A Confession: I was a fool

[kevin.gt]

For those of us that played by the rules and placed an order at the dealer recently, the results are better than expected.

Sponsored

 

[Drex]

Can you search and find those posts? Because I don't believe they exist. And once again, you are assuming a lot of things. Also can you supply the data that shows 600k trucks have been produced this year? I think a lot of people confuse truth with what has been posted on message boards. Not everything posted on a message board is truth. I like to see evidence. Because I can go back through every communication from ford and see exactly what the manufacturer has said.

It was not a post, it was in the Ford website for how the reservations worked when they started them up. While I am not versed in the way back finding of websites, I am sure someone is and will follow up. In the body of the texts and the FAQ, Ford very clearly stated that Reservations would be built in order received (aka timestamps), with limitations for minor logistics like shipping and parts availability. They further stated, unequivocally, that all reservations would be completed before dealer stock was made. Obviously people understood that was subject to the same minor logistics and parts availability for the one large line of reservationists. It was quite clear that they only way to get a Bronco in any sort of timely manner was to reserve as they would all be built before they were readily available at dealers lots. Either you reserve, or you wait. With this information people quite sensibly made reservations with dealers that gave them the best mix of convenience and price as, per Ford's explanation of the reservation program it did not matter where you ordered, you were in one big line (again, minor bumps in order aside)

A few months later, although Ford never let the reservation holders know, was just puzzled out from dealers and those in the know in this forum; Ford added allocations for the 2021, thus changing the rules unilaterally and without official notification to anyone but the dealers. Now you were no longer in a big line based on timestamp, but you were in one of 3200 or so lines at individual dealerships, your timestamp was only measured against those at that particular dealer. There was much grumbling, but because of the second core promise, that they would still finish yours before dealer stock, it was not too bad, all indications were that everyone would still get built before Summer 2022, even if some early reservations were filled after later ones depending on the dealer. In between these events, Ford started giving dealers VIP builds (about 3100 of them as I recall) to give to anyone who they liked, or would give them the most ADM, or for no reason at all. Then an undisclosed number of VIP builds to people that Ford likes better than you.

As to how Ford decided to allocate Bronco's in 2021....It was a secret formula that took (per dealers) the amount of reservations at each dealer into account as a factor. Seemed reasonable enough. Based on the totality of the information (primarily knowing that the particular dealer did not matter hugely as you were going to get a Bronco before they flooded the lots with them), people ordered with their preferred dealer. (and Ford touted that many times in their website, you go to choose your 'preferred dealer')

Roof delays, bad designs, shipping problems, all these things happen, people get it, they are frustrated but generally give Ford some slack.

Fast forward to Fall, 2021;

Time to reorder for 2022. The new allocation formula is unknown at this time, but how different can it be? The Ford reservation website has added (between last order time and this one) that your build time may be impacted by the number of trucks your dealer gets (allocations), but it still, big as life, says reservations will be built before dealer stock. Nobody here is stupid, they understand that some will be built as dealer stock, but they believe Ford and know that the only way to get Bronco is to keep that reservation. They reorder at their preferred dealer, just like last time.

After the order banks open, Ford changes to the new allocation system. It does NOT take into account the number of reservations at each dealer. Let that sink in... Ford does not consider the number of reservation holders at a dealer important enough to let it influence how many trucks that dealer gets.

People start to realized that some dealers will get all their reservations filled (larger dealers appear to have a significant edge) and then will be getting dealer stock filled, with all the tasty constrained items as time goes on, while the smaller dealers, Granger in particular, with something in excess of 1100 hard core Bronco fans who made the mistake of believing Ford's word, would have people waiting for four and five YEARS based on extrapolating the allocations given to date.

There is a huge uproar, Ford's response, through Levine is to tell people to give up the reservation and make a new order at a dealer who will get allocations or transfer the order to a dealer that will get allocations and he very snottily sneered via Twitter that Ford couldn't be expected to actually fulfill those promises to the reservation holders about timestamps because it wasn't fair to the dealers who sold more Ford's in the past (slightly paraphrased) First, the dealers won't tell you the allocations numbers, or how many folks are in time with what timestamp at that dealer, so you would have to jump in blind. Second, Ford has (near as we can tell from the threads here) not allowed any transfers of a converted reservation (an order), and giving up a reservation loses the price protections and any spot in line at a new dealer except at the end. Hardly what someone who has been in a line for over 500 days likes to contemplate.



