Ford cracking down on dealers -- Name matching policy getting more strict

[XCR440]

Again, I don't see this as being a big factor for Bronco until after reservations are finished (but I do see many dealers being done with reservations by the first of the year), but if you have an F-150 or other Ford, this could be an issue. If dealer goes over, he looses his allocations, if one of those is yours, its a big deal.

Some will be dealers that deserve it and are cheating. However, I can also see some getting caught while trying to keep with the rules.

For example small dealers could get hurt due to low numbers, its a rolling 6 month average, so a small dealer could get hit with just a few customers backing out where a few won't matter to a big dealer.

Also I can see various areas of the country getting hit due to economic changes, for example farm communities if grain prices are bad (they're good this year), and lots of other similar situations, pipeline communities are likely not buying like they would have been, etc.

But in reality, I have a hunch that its not going to be a big issue as I look for Ford to do a turn around and excuse more (or remove certain low MPG vehicle lines) because if this inflation and fuel prices have the effect I'm afraid they will, most dealers will be over this fall and the vehicle shortage could be over due to low demand as consumers don't have the money to buy.

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[Luv9rove]

I think a lot of businesses are going to the order and ship model. Keeping inventory is expensive and risky, not to mention all the logistic issues of warehousing and security. I know we all remember the days of endless vehicles to peruse on lots, but that may not be the future.

My dad was a big "order" guy. He loved to look at what was on the lot, but I don't think he ever bought anything off of it. I ordered my first Ranger back in 1996. My last F-150 purchase was off of a lot, and while I did manage a great price, it did not include a lot of extras and to this day, I see other trucks that I like better than the one I got.

I am all for direct ordering of vehicles, but I think we at least need a showroom so we can get some idea of what we are ordering.

 

[XCR440]

From when I read the COVP as you said doesn't apply to older orders and reservations, but at this point they should extend that if for no other reason than to force dealers to complete a sales agreement.

It would also be a clear statement to dealers "hey you got to do this specifically if you want any of your older orders or reservations filled" because I sense that COVPed orders are getting priority over reservations. My week one reservation is still languishing without a build date while my November 21 order got built. The November 21 order the dealer wanted a sales agreement and everything so they could COVP the order even though it wasn't officially required for Bronco's at that time.

I've tried to get my dealer on the reserved Bronco to do a sales order (they claim it is impossible without a VIN, but other dealer put a lie to that), and to submit it under the current COVP for broncos under a "well it can't hurt" basis. After pushing that the dealer eventually said "Oh when we copied your license that is all we needed to meet that requirement".

So not only do I have this languishing order where a COVP might help, I have the potential thrill of them pulling out the ADM claim when it finally comes in despite the whole time stating it would be MSRP.

Meanwhile the one that is built doesn't seem to want to get delivered and interest rates go up. What fun.

Actually I don't think you want that, if they were moved into COVP, it would give the dealer the option to just cancel your reservation as they can just say they're not confident in you taking it. I know I'd rather cancel my reservation I sold at 2020 Pricing to get stock units I can sell at 2022 market pricing. I won't since mine are all local and over time having repeat customers makes up for it, but you can see dealers doing it.

As to the COVP Broncos, they were only for a short period before ordering was shut off, they had orders, then they decided they wanted us to do them, I didn't since the only point of COVP was extra allocation (and customer rebates on some lines) and this didn't apply to Broncos so I didn't submit mine for verification, yet they get built anyway (never get shipped though).

 

[flip]

I'll put my .02 in. The article didn't quite articulate the penalties which are much stricter that it lets on. Not going to type them all out but if a dealer doesn't take it seriously, strike 3 kicks them out of the ordering process completely. Now, will Ford have the will or legal standing to enforce? That's a different question.

It hurts lower volume dealers like mine especially for Lincoln. Lady placed an order, vehicle got built, lady died. Doesn't matter, still counts against us. Another customer ordered a replacement, got a VIN, had a wreck and couldn't wait for vehicle to come in and had to buy something else. Tough. Won't win on appeal on either of these.

Our bronco name match so far is 100% but we just had a lady bail for no specific reason. We offered to another customer who's currently waiting from the original order group who said she'll take. If she does, the deal is her order (no VIN assigned yet) gets cancelled so everyone else on the list can move up. Looking at it, this would be a wash, still knocked out an old order, right? Nope, going to count against us. The guys gaming the system have basically screwed everyone else trying to do the right thing. Having 3 out of 10 name match violations is a bigger deal than 30 out of 200 but the penalty is the same. Not saying rules aren't needed right now but there needs to be some common sense applied to the appeals process.

