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Any experiences with this??

contented

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Although slightly different than your situation, when I leave our BMW M2 Competition for service, I photograph the odometer and leave strict instructions that it not be driven off the lot. Stories abound of mechanic misdeeds. Did you see the recent one in California where a dealer mechanic took a new corvette for a joy ride, raced a Challenger and hit 150mph? The owner discovered it on an imbedded dash cam. They ended up giving him a brand new corvette.

In your case, the worry is test drives. I'd do two things, first extract a promise from your sales advisor that absolutely no one is to drive it off the lot. Second, get a good friend to go to the dealer and take a picture of odometer when it comes off the truck. Even w/o the picture, if the car has more than just a very few miles when you take delivery, you'll know the answer. Get the promise, preferrably via email or something written.

If they sell it out from under you, sue them for breach of contract.
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jedmisten

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Dealers do this all the time. I bought a car off the showroom floor last year showing 9 miles on the odometer. We finished the paperwork and I paid for it, so it was now mine. Rather than take it home, I left it overnight for the service department to install a self-dimming mirror with Homelink. When I picked it up, the car had 20 miles on it. When I asked about the extra miles, they said they took it to fill the gas tank for me. Sure you did. The gas station they use is less than one mile away. So, I'm guessing it was used for a demo drive, to get lunch, or just a joy ride to put that unaccounted for 9 miles on the odometer. Buyer beware.
The same thing happened to my friend.
 

mountainbronco

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I agree, Ford got themselves in an interesting pickle with how they chose to address customers directly during the reservations process, accepting money, then asking for orders to be submitted, then issue a MSRP price guarantee for those that ordered through March, all along ignoring the "usual" practice of first selling all their vehicles to the dealers.

And of course, on top of this, caused by the pandemic and supply/demand, the fact that pricing power has increased.

Lesson learned for everyone, I guess. One thing is for sure, the days of the traditional automobile dealer are numbered, and it is only a matter of time until the state laws that mandate a dealer in-between are repealed. (at the demands of the consumer, i.e. tax-payer, i.e. the voter!!)
 

contented

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The more I think about it, 10 or 15 miles wouldn't concern me in the slightest. The real issue is the owner didn't get to put those first few miles on it. If it was a high performance vehicle where rev's are limited during a 1,000 mile break in period, it's an entirely different thing. You don't know if someone beat the snot out of it or not in those first 15 miles. If it does happen to you, make sure there's no damage, then ask for a little extra swag. Save the fight for something more important.
 

Blue's B6G

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I'm personally of the mind that Ford's marketing team needs to stop embellishing what is really happening, because it's causing a ton of confusion and leading to a bunch of angry customers.
The photo that I posted is more akin to a binding contract than marketing puffery, because it’s not a marketing piece in any sense.

Of course, the customer’s damages are limited to their deposit amount, and I think that’s the part where folks are saying the dealer can do whatever they want. That’s also why I created a separate, binding agreement with my dealer via simple email conversations connected to my VIN. Unique goods get special treatment under the UCC.

*This is not legal advice and no one here is the client of an anonymous stranger named Blue’s B6G.
 
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DefNotBuddyLee

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Have you talked to your dealer/salesperson? The best way to clear up the ambiguity is to call/email and let them know the situation, and your preference for the vehicle to be left alone or minimize exposure to the public. Otherwise, you run the possibility of them thinking "Well, homeslice5177 didn't say not to, so maybe it's okay with them." You also want to make sure they are aware that you may be out of town during delivery but you still intend to finalize the purchase, just may not be able to do so until you return.

Experiences will vary based on dealer, as we have seen some crazy stories. However, sounds like you have a good rapport so no need to stress over something that a simple phone/email would likely clear up.
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