BTW, the "best" priority code is 10. That means you are next.

Priority codes less than 10 can't be assigned by dealers. They are reserved for special cases. For example, if after 20 weeks waiting for your FEH, it falls off the delivery truck and is "totaled". If you start crying, and can't stop, the district rep might feel really sorry for you, and place a re-order at priority, say, 5. I think that bumps you ahead of orders from other dealers in the district.

When ordering a Ford, I don't leave the dealership until I have a DORA in my hand with a priority code of 10.

 

Walt,

Where does it show the priority number on this "dora" you speak of?
I have a sheet from my dealer that says the "scheduled" date and the DLR ETA week date and it also shows the v.i.n. number of my ordered escape. I fail to see a priority code or any number low like the priority code you are speaking of.

thanks in advance
08FEH

 

if you try this link, blueovalforums.com, and click on the vehicle locator subforum you can leave a post with your VIN and some one will get back to you about the build status of your vehicle.

 

For me, up there with the "Order No." and "Order Type", is the "Priority".

 

Hi. We ordered a 2008 FEH hybrid in early June. We started calling the dealer about 3 weeks later to get an update and just got the run around. Called Ford customer service and they said there was no order in the system.

When we went back to the dealer, they gave us a song and dance about their allocations and how they didn't have allocation to even place the order. So they had been holding on to the order!

Does that make sense? I thought allocation just determines how quickly they get the orders they have placed (i.e. if you have 30 on order, and your allocation is 3 a month, it will take you 10 months to work through those orders) and can't understand how it would/should impact when my order gets placed in the system.

Long story short, after raising hell, the dealer finally put it into the system and now we have a valid order number - problem is, I'm feeling like we lost 4 - 6 weeks. When we call Ford, they tell us the order has been received but hasn't been selected by the computer for production.

How long can we expect to wait from this point? In addition to my order number, I have an order code of 300A - no idea what that means.

Is there any way that we can accelerate things given that it sounds like we lost 4 or 5 weeks while the order was sitting on their desk rather than in the system. We are really steamed!

Thanks for any advice!

 

If you search other dealers, can you find one like you ordered?

Eventho it dealers in my area didn't want to trade, my favorite dealer (bought 4 of last 5 from) said I can't get it traded, but I'll buy it from them and sell it to you for only a $1000 more.

Maybe you can find one, make the dealer buy it and sell it back you you, minus the $1k for the delays/trouble. Something to make a happy, therefore a return customer.

 

If a dealer treated me like that, I would probably find another one. That however may not be an option now that he's put in the order; but you might want to get some discount or accessories for all the time you lost. That's the least the dealer could do for you!

 

I thought "allocation" meant how many a dealer could order for themselves, just to sit on the lot as part of stock they could have "on hard" for walk up buyers.

If a customer custom orders a car, that is NOT part of the "dealer allocation".

If 100 customers went in and custom ordered ( and I assume signed a purchase agreement to pay for such ) a Hybrid, then any dealer, even in a small town, should be able to deliver those 100. The dealer is just acting like an agent, and a place for you to pick up your hybrid, that you really bought from corporate HQ when you place a custom order.

Does that sound right? I am in a small town, and in 2005 my dealer said they already sold their "allocation of 3" off the lot, but I could custom order anything I wanted, and get it in 8 to 12 weeks. They just didn't have any on the lot for me to choose from at the time. -John

 

Don't feel badly, you did not do anything wrong. This is how some dealers still operate. It's a good thing you checked and figured it out.

It sounds like you were a victim of the "old thinking" that still persists in the car business. The idea is that the customer should buy whatever is on the lot. Now. Period. When they get an order and a deposit check, they tell the sales person, "screw this guy!! Call him back and sell him something on the lot!!" and they throw away the order. I've seen it many times, and it's sad.

They can order whatever they want. There is currently no meaningful limit (allocation) on FEH orders for any dealer.

Once the car arrives and you are loving it, you will get a survey from Ford. Maybe put some comments on that about this part of your experience. That survey is an important part of the dealer's rating.

 

I ordered one for a customer here in Colorado and it took approx. 8 weeks to get. Currently I have one in stock: 4x4, Vista Blue, Stone Leather, Hybrid Premium Package, 6-disc CD Changer, MSRP: $28,980. Somebody backed out on purchasing this one due to them not selling their vehicle as quickly as they thought. If they sell theirs soon they will be back for it. Either way, I don't expect it to last long!

Priority codes: Normally we use 40 on all orders, that way the first one in gets built first if all other things are equal. There are different order types (1 is retail, 2 is stock, etc), and retail does get built/allocated before stock even with the same priority. A lower priority SHOULD get built before a higher one. However, sometimes we order something that just seems to get built very fast or out of order.. the understanding there is that Ford had already planned to build that or had it sitting at the plant and was looking for a dealer to send it to. A priority of 99 either means there is a hold on something on your order or if the dealer set it to 99 that means 'don't build this before anything else in my order bank'. Usually a 99 means it won't get built until they change the priority code.

SummitFord
2008 Escape Hybrid
Light Ice Blue
Roof Rack / Bike Rack
Love It!