 

[Sherminiator]

I'll put my .02 in. The article didn't quite articulate the penalties which are much stricter that it lets on. Not going to type them all out but if a dealer doesn't take it seriously, strike 3 kicks them out of the ordering process completely. Now, will Ford have the will or legal standing to enforce? That's a different question.

It hurts lower volume dealers like mine especially for Lincoln. Lady placed an order, vehicle got built, lady died. Doesn't matter, still counts against us. Another customer ordered a replacement, got a VIN, had a wreck and couldn't wait for vehicle to come in and had to buy something else. Tough. Won't win on appeal on either of these.

Our bronco name match so far is 100% but we just had a lady bail for no specific reason. We offered to another customer who's currently waiting from the original order group who said she'll take. If she does, the deal is her order (no VIN assigned yet) gets cancelled so everyone else on the list can move up. Looking at it, this would be a wash, still knocked out an old order, right? Nope, going to count against us. The guys gaming the system have basically screwed everyone else trying to do the right thing. Having 3 out of 10 name match violations is a bigger deal than 30 out of 200 but the penalty is the same. Not saying rules aren't needed right now but there needs to be some common sense applied to the appeals process.

Wouldn't technically getting an email or something from an ordering customer refusing the order "fix" situations like that? Saying the refused the order for X reason?

 

[thenewjs]

I suspect the dealers charging ADM are the ones that can't manage the storm and won't be around by 2030.

 

[flip]

Wouldn't technically getting an email or something from an ordering customer refusing the order "fix" situations like that? Saying the refused the order for X reason?

I said the exact thing from the beginning. Why can't we get an "affidavit" from a customer for the appeals process or have Ford send them a secure email for them to list why they bailed? There is an appeals process but not sure how many are approved vs. denied. If they think employees are ordering and bailing, all they have to do is look at a dealer's STARS system for name match. You have 20 employees ordering and 15 bailing, you may have found a dealer gaming the system.

If they're going to bust balls, fine. Just make the appeal fair so smaller volume guys don't get the bone because of situations completely out of our control. If by chance we did get in the stuff from Lincoln could we present these cases and not hammered? Maybe. Would they want to find a couple dealers to make examples of? Possibly. Are they interested in getting down on the big dealer groups? No f'n way!

 

[M&M Beer]

So the bad dealers lose allocations for a month. Which then screws any of their remaining customers even more. Let us move the order!

I agree how can they justify that

 

[‘21OBX]

So the bad dealers lose allocations for a month. Which then screws any of their remaining customers even more. Let us move the order!

But they can charge even more adm to cover themselves with no penalty

 

[jasonf]

Cool deal on @Ford Motor Company wanting to match names. It still does nothing about the larger problem of surprise ADM on delivery that is really damaging their name/brand. Progress is progress I guess though.

yep - dealers take advatage of you now, no more don't like the price change dealer option -now they just wait till delivery to tell you the ridiculous mark up forcing you to leave and there is nothing customer can do about it even if have price in writing .

 

[HeyItsABronco]

Well considering that Ford is only able to deliver 3 Broncos a month, this should be VERY easy for them to track.

 

[KompressorV12]

This will just translate to non-refundable dealer required deposits, WHICH I WOULD LOVE! I'm willing to bet 33% of these bronco orders are duplicate orders trying to game the allocation system. (I'm guilty, I have 2 orders, one as a early reservation that I still don't have, and another from January this year, both of which I didn't cancel when I bought one ADM off the lot because there's no incentive to and I'm hoping I can convert into a Raptor). Chevy made a STEP in the right direction with the Silverado EV. It's a $100 refundable deposit, but once it comes order time and you decide to place your order that $100 deposit is no longer refundable. That should help slightly, now imagine that was $500 non-refundable. I think that would help tremendously.

 

[flip]

They've also asked that if we know a built unit has been abandoned, we get in touch with our rep to get it redirected. I don't know exactly that means but assume it's going elsewhere.

 

[Richtor]

Cool deal on @Ford Motor Company wanting to match names. It still does nothing about the larger problem of surprise ADM on delivery that is really damaging their name/brand. Progress is progress I guess though.

