Ford just removed my production week entirely......looks like the tracking site is not to be trusted? - UPDATED

[wilkinda65]

Ford Chat will tell you the same thing, but it simply isn't true. Same experience here. I made two changes on two separate occasions after getting my VIN. Both went through and show on my sticker.

Dealer said the system allowed them to edit the order up until last week... apparently doesn't "have anywhere to click" to select changing options.

My theory is that once you get close enough to scheduled build week, the order is finalized for window sticker generation. THAT is when you're officially "stuck".

I doubt Ford wants every customer changing their orders willy nilly though. So maybe that's the initiative they've pushed about "Once there's a VIN, you're locked in"

Exactly, I did not have my Window Sticker at the time I made my changes

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[dfwford]

I also ordered from the #1 Ford dealer (Brandon Ford) and I have been buying cars from them since 2005. They do have lots of influence so I'm told.

Yeah, that could factor into it as well.

 

[Stangerous]

Because you ordered first day. Later orders with PP (40%+ of orders) are now a toss up for being pulled.

Procrastination is like karma, that’s a bitch man. Hope you guys get yours before fall.

 

[goodlettjr]

I also ordered from the #1 Ford dealer (Brandon Ford) and I have been buying cars from them since 2005. They do have lots of influence so I'm told.

They lost that title a few years ago. They did take down Galpin after a quite lengthy reign of 25ish years. I visited their site a few minutes ago and they advertise like it is current. While well deserved when it happened, there are new winners and leaders. You have to look before you start seeing the signs that it was back in 2019 and 2020. I feel like this is poor advertising. Click bait if you will. It isn't to slight them, but a pet peeve of mine. Maybe they need to update their status to something like #12 (2021) in the nation or wherever they are currently. PS, they have no influence on basic orders. Maybe for a great friend that they are willing to cash in a favor with a Ford Zone Manager, but even that is few and far between (1-2 a year), because everyone wants a favor. Most dealers can do this that work with their Zone Rep on stuff like stocking accessories and selling them through preloads. Think....every truck on the lot has a bedliner. All 250 of them. Now you can ask for a favor.

I worked for a dealership that was the largest Ford parts department in the world with 10.2MM in inventory and over 60MM in annual sales. One single building. One brand. They had the #1 spot in Wholesale, Fleet, Dealer to Dealer, and body shop. The only space they didn't occupy was #1 in retail parts sales. It is supremely hard to reach this. When I came in we were already #1 and they were #1 when I left. They are now #5-7 or so. I inherited a great place, so my credit is for greasing the wheels and keeping the tank full and improving a few things from 48MM annually to 60MM annually. Another dealer in the Texas area, Mac Haik Ford in Georgetown, has taken over that position and it is well deserved. The parts manager previously worked an the store I was at (phone room) and it is nice to see someone learn, grow, and apply skills to become become better than where they learned their skill originally. All while doing it in a separate market, which is very impressive to me. That dude leveled up.

Most of the things that high volume sales dealerships are doing doesn't apply to the true retail customer in sales like us. They sell fleet vehicles and have the option to run them as fleet of retail depending on the rebates available at that time. Also dealer saturation in a market has a lot to do with that. In addition to community engagement, the advertising budget in a market like Houston can be wild. 30K a month per side of a billboard in the galleria area. I cant speak for Tampa, but I'm sure they aren't that much Those high amounts are for reserved for very high traffic areas that have people sitting for lengthy time periods. For example 220K people going through an area daily on 610 between I10 and I59. Regardless Brandon Ford may be spending 70-120K a month in advertisement. Which is big time in any domestic brand dealership. Move to highline (BMW, Mercedes, etc..) and that is chump change.

As a sales customer, I prefer to see many large dealers in a close proximity. That is where you will find the deals. In the Houston metro area there are over 50 dealers.

In 2021 there was:
11 in the top 150
8 in the top 50
5 in the top 20
3 in the top 10

This drives competitive pricing and options for us. I didn't go to one of the large dealers, I went to a smaller one and got invoice plus $100 on my car. Full disclosure, I know the sales manager outside of work, but that's the norm for him and the dealership...... and they pay a bird dog for referrals. I don't personally take the bird dog on referrals, because I would rather people make some money and it just feels good to refer someone to a person you trust with no other motive.