Short verision;

So, Ford changes the rules after the reservation system generated 190K reservations (my, didn't they enjoy the free publicity though), then changed them again after ordering in March of last year (not so much the change was then, as the subtle legalese in the website), then after re-ordering time this Fall, changed the rules again, cutting out the converted reservation orders completely from their formula on where to send Bronco's. Mocking people for believing them in the first place, telling them to move orders (then not allowing them to do so), telling them to ditch the reservation and just reorder (again, most folks have been reserved and believed they were in a real line for 500 plus days). With the allocation formula as it stands now, some big dealers will have lots full of cars with MIC tops, lux packages, two door units, etc. by the end of the year while some people who reserved and followed the rules will, literally, wait four years to get serviced.

The above is why people are pissed, they don't like standing in line for 500 days and then having the line closed while Ford mocks them for being stupid enough to stand in it.

The Ford apologists never seem to get around to explaining why it is our fault for believing Ford instead of Ford's for changing the rules whenever it suits them (some call that lying and cheating).

 

[zombie]

I get people being frustrated, and I get people being excited about the new Bronco but I can't imagine ever pre-ordering a vehicle, personally.

I was lucky to find a demo that was available for purchase (the sales manager literally told the salesman it was able to be sold while I was sitting there, maybe it was some sort of shady sales tactic, I dunno).

If they had told me to reserve a vehicle I would be driving something else right now, likely the Mustang I traded in.

 

[brianbrn]

It was not a post, it was in the Ford website for how the reservations worked when they started them up. While I am not versed in the way back finding of websites, I am sure someone is and will follow up. In the body of the texts and the FAQ, Ford very clearly stated that Reservations would be built in order received (aka timestamps), with limitations for minor logistics like shipping and parts availability. They further stated, unequivocally, that all reservations would be completed before dealer stock was made. Obviously people understood that was subject to the same minor logistics and parts availability for the one large line of reservationists. It was quite clear that they only way to get a Bronco in any sort of timely manner was to reserve as they would all be built before they were readily available at dealers lots. Either you reserve, or you wait. With this information people quite sensibly made reservations with dealers that gave them the best mix of convenience and price as, per Ford's explanation of the reservation program it did not matter where you ordered, you were in one big line (again, minor bumps in order aside)

A few months later, although Ford never let the reservation holders know, was just puzzled out from dealers and those in the know in this forum; Ford added allocations for the 2021, thus changing the rules unilaterally and without official notification to anyone but the dealers. Now you were no longer in a big line based on timestamp, but you were in one of 3200 or so lines at individual dealerships, your timestamp was only measured against those at that particular dealer. There was much grumbling, but because of the second core promise, that they would still finish yours before dealer stock, it was not too bad, all indications were that everyone would still get built before Summer 2022, even if some early reservations were filled after later ones depending on the dealer. In between these events, Ford started giving dealers VIP builds (about 3100 of them as I recall) to give to anyone who they liked, or would give them the most ADM, or for no reason at all. Then an undisclosed number of VIP builds to people that Ford likes better than you.

As to how Ford decided to allocate Bronco's in 2021....It was a secret formula that took (per dealers) the amount of reservations at each dealer into account as a factor. Seemed reasonable enough. Based on the totality of the information (primarily knowing that the particular dealer did not matter hugely as you were going to get a Bronco before they flooded the lots with them), people ordered with their preferred dealer. (and Ford touted that many times in their website, you go to choose your 'preferred dealer')

Roof delays, bad designs, shipping problems, all these things happen, people get it, they are frustrated but generally give Ford some slack.

Fast forward to Fall, 2021;

Time to reorder for 2022. The new allocation formula is unknown at this time, but how different can it be? The Ford reservation website has added (between last order time and this one) that your build time may be impacted by the number of trucks your dealer gets (allocations), but it still, big as life, says reservations will be built before dealer stock. Nobody here is stupid, they understand that some will be built as dealer stock, but they believe Ford and know that the only way to get Bronco is to keep that reservation. They reorder at their preferred dealer, just like last time.

