are the plan prices available on the WBDO?  How would either the customer or the dealer verify and write into a contract the plan price without knowing what the plan price is supposed to be?  Or is price protection not available on plan pricing?

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23 minutes ago, Flying68 said:

I don't think it has been addressed here, but on a plan purchase, how would one verify the plan price on a retail order if the price changes between the time ordered and the invoice date, when Ford specifically states that the vehicle would be invoiced at the current price in effect when the invoice is generated.  Are the plan prices available on the WBDO?  How would either the customer or the dealer verify and write into a contract the plan price without knowing what the plan price is supposed to be?  Or is price protection not available on plan pricing?

 

Plan pricing is available in WBDO when the order is created. Price protection is available to all retail orders. 

 

 

WBDO_Plan Price Display_Selection.jpg

 

WBDO_Plan Price Display.jpg

Edited by ice-capades
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37 minutes ago, Flying68 said:

I don't think it has been addressed here, but on a plan purchase, how would one verify the plan price on a retail order if the price changes between the time ordered and the invoice date, when Ford specifically states that the vehicle would be invoiced at the current price in effect when the invoice is generated.  Are the plan prices available on the WBDO?  How would either the customer or the dealer verify and write into a contract the plan price without knowing what the plan price is supposed to be?  Or is price protection not available on plan pricing?


You get a signed buyer’s order showing the plan price at time of order.

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10 hours ago, akirby said:


Of course I agree but I’ve softened that stance here for a couple of reasons:

 

When you do build and price it shows you MSRP.  When the dealer provides a printout it shows MSRP.  People are used to buying things online and the price you see is the price you pay.  And I bet at least 90% of the people with orders have never ordered a vehicle before.

 

Therefore since MSRP is being advertised I put it back on the dealer to let the customer know if it’s going to be different.

 

Hi Allen. Again, I am not condoning the Dealer behavior. However, we are all adults and if we do not want to be taken advantage of, we need to be adults and not act like Bambi out in the woods on our own for the first time. If we buy online, we need to then get a signed, purchase contract listing all pricing, options, fees, taxes, other additions etc.  Can't see how anyone should argue with that. That is how we protect ourselves. To do otherwise is foolhardy, unless we are on a personal friendship trust level with the Dealership/salesperson..

 

As vehicle buyers, it is up to us to protect ourselves, our rights and our wallets. So the way I look at it, we can either help others here learn how to do it right (Get a signed contract), or tell them it is the Dealers fault every time they set themselves up to fail and get ripped off.

 

We can "put it back on the dealer" as much as we want, but that is not going to protect anyone.

 

Being older with experience (as you are too), I try to help others learn how to purchase a vehicle in a manner that minimizes the chances of them being disappointed/ripped off, as opposed to telling them it is the other guys fault when they take the easy way out by leaving it open for a Dealer to be dishonest. And again, this goes for buying anything. From a car, to a house, to a chair or baseball glove...lol

 

Ironically, you and I have had discussions in the long ago past, where we disagreed because you were more interested in protecting the feelings of the poor Dealership/salesperson, and I was more interested in getting the prospective customer, (sometimes being me too) the best deal possible. ?

 

In my opinion...Yes, we  all need to hold the Dealerships to a higher standard. So we can't leave it up to them...or put it back on them (other than denying them our business). We need to be big boys and girls and not be gullible buyers.

 

Again, I am not excusing or condoning dishonest Dealer practices (or any dishonesty). Simply trying to help other forum members avoid being taken advantage of as much as possible.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ?

 

Typed all the above about 2 hours ago and got sidetracked before hitting "Submit Reply".

 

Good luck Allen. ?

Edited by bbf2530
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Biggest argument is the dealer sells cars all the time.

Many only buys cars every X number of years.  So yea, this is not our strong suit.

 

Also many folks are honest and expect others to be as well.  Unfortunately that is not the case with dealerships.

 

The worst experience I had, was checking out a used Lincoln at a Lincoln dealership. 
The sales manager was not giving my car keys back. "What can we do to sell you this car."

I had to finally raise my voice saying, "Give me my keys or I'm calling the police."