 

[unfairslide]

They lost that title a few years ago. They did take down Galpin after a quite lengthy reign of 25ish years. I visited their site a few minutes ago and they advertise like it is current. While well deserved when it happened, there are new winners and leaders. You have to look before you start seeing the signs that it was back in 2019 and 2020. I feel like this is poor advertising. Click bait if you will. It isn't to slight them, but a pet peeve of mine. Maybe they need to update their status to something like #12 (2021) in the nation or wherever they are currently. PS, they have no influence on basic orders. Maybe for a great friend that they are willing to cash in a favor with a Ford Zone Manager, but even that is few and far between (1-2 a year), because everyone wants a favor. Most dealers can do this that work with their Zone Rep on stuff like stocking accessories and selling them through preloads. Think....every truck on the lot has a bedliner. All 250 of them. Now you can ask for a favor.

I worked for a dealership that was the largest Ford parts department in the world with 10.2MM in inventory and over 60MM in annual sales. One single building. One brand. They had the #1 spot in Wholesale, Fleet, Dealer to Dealer, and body shop. The only space they didn't occupy was #1 in retail parts sales. It is supremely hard to reach this. When I came in we were already #1 and they were #1 when I left. They are now #5-7 or so. I inherited a great place, so my credit is for greasing the wheels and keeping the tank full and improving a few things from 48MM annually to 60MM annually. Another dealer in the Texas area, Mac Haik Ford in Georgetown, has taken over that position and it is well deserved. The parts manager previously worked an the store I was at (phone room) and it is nice to see someone learn, grow, and apply skills to become become better than where they learned their skill originally. All while doing it in a separate market, which is very impressive to me. That dude leveled up.

Most of the things that high volume sales dealerships are doing doesn't apply to the true retail customer in sales like us. They sell fleet vehicles and have the option to run them as fleet of retail depending on the rebates available at that time. Also dealer saturation in a market has a lot to do with that. In addition to community engagement, the advertising budget in a market like Houston can be wild. 30K a month per side of a billboard in the galleria area. I cant speak for Tampa, but I'm sure they aren't that much Those high amounts are for reserved for very high traffic areas that have people sitting for lengthy time periods. For example 220K people going through an area daily on 610 between I10 and I59. Regardless Brandon Ford may be spending 70-120K a month in advertisement. Which is big time in any domestic brand dealership. Move to highline (BMW, Mercedes, etc..) and that is chump change.

As a sales customer, I prefer to see many large dealers in a close proximity. That is where you will find the deals. In the Houston metro area there are over 50 dealers.

In 2021 there was:
11 in the top 150
8 in the top 50
5 in the top 20
3 in the top 10

This drives competitive pricing and options for us. I didn't go to one of the large dealers, I went to a smaller one and got invoice plus $100 on my car. Full disclosure, I know the sales manager outside of work, but that's the norm for him and the dealership...... and they pay a bird dog for referrals. I don't personally take the bird dog on referrals, because I would rather people make some money and it just feels good to refer someone to a person you trust with no other motive.

Thanks for the insight! Learning about the big picture stuff is always fascinating. I live about 30-40min from Galpin and have tons of Ford dealers in between but chose to go with them as I knew I'd probably have the best luck with a super high volume dealer. My local dealer had no idea when the order banks would open while Galpin had a banner ad plus a whole options sheet to pick and choose from on day one. Glad I went with them.

 

[Steadyvw]

Thanks for the suggestion

I understand the NP issue, but I have been scheduled with the NP for over a month now. I thought I was one of the lucky ones that was in the select few NP packages to be built. Now they pull the rug out from under me without any communication and put me in limbo with no date in sight.

As far as removing the NP. I don't want to remove it and settle.

This may be a sign that I may not be meant to get this vehicle.

Don't settle, I ordered a NP vapor blue GT back In April. Today, I just received an email from Ford saying mines is scheduled for production and received my vin, BUT, not until August. I think it will be worth the

wait.

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