It helps the adm if they follow through. If ordered don’t purchase because of adm they fall below 80% threshold.

So the bad dealers lose allocations for a month. Which then screws any of their remaining customers even more. Let us move the order!

It hurts no customers besides those That want to buy from a dealer at adm. it cuts new allocations not allocations already given.

Actually it should. This increases the power of the person who submitted the order. If Ford continues to increase the % required, the dealers can't push as hard for more ADM.

As long as there is a shortage of vehicles compared to demand, the dealers will have leverage. Higher percentage name match will just limit how far they can push things.

At the very least, this might force dealers to be upfront, so there isn't a surprise ADM at delivery.

Exactly

Every time one of these "Ford is cracking down on....." threads come up, I just roll my eyes.

Ford isn't doing shit. They never will. Dealers will keep doing whatever they can for more profit, that's all they care about. Anytime something happens that curtails one particular avenue of profit, they'll just do something else - and then go back to whatever they were doing in the first place once they think nobody is looking.

Ford had the opportunity - they've had MULTIPLE opportunites - to do the right thing, and they keep failing spectacularly.

They should have produced Broncos in the order that they were reserved, and the orders were placed, starting way back in July 2020. But, they built Broncos for dealers to display, and use as demo vehicles, then turn around and mark up to the moon and sell - while reservists and order holders waited, and waited, and are STILL waiting.

They could have - and SHOULD have - punished dealers who gouged customers with ADM by fining those dealers whatever amount they tried to screw over the customer by. They should take Broncos away from shady dealers and get them to the customers who ordered them, at MSRP. They should go down the list of Broncos built but not yet sold, match them up with existing unfilled orders, and deliver them to the customers who have been waiting for so fucking long.

Are they doing any of this? Of course not. They don't fucking care.

Will they enforce it? So far not so much. Ford went so far to give those dealers that sell at adm their broncos first actually hurting the adm problem.

So since I was part of the infamous DCH of Eatontown shit show that happened here, I can give further insight into this:

I was reached by the Bronco Specialist at DCH Ford around Christmas of this past year to send an email to them saying I refused my order because they where below their percentages they where supposed to be with completing orders.

Yeah I know what your thinking-I but sent them the email anyways because I didn't want to screw myself since I had a 2022 on order with them.

I had a couple people who had reservations with them reach out to me and they've paid MSRP for their Broncos.

My Bronco was just built and should be there at the dealership in a few weeks with an agreed upon price of MSRP.

So long story short-this is having an effect on dealerships, even though you might not see it directly.

I'd like to think my incident here with others has helped future buyers down the road with this. Plus as the market supply gets better, hopefully this ADM nonsense will go away.

Hoping it gets better.

I suspect the dealers charging ADM are the ones that can't manage the storm and won't be around by 2030.

You could not be more wrong. Those that have adm are the biggest dealers out there. My biggest dealer in my area was asking $50k adm on a base gt500. Not even the track pack one.
I often get the best deals and msrp at the small dealers and deal directly with the owners.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Every time one of these "Ford is cracking down on....." threads come up, I just roll my eyes.

Ford isn't doing shit. They never will. Dealers will keep doing whatever they can for more profit, that's all they care about. Anytime something happens that curtails one particular avenue of profit, they'll just do something else - and then go back to whatever they were doing in the first place once they think nobody is looking.

Ford had the opportunity - they've had MULTIPLE opportunites - to do the right thing, and they keep failing spectacularly.

They should have produced Broncos in the order that they were reserved, and the orders were placed, starting way back in July 2020. But, they built Broncos for dealers to display, and use as demo vehicles, then turn around and mark up to the moon and sell - while reservists and order holders waited, and waited, and are STILL waiting.

They could have - and SHOULD have - punished dealers who gouged customers with ADM by fining those dealers whatever amount they tried to screw over the customer by. They should take Broncos away from shady dealers and get them to the customers who ordered them, at MSRP. They should go down the list of Broncos built but not yet sold, match them up with existing unfilled orders, and deliver them to the customers who have been waiting for so fucking long.

Are they doing any of this? Of course not. They don't fucking care.

This is more simple: they should allow and enforce x plan, and enforce MSRP pricing on any bronco with a green window sticker: even the "abandoned" ones.

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