MadManMoon

According to Twitter, my new ETA is now 8/7. It's unfortunate that Twitter customer service reps don't have detailed access to status, because I really want to know if it's left New Boston yet. If it hasn't, then this new ETA is just as meaningless as all the previous ones. Howcan a car get stuck for so long in one spot?!

That's it, I'm done. Car is still sitting at Ramp 5M at the CSX yard in New Boston, MI. It's been there since July 25. The system laughingly shows my ETA as August 3. There's no way the car makes it from that rail yard, to the train, to a truck, and to the dealer by August 3. My $750 brochure rebate expires on August 3. My dealer suggested I go in August 3 whether the car is there or not and sign all the paperwork...I don't think so! I am not committing to buying a vehicle I haven't even seen. So, the dealer will owe me $750 whenever the car is delivered, I don't care how, or I walk away. Simple as that. i've been flat-out lied to by my dealer so many times now, it's not even funny. Just admit the ETA is pulled out of some computer's ass, and you really have no idea when it's going to arrive. You didn't "expedite" anything -- if you did, it wouldn't be sitting in a rail yard for six days and counting. I'm fed up.

I love the fact that the Ford dealership right across the street (literally) from the Flat Rock Assembly Plant, where the Mustang is made, still charges a $795 destination fee on every Mustang they sell. That's $795 to drive it across the street. Gotta love it!

Dealer confirmed this morning that their sales and service systems operate on two different databases...and whichever employee entered my VIN incorrectly was at least consistent! The service database has now been corrected as well. Still no railcar, though. :waiting:

Okay, now I'm officially confused. Just got another Ford Customer Viewpoint survey...asking about my service experience of my 2013 C-MAX Hybrid on July 20!!! :drop: Poor Maxine is just sitting there on Ramp 4G from July 11 to July 26, when apparently in bizarro-world she was delivered on June 30, and serviced on July 20!!! I went to the dealership last weekend to discuss the June 30 issue, and they checked the system and found that they had mis-entered data from another vehicle. It would appear this has not yet been corrected! :banghead:

It's official - Maxine has left the building (well, plant)! Latest status: In Transit - Received (OBOB731, CSX Transportation) - Ramp 5M, New Boston, MI - Jul-25-2013, 15:22 ET ETA still shows Aug-03-2013. "OBOB731" isn't a valid railcar number in the CSX system, but the magic of Google tells me New Boston, MI is a major CSX railyard for auto carriers (and Google Maps/Earth confirms it!). So I'd imagine tomorrow or Sunday I'll have a railcar number. And of course I'm not shy about pestering my dealer on a daily basis for said number! ;)

I would say I hope we're on the same train, but since we live in very different directions, I hope not! ;)

Well, finally an update of sorts from @FordService...I have a new ETA of August 3. My $750 brochure rebate expires August 3, so we're cutting it pretty close here! I still need to call my dealer tonight to get better status, to see if Maxine has really left Ramp 4G of Michigan Assembly Plant and really is, in fact, "in transit"!

The calm, rational part of me agrees with you. The little-kid-that-wants-his-new-toy part of me is screaming "GIMME MY CAR NOW!" :waiting: :banghead: :headspin: :lol2:

Uh-oh...according to my dealer, my status has been downgraded from "In Transit - Received" to "Released From Plant" with an ETA of TBD. Looks like Slampro and I are in the same boat. Wonder if they're holding them to install the new software update to improve MPGs? I'd rather have my car first and bring it to the dealer later!

You're a Moderator...you must have some pull! :lol:

Just go by and pick them up for Slampro and I, will ya? We'll give you the VINs so you grab the right ones. Easy peasy! ;)

So, my dealer printed out my full Vehicle Visibility Report for me when I stopped by yesterday, so I thought I'd share it here for posterity (and my own record-keeping!): In Order Processing - Unscheduled-Clean - 05/18/2013 In Order Processing - Scheduled to Week (Week of Jul-08-2013) - 06/13/2013 In Order Processing - Scheduled to Day (Jul-08-2013) - 06/14/2013 In Order Processing - Scheduled to Week (Week of Jul-08-2013) - 06/21/2013 In Order Processing - Scheduled to Day (Jul-11-2013) - 06/21/2013 In Production - Sent to Plant - 06/27/2013 In Production - Produced - 07/11/2013 Awaiting Shipment - Released - 07/11/2013 In Transit - Received (Voith Industrial Services Inc) - 07/11/2013 Problem is, that's where it ends. No railcar, no intermediate destination...according to my dealer, as of yesterday, my car is still sitting on Ramp 4G at Michigan Assembly Plant. However, the ETA still shows July 26! I'm thinking the chances of making it are pretty much zero at this point...but I'm happy to be proved wrong!

