that said some of Fords simplification wont help their numbers...no more F150 Supercab Long beds, no more normally aspirated V6 engines, no more Ranger Supercabs, crecab with a small bed or nothing and a $37k starting price baqsically....some true head scratchers...and then you have the Escape...absolute smorgasboard of total mayhem as mentioned...?????????????????
we just caught an order put ion by Ford for us on 2025 Explorers....every one had the $6000 painted black roof....that option is a flooring red flag ( Icecapades will understand that statement )
Maybe some people, not me. Thanks to Ford's search inventory feature, I was able to find the exact Edge we just bought for my wife, rather than pay more locally for options I don't find value in. Not to mention finding a new dealer that would easily accept my Z-Plan, plus give a strong trade-in allowance for the Escape we were getting rid of.
HRG
Turn off autolock and it won’t lock the doors in the first place.
But if you’re inside all you have to do is pull the door handle twice to open the door.
I’ve been saying that for years. Back in the 90s you could buy 3 Honda Accords. - DX, LX, EX with one or two dealer installed options.
Look at Escape with multiple ST-Line configs. 3 configurations would cover 80% of buyers. People don’t mind paying a little more for extra options if it means they can find what they want color wise in stock somewhere.
Ford Dealer EV Certification Program Scrapped
https://fordauthority.com/2024/06/ford-dealer-ev-certification-program-scrapped/
The Ford dealer EV certification program known as Model e Certified was designed to help the automaker better compete with its EV-only rivals, which sell those types of vehicles online and with fixed pricing. However, the program was met by significant backlash from the start, largely because of the big financial investments required of Ford dealers that wished to participate, as well as questions regarding its legality in general. As a result of this and shifting consumer demand, the Ford dealer EV certification program has now been scrapped altogether.
The Detroit News is reporting that Ford has ditched its plans for this program entirely, which comes after meetings between Ford CEO Jim Farley, CFO John Lawler, and The Blue Oval’s dealer council. Recently, dealers were told to halt any investments they were making pertaining to this program, and even before that happened, several changes were taking place as the automaker worked to satisfy concerns raised by its dealer network.
As Ford Authority reported last month, Lisa Drake, Ford’s vice president of EV programs and energy supply chain, previously hinted that the automaker may wind up scrapping the Model e Certified program altogether, and now, it has done precisely that. Starting July 1st, all U.S.-based Ford dealerships will be able to sell EVs, doubling the current number to 2,800. However, dealers that haven’t already done so will need to install two Level 2 charging stations by March 31st, 2025, and have their employees participate in EV training. These moves, according to Marin Gjaja, COO of Ford Model e, are expected to help the automaker boost its EV sales in general.
“We’re getting into the tough innings,” Gjaja said. “We’re getting into the early majority customer who isn’t in it just for technology and willing to pay a premium. They want a practical, usable vehicle. They have questions they need to really understand the value for them. And it’s just a very different sale. … We need Ford and our dealers pulling together to help bring the market along.”