Why? Were you affected by this? Was you car sold? Seriously, don't you think you are overreacting about this? I actually got excited when saw my car's vin posted on Ford/dealer website because it meant my car wasn't far behind. So not I don't want them to stop doing this especially since it is only you complaining about this. People these days. If something bothers them they go on a crusade to ruin the fun for everybody else What is next, are you going to sue them too for "the mental stress" this has caused you?

 

Actually this can happen with almost all Franchises as the problem is created by the Manufacturer billing the invoice. It often occurs that an invoice is in a Dealer's hands weeks before the car arrives. So your car could show up on the website through no fault of the Dealer, as listing is tied to said invoice. He should be aware of the problem though, as it is extremely common , and frustrating to the Dealerships also. It is especially problematic when a vehicle is presold, as the name is listed on the invoice, but it still goes up on the website, instilling a feeling of mistrust as is occurring with you.

The invoices are mailed out based on the time of finished production, so if the vehicle gets delayed on the train , in the storage yard , or with trucking, it can arrive well before the car hits the Dealership.

I would ask them to pull up on their computer to see where the car is, though more tedious with Ford than some manufacturers, it can be done. That should alleviate your concerns -- good luck.

 

Thank you for your response. The dealer finally repeated almost the exact thing. They are stuck with what Ford lists, especially when you special order. Having been to Ford Warranty school I could understand some of the issues but even Ford knows about continuous improvement. Hopefully they will try to improve in this area. In my opinion Ford is one of the toughest of all the car manufacturers when it comes to Quality. I just know my Mustang will be a product of their high standards. Thanks again.

 

Your comments are wrong. That is not the type of person I am and I do not complain about foolish things. The Ford dealer agrees with me on this being a problem. I had a contract with a trade and $2000 deposit. My GT has been a dream for a long time. I can finally afford it. After waiting for over 2 1/2 months patiently and having the ETA date changed twice around labor day. When I saw the car on two Internet sites with my VIN, I was upset. It didn't say "customer ordered" it was on the Internet sales page.
The dealer didn't populate the list, Ford adds the info. Hopefully the car should be here Monday. Then I'll be smiling. No Cumbaya here. Believe me.

 

This is an example of "bait & switch" selling tactics which are illegal. I posted at length about my experiences with this in another thread. Trying to lure customers to your business to buy something that is known not to be available to be sold is not legal.

OP is not being unreasonable. He has every right to be upset. This shows exactly what kind of dirtbag stealership they are working with.

I recommend that the OP print out all the websites advertising their car for sale. AFTER their sale is complete, register formal complaints not only with Ford Customer service but also the Better Business Bureau.

If nobody complains or does anything about these dealerships treating customers poorly, it will never get better.

 

Technically, the car isn't sold until the paperwork is signed, even if custom ordered. Therefore the car could still be considered for sale while in transit. The same thing is done in real estate and other markets. You can put money down, but until closing the house is still advertised as for sale.

The only break of faith I could see is if they were bringing it out for test drives. That would be an issue. Other than that, why would you care?

 

As soon as the sales order is signed, it is considered sold and is a legally binding contract between the dealership & buyer. Even though the final payments aren't made, it is SOLD. Just read the back of the sales contract. It will very clearly state that once the buyer signs the sales contract, they are liable for completing the sales process of the vehicle once it is delivered.

Otherwise, there would be no protection for the dealerships to keep people from ordering cars they don't want or can't afford & the dealer getting stuck with them.

 

The thing that bothers me is that "advertising costs" are built into the price of each car. If a person special orders a car, there is no reason to advertise the vehicle. So the buyer of a special order car is getting the double whammy; they pay for advertising their car which isn't necessary for them to buy it since it was special ordered AND the dealership falsely & fraudulently advertises their vehicle for sale to lure in other customers.

And I know that these dirtbags could come back and say that there is always a chance that the buyer's deal may fall through & they'd be stuck with the vehicle. So they're just advertising the vehicle for sale just in case. In that case, they shouldn't advertise the vehicle UNTIL the deal falls through. On the back of my contract, it states that if I back out of the deal, I am responsible for paying the dealership for advertising costs that it takes to sell the car I ordered. So dealerships are protected in all areas.

I guess as buyers of special ordered cars, we should write in our own stipulations:
*no dealer advertising may be placed anywhere on the vehicle
*dealer may not list the car for sale at any time that the contract is still active
*dealer must not drive the vehicle off the lot for any reason without expressed, written approval of the purchaser
*no work or changes will be done to the vehicle by the dealership without approval of the purchaser...

 

I NEVER accept the "it's the computer" as an excuse. Someone programmed every single computer, and if it's undesirable either it needs to be changed, or resign to customers potentially not liking the results.