After the order banks open, Ford changes to the new allocation system. It does NOT take into account the number of reservations at each dealer. Let that sink in... Ford does not consider the number of reservation holders at a dealer important enough to let it influence how many trucks that dealer gets.

People start to realized that some dealers will get all their reservations filled (larger dealers appear to have a significant edge) and then will be getting dealer stock filled, with all the tasty constrained items as time goes on, while the smaller dealers, Granger in particular, with something in excess of 1100 hard core Bronco fans who made the mistake of believing Ford's word, would have people waiting for four and five YEARS based on extrapolating the allocations given to date.

There is a huge uproar, Ford's response, through Levine is to tell people to give up the reservation and make a new order at a dealer who will get allocations or transfer the order to a dealer that will get allocations and he very snottily sneered via Twitter that Ford couldn't be expected to actually fulfill those promises to the reservation holders about timestamps because it wasn't fair to the dealers who sold more Ford's in the past (slightly paraphrased) First, the dealers won't tell you the allocations numbers, or how many folks are in time with what timestamp at that dealer, so you would have to jump in blind. Second, Ford has (near as we can tell from the threads here) not allowed any transfers of a converted reservation (an order), and giving up a reservation loses the price protections and any spot in line at a new dealer except at the end. Hardly what someone who has been in a line for over 500 days likes to contemplate.



Short verision;

So, Ford changes the rules after the reservation system generated 190K reservations (my, didn't they enjoy the free publicity though), then changed them again after ordering in March of last year (not so much the change was then, as the subtle legalese in the website), then after re-ordering time this Fall, changed the rules again, cutting out the converted reservation orders completely from their formula on where to send Bronco's. Mocking people for believing them in the first place, telling them to move orders (then not allowing them to do so), telling them to ditch the reservation and just reorder (again, most folks have been reserved and believed they were in a real line for 500 plus days). With the allocation formula as it stands now, some big dealers will have lots full of cars with MIC tops, lux packages, two door units, etc. by the end of the year while some people who reserved and followed the rules will, literally, wait four years to get serviced.

The above is why people are pissed, they don't like standing in line for 500 days and then having the line closed while Ford mocks them for being stupid enough to stand in it.

The Ford apologists never seem to get around to explaining why it is our fault for believing Ford instead of Ford's for changing the rules whenever it suits them (some call that lying and cheating).

Dude, that was the best response I've ever seen. Thank you. I see the frustration. Although, I'm still skeptical of some of the info out there your thorough explanation makes it much easier to understand.

 

[kevin.gt]

It was not a post, it was in the Ford website for how the reservations worked when they started them up. While I am not versed in the way back finding of websites, I am sure someone is and will follow up. In the body of the texts and the FAQ, Ford very clearly stated that Reservations would be built in order received (aka timestamps), with limitations for minor logistics like shipping and parts availability. They further stated, unequivocally, that all reservations would be completed before dealer stock was made. Obviously people understood that was subject to the same minor logistics and parts availability for the one large line of reservationists. It was quite clear that they only way to get a Bronco in any sort of timely manner was to reserve as they would all be built before they were readily available at dealers lots. Either you reserve, or you wait. With this information people quite sensibly made reservations with dealers that gave them the best mix of convenience and price as, per Ford's explanation of the reservation program it did not matter where you ordered, you were in one big line (again, minor bumps in order aside)

A few months later, although Ford never let the reservation holders know, was just puzzled out from dealers and those in the know in this forum; Ford added allocations for the 2021, thus changing the rules unilaterally and without official notification to anyone but the dealers. Now you were no longer in a big line based on timestamp, but you were in one of 3200 or so lines at individual dealerships, your timestamp was only measured against those at that particular dealer. There was much grumbling, but because of the second core promise, that they would still finish yours before dealer stock, it was not too bad, all indications were that everyone would still get built before Summer 2022, even if some early reservations were filled after later ones depending on the dealer. In between these events, Ford started giving dealers VIP builds (about 3100 of them as I recall) to give to anyone who they liked, or would give them the most ADM, or for no reason at all. Then an undisclosed number of VIP builds to people that Ford likes better than you.

