New ordering awareness

[hambone]

I ordered a new 2003 Thunderbird from a small town dealer. He was not aware that you had the option of the no-charge running lights. I was not aware of it until I read the posts on this chat. Now that the car has been ordered, I am told that the lights will cost me extra. I called the service rep. for Ford and was politely told, tough luck.
I wanted to let the other people know that they have to ordered when you place the original order for the car and that the Ford company was very unsympathetic to the problem.
I just came back from the dealer and they are not delighted over having to pay over $100 for these lights to make me happy.
I feel that the Ford company could have understood the fact that a dealership might not know this, after all they did not make this known to them, and even though the car was ordered, what is the big deal over just giving what they would have given anyway.

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[Birthday Bird]

From cars that I have ordered I found that if it has been "bucked" i.e., basicly has a build date then Ford can not change the order. Also, my dealer provided me with the ordering information that they had and it is made very clear to them that the supplemental fog lamps are a no cost option and are "strongly recommended". Your dealer had the information. The positive side of this is that you will have a rare car because unless it is a Bird that goes to Canada, most cars in the states are ordered with these lights. Not to go one here but as a joke I asked my dealer to order my 03 without them and they refused. There ordering information suggested that 100% of the cars were to be ordered with this option.

 

[Lyle]

Yes, it is true that you must specify the supplemental parking lamps. I have never seen one without the lamps, but was shocked that my salesman did not know that they had to be specified on my order. Don't assume the salesman knows more than you regarding your T-Bird. Tell him/her to add to your order #51P, Supplemental Parking Lamps (NC).

When I order my T-Bird at the end of October 03 (Red with white top and full red interior) I asked about the Corel and White James Bond car (neither my salesman nor the more "experience" salesman knew about the color. The older gentleman told me that the Corel and White was just a color they put out on the web to see if anyone might be interested. I was shocked then about their lack of knowledge and that almost cost them a sale. Nevertheless, I order the red/white car and am enjoying it.
Lyle

 

[George]

Hambone:
The dealer should pay for them!! There is no excuse for them not knowing. The ordering has not changed. It was that way for the 2002's that they have been taking those orders since 2001.

 

[hambone]

I just wanted the other people to be informed consumers. This small time dealer is not informed on these things, he is now, you can be assured. I will probably get the dealer to pay for them, but I really could not understand Ford's stand on not providing them after the sale.

 

[beicholz]

Hey Ford...Are you listening to your customers? Why on earth would you offer a no-cost option, without which the front of your new car looks weird and incomplete. Shame on you! You should offer free upgrades to those who didn't get this option.

What WERE you thinking?

 

[DMIR.T-Bird]

This is not FORD's mistake or problem. Frankly, there are a ton of hacks that sell cars. The dealerships that I bought all 3 of my 'Birds from knew about 1/2 as much as I did. All I did was read up on the car I was interested in and check as much about them as I could. Helped me when price negotiations surfaced too!

There's a rather good sized dealer in Stillwater MN that has ordered every stock 'Bird without the lamps. Looks strange, but just because I dont like it does not make me the one with the right opinion. The dealers are given the information, Ford prints the brochures, ford maintains a web page, and THE BUYER MUST ALWYS BEWARE. I would have a "first class conversation" with the salesman, manager , and dealership owner.
By the way; they have had the Yellow, White, Blue, Red, and Black. Interesting to see.
Lee F.
94 V8 176,000
95 V8 113,000
02 3xBLACK 285

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

The reason why Ford offered it as a no cost option was to get around the Government. The car will not pass the 5 MPH bumper crash test with them installed. Ford feels the car looks better with them and they want all the cars to have them. Customer ordered options do not have to meet the 5 MPH crash test standards. So that is why Ford offers them as a no cost option. They pass the test and you get the lights for free and in Fords eye hopefully everycar gets them. It is not Ford's fault that some of their dealers do not read all the information that is sent to them.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[WhiteBird02]

I am sorry to hear about your experience. but it is not uncommon. I have been helping my dad buy his cars since I was 14 (I am 18 now) this includes two Expeditions two Explorers two F250 SD's and our Bird. My dad basically told the sales person that his son(me) was his sales person and he only needed someone to locate or order the vehicle. I also worked at a Ford dealership for 8 months in highschool and learned that even the most experienced sales people don't know the vehicles they are selling. They only know how to sell. As someone that would like to own a dealership some day, I think it is a sad situation and it won't be happening in my dealership.

 

[hambone]

Originally posted by WhiteBird02:
I am sorry to hear about your experience. but it is not uncommon. I have been helping my dad buy his cars since I was 14 (I am 18 now) this includes two Expeditions two Explorers two F250 SD's and our Bird. My dad basically told the sales person that his son(me) was his sales person and he only needed someone to locate or order the vehicle. I also worked at a Ford dealership for 8 months in highschool and learned that even the most experienced sales people don't know the vehicles they are selling. They only know how to sell. As someone that would like to own a dealership some day, I think it is a sad situation and it won't be happening in my dealership.

 

[hambone]

Thank you WhiteBird for your insight. Good luck in your quest for owning a dealership.
Young people like yourself with dreams and compassion makes me have hope for the next generation.

 

[tleslie]

Hambone: I hope you can find a dealer who can service your Bird properly. Most dont know how to sell them, and more dont know a thing about servicing them. They just start hanging new parts on these cars in the attempt to fix them. At least thats what most of the people I talked to at the Wixom plant said.

 

[02 TBRD]

A big THANK YOU to Lon O'Connell for his response in this thread. He is 100% correct.

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

Thanks for the kind words 02 TBRD.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
03 F250 Lariat Crew Cab 7.3L Power Stroke
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V