Has Ford been holding completed rigs to pad CY23 sales figures?

[Rick Astley]

There's currently a bunch of fully built Broncos that were completed in late November/early December that have been sitting at MAP for 30+ days and are just now getting loaded onto rail cars.

Again, these are 100% completed rigs. No chip holds, active modules.

The main reason I can think of for Ford to sit on built rigs is that they hit Q4 '22 sales targets and are manipulating deliveries, dealership allocations and sales figures for stock manipulation. Yes, yes, I get it that Ford's stock performance has been horrific, but they have proven time and again with Bronco that the end-user is not the concern.

Curious as to other people's takes on the matter.

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[Newbie]

The main reason I can think of for Ford to sit on built rigs is that they hit Q4 '22 sales targets and are manipulating deliveries, dealership allocations and sales figures for stock manipulation.

 

[John Bronco_ I am here]

I think you are saying they are wanting to artificially inflate the 1st quarter of '23 numbers.

Business leaders make their decisions based off of the numbers; not far fetched at all. Although, it being a transportation worker holiday season slowdown would be the simpler answer.

 

[WoolyBugger]

There's currently a bunch of fully built Broncos that were completed in late November/early December that have been sitting at MAP for 30+ days and are just now getting loaded onto rail cars.

Again, these are 100% completed rigs. No chip holds, active modules.

The main reason I can think of for Ford to sit on built rigs is that they hit Q4 '22 sales targets and are manipulating deliveries, dealership allocations and sales figures for stock manipulation. Yes, yes, I get it that Ford's stock performance has been horrific, but they have proven time and again with Bronco that the end-user is not the concern.

Curious as to other people's takes on the matter.

Very Likely

 

[Rjacks258]

It’s a conspiracy I tell ya

 

[Neps]

Just when I put my New Years tin foil hat away for the season.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Have you seen all of the transportation issues with trucks and rail?

 

[swooshdave]

My assumption was the opposite. That they would shove those out to the dealers ASAP to bolster the CY22 numbers. Man, was I wrong.

What I really think happened was a bunch got built and had some component missing and they all sat for a while waiting the part, then sat longer waiting to get on a train.

My theory is that if you get built clean they roll off the assembly line and onto a train. If they don't they get parked and addressed when they get around to it.

 

[MayhemMike]

All I can say is the dealership where my Bronco was purchased has four new Broncos for sale with their standard 5K ADM, and one used Bronco. Their surplus lot is also at about a 70% capacity with trucks, Mustangs , Sports ,Explorers and Escapes. They are a large well established dealer.

 

[Evans67bro]

Anything is possible but I agree with above most car dealers and manufacturers do what ever they can to boost year end sales. I know transportation was a nightmare in late December and is just now starting to get better.

But the entire bronco order, build , and delivery process is a modern mystery that our primitive minds can not understand.

 

[shieldsy]

Personally I think Ford lost track of where around The D they stashed them.

Pretty sure they had to cruise around in somebodies Bronco and keep pressing all the key fobs to locate the misplaced Broncos.

Whoever receives their Bronco with over a hundred miles on the odo is most likely one of the rides they used for the cruise 'round town.

 

[C00TER]

There's currently a bunch of fully built Broncos that were completed in late November/early December that have been sitting at MAP for 30+ days and are just now getting loaded onto rail cars.

Again, these are 100% completed rigs. No chip holds, active modules.

The main reason I can think of for Ford to sit on built rigs is that they hit Q4 '22 sales targets and are manipulating deliveries, dealership allocations and sales figures for stock manipulation. Yes, yes, I get it that Ford's stock performance has been horrific, but they have proven time and again with Bronco that the end-user is not the concern.

Curious as to other people's takes on the matter.

My truck is one of those rigs

 

[Neps]

Whew… we’re getting tin foil hat now.

In my opinion, no.

December—and Q4 sales in general—are the most important time of the year for automotive sales. December is typically when new model year vehicles go on sale, and December sales set the trend for the entire year. Poor sales performance of new model year vehicles could indicate that model isn’t a hit, or perhaps the competition have caught up, or perhaps they are having production issues. Analysts and investors are looking at that data to make their investment decisions, and if they don’t like what they see… they may pull back.

It doesn’t make sense in my mind to sacrifice the most important month of the year, to try to boost Q1 sales.

Nope, it's my hat and I'm not sharing - you can fashion your own. If you need materials and instructions PM me and I can send you some.

I agree with your thinking, but.

More and more vehicles are being announced out of phase with the historical new car releases. Gone are the days when new models arrive at dealers only in November/December.

Japanese automotive manufactures year end is at the end of March, so actually the most important quarter for them is the 1st. So December sales may not be as important across the industry as it once was.

Investors and analysts make determinations of stock value continuously, it's not as if they decide in December where to invest for the remainder of the year.

I tend to believe that the simple answer is also the most likely. Reduced transportation capacity, the holidays, and increased interest rates are in my opinion a more likely causes responsible for slower shipments. Unlike the Merc, BMW, Audi, and Chevy commercials- most people aren't buying their spouses a vehicle for Christmas.

 

[hemiblas]

I'd agree with what you are saying. If sales start to slow I bet reservation holders magically get their Broncos too. Its all part of the plan.

 

[Gloff]

I thought it was understood that there's a railcar shortage. These units are only waiting for train cars.

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