As to how Ford decided to allocate Bronco's in 2021....It was a secret formula that took (per dealers) the amount of reservations at each dealer into account as a factor. Seemed reasonable enough. Based on the totality of the information (primarily knowing that the particular dealer did not matter hugely as you were going to get a Bronco before they flooded the lots with them), people ordered with their preferred dealer. (and Ford touted that many times in their website, you go to choose your 'preferred dealer')

Roof delays, bad designs, shipping problems, all these things happen, people get it, they are frustrated but generally give Ford some slack.

Fast forward to Fall, 2021;

Time to reorder for 2022. The new allocation formula is unknown at this time, but how different can it be? The Ford reservation website has added (between last order time and this one) that your build time may be impacted by the number of trucks your dealer gets (allocations), but it still, big as life, says reservations will be built before dealer stock. Nobody here is stupid, they understand that some will be built as dealer stock, but they believe Ford and know that the only way to get Bronco is to keep that reservation. They reorder at their preferred dealer, just like last time.

After the order banks open, Ford changes to the new allocation system. It does NOT take into account the number of reservations at each dealer. Let that sink in... Ford does not consider the number of reservation holders at a dealer important enough to let it influence how many trucks that dealer gets.

People start to realized that some dealers will get all their reservations filled (larger dealers appear to have a significant edge) and then will be getting dealer stock filled, with all the tasty constrained items as time goes on, while the smaller dealers, Granger in particular, with something in excess of 1100 hard core Bronco fans who made the mistake of believing Ford's word, would have people waiting for four and five YEARS based on extrapolating the allocations given to date.

There is a huge uproar, Ford's response, through Levine is to tell people to give up the reservation and make a new order at a dealer who will get allocations or transfer the order to a dealer that will get allocations and he very snottily sneered via Twitter that Ford couldn't be expected to actually fulfill those promises to the reservation holders about timestamps because it wasn't fair to the dealers who sold more Ford's in the past (slightly paraphrased) First, the dealers won't tell you the allocations numbers, or how many folks are in time with what timestamp at that dealer, so you would have to jump in blind. Second, Ford has (near as we can tell from the threads here) not allowed any transfers of a converted reservation (an order), and giving up a reservation loses the price protections and any spot in line at a new dealer except at the end. Hardly what someone who has been in a line for over 500 days likes to contemplate.



Short verision;

So, Ford changes the rules after the reservation system generated 190K reservations (my, didn't they enjoy the free publicity though), then changed them again after ordering in March of last year (not so much the change was then, as the subtle legalese in the website), then after re-ordering time this Fall, changed the rules again, cutting out the converted reservation orders completely from their formula on where to send Bronco's. Mocking people for believing them in the first place, telling them to move orders (then not allowing them to do so), telling them to ditch the reservation and just reorder (again, most folks have been reserved and believed they were in a real line for 500 plus days). With the allocation formula as it stands now, some big dealers will have lots full of cars with MIC tops, lux packages, two door units, etc. by the end of the year while some people who reserved and followed the rules will, literally, wait four years to get serviced.

The above is why people are pissed, they don't like standing in line for 500 days and then having the line closed while Ford mocks them for being stupid enough to stand in it.

The Ford apologists never seem to get around to explaining why it is our fault for believing Ford instead of Ford's for changing the rules whenever it suits them (some call that lying and cheating).

This needs to be a sticky. Most well written, articulate, objective and informative write up. Throw in some stock photography and publish it as a blog or something. Love how level headed it is without letting emotions detract from the facts. Well stated.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Well, I couldn't disagree with you much more. Comparing to Tesla isn't a good example. First off in comparison Tesla is a new and small manufacturer (began in '08ish) and has only produced about 1.9 million cars in total. Meanwhile Ford has been around for over a century and produced 4.1 million cars just last year. When one buys a Tesla they know the wait, they know the price, and they don't deal with the Dealers trying to rip them off. Ford on the other hand has repeatedly over promised and under delivered all while lying over and over about one thing after another. To name a few, the order that the orders would be built, when they would be delivered, and what they could actually deliver compared to what they claimed you could get when you ordered.

