Who has put down a deposit on a demo?

[ElJeffe]

I have a deposit in on a demo at Autonation Ford in Bellevue, WA. This is in addition to my reserved Bronco.

I'm a late reservation holder, so it will be a while before I get my order (2.7a Lux MGV Badlands Squatch in A51). When I went to the dealer to test drive their demo unit (2.3m High Leather Badlands nonSquatch (but upgraded 33s) in CO), it was such a hoot to drive that I asked about buying it.

Turned out I was the first person to ask about it. They took at $1,000 deposit, and the terms of the sale are that it'll be an MSRP sale as soon as the vehicle has 4,000 miles on it or 6 months have passed, whichever comes first. I have put on about 300 miles of the 1K it has on it so far. I continue to take it out often. . The 3/36K warranty starts on the date of sale on the miles shown.

My rationale was that this'd be a good way to get into one sooner, I will likely be able to sell it for more than MSRP when my build comes in. Since placing the deposit, I have learned that other dealers in the area (Evergreen) will be charging MSRP+$10K for demos even with the mileage on them.

The only negatives: my wife hates the color so much that I'll have to have it wrapped, and I love driving the manual so much that I may wind up keeping this and just having two Broncos. Don't want to change the build on the auto as I want the rest of the family to be able to drive one of them.

A few pics of the demo are attached.

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[BroncoBarn]

One of the local dealers has a deposit for their demo. No test drives and person has to wait until February to get it. Until then it sits in the showroom.

Another dealer is turning down deposits for their demo.

I’ve heard of both scenarios as well. I guess it would be a more definite way of obtaining a Bronco, instead of the waiting game.

 

[BroncoBarn]

I have a deposit in on a demo at Autonation Ford in Bellevue, WA. This is in addition to my reserved Bronco.

I'm a late reservation holder, so it will be a while before I get my order (2.7a Lux MGV Badlands Squatch in A51). When I went to the dealer to test drive their demo unit (2.3m High Leather Badlands nonSquatch (but upgraded 33s) in CO), it was such a hoot to drive that I asked about buying it.

Turned out I was the first person to ask about it. They took at $1,000 deposit, and the terms of the sale are that it'll be an MSRP sale as soon as the vehicle has 4,000 miles on it or 6 months have passed, whichever comes first. I have put on about 300 miles of the 1K it has on it so far. I continue to take it out often. . The 3/36K warranty starts on the date of sale on the miles shown.

My rationale was that this'd be a good way to get into one sooner, I will likely be able to sell it for more than MSRP when my build comes in. Since placing the deposit, I have learned that other dealers in the area (Evergreen) will be charging MSRP+$10K for demos even with the mileage on them.

The only negatives: my wife hates the color so much that I'll have to have it wrapped, and I love driving the manual so much that I may wind up keeping this and just having two Broncos. Don't want to change the build on the auto as I want the rest of the family to be able to drive one of them.

A few pics of the demo are attached.

I think that if someone wants one and doesn’t have one built or on the way this is the best option. If people want to do it this way they better jump on it before dealers realize that their demo will be the only Bronco they get for a long time. Put down your deposit and get the price in writing. I think they will be easy to get rid of once you get your ordered Bronco delivered (could be another year or more). Thanks for sharing.

 

[threeonone]

Just curious how many people have put deposits down on demos and what their experience was like.

I have a deposit on a demo carbonized grey Badlands Sasquatch MIC 2.7 lux. It's showing up in a week or two and the dealer wants it to sit on the floor for 45 days then I can have it. I'm allowed to test drive it. I also have my own order which is scheduled to be built Sept 27. If something goes wrong with my order I will take the demo after 45 days because I need a new vehicle before this winter. If mine shows up in time, I'll release the dealer demo to whatever lucky person can claim it fastest.

 

[H - 2 CHARLIE]

Call Ford and ask for a better answer why a 45 day hold .

 

[ElJeffe]

Call Ford and ask for a better answer why a 45 day hold .

No need to ask for a better answer. Ford corporate has very clear, and very strict, guidelines on service requirements for demo units. Ford provides them as part of their mannequin program at no up-front cost to the dealers. The dealers are required to have them in demo service for:

• 4,000 miles of test drives
• 6 months of on-display use

...whichever comes first. After those requirements are met, the dealer can sell the demo unit and Ford gets paid for them after they are sold.

If a dealer violates these conditions and sells a demo unit early, they are faced with allocation penalties including one month of future Bronco allocation and one month of Bronco Sport allocation.

