The Gas version has the option to have one installed, The MMH comes with one std (I think) but the FEH it's not even an option! I bought mine on ebay, like $80, it's wireless, sticks anywhere, since the older one only came in the ugly black plastic, I stuck it to the only place I have black plastic, behint the drivers mirror (vertically). Apparently there's a new model out, smaller and comes with black plastic or paintable covers.

 

I have been in contact with a gentleman at Ford, that now knows me by caller id.

He said that ordering a AWD vs. a FWD shouldnt make any difference. He said its totally an issue of Dealers putting in fake orders. I can imagine that would be somewhat hard to track down.

Everyone, we are possibly overlooking one problem, I guess rumor has it that UAW strikes on Sept, 14th?

Go visit the Wall Street Journal and search on it.

 

Also, when searching autotrader.com, make sure to select used also. Some dealers arn't so internet friendly, I found more new hybrids listed that way also.

 

My dealer just brought up a good point, at what point does Ford start selling the 2009's? Then it will have the pretty cool sync option.

 

Almost every FEH I've seen here in Southern California has been FWD, and that was confirmed by the dealer where I got my '08 last week. They (Sunrise Ford in North Hollywood) claim to sell more hybrids than any other Ford dealer in the country, and they say that almost all of the ones they order are FWD, as the AWD option isn't quite so necessary here in the land of bright sun and sweltering temperatures (having moved to SoCal from upstate New York, I still haven't gotten used to the 85 degree Christmases OR the inevitable several weeks of 100+ degree summer days).

As a side note, have had the FEH for 5 days now, put about 400 miles on it, and seem to be averaging a little over 34 mpg doing mixed driving without having done a lot of adjustment in driving style. Don't know if I'm cut out to be a hypermiler, but I'm loving the improvement over my Ranger (18-20 mpg) both in FE and in comfort. We'll see what I can get the FE up to over the next several tanks with just minor changes in driving habits.

 

Agreed! And Colorado only gets AWD!

That's why I had to drive to the L.A. area to pick up my FWD.
Probably one of the very few on the roads of Colorado!
-John

 

Well as long as mine gets built & shipped by then, hopefully if they do strike I should be in the clear.

Ordered 7/14 & thinking it will be produced this week based on currently available information to me. This was ordered through a higher volume Lincon / Mercury dealer.

 

I was told dealer size and allocation was all a myth. I ordered on 6/28, I will be interested to know about your order.

Do you have a full vin number?

 

Actually I do have a full VIN & the blend date is 8/21. If the produced date does follow by a week or so, then hopefully it will be produced this week and on a train in the next 2 weeks, or so I hope!

When I ordered my dealer did have an available allocation that I took.

Sorry things are not going as smooth for you Pat & some of the others.

When I got my full vin from the dealer, there were several other MMH's, some were completed, some like mine had a vin & others only had a partial. From the screen, you could only see the 4 digit order #'s, so I have no idea when the others were ordered.

Update 9/06/2007
Mine was completed on 8/29 and has a ship date of 8/31. The dealer ETA is for the week of 9/12. If it arrives that week, then it would be 8 weeks from order to arrival, 9 if it gets here the following week.

Update 9/10/2007
Got that call from the dealer to bring my checkbook tomorrow. That will make 8 weeks from order to pickup.

 

I ordered 8/13 and was third in line at a fairly small volume Ford dealer. They bent over backwards to help me and honored x plan no questions asked. I went with the small dealer because the fleet manager apparently knew how to get these built - I'm already next in line after 2 weeks! He's very good friends with his district Ford rep apparently.

The huge Ford dealer 3 blocks down the road from me had 12 in stock recently but all were either loaded AWD or barebones, which I found odd and didn't want anyway. They wouldn't budge from MSRP and told me these would sell at that price. Well they are selling, as they only have a few left already, but I didn't want to deal with these boneheads, although I will probably get my service done there.

I'm optimistic I'll be driving my FEH by Thanksgiving, which would be 12-14 weeks, as quoted...