 

Praise the auto-gods that dealership is gone.

 

 

 

Edited by jniffen
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53 minutes ago, bbf2530 said:

 

Hi Allen. Again, I am not condoning the Dealer behavior. However, we are all adults and if we do not want to be taken advantage of, we need to be adults and not act like Bambi out in the woods on our own for the first time. If we buy online, we need to then get a signed, purchase contract listing all pricing, options, fees, taxes, other additions etc.  Can't see how anyone should argue with that. That is how we protect ourselves. To do otherwise if foolhardy, unless we are on a personal friendship trust  level with the Dealership/salesperson..

 

As vehicle buyers, it is up to us to protect ourselves, our rights and our wallets. So the way I look at it, we can either help others here learn how to do it right (Get a signed contract), or tell them it is the Dealers fault every time they set themselves up to fail and get ripped off.

 

We can "put it back on the dealer" as much as we want, but that is not going to protect anyone.

 

Being older with experience (as you are too), I try to help others learn how to purchase a vehicle in a manner that minimizes the chances of them being disappointed/ripped off, as opposed to telling them it is the other guys fault when they take the easy way out by leaving it open for a Dealer to be dishonest. And again, this goes for buying anything. From a car, to a house, to a chair or baseball glove...lol

 

Ironically, you and I have had discussions in the long ago past, where we disagreed because you were more interested in protecting the feelings of the poor Dealership/salesperson, and I was more interested in the getting the prospective customer, (sometimes being me too) the best deal possible.

 

In my opinion...Yes,  all need to hold the Dealership to a higher standard. So we can't leave it up to them or put it back on them (other than denying them our business). We need to be big boys and girls and not be gullible buyers.

 

Again, I am not excusing or condoning dishonest Dealer practices (or any dishonesty). Simply trying to help other forum members avoid being taken advantage of as much as possible.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ?

 

Typed all the above about 2 hours ago and got sidetracked before hitting "Submit Reply".

 

Good luck Allen. ?

 

Since most buyers finance their vehicles, financing is a huge part of this equation. Ford Credit offers some very low interest or no interest loans that can save the buyer thousands of dollars. If 0%, it would be foolish to pay cash, and easily makes up for little to no rebate.

 

And on truly super hot vehicles that everyone wants, makes sense to show patience and wait for the popularity to subside. Still remember the PT Cruiser and how a couple years later it was just another vehicle sitting on lot for 60 days. Ditto for 2002 Thundebird. 

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10 hours ago, Jgking said:

Biggest annoyance to me is the dealers who list the MSRP INCLUDING markup. That’s not the MSRP. Should be illegal to show a price as MSRP if it’s not what’s on the window sticker. 

 

Yes, but as one dealer in my local area tried to explain when they wanted to clip me for $5K on the Bronco...."You gotta understand what MSRP stands for...suggested retail price." I told the salesperson to take a hike....and found a dealer that will sell me a Bronco without an ADM....it goes into production this week.

Edited by twintornados
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10 hours ago, Jgking said:

Biggest annoyance to me is the dealers who list the MSRP INCLUDING markup. That’s not the MSRP. Should be illegal to show a price as MSRP if it’s not what’s on the window sticker. 

 

27 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

Yes, but as one dealer in my local area tried to explain when they wanted to clip me for $5K on the Bronco...."You gotta understand what MSRP stands for...suggested retail price." I told the salesperson to take a hike....and found a dealer that will sell me a Bronco without an ADM....it goes into production this week.

 

Yes, but the M in MSRP stands for Manufacturers, or that Ford is suggesting what the sell price could be. Jgking is saying that the Dealer is adding his ADM and making it look like Ford is suggesting the inflated number.

 

HRG

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18 hours ago, ice-capades said:

 

Plan pricing is available in WBDO when the order is created. Price protection is available to all retail orders. 

 

 

WBDO_Plan Price Display_Selection.jpg

 

WBDO_Plan Price Display.jpg

That is exactly the kind of information that will be useful in the future.  Until now, I have only seen the WBDO printout with just the MSRP, knowing that invoice and plan pricing is available on the printout as well is useful information.  So if a dealer agrees to plan pricing, you should insist that the WBDO printout show those prices and have both parties sign it, or have it attached to a purchase agreement.