If the dealer said "45 days," then they are expecting to get a lot of miles on it, or aren't fully aware of Ford's requirements.

Jeff

 

[Beach_Bum]

No need to ask for a better answer. Ford corporate has very clear, and very strict, guidelines on service requirements for demo units. Ford provides them as part of their mannequin program at no up-front cost to the dealers. The dealers are required to have them in demo service for:

• 4,000 miles of test drives
• 6 months of on-display use

...whichever comes first. After those requirements are met, the dealer can sell the demo unit and Ford gets paid for them after they are sold.

If a dealer violates these conditions and sells a demo unit early, they are faced with allocation penalties including one month of future Bronco allocation and one month of Bronco Sport allocation.

If the dealer said "45 days," then they are expecting to get a lot of miles on it, or aren't fully aware of Ford's requirements.

Jeff

There is no mileage requirement. There is only the 6-month in-service requirement. A dealer can lock it up for 6 months on the showroom floor or let people drive it. There is no requirement forcing them to do so.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

I’ve had dealers refuse and dealers that will accept deposits. Unfortunately the one that allowed it wanted a $12k markup on a loaner. Uh huge no way!

 

[Beach_Bum]

Just curious how many people have put deposits down on demos and what their experience was like.

I have a deposit on a VB WT Softie. I placed the deposit on it 2 days after it was delivered. The deal is that it won't be over MSRP but depending on accrued mileage, they will discount it accordingly. I won't know the discount obviously until it becomes available.

I'm also keeping my build but I'm not expecting it till the summer or fall. Originally, I was expecting a late spring delivery, but that was before the logjam of builds requiring a MIC was pushed to MY'22.

If I love the WT, I'll keep it and '99 my order till the Heritage Edition is available in MY'23. Otherwise, I'll trade it in when my build is ready.

 

[Bronc-O]

I’ve had dealers refuse and dealers that will accept deposits. Unfortunately the one that allowed it wanted a $12k markup on a loaner. Uh huge no way!

I have a feeling if you mentioned the dealer, the Bronco would be spoken for by tomorrow. There are many that would rather pay that than wait another year or more. I'm not one of those.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

I have a feeling if you mentioned the dealer, the Bronco would be spoken for by tomorrow. There are many that would rather pay that than wait another year or more. I'm not one of those.

Me either and I have a very long wait. I told the salesman up front that I wasn’t paying any ADM for a loaner bronco and he led on as if that wasn’t the case. I happen to be near that dealer one day so I stopped to look at it. Right there on the front windshield sticker- ADM $12k.
I emailed him on the way home saying no way and asking why didn’t you just admit up front that there was a markup after I told you I would never pay one? He never replied of course. All I ask is just don’t play games with me. If I say I’m not paying mark up, then just tell me this is not the one for me. I don’t care what they charge or if someone else is willing to pay it- I’M not going to.

 

[MJ14]

I haven’t yet, but I really really want an AntiMatter Blue Bronco. And a dealer right by me has one in their demo program. I have an order with a dealer, but if it doesn’t get pulled this week I am going to assume I am SOL on AntiMatter Blue.

The dealer right by me has basically the exact build I want including the blue. The problem is I know they are letting people take it out for drives on their own on the interstate/wherever else they end up.

I don’t know what I will do if my Bronco doesn’t get pulled to be built as I really don’t want another color. I originally was going to order an Area 51, because that’s what my wife likes. But every Bronco in my area is an Area 51 now so it’s unoriginal. I’d prefer to have a different color, but I also don’t want any other color option.

So I guess for now I wait to see if the dealer contacts me to let me know the Bronco is being built or if they tell me I have to choose a new color. At which point I might strongly consider the demo unit by me. Defending on what they’ll ask for it. I won’t pay more than MSRP for it for sure.

 

[Lesymarie]

okay, I am late to this thread (I just randomly ran across it).

I have also put a deposit down on a mannequin/dealer demo!

I knew Ford was coming out with a Bronco (Bronco Sport was a disappointment), so I waited until my local dealership got a Bronco. At this point I did not realize the sh*tstorm of all you guys waiting for orders and pre-ordering/waiting....

The Bronco they had was a 2d Basesquatch, 2.7l in rapid red. I went to go test drive it and was explained about the mannequin program and was told that no one has put a deposit down on it yet... so I jumped on it.

My dealership has been awesome so far except for the $5000 "dealer mark up" .

There is a little confusion at the moment when I can actually pick it up (either end of December or beginning of January). Either way, I'm excited.

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