NEK

First off, I apologize to everyone if this question, answer and topic has already been beaten to death...but I couldn't find it on any of the long X-Plan threads.
I'm in the process of ordering a 2006 Mustang GT from a local dealer near Seattle.
I'm currently 5th or 6th in line (counting 2005 roll-overs), as I've given them a refundable deposit.
The dealer says that they should get 2006 info next month when I can make all selections, then around August-September I should be able to enter my order based on allocation and then the waiting fun begins.
So I'm ordering with the X-Plan and have read several threads about somebody getting screwed by the dealer backing out of the X-Plan once the car arrives. The one protection that everyone seems to recommend is a signed Vehicle Purchase Order signed by both myself and the Sales Manager.
Question: When during this entire process of selection and ordering and all do I demand that I get this signed Vehicle Purchase Order? I don't want to demand it before they can reasonably provide it, nor do I want the reverse to occur when they should provide it to me, but tell me that it won't be available until the car arrives or other such garbage.
Once again...sorry if this has been covered already.

rony1976

What I would do is get the VPO signed by the sales MANAGER, and once they've submitted the order, get the DORA signed by the same person, have them underline the X-plan final price with all your options, and by the way, you don't have to wait until next month, it's my understanding that the order banks opens this coming May 16th for the 2006. Also, orders are not being rolled over automatically, they have to be re-entered in the system, so unless the 4 or 5 customers that are not getting an 05 are placing a new order with the 06, you should be pretty much at the front of the line.
One more thing, make sure your priority is between 10-20, when you look at your VPO, towards the top, you'll see the priority number. The lower the number, the higher the priority.
Read some of the threads on this, you'll find them useful and informative.

Best of lucks for you!

NEK

Thanks for the advice Rony...I had completely forgot about the priority issue.
So when you said I should get the VPO and the DORA signed by sales manager...when should that first happen? It seems like everyone that orders is getting the DORA...so that will happen when it happens. But it also seems like a lot of dealers are more than happy to let us walk out of the dealership without any type of VPO (signed or not). Should I be pushing for that when I make my selections, when they call me about it being my turn on the allocation list, or sometime after that? From your post, it sounded like the VPO should come before I submit my order? Did I understand that correctly?
Thanks

rony1976

When you give your deposit, tell them to give you a copy of the VPO, with your check on it (photocopied) and if the sales manager can sign it.
Once the dealer submits your order, they get the DORA (Dealer Order Receipt Acknowledgment or something to that effect). Ask for a copy of that to verify that the DORA has your name on it, and ask if the sales manager can sign it. I hear some people are getting calls from the dealer after a couple of months, the dealer says that car is not going to be built, and when they drive by a few weeks later they see the car they ordered on the lot with a 2-3K markup. The honest truth is the dealer is not making as much $$ as they would if they sold it without the plan, but I know that Ford sends an incentive for cars bought through plans, and the dealer invoice price for a GT is 22K, so there's still some margin for them.
So basically, first step, find out if they have allocations, otherwise they will waste your time. If they do, when you give your deposit, ask for a signed copy of the VPO and your check on the same page. If they submit the order that same day, you should have a DORA the very next day, ask for a copy of that with the sales manager's signature on that as well. Taking this precautions will assure you get price protection and your car built under your name with the specs you ordered.