Order to Delivery Time Thread

[valkraider]

Don't blame the car for a shitty dealer.

 

Go to a better dealer.

[yark99]

Good point, valkraider. I'm not trying to blame that good little car. I have two concerns though...

 

1. How do we know this isn't a *Ford* problem? This is what the dealer says and perhaps it is true. Nevertheless, in this internet age, I can see CMaxes sitting on other lots around the country. Do I want to buy from a company that doesn't want to sell to me just because I'm in the wrong place? If no cars were available anywhere, I'd shut up and wait my turn in a long line. That would be fair. But that's not the case. My husband has appreciated Ford's handling of their business through the whole industry bailout thing. That's one reason we were happy to choose the CMax. If this really is how they do business-- ignoring real customers in favor of imagined ones-- I'm not sure I agree with him.

 

2. If it *is* a dealer problem, I'm in a captive market (smallish town). We can drive to another town to buy the car. But I'll have to deal with the folks here for service and warranty for the next 10 years, because that's how long we keep our cars, and I don't want to make a pilgrimage every 10k miles. So the dealer relationship is important to me.

 

I like the CMax and that's what I want. But I can't be on my own in buying a first-year car. I need to know that we have the backup of both the manufacturer and the dealer. Failing that, our current hybrid car has a lot of life left in it and it would be much cheaper to keep it running than to buy a new one.

[yark99]

Hey Rachel, aren't you the person who bought two? Are you checking on both of 'em and neither one is coming through? It would be interesting to see how far apart they are delivered...

[donhak]

Model: C-Max Hybrid SEL - Ice Storm, Light Stone Leather, 302a

Date Ordered: 10/03/2012

Promised Delivery time: 60 - 90 days

VIN Available: 11/15/12

Window Sticker Available: 12/05/12

Scheduled Build Date: 12/11/12

Estimated Delivery Date:  01/12/13

Actual Delivery Date: TBD

State: AK

 

Getting antsy!  Railcar was delivered to customer location today in Kent, Washington.  The car still has to be transferred to a container for ship transport to Alaska, but once in transit will be here in three days.  My Saturn was in the shop for five weeks because GM was the only source for a part, they had it on back order.  The first time it was ordered the wrong part was delivered and the part got back ordered a second time.  The battery and fuel pump then went out while waiting for the original part.  That shop will never touch the C-Max.

 

 

[Laurel]

Don that is quite the journey for your C-Max!  Next onto a ship--wow.  I remember when mine got to Kent and then they had some kind of rail car problem and she got side lined for a couple of days before making it to Anacis Island outside of Vancouver.  I hope it gets there on time and I'm sure it will.

[RachelnLa]

Yes. We have two on order. I called on monday to see if it was ordered correctly and still no VIN. Today I get a text saying they are looking deeper into it. They claim the put a rush on mine. Dad may see his in early fall if this is a rush lol. I agree. Ford should be cranking those cars out.

[Roggie 51]

Roggie do you have your VIN and window sticker yet?  From past experience of members here, it is a good idea to make sure that your dealer ordered it correctly i.e. using the Order Verification system that has to be filled out absolutely correctly and with that system Ford needs a copy of your driver's license number.  Some members have been told that everything was tickety boo and two months down the road found out the forms weren't done correctly.  A good indication of things being on track is getting that VIN.  We got our VIN about 10 days after our order was placed.  Once I had the VIN, I could get the window sticker which shows the build date.  It took about six weeks for us to get our car which was great.  We are in Vancouver, BC

 Back from a great day of skiing today, arriving home I take the time to look at my emails, what a surprise email from my salesman told me that he received my VIN. Hurray.

[LizM]

I finally have a Vin#!!!!! Yay!!!!

RachelnLA, I originally ordered my C-Max on 10/15 and got the VIN# on Dec 7th.  That was 7 1/2 weeks.  The Window sticker showed up on Dec 21st and shows a build date of January 5th.  The dealer called me on Dec 28th to tell me that right now, delivery is scheduled for week of January 14th.  If that holds true, that will be 13 weeks....

 

Anyway, hang in there....

[yark99]

Liz, you had a long wait! I hope you are rewarded for your patience soon!

[yark99]

Dealer came through! They found one they could trade for. They have to add some of the options, but looks like we will be getting it in a week or so! Woo-hoo! (Otherwise we'd be looking at February and maybe beyond.

[JulieB]

Dealer came through! They found one they could trade for. They have to add some of the options, but looks like we will be getting it in a week or so! Woo-hoo! (Otherwise we'd be looking at February and maybe beyond.

 

Woot!

[mtberman]

Dealer came through! They found one they could trade for. They have to add some of the options, but looks like we will be getting it in a week or so! Woo-hoo! (Otherwise we'd be looking at