The fact that your experience has been "great" by your standards isn't really relevant either, but we are happy for you. The $100 deposit isn't a thing ANYONE has complained about.

The OP (as well as 99% of the rest of us) has bought many a car and never dealt with the shenanigans Ford has pulled on this vehicle.

I'm not a very sympathetic or even empathetic person by nature, or perhaps because of life experiences, but I have to stand by the OP on this one.

I hope you Bronco is everything you hope it will be.

Merry Christmas to All!!!

Wait, the OP said he has bought numerous vehicles for the past several decades, but never a new vehicle until the Bronco. None of us have never "bought" a vehicle in the manner the Bronco was released using the Tesla example because Tesla has no dealer network and sells its vehicles directly from the manufacturer.

But the Tesla Model 3 release was nothing pretty either; being a car enthusiast and an automotive manufacturing junkie, I paid close attention to the Model 3 launch. You can review the history, but as I remember, the Model 3 was released about 18 months later than "promised" and had significant quality problems when first adapted to full-rate production, AND Tesla mostly BLAMED a supplier it used to set up its manufacturing line in the (former NUMMI) Tesla factory in Fremont, California. A review of the Model 3 launch will show Tesla stated it basically had to rewite the software code developed by its supplier for its highly automated production facility, which was the apparent major part of the Model 3 production delays. Then there were bumper covers that fell off in heavy rain, glass roof panels that detached at highway speeds, complaints of poor build quality of the interior, poor paint application, etc. And oh by the way, there was no global pandemic at the time.

With 400,000+ production reservations for the Model 3 and a plant capacity for NUMMI (GM/Toyota) was on the order of 300,000/year; Tesla Model 3 production on an entirely new EV platform was estimated at less than that with the plant sharing Model S and Model Y production (on the Model S platform). So a fair estimate for producing a theoretical 400,000 unit backlog was at least 24 months. Yet nearly 8 to 10 months into full-rate production, non-reservation holders could order a Model 3 on-line and have it delivered in 4-weeks. A lot of Model 3 reservationists were baited for the promised $35K Model 3, which was slated for later production, once the $50K versions were built.

Yet on the whole, the Bronco full-rate production version did get released just a few months late (April to June) with some trim levels and content constraints. 8 months late, it seems now Ford is able to reach mostly full-rate production, yet with some persistent commodity constraints and what are mostly statistical quality issues for startup, high-rate production. Is the Bronco launch perfect, no way, far from it, but I'd bet most new vehicle product launches NOT on the INTERNET, probably go through similar hiccups and missteps, they just don't get the visibility via social media. The Model 3 did, quite visibly too, but as all things Musk, he gets a pass in the media, both legacy print media and social media.

Now more drama arises with claims a wait of 6 years before a Bronco will get delivered... Please. LOL.

 

[John Auer]

Right on Brother! I changed Dealers a year ago when the one I was registered at told me they were adding 10k to MSRP and required a 10k deposit at time of ordering. The one thing I think this shows is how corrupt this sales model can be. At the end of the day it supports the reform and process that Tesla is using to avoid dealerships and selling direct at established prices. I have custom ordered my trucks in the past, and never had any problems like this. Order a vehicle, agree to the price, wait 8 weeks pay for it and pick it up. I believe Ford has learned from this, as they appear to be modifying the process for reservation orders on the Ford Lightning. Doesn't help us now, but we are the guinea pigs in this process. 516 days and counting!

Ford would love to be able to sell directly to the consumer, but franchise protection laws prevent that from happening.

 

[Ryuk]

I ordered a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon on November 24 and was told it is set to ship on December 15th.

 

[kevin.gt]

Ford would love to be able to sell directly to the consumer, but franchise protection laws prevent that from happening.

Is that true everywhere? I know there are places Tesla can’t sell but there are lots of direct to customer sales in most states from Tesla. I assume the bigger problem for ford is the contracts it has with its franchisees. I definitely don’t know how it works but I’d think when one buys a franchised store there’s an agreement that makes it very difficult for ford to cut them out. Even if they legally could, ford isn’t yet structured to be able to execute direct to consumer. Imo, that’s the reason rivian gets a day one public market cap higher than ford before it’s even proven manufacturing, profitability, or the IP of Tesla. It doesn’t have all the legacy baggage to deal with.