 

True, but the repercussion of the customer not going through with the sale is all reality is loss of deposit if that. The upside of pursuing legal action against the customer is small compared the potential costs so in the one case I've seen this happen the dealership still got stuck with the car. All the more reason for them to advertise it.

But we stray from the main point of the thread from the OP. as long as they aren't messing with the guy's car who cares?

 

The dealer is NEVER stuck with a car; it will eventually sell or be traded off their lot.

Obviously the OP cares. Some people just float through life without caring. Some people care. Some people will buy a stereo off the back of a truck in a dark alley. Some people will only buy a stereo from a reputable store where they know they can go back if there is an issue with it. The point is; the OP cares.

Part of the problem with apathetic people is that their lack of action only helps perpetuate stealerships treating their customers poorly. And if nobody cares to report the problem it can only get worse. There is NO SURPRISE that car dealerships have gotten such a bad reputation over the years.

 

Shadow, you are the kind of straight-talking guy I like to have on MY side when there is a problem. Here's to ya.

 

You are arguing semantics. Whether the dealership eventually sells the car is immaterial. They still got stuck with a car, even temporarily that the manager did not intend to put on the lot. You presume an awful lot considering you don't know the OP, myself, or the dealership. Tell you what, instead of getting all angsty on a mustang forum, take a drive in your mustang, it will make you fell better. You could even drive by a Ford "stealer ship" and shake your fist as you drive by.

To the OP--hope everything works out with your car. I can't speak for all, but most dealerships are on the up and up. I apologize if you thread got hijacked by shenanigans...

 

I may not know you, the OP or the particular stealership but I know 3 stealerships in the Chicago area that have pulled the same BS.

 

Don't you guys think there are other more important things in life to worry and get upset about than having you car's VIN appear on a dealer's website? I mean seriously. I don't criticize you guys question it but to actually let it get it into your head to the point that it bothers you and think that dealer/Ford is ripping you off or using you, that this needs to stop now, this is an insult, etc is a little bit to much. Personally I think this is much todo about nothing. If dealers were actually using you cars for test drives or keeping your car for days after it arrived for display then there would be grounds to be upset about. You guys need to take a chill pill and analyze your life and the life around you and realize how insignificant and point less this is compared to other things in life.

To the OP, I really hope you get your car soon so that you can forget about all this and start enjoying your car.

 

I'm sure the OP is going to read this and completely change their life to the "reefer-smoker's" mentality of not caring about anything. "Don't worry dude, I'm sure the dealer will call you the second the transport arrives. They would never drive your car unecessarily, try to change the price, add options that were not listed in the original deal. I mean, just because they're breaking the law about listing your car for sale even though it is already sold & not available for others to purchase doesn't mean that they're not honest, rightous, stand-up guys yo."

 

While I don't agree with "not getting upset" I don't let anyone .... on me.
I agree when I get the car I'm sure to be smiling.
I'm supposed to get it today. No calls from the dealer yet. We'll see how it goes Crossing my fingers.

 

If they're close, you should just show up there and ask where it is. There are a lot of people who've posted here that their car had arrived but the dealership never called them.

Post some pictures when you can.

 

There are numerous systems out there designed for Automotive Dealerships ( ADP, Arkona, to name a few ) and when a vehicle is invoiced it is automatically inputted into the inventory. There is no bait and switch thought process , it is the way the system works and frankly most Dealers don't like the problems that can occur like with this customer. The easiest way to alleviate the problem with some systems is to plug in the customer's name prior to him/her receiving their vehicle and then it will not show up. This in itself has inherent problems as one must input for corporate based on the time the vehicle actually arrives ,not when the invoice is in the Dealer's hands ( and that is the basis for it to appear in the computer inventory). It has been an ongoing concern and many conscientious Franchises are looking into ways to fix the problem, and though it always appears simple when written in a thread , there are a myriad of legitimate reasons why this is not often the case.

Let's just say the entire issue could have been resolved if the Dealership had explained this right from the start and just said, " No worries we know this is your car, it just gets entered off of the billed invoice by corporate."

Since apparently they have assured the client that all is well , he should be confident that his car is incoming and no concerns.

The best way to have this not happen , since some things are out of a Franchises control, is to have better dialogue with the customer and give them updates as to their build status. Ford is a bit more difficult than some to follow. Chrysler Corp., for instance, now has a system where they actually contact you (via email ) throughout the build process so you know approximately where your car is prior to delivery. It is not flawless and it is always good for the salesman to give the customer the courtesy of a call to explain changes/delays, etc.

Hang in there and let us know when you get your new Stang , and enjoy.

 

On the truck. Supposed to be there this evening. We'll try tomorrow evening.
Thanks