Looking for advice

[Whitebird]

I thought I would ask for some advice regarding my unusual circumstance.

I caled my sales manager at Winter Haven Ford in Florida on 1/7/02 requesting a status on the car I ordered on 2/15/01 (White on White, Premium, # 6 of 7 ). He told me he would investigate and call back. He calls back and says I have some good news and some bad news. He tells me my car has been moved up in the build order and will be delivered at the end of the month, the only problem is the White car I ordered will be delivered in Black (he told me that Ford can change colors if they want - something appears unusual here). By the way he just received his second car the same day I called 01/07/02. Now it appears my car would be the #3 car.

I told him the car is for my wife and she only wants white.

My question is, he said he did not change the color, but that someone in Detroit made a unilateral change without my consent, he said this happens occasionally.

He also said he has been allocated 3 more cars and that I could get a White one from the additional allocation I suspect this would probably put me further out in delivery date.

A.) Is this possible?

B.) If this is truly the order # for the car I ordered can I ask him to exchange it with another dealer?

Any other suggestions?

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[yellowwing1]

Well, I have never heard that before. The color has only been changed at the customers request. I would have a talk with you dealer. There are some people here from Fla. they might interject some help here. Did he give you a Vin #

 

[tr cruiser]

And if Ford runs out of T-birds, they can exchange the model for a Focus.

I don't think so. Mistakes are one thing, but the company doesn't make major changes to your purchase order without agreement from both parties. Besides, Wixom has five paint shops online, so color should not be a limitation. Sounds like your dealer is trying to unload someone else's cancelled order.

 

[2birdblue]

Whitebird: You're getting a line of bunk from that dealer. Neither he nor the factory can change your order without your knowledge and approval. I also suspect he is handing you a line of B.S. about extra allocation. The dealer allocations for this year's production was pretty much cast in concrete last January. If he was allocated 6 cars, I seriously doubt he is getting 3 more.

 

[Norman]

The salesman who told you that Ford had changed the color was not telling the truth or he had been misinformed. Ford does not change the color, or anything else, about a customer order without the change having been initiated by the customer and processed through the computer system. I suggest you have a serious talk with the owner or general manager of this dealership.

 

[TbirdTim]

It sounds like the dealer is trying to sell you someone else's car that they probably backed out of and has another buyer looking for a white one.

 

[tbird]

Originally posted by Whitebird:
I thought I would ask for some advice regarding my unusual circumstance.

I caled my sales manager at Winter Haven Ford in Florida on 1/7/02 requesting a status on the car I ordered on 2/15/01 (White on White, Premium, # 6 of 7 ). He told me he would investigate and call back. He calls back and says I have some good news and some bad news. He tells me my car has been moved up in the build order and will be delivered at the end of the month, the only problem is the White car I ordered will be delivered in Black (he told me that Ford can change colors if they want - something appears unusual here).

Let me assure you based upon me and my wife's four years selling Ford Lincoln Mercury's that this manager is a liar. Why would they change the color?

**** 86 White paint******

HAHAHA! If it looks like a duck, walks like duck and acts like a duck, it is a duck. Tell him I said he is a liar, and I have a friend that is currently a Genereral Manager of a Ford dealer along with a friend that is a dealer principal (just over at my house last night)

Ford would not change the color.

Too bad they don't require some sort of formal education or training in car sales, huh?

Tbird

 

[niteflight]

When I first took my place on "the list" - ages ago - my dealer stated that he may not receive his orders from the factory in the same order that they were submitted (if I'm making myself clear) - that Ford would send whatever color they were producing at the time. In other words, the dealer may get sent a blue one even though a red one is the next order in line of his allocation. However, if they're running 5 paint lines, that probably blows that theory.

 

[WixomPooh]

HI All

I won't even begin to pretend to know the answer to the original question.

My posting is in response to a response. Wixom has one paint shop- unlike the other departments we run all the models. There are two booths but there isn't a "dedicated" booth for the Bird.

 

[fdthird]

When I ordered my 2000 Mustang someone at the dealership screwed up and ordered me a black convertible rather than a Lazer Red vehicle as I had ordered.

They only realized this after I pushed for info about 2 1/2 months into the waiting process and they could not understand why I would not take a black car!

Some dealers are just pieces of work!

 

[Erict]

What bull **** from the dealer....

Call the owner of the dealership.... The salesman should be fired for something like this.

I agree with everyone's response. They are trying to sell you someone elses car... OR! a "prefered" customer decided that Black was not the color he wanted and his car is already built... You get the black he gets your white...

 

[DavidA]

In response to niteflight's comment about the order, he is right. I was supposed to be #3 of 6 at my dealership, and the dealer principal was supposed to get #1. Since my car was the only one ordered black with full red premium, I know that there was no 'funny business' going on, but I got my car first. It was a total surprise to everyone, especially the principal, but, they did deliver it to me back in October. They are still waiting for their second car.

 

[tbird]

Originally posted by WixomPooh:
HI All

I won't even begin to pretend to know the answer to the original question.

My posting is in response to a response. Wixom has one paint shop- unlike the other departments we run all the models. There are two booths but there isn't a "dedicated" booth for the Bird.

I don't know the exact reason why they are lying to the guy, but I do know that Ford did not decide to use another color. As I said, what happened, did they run out of paint. Obviously not. It does not matter to them what color it is.

Tbird

 

[Birdforwife]

Originally posted by Whitebird:
I thought I would ask for some advice regarding my unusual circumstance.

I caled my sales manager at Winter Haven Ford in Florida on 1/7/02 requesting a status on the car I ordered on 2/15/01 (White on White, Premium, # 6 of 7 ). He told me he would investigate and call back. He calls back and says I have some good news and some bad news. He tells me my car has been moved up in the build order and will be delivered at the end of the month, the only problem is the White car I ordered will be delivered in Black (he told me that Ford can change colors if they want - something appears unusual here). By the way he just received his second car the same day I called 01/07/02. Now it appears my car would be the #3 car.

I told him the car is for my wife and she only wants white.

My question is, he said he did not change the color, but that someone in Detroit made a unilateral change without my consent, he said this happens occasionally.

He also said he has been allocated 3 more cars and that I could get a White one from the additional allocation I suspect this would probably put me further out in delivery date.

A.) Is this possible?

B.) If this is truly the order # for the car I ordered can I ask him to exchange it with another dealer?

Any other suggestions?

 

[Birdforwife]

Sorry I messed up last reply. As a dealer I will tell you that Ford never changes a RETAIL order spec without dealer authorization. They have changed stock units in the past to meet some commodity constraints. I hope you talk to the dealer and get this resolved. John

 

[Whitebird]

I did speak to a customer service rep at Ford, I asked for a specific answer "yes" or "no", can Ford change my delivery color. The answer back was "no" Ford would not change the color of a vehicle ordered.

The sales manager and I had some more communications and the results are "good news". I received a call yesterday from him and he was able to correct my issue and I will receive the car I ordered and slightly ahead of my predicated delivery schedule.