 

[Bronco4lyfe85]

Can you supply evidence? not just a troll posting on a message board.

Is this a joke? Surely this is a joke…

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/i-got-my-vin-today.30522/

Just yesterday our buddy in our private Colorado group…

Or how about this guy with a May vin number with an 8/9 reservation for a 2 door. Surely, there was no one with that build 7 months ago

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/🛠-11-8-21-build-week-group.23666/post-1029812

Because nobody before October of 2020 could use that 2 door body and top, it’s all allocations!!

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/02-07-2022-build-week-group.30320/post-1027679

Of course there’s not a single 2 door OBX high package reservation before November of 2021!

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/📬-11-18-22-scheduling-email-received-group.28711/post-980104

Hey @sjp how is your 7/15 2 door Outer Banks coming along that still hasn’t previewed or scheduled?

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/cmon-ford.27319/

^ That fellow is unhappy

And another build nobody has!

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/2022-order-scheduled-today-10-28-group.26854/post-928287


Anymore stupid questions? Oh and the troll here is you for being so ignorant.

 

[John Auer]

Is that true everywhere? I know there are places Tesla can’t sell but there are lots of direct to customer sales in most states from Tesla. I assume the bigger problem for ford is the contracts it has with its franchisees. I definitely don’t know how it works but I’d think when one buys a franchised store there’s an agreement that makes it very difficult for ford to cut them out. Even if they legally could, ford isn’t yet structured to be able to execute direct to consumer. Imo, that’s the reason rivian gets a day one public market cap higher than ford before it’s even proven manufacturing, profitability, or the IP of Tesla. It doesn’t have all the legacy baggage to deal with.

I don’t know if franchise laws are uniform throughout the country, but Tesla has been fighting tooth and nail against the dealership protection racket. Ford has announced that they want more customers to order their vehicles instead of buying them off the lot. They’re running a ton of commercials promoting their desire. There’s a role for dealers going forward, I just don’t know exactly what that is? Some OEM’s want direct to the consumer, others only want dealers, still others want a hybrid model where dealers act as agents and are paid by commission. I just believe the market should decide which model suits them best, not the government picking winners and losers.

 

[kevin.gt]

Congrats on the VW. The tdi should be a fun commuter.

 

[Efthreeoh]

It was not a post, it was in the Ford website for how the reservations worked when they started them up. While I am not versed in the way back finding of websites, I am sure someone is and will follow up. In the body of the texts and the FAQ, Ford very clearly stated that Reservations would be built in order received (aka timestamps), with limitations for minor logistics like shipping and parts availability. They further stated, unequivocally, that all reservations would be completed before dealer stock was made. Obviously people understood that was subject to the same minor logistics and parts availability for the one large line of reservationists. It was quite clear that they only way to get a Bronco in any sort of timely manner was to reserve as they would all be built before they were readily available at dealers lots. Either you reserve, or you wait. With this information people quite sensibly made reservations with dealers that gave them the best mix of convenience and price as, per Ford's explanation of the reservation program it did not matter where you ordered, you were in one big line (again, minor bumps in order aside)

A few months later, although Ford never let the reservation holders know, was just puzzled out from dealers and those in the know in this forum; Ford added allocations for the 2021, thus changing the rules unilaterally and without official notification to anyone but the dealers. Now you were no longer in a big line based on timestamp, but you were in one of 3200 or so lines at individual dealerships, your timestamp was only measured against those at that particular dealer. There was much grumbling, but because of the second core promise, that they would still finish yours before dealer stock, it was not too bad, all indications were that everyone would still get built before Summer 2022, even if some early reservations were filled after later ones depending on the dealer. In between these events, Ford started giving dealers VIP builds (about 3100 of them as I recall) to give to anyone who they liked, or would give them the most ADM, or for no reason at all. Then an undisclosed number of VIP builds to people that Ford likes better than you.

