A friend of mine is trying to buy an '08 Hybrid Escape. I am considering a Hybrid Mariner. I have searched every dealer website in the state and have tried forddirect.com as well. Can't find a single dealer that has one, let alone finding one that is the right color, etc.

What gives? Is Ford not many of them any more? Seems like with gas prices so high they would sell if they were available.

 

Bellevue (WA) Mercury manager told me that the number of hybrids being built is not nearly enough to satisfy the demand. He said the ad budget esculated the demand but he can only get 1 a month, two at the most.

He said he had no idea what the holdup in production was.

He seemed PO'ed that he had so much traffic coming in the door but no product to sell them.

 

Since gas prices hit and surpassed $3.00/gal in May, demand for most all makes of hybrids has increased dramatically. I was told that Ford Motor Co. has increased production of the FEH and MMH at the Kansas City Plant but still can't keep up with the demand. I was very fortunate to have ordered my MMH in Mid May and took delivery the 29th of June. Most everyone is waiting longer now.

I also checked a few dealers in the eastern U.S. that I checked back in May before ordering my MMH and I note that even those dealers that sell lots of hybrids and had some on hand back in May, now can't keep them in stock.

 

The web searching doesn't appear to trully reflect dealers inventory. Many times it would list one when I was shoping around, and I would go visit the dealer, then they would try to sell me a regular gas one.

I had to drive almost 2 hrs to just test drive one to see if I liked it enough to order one.

It sounds like its going to be late Septemeber before I get mine, and I ordered 6/28.

I AM NOT very happy about this. I would have went with the Toyota Higlander if I would have known that it was going to take 3-4 months to order. Even though I have heard they are backlogged also.

 

From what I am seeing here & over in Blueovalforums.com are the plant has 2 lines running 6 days a week 10 hour shifts giving them the capacity of 100 vehicles a day. (only 5 per hour per line)

People's orders are looking to be 8 - 12 weeks out and the hybrids are being treated as a commidity due to limited parts & production availability. My order went in 3 weeks ago so I feel your pain.

http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums...howtopic=14676

 

There has to be some inside connection within Ford that we can make to find out on the status of our vehicles. I can't believe it is such a hidden process.

If I don't know anything buy August 28th, which will be 90 days after my DORA, I am going to send a letter to the Board of Directors. If they can't keep up with orders, then they shouldn't let us order a vehicle.

After 120 days, I will send letters to the top 10 stock holders.

All of the information should be public.

 

What sucks about this is that we will probably read an article next month saying that Hybrid Escape sales are down, and Ford is thinking about cancelling them.

 

I figured as soon as I got one purchased, that fuel prices would return to .99 cents per gallon, and I could afford to drive a big truck again!

 

Yeah. My read is that ford did the FEH & MMH as a stop gap. the big 3 have no intention of being green, never have. Their future (big 3) is in biodeisel, aka long live GWB and corporate USA. GWB and the Big 3 corporate pigs will embrace Hybrids about the same time as he finds WMD, accepts gays and understands NAFTA, or Carl Rove up and dies. which ever comes first.

 

I was a GWB supporter until Dick Lugar came out against him. Lugar is actually trying to introduce legislation that gas can be no cheaper then $3.00 per gallon or something like that so companies continue to go after better fuel mileage. Everyone all knows, at some point the oil companies are going to drop gas prices like a rock to kill off the Ehtanol production. This legislation is trying to prevent it.

http://www.lugar2012.com/cats/fuel-freedom.asp