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50 minutes ago, Flying68 said:

That is exactly the kind of information that will be useful in the future.  Until now, I have only seen the WBDO printout with just the MSRP, knowing that invoice and plan pricing is available on the printout as well is useful information.  So if a dealer agrees to plan pricing, you should insist that the WBDO printout show those prices and have both parties sign it, or have it attached to a purchase agreement.

 

In simple terms, the more documentation you have the better! The WBDO system does not save the historical pricing for an order so, having a WBDO copy displaying the "Plan" pricing for the original order submission and any changes to the order will make it easier for both you and the Dealer regarding any potential price protection matters. 

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  • 4 months later...
On 3/30/2022 at 11:10 AM, bbf2530 said:

Hi gang. Just as an FYI, and to avoid confusion: As per Ford's AXZD-Plan rules, Documentation Fees on AXZD-Plan purchases are capped by Ford/Lincoln at $75.

 

AXZD-Plan eligibility also applies to all vehicles, unless specifically excluded by Ford. These exclusions will usually always apply to Special Edition/Limited Edition models such as Ford GT's, Shelbys etc. And sometimes when a brand new model is first introduced.

Currently, all vehicles (non-Special Edition), including Escape/Edge/Explorer etc. are eligible for Plan sales.

But keep in mind that Dealer participation is voluntary, so an individual Dealer can refuse to accept AXZD-Plan sales on any vehicle they so choose. But they are not excluded by Ford.

So if a Dealer is refusing to accept an AXZD-Plan PIN for an Escape/Edge/Explorer etc., it is their choice, not because of Ford.

 

You can find an explanation of all the rules and regulations here: https://www.myplan.ford.com/myplanweb/jsp/howitworks/myplan_az_rules.htm#CanIbechargedadocumentfeedocf

 

Good luck.

 

Probably not the best thread for this, but it relates to a dealer charging a doc fee in excess of the amount allowed under A-Plan.  Mods will be sure to let me know if it belongs elsewhere.  Not sure how to best contact the program admins to get their input.

 

TL/DR: dealer in SE MI would not budge from a $230 doc fee on an A-Plan sale on a retail order, to a local customer, insisting that Ford says it's okay and would've punished them by now if they weren't allowed to.  Also, finance "managers" and "directors" get very agitated when you call them out on breaking the rules, with documentation to back it up.  When asked to prove their claims, they point to the rules that show they're in the wrong, still won't budge.

 

Back in January, I put in an order for an Escape.  The dealer I went with was one of the last independents near me in SE MI.  They agreed to accept A-Plan on the deal, all seemed well.  Pricing, incentives, doc fees, etc. were all locked in as part of the process, or so one would think.

 

In Feb, I returned to the same dealer to buy another vehicle, this time off the lot on A-Plan.  Didn't catch it at the time, but they actually snuck in a $100 doc fee against the program rules capping it at $75.  At that point, I figured I'd bring it up when the Escape came in and at least make sure they got it right the second time, if not refund the overcharge.

 

While waiting for the Escape to eventually get scheduled and then delayed over 10 times, the owner sold out to one of the larger chains.  At this point I didn't know what to expect, whether they'd honor A-Plan still or even just give the order away.  Figured that something funny would happen, as can be expected any time a smaller business gets bought out.

 

Well, fast forward to this weekend.  My Escape is in, and the same salesman and I make arrangements for me to come pick it up.  The two main things they wouldn't back down from were $100 wheel locks that I didn't authorize them to put on the vehicle, and a $230 doc fee.

 

When I saw that, I immediately called it out as being against AZ-Plan program rules.  I pulled up the terms and pointed this out.  Someone let me know if I'm mistaken, but I see 3 options for doc fees under AZ-Plan.  None of this reads as optional or negotiable to me.

