Dealer Markups Are Getting Some Press

[RoLyMa27]

pretty sure it wasn't the first bit of libel on the internet, nor the last. Kudos for 'fessing up and nearly apologizing.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused!

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[zgoods]

I want to add my experience here.

I had no sales agreement up front, no sort of contract like everyone is stating is a 100% must, just my order preview sheet. Maybe I am lucky because I live in Detroit or its a national dealer but I purchased my vehicle at MSRP. The dealer even told me he's not allowed to mark up special ordered vehicles.

I was certainly planning to take to social media and Mike Levine if there was an issue, I don't think Ford customer service cares until its more public.

 

[segt1915]

Prepare by inputting the news alert hot line of the local 6 PM tv news program into your phone and standing in the middle of the dealership be prepared to press Call. Catch the dealership owner off guard with a news crew showing up and things will happen

Portraying someone trying to buy a $50,000 car as a victim isn't exactly the slam dunk local news sensation that some of you appear to think that it is.

 

[PrepVet]

Frankly for as strong-willed most of us Bronco orderers are, I am surprised at how many say "I'll walk if they try that to me." That is a VERY weak response that will not do a thing to stop dealers from doing this. They WANT you to walk! They get more money that way. It's a strong-arm tactic, a bluff, that if you pay, or walk, you lost and they win.

Dealerships historically try moves like this. Generations have talked about the "undercoating" or "extra overcharge fee" that gets slipped in at the end. The point is, in today's social media age, that should NOT EVER be allowed. What do you do? You fight it. You call the sales manager, inventory manager into the meeting. You explain you had an agreement, Ford knows you ordered the Bronco and that you will buy the Bronco - for exactly what the original agreement was. You tell them you will otherwise call the owner of the dealership, the local news, the national news, the Better Business Bureau, and Ford Bronco leadership. Then you will make a concerted campaign exposing the dealership all over social media, and will make it your life's goal to ruin their reputation. If that doesn't convince them, next say you are calling your lawyer for breach of contract.

People - don't roll over when a salesman tries to add a sudden profit after a prior agreement. That is fraudulent, criminal, and dishonorable. FIGHT it.

Nah. I’ll just walk.

Social media “outcry” really won’t do anything. Most people will toss a like at it, if they even read it, but won’t get anything past that. It’s a wonderful idea but really won’t go too far. Look at how little it has done so far for the decade plus we have had social media and people buying things.

And in the end it’s just a car. If they can find an idiot to pay one nickel over MSRP then good for the dealer.


I have a signed agreement from my dealer at MSRP after I told them I wasn’t paying their mark ups when I converted from my reservations to an order. If they tell me there is a dealer markup when I go to get it then I will simply walk out. They can have it and they can make money on it. I don’t care. It won’t be my money.

Have fun getting a lawyer to do much of anything. Unless of course you want to pay them more than the markup and waste a lot of time. Have at it.

 

[jehines3]

My small-town local dealer says they are MSRP and I believe them. I also kept the voice mail where he said it though just in case. All that said, Ford really should jump in here. The $100 was to reserve a vehicle that final features and MSRP was not set as indicated in the fine print. We all went along with that. When the final MSRP was set and we configured our Bronco's we stayed in the game. We stayed in even after many B&P errors that drove costs higher for many builds drawn out over months. Many of us continued with the order process, all the while the dealer was holding the initial $100 placeholder. Admittedly, the $100 should have been higher since any ordered unit just converts to dealer stock if it doesn't complete.

Never do business with unethical people. Period. I walked on a Jeep deal last year because the finance guy promised one thing over text then tried to stretch me in the room. Threw the keys on the desk and said have a nice day. He came back to his initial deal, but I was done. Don't ever participate in this type of sales tactic. This needs to stop.

My bronco build is close enough to cross-shopping a Rivian. I don't see that being creepy and filled with bait and switch. I like the Amazon/Tesla/Carmax/Carvana Business Models. It's in black and white so you can make a go/no-go right away. how hard is that?

 

[PBar]

For what it is worth - Mike Levine's comment on Twitter on this issue below.

 

[TRMFAM]

I feel truly awful for the folks with reservations being hit with an ADM when their Bronco arrives and Ford should fix that by requiring the dealers to provide signed pricing agreement for any orders via the reservation system. The purchaser would know right up front if that dealer is attaching ADM and you can take your reservation elsewhere. I do not see why Ford can not make this a requirement with their dealers.

But, for non reserved vehicles or vehicles the customer walked away from historically isn't ADM pretty normal? Just recently it is on the new vettes, the RAM TRX trucks, Dodge Hellcats, before that Vipers, etc. etc.

 

[Phil]

Did you see his newest video? They settled on $5K over MSRP and he said he will continue to be a customer there. The whole story was wild. Although with as bad as I want one, I would probably over-pay at this point too lol

ahhh didnt see it but that sounds like he still got held hostage and bend over but mutual exchange benefits both parties so $5k over list must have been in they ZOPA

 

[Phil]

For what it is worth - Mike Levine's comment on Twitter on this issue below.

so they still can help move dealers if you have a res and no order? interesting but yeah sounds like this levin guy is admitting that dealers are weasels lol ford making a name for itself LOL

 

[bajabronco57]

If Ford is really planning on going with an order sales model with minimal on hand inventory they are going to have to reel in the ADM. Dealers are also going to ADM themselves out of an industry if they're not careful. As more and more people who grew up using Amazon and other online ordering tools look to buy cars they are going to wonder why they have to deal with a dealer at all and ADM.

 

[BennyBronco69]

Im telling you right now.. If my bronco gets marked up im walking. I really dont care. Let me go back... Im walking away after i lose my on everyone in the dealership. I'll let yall know if its available in two weeks or not

lol

Same. Especially since they agreed in writing not to.

I give them about 30 seconds to rethink it and then I would blast them all over social media. There is not limit to how petty I get when a business pisses me off.

 

[BlueBronco]

so they still can help move dealers if you have a res and no order?

Remember, Mike L is Ford's director of communications (or whatever) and he chooses his words very deliberately. It is wise to take what he says at face value and not to read anything further into it. I didn't read anything that said they will help you move dealers, as in move your res to another dealer. Just that they will help you find a new one. Probably by providing you the name of the next closest dealership.

 

[bajabronco57]

Remember, Mike L is Ford's director of communications (or whatever) and he chooses his words very deliberately. It is wise to take what he says at face value and not to read anything further into it. I didn't read anything that said they will help you move dealers, as in move your res to another dealer. Just that they will help you find a new one. Probably by providing you the name of the next closest dealership.

He has already stepped in over ADM bad PR and got them resolved. I have a feeling he meant they would move your current reservation.

 

[PSUTE]

A couple of dealers have been up in here saying no ADM on orders, but for abandoned orders that end up as stock, they'll get whatever the market will bear. Fair enough...

 

[one800higgins]

A couple of dealers have been up in here saying no ADM on orders, but for abandoned orders that end up as stock, they'll get whatever the market will bear. Fair enough...

Yea that’s fully fair IMO.

Seeing Levine’s tweet bothered me. Price protection is meaningless if dealers can do whatever they want with custom orders. I replied to him on Twitter.

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