As to how Ford decided to allocate Bronco's in 2021....It was a secret formula that took (per dealers) the amount of reservations at each dealer into account as a factor. Seemed reasonable enough. Based on the totality of the information (primarily knowing that the particular dealer did not matter hugely as you were going to get a Bronco before they flooded the lots with them), people ordered with their preferred dealer. (and Ford touted that many times in their website, you go to choose your 'preferred dealer')

Roof delays, bad designs, shipping problems, all these things happen, people get it, they are frustrated but generally give Ford some slack.

Fast forward to Fall, 2021;

Time to reorder for 2022. The new allocation formula is unknown at this time, but how different can it be? The Ford reservation website has added (between last order time and this one) that your build time may be impacted by the number of trucks your dealer gets (allocations), but it still, big as life, says reservations will be built before dealer stock. Nobody here is stupid, they understand that some will be built as dealer stock, but they believe Ford and know that the only way to get Bronco is to keep that reservation. They reorder at their preferred dealer, just like last time.

After the order banks open, Ford changes to the new allocation system. It does NOT take into account the number of reservations at each dealer. Let that sink in... Ford does not consider the number of reservation holders at a dealer important enough to let it influence how many trucks that dealer gets.

People start to realized that some dealers will get all their reservations filled (larger dealers appear to have a significant edge) and then will be getting dealer stock filled, with all the tasty constrained items as time goes on, while the smaller dealers, Granger in particular, with something in excess of 1100 hard core Bronco fans who made the mistake of believing Ford's word, would have people waiting for four and five YEARS based on extrapolating the allocations given to date.

There is a huge uproar, Ford's response, through Levine is to tell people to give up the reservation and make a new order at a dealer who will get allocations or transfer the order to a dealer that will get allocations and he very snottily sneered via Twitter that Ford couldn't be expected to actually fulfill those promises to the reservation holders about timestamps because it wasn't fair to the dealers who sold more Ford's in the past (slightly paraphrased) First, the dealers won't tell you the allocations numbers, or how many folks are in time with what timestamp at that dealer, so you would have to jump in blind. Second, Ford has (near as we can tell from the threads here) not allowed any transfers of a converted reservation (an order), and giving up a reservation loses the price protections and any spot in line at a new dealer except at the end. Hardly what someone who has been in a line for over 500 days likes to contemplate.



Short verision;

So, Ford changes the rules after the reservation system generated 190K reservations (my, didn't they enjoy the free publicity though), then changed them again after ordering in March of last year (not so much the change was then, as the subtle legalese in the website), then after re-ordering time this Fall, changed the rules again, cutting out the converted reservation orders completely from their formula on where to send Bronco's. Mocking people for believing them in the first place, telling them to move orders (then not allowing them to do so), telling them to ditch the reservation and just reorder (again, most folks have been reserved and believed they were in a real line for 500 plus days). With the allocation formula as it stands now, some big dealers will have lots full of cars with MIC tops, lux packages, two door units, etc. by the end of the year while some people who reserved and followed the rules will, literally, wait four years to get serviced.

The above is why people are pissed, they don't like standing in line for 500 days and then having the line closed while Ford mocks them for being stupid enough to stand in it.

The Ford apologists never seem to get around to explaining why it is our fault for believing Ford instead of Ford's for changing the rules whenever it suits them (some call that lying and cheating).

I get it that a lot of folks here like your post, but I think you've stated a few accusations that seem to be internet hype and there is no evidence are accurate: as highlighted...

Just to be clear, you write "The new allocation formula is unknown at this time", then firmly postulate "orders at Grainer et.al. will not be delivered until 4 and 5 years out".

My dealer is microscopic compared to Grainger. I reserved in September 2020, ordered in March before the 19th deadline (which was extended IIRC), then reordered in November 2021. I now have a VIN and production week scheduling. I followed the rules just the same as everyone else. It seems that my unit is buildable at the time Ford has the parts available for the assembly line relative to my dealer's allotment of its total allocation and my timestamp therein. If my production gets delayed, then I'll deal with it. Shit happens. I've matured since the 5th Grade and have come to accept that life doesn't guarantee I get a present on my birthday.

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