I found that my build date appeared in ETIS 2 days after actual build, and the additional details about the car appeared maybe a week after the actual build.

Well, I can understand now the frustrations with MyFord Touch. This 2013 Taurus has not been updated, and I have been getting almost every glitch imaginable: phone disconnects randomly, iPod switches to alphabetical every time I turn the car on, repeat is stuck on, Nav SD Card error, and the list goes on. ETIS shows that there's an outstanding service action for the SYNC and MFT updates for this vehicle, but of course the rental agency won't take care of that unless they absolutely have to. I wonder how many of these glitches will be remedied by the software update. Contrast this to the flawless performance I had with my rental C-MAX 2 months ago, and I hope my car (delivered next week!!!!) with 3.5.1 from the factory is just as flawless! Fingers crossed!

I can understand a week or so early, but almost a month? That seems a bit too unreasonable to me. I believe that, on custom orders, I can lock an any incentives available between date of order acceptance and date of delivery at the time of delivery, so booking early doesn't help that. Still trying to get hold of the dealership sales manager to clear this up.

That's underhanded and evil! I love it! :D

I put down $500 via check, and signed a purchase agreement, but they have not yet cashed the check (they said they would not until I took delivery). Still seems suspicious to me.

Wondering if you guys can shed some light on this... Just got a Ford Customer Viewpoint survey asking about my "recent purchase" of a 2013 C-MAX Hybrid from my dealership. The survey goes on to state, and I quote, "...related to your purchase experience on June 30." Now, as you all know, Maxine wasn't born until July 11, and is still in transit. I don't expect to take delivery until July 26 (current ETA per Ford). I'm not trying to assume the worst here, but...did my dealership take credit for my sale before it actually occurred? The specific mention of June 30 as the "purchase date" makes me a bit suspicious, as that's the last day to take credit for June sales. So...is it kosher to take "credit" for a sale on a car that hasn't even been built yet? Am I missing something? Am I being too suspicious? Am I asking too many questions? :)

I'm back in West Palm Beach again, and renting from Budget again, but decided against getting the C-MAX again. Settled for a fully loaded Taurus instead. At least it's still a Ford! :)

A mini-update of sorts...I couldn't wait any longer, so I availed myself of cyberdman's services over at Blue Oval Forums (he can get more detail on status than @FordService on Twitter)...looks like my car is In Transit - Received by Voith Industrial Services, Inc at Ramp 4G of the Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP) at 23:04 ET on 11 July (date of production). I guess that means she's officially left custody of the factory and is en route! I can only get updates from cyberdman once a week, so I'm hoping that next Monday I get a railcar number! I'm looking forward to tracking the railcar from Michigan to Virginia!

I would have mine already, but Maryland requires you to have the existing plates and vehicle title number before they can issue or even reserve a personalized plate. Some states you can reserve them before you have the car... I wish MD was one of those states!

Boy am I glad I ordered the panoramic roof now! I'm sure if I didn't it would be sitting at the plant on material hold for who knows how long!!

I'll echo what slampro said. My ordering dealer, Sheehy Ford of Springfield, has been happy for me to get my updates from elsewhere, and agree that customers, especially those that order custom vehicles, should have better insight into their vehicle's status. I feel much better bugging the @FordService Twitter account more often, as that's what they're there for -- the dealer is trying to sell other cars to other people! My service dealership, Waldorf Ford, loves the fact that I know so much about the cars that I can point them to the proper TSB, or even to the relevant forums where the issue is described in detail. It makes my service writer's job easier, and it ultimately makes the tech's job easier! I guess, in the end, it depends on your dealer and their attitudes. I feel fortunate to have found both a selling dealer and a service dealer within a one-hour drive that I can trust.

As confirmed by ETIS and by @FordService on Twitter, Maxine was born yesterday, July 11, as scheduled! New ETA to the dealer is July 26. Still beside myself with excitement!