  • "Dealers will be permitted to assess up to $75 in documentary fees on each delivery to an eligible purchaser under the terms of the Plan, unless otherwise provided by state or local laws or regulation.  Each dealer is responsible for complying with applicable laws or regulations."
    • Sounds pretty self-explanatory.  It's a cap on doc fees at $75
  • A) "Unless otherwise provided by state or local laws or regulation: In states where dealers are not permitted to charge as much as $75 for doc fees, dealers would be capped at the lesser amount as provided by the state."
    • If state law caps doc fees below $75, follow that state cap
  • B) "In states that permitted more than $75, dealers would be permitted to charge the Plan customer $75."
    • State law allows doc fees $75+: AZ-Plan customer is charged no more than $75
  • C) "In states that permitted more than $75 and also required that all customers be charged the same amount, dealers may charge the Plan customer $75 and indicate any additional fees have been paid by Ford Motor Company as part of the AXZD-Plan Program dealer reimbursement on the buyer's order."
    • State law allows doc fees >$75 and requires all customers be charged the same amount: AZ-Plan customer is charged no more than $75.  The remainder is reimbursed by Ford, and the dealer should note this on the documentation.

Per the State of Michigan, dealers are currently allowed under state law/regulation to charge a 5% doc fee with a cap of $230.  No mention of a requirement that all customers be charged the same amount.  In fact, that falls apart because a dealer selling a car under $4600 could not charge that full amount, while they could charge it on another car $4600 or more.

 

Source for state cap: https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/difs/Bulletins/2021/Bulletin_2021-04-CF.pdf?rev=1cbbae48e758443f82734682c1f40e65

 

Finance guy goes to get "finance manager" who spins himself around in circles trying to tell me why they're allowed to charge $230.  Insisting that it's a "state thing".  Insists that his Ford rep says they're allowed to charge Plan customers the state max (or whatever they darn well please) so long as they charge everyone the same amount.  Note that the way the Plan Rules are worded, the dealer can only charge the customer $75, even if the state requires the dealer be paid more.  Despite my pointing out the appropriate section of the rules, even the finance manager couldn't admit that they were wrong

 

"Finance director" eventually comes in as I keep pushing them for documentation to back up their claims, and keeps pointing at the documentation that does not say what they claim it does.  They printed out a copy of the plan rules that indicate they're wrong (basically ignoring what it says), and a sheet from the state showing what they're allowed to charge.  Both of them have been getting very visibly, audibly agitated while claiming that it's just my "interpretation" that the rules put in a $75 cap.  Low level finance guy then tries to make matters worse when I call them out by saying the "director" is not raising his voice, guess he's hard of hearing..

 

At least one of the "managers" admitted that they'd been charging AZ-Plan customers in excess of the $75 doc fee cap since they were under independent ownership ($100 then vs. $230 now).  Complained that they'd been over this many times with other customers calling them out on this, but still insisting they were in the clear.  Claiming that Ford would've audited them and caught it, so since they've been getting away with it for years, it must be allowed.  They also kept pointing to section C, yet they couldn't point out the relevant MI state law (because it doesn't exist).

 

I particularly enjoyed when the angry man threw in my face that they were selling a retail order on A-Plan, when they had to do little more work than push a little paperwork.  For a >$2k commission and $75 doc fee.

 

In the end, my options were to:

 

Wait until Monday, contact Ford, get confirmation from them.  In other words, give the dealer an excuse to cancel the sale and sell it to someone with ADM (it's a hybrid after all).  So I'd lose the rest of the deal that they were still honoring.

 

Just give it up outright.  Again, that would mean missing out on $2,800 between incentive protection and retail order certificate, another >$2k in price protection, and 0%/36, 0.9%/48, 1.9%/60.  Incentives and rates are getting worse, prices are going up.

 

Give in and overpay, then look to get Ford to enforce the rules after the fact.

 

The only real option at that point was the last one.  This is why people despise dealers.  They will lie to your face.  They will tell you that words don't mean what you think they mean.  The only way to get out of being overcharged would be to, out of principal, pay another dealer even more, probably for a lesser vehicle.

 

Apologize that it's a bit longwinded.

Edited by j2sys
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