CORRECTION - Damaged in transit. Was: Dealer says my Bronco may be "missing"? WTF

[Colorado buff]

At this point why would people want a 2021. Get the 2022 newer options like a couple new colours and probably a few of the kinks fixed. Unless you are getting a first edition or had anti matter blue and couldn’t live without it

Sponsored

 

[markregel]

**UPDATE - just hung up with the dealer. It was damaged badly enough (B pillar damage) that Ford isn't confident they should sell it. I'm paraphrasing there. Dealer has given me a few options including trying to dig deeper and see if it's salvageable and can be repaired or place a new order for a 2022 that will be moved up int he production cycle and be here in the next 60-90 days. I believe I'll be going that route. Taking delivery of a 2021 in 2022 already rubbed me the wrong way. Plus now I can make some changes to the build too.

Thanks everyone for all your help and feedback. In hindsight I should have given the dealer some more time to get me answers before posting.**

--

Would be grateful for any insight the forum can provide. So - my blend date was 8/31 and FINALLY I get my built email on 12/25 with arrival at the dealer between 1/9 and 1/15. On 1/7 my dealer shows a status of "derailed" on their end. The whole week passes with no news so Friday I call the dealer and my salesman is out and I end up speaking with one of the dealer principals. Before I can tell him my story he says he already knows who I am and they have been trying to locate my Bronco for a couple days. They can no longer find it in their system etc. He explains that in 25+ years he's never had a vehicle go missing like this and he's waiting for a call back from the regional Ford rep. Furthermore the fact that they aren't getting back to him means they likely don't know where it is either. So they are going to get back up with me Monday or Tuesday with some kind of an update but they feel the fact that it can't be located means it's likely not coming. He said if it had been damaged, or stolen or anything like that they would normally notify him in short order. But in this case it's radio silent.

Now here is the twist - tonight I logged into my ford account and when you scroll down to the part where it lists recalls, etc - the warranty section says the warranty went into effect 1/4/22?? How is this possible? Now for additional information - the ford tracking links haven't been working for a while. I don't think my dealer is feeding me BS - he really sounded like he was pissed and thoroughly annoyed with Ford.

So - does anyone have any insight into a scenario like this? Did @Ford Motor Company sell my Bronco to someone else? Thanks in advance.

**UPDATE - just hung up with the dealer. It was damaged badly enough (B pillar damage) that Ford isn't confident they should sell it. I'm paraphrasing there. Dealer has given me a few options including trying to dig deeper and see if it's salvageable and can be repaired or place a new order for a 2022 that will be moved up int he production cycle and be here in the next 60-90 days. I believe I'll be going that route. Taking delivery of a 2021 in 2022 already rubbed me the wrong way. Plus now I can make some changes to the build too.

Thanks everyone for all your help and feedback. In hindsight I should have given the dealer some more time to get me answers before posting.**

--

Would be grateful for any insight the forum can provide. So - my blend date was 8/31 and FINALLY I get my built email on 12/25 with arrival at the dealer between 1/9 and 1/15. On 1/7 my dealer shows a status of "derailed" on their end. The whole week passes with no news so Friday I call the dealer and my salesman is out and I end up speaking with one of the dealer principals. Before I can tell him my story he says he already knows who I am and they have been trying to locate my Bronco for a couple days. They can no longer find it in their system etc. He explains that in 25+ years he's never had a vehicle go missing like this and he's waiting for a call back from the regional Ford rep. Furthermore the fact that they aren't getting back to him means they likely don't know where it is either. So they are going to get back up with me Monday or Tuesday with some kind of an update but they feel the fact that it can't be located means it's likely not coming. He said if it had been damaged, or stolen or anything like that they would normally notify him in short order. But in this case it's radio silent.

Now here is the twist - tonight I logged into my ford account and when you scroll down to the part where it lists recalls, etc - the warranty section says the warranty went into effect 1/4/22?? How is this possible? Now for additional information - the ford tracking links haven't been working for a while. I don't think my dealer is feeding me BS - he really sounded like he was pissed and thoroughly annoyed with Ford.

So - does anyone have any insight into a scenario like this? Did @Ford Motor Company sell my Bronco to someone else? Thanks in advance.

Train robberies are skyrocketing in the United States. I don't know if this is what happened to your Bronco but it is a real risk. Welcome to the new third world.

 

[Kos]

Just curios - Any idea on why the vehicle has a title registered or the warranty active if Ford isnt confident enough to sell that vehicle?

I would say that the Bronco in question was already sold to the carrier responsible for the damage.

Typical process for in-transit damage that renders the vehicle "unsellable" is for the carrier to buy the vehicle from Ford and then the carrier will sell the vehicle to recoup anything they can (could be for parts, could be under a salvage title).

I highly doubt getting the repaired vehicle to the OP was ever a valid option.

 

[Kos]

Train robberies are skyrocketing in the United States. I don't know if this is what happened to your Bronco but it is a real risk. Welcome to the new third world.

That's more of an issue on the intermodal side and largely in California.

Trespassers on auto trains is more of an issue at border crossings with people trying to sneak in to the country by hiding in finished vehicles.

 

[AlpineDescent]

I highly doubt getting the repaired vehicle to the OP was ever a valid option.

Exactly, a repaired vehicle can not be sold as new (unless you are Tesla).

 

[Roger123]

I would say that the Bronco in question was already sold to the carrier responsible for the damage.

Typical process for in-transit damage that renders the vehicle "unsellable" is for the carrier to buy the vehicle from Ford and then the carrier will sell the vehicle to recoup anything they can (could be for parts, could be under a salvage title).

I highly doubt getting the repaired vehicle to the OP was ever a valid option.

This makes sense, thanks for that.

 

[Coloradonatives]

1) they wouldn’t have titled a wrecked vehicle. I’d love to know who it was titled to!

There’s no reason to convert the MSO to a title, afaik.
Once it’s damaged past a certain amount it can’t be sold as new. bmw got hammered for it iirc, but who knows

2) I don’t believe it.

but that’s based on some weird things in the past and things I’ve read

It is entirely possible that they created a title for the transporter- or whoever is filing an insurance claim, and not Ford itself. It will change hands and be auctioned and repaired or parted/salvaged if it was not a Ford accident.

 

[Coloradonatives]

It was a joke because HR departments are useless and they never give a straight answer.

nice catch...

 

[mcinfantry]

So wouldn’t carfax show the title and damage?

It is entirely possible that they created a title for the transporter- or whoever is filing an insurance claim, and not Ford itself. It will change hands and be auctioned and repaired or parted/salvaged if it was not a Ford accident.

I suppose it could be

 

[sergk]

Sorry, cannot help it...

But seriously I hope you'll get your new Bronco in 2022 and it will be free from all "first model year" issues.

 

[Cable Guy]

Glad it’s been figured out. I assumed it ‘fell off the truck’ and some fat guy in NJ named Tony was driving it.

 

[Neps]

Exactly, a repaired vehicle can not be sold as new (unless you are Tesla).

I wish that were true, vehicles are damaged all the time at the factory, in transit, and even at the dealership and are repaired and sold as new.

Prior to my current occupation I worked at the Port in California for one of the Major auto manufacturers. We had both imports coming in and exports leaving for Asia. Our service company which did all the logistical work for us (and the other manufacturers), has their own body shop on site.
All the manufactures repair vehicles if damaged in transit, the only way a unit is not repaired is based upon a cost threshold or a particular area of damage, like the A-Pillar (structural safety concern). Dependant upon your particular state, there may be laws that have been enacted to protect the buyer which require disclosure, but not many (all) states have these protections in place.

Bumpers, wheels, doors, windows, and mirrors were the most common damages I observed. Selling vehicles that have undergone major repairs without disclosure has recently resulted in several states enacting laws to protect the consumer. But, laws vary from state to state, and they rely upon honest, timely, and accurate reporting.
In some states the customer has the right to ask for a damage disclosure regarding the vehicle they are buying, but few people know to ask. In other states the dealer is required to disclose any damage above a certain value and/or repairs cannot exceed a percentage of vehicle costs. The requirements are not uniform across North America.

Unfortunately there are some bad dealers out there, so it's best to become familiar with the laws in your particular state and work with a dealer you trust.

 

[AlpineDescent]

I wish that were true, vehicles are damaged all the time at the factory, in transit, and even at the dealership and are repaired and sold as new.

Prior to my current occupation I worked at the Port in California for one of the Major auto manufacturers. We had both imports coming in and exports leaving for Asia. Our service company which did all the logistical work for us (and the other manufacturers), has their own body shop on site.
All the manufactures repair vehicles if damaged in transit, the only way a unit is not repaired is based upon a cost threshold or a particular area of damage, like the A-Pillar (structural safety concern). Dependant upon your particular state, there may be laws that have been enacted to protect the buyer which require disclosure, but not many (all) states have these protections in place.

Bumpers, wheels, doors, windows, and mirrors were the most common damages I observed. Selling vehicles that have undergone major repairs without disclosure has recently resulted in several states enacting laws to protect the consumer. But, laws vary from state to state, and they rely upon honest, timely, and accurate reporting.
In some states the customer has the right to ask for a damage disclosure regarding the vehicle they are buying, but few people know to ask. In other states the dealer is required to disclose any damage above a certain value and/or repairs cannot exceed a percentage of vehicle costs. The requirements are not uniform across North America.

Unfortunately there are some bad dealers out there, so it's best to become familiar with the laws in your particular state and work with a dealer you trust.

You are not wrong, I was specifically referring to damage like he was describing, but that wasn’t clear in my response.

 

[mpeugeot]

I would be of the mindset of pictures, or it didn't happen, because if it was damaged you can 100% guarantee that there is a report with accompanying pictures. Show me the proof.

Also, I would want to know what they are doing to make it right (whoever is at fault), why should you be the one suffering for the acts of others. They certainly could find an abandoned order or a loaner car at the very least.

 

[mcinfantry]

I wish that were true, vehicles are damaged all the time at the factory, in transit, and even at the dealership and are repaired and sold as new.

Prior to my current occupation I worked at the Port in California for one of the Major auto manufacturers. We had both imports coming in and exports leaving for Asia. Our service company which did all the logistical work for us (and the other manufacturers), has their own body shop on site.
All the manufactures repair vehicles if damaged in transit, the only way a unit is not repaired is based upon a cost threshold or a particular area of damage, like the A-Pillar (structural safety concern). Dependant upon your particular state, there may be laws that have been enacted to protect the buyer which require disclosure, but not many (all) states have these protections in place.

Bumpers, wheels, doors, windows, and mirrors were the most common damages I observed. Selling vehicles that have undergone major repairs without disclosure has recently resulted in several states enacting laws to protect the consumer. But, laws vary from state to state, and they rely upon honest, timely, and accurate reporting.
In some states the customer has the right to ask for a damage disclosure regarding the vehicle they are buying, but few people know to ask. In other states the dealer is required to disclose any damage above a certain value and/or repairs cannot exceed a percentage of vehicle costs. The requirements are not uniform across North America.

Unfortunately there are some bad dealers out there, so it's best to become familiar with the laws in your particular state and work with a dealer you trust.

I still don’t buy converting an mso to a title and enacting the warranty

but I’m a sceptic

Sponsored