Mach E: Your Reservation does not guarantee a set price for the Vehicle

[Camera-Cruiser]

Under Item #1 in Fords online reservation for the Mach-E. So business as usual, the dealer will set price and markup for "stuff".
Here is the entirety of item 1 of 15 of the reservation details:

1. Reservation.
You may be able to configure a Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicle (the “Vehicle”) through the Reservation Process (“Reservation”). By completing the Reservation Process, you are not ordering or purchasing a vehicle. The Reservation Process allows you to configure a Vehicle and pay the Reservation Deposit (“Reservation Deposit”) to Ford. Participation in the Program does not guarantee you vehicle delivery. You must contact a Dealer to discuss final transaction pricing, arrange any necessary financing, and complete your purchase of the Vehicle. Your Reservation does not guarantee a set price for the Vehicle. The Dealer sets the Vehicle price, which may differ from the MSRP. Unless otherwise indicated, MSRP is the manufacturer suggested retail price and does not include destination/delivery fee plus government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer processing charge, any electronic filing charge, and any emission testing charge. Optional equipment not included.

The bold emphasis is mine. I probably could have bolded the whole thing.

Here is the link: Ford® Terms & Conditions | Ford.com

 

[doghousePVD]

I sure am glad they can add the emission testing charge to the Mach-E. Otherwise they might lose money...

 

[Watts 4 Me]

So whats the point on reserving one? Just wait till they are sitting on dealer lots and then negotiate the price. Dealers will add to the MSRP knowing you put down a deposit, which tells them you really want it. Thats one of the NO NO's to buying from a dealer.

 

[doghousePVD]

So whats the point on reserving one? Just wait till they are sitting on dealer lots and then negotiate the price. Dealers will add to the MSRP knowing you put down a deposit, which tells them you really want it. Thats one of the NO NO's to buying from a dealer.

It's good if you want priority in being screwed.

 

[Watts 4 Me]

It's good if you want priority in being screwed.

Pretty much.

 

[75Shappyt]

your in the front of the line to getting screwed

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

...and remember, and this was true of Tesla too, that you are giving Ford Motor Company an interest free loan. Item #3.

Ford needs to clarify the benefit side of this equation to its customers. In essence, the dealership closest to you may not sign-up (since they are independently owned) to sell and service the car. What if dealers in the upper mid-west United States simply pass on selling it?

I don't wish this upon any Ford, Tesla, GMC, etc. customer, but I can imagine the irony of having to drive hundreds of miles, past many Ford dealerships that skipped selling/supporting it, to pickup and service the Mach-E.

Time will tell, but I think they would have been better off taking a $100 deposit like Tesla does now.

In essence all Ford is trying to do is show its dealers (who are actually the customer from Ford's perspective) how much interest there is via pre-order numbers.

 

[Watts 4 Me]

I forget where i read that if a Ford dealership wants to sell this mustang,they must also install chargers for it and be accessible at all times. This would have to come out of the dealers pocket. This alone might put off a lot of dealers.

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

...and your reservation doesn't guaranty priority, per Ford's reservation site! This is really just a way to show dealers that there is X amount of interest to get them to become dealers.
But a dealer could simply receive your car and add a $10,000 premium on it and see if it sells to someone else first and you have no recourse.

Verbatim:
Reservation does not guarantee vehicle delivery nor priority for ordering a vehicle. See Reservation Terms and Conditions for important details.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Exactly what does a customer get for putting in his "reservation" ?

More like it is just a video game where you can make the picture of your car change color, show different wheels and badging and the official MSRP.

You submit...then wait for a contact from your friendly local dealership who will inform you that the car you selected is very popular and in short supply. They will provide you with a fresh window sticker with dealer installed options you don't want like glass protection etching, anti theft system, tire/wheel warranty. paint protection package and a decal on the bumper. They will also provide an ADM (Additional Dealer Markup sticker and send you off to their finance guy.

What a crock...

 

[Fred42]

Ford needs to clarify the benefit side of this equation to its customers. In essence, the dealership closest to you may not sign-up (since they are independently owned) to sell and service the car. What if dealers in the upper mid-west United States simply pass on selling it?

I see this as a potential problem only for people who are really out in the sticks. Of the five Ford dealers within an easy drive from me, initially only one signed up to sell EV's, then a 2nd one signed up. People can just pretend their car has fart mode as they drive past the dealer who didn't sign up.

I agree there doesn't seem to be much point for the customer in making a reservation.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Think they are just doing this to copy Tesla and generate some interest. It is just a sign up sheet.

Wonder how much better Ford could have made the Musk Stang if they had really put their best guys on it and did some out of the box thinking and engineering.

I still suspect they are taking one of their existing chassis and adding batteries and motors. Not really clean sheet.

Things like Tesla adding ceramic wheel bearings and all the little, but significant efficiencies built into their batteries and motors. It all adds up to Tesla getting greater efficiency than the others.

 

[Demi]

I just cancelled my reservation after reading all of the above. Cancellation was quite easy, got on their site and did it.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Think they are just doing this to copy Tesla and generate some interest. It is just a sign up sheet.

Wonder how much better Ford could have made the Musk Stang if they had really put their best guys on it and did some out of the box thinking and engineering.

I still suspect they are taking one of their existing chassis and adding batteries and motors. Not really clean sheet.

Things like Tesla adding ceramic wheel bearings and all the little, but significant efficiencies built into their batteries and motors. It all adds up to Tesla getting greater efficiency than the others.

You do realize that this is the best they can do?

Legacy automobile companies are setup to make slow iterative changes to existing designs, with 4 to 5 year development timescales.
They have long forgot how to make rapid revolutionary changes. It simply isn't in their culture.

And when they switch over manufacturing, the most important target is how many vehicles per hour, not building them properly or slowly ramping up production, as we've seen very recently with Ford.

 

[timf]

Another crazy thing with the reservation fee is it doesn't even apply towards your purchase of the vehicle. Instead, it gets refunded to you once you place your actual order. So, whether you decide to order or not, you'll eventually get the reservation fee refunded.

The whole scheme is set up just so they look like Tesla. The only reason I can see for placing a reservation is to get in line for the First Edition. Otherwise, I'm sure you'll be able to find the standard ones on a dealer lot in due time.

 

[Schroeder0202]

Glad to see more electric vehicles entering the mainstream but come on Ford.
Same price as a model 3?? This thing cant touch a model 3 in any aspect on its worst day.
Psh...

 

[Eno Deb]

The only reason I can see for placing a reservation is to get in line for the First Edition. Otherwise, I'm sure you'll be able to find the standard ones on a dealer lot in due time.

And that is different from the Tesla registrations how exactly? Disclosure: I was one of the day 1 Model 3 reservationists (though I only walked in around noon when the lines were almost gone). The Model 3 was sold without reservation just weeks after I got mine, and shortly after that the price dropped below what I paid.

According to the press release Ford will have over 2,000 "EV trained" dealerships available for the release. I have no doubt that this will go far smoother than Tesla's delivery mess.

 

[seattlite2004]

Yeah...no need to pre-order. Buy on the lot/dealer and negotiate a below MSRP price. Heck...the dealers will prob have a significant discount since the Model Y, Koreans and Germans will prob have their EVs out by then.

 

[Watts 4 Me]

According to the press release Ford will have over 2,000 "EV trained" dealerships available for the release. I have no doubt that this will go far smoother than Tesla's delivery mess.

Theres is no way Ford can claim that. Dealers have to step up and want to sell this EV. Ford cant force them to. Plus the dealer must install a charger for it.

 

[qdeathstar]

it’s easy to “convince” dealers they “want” to sell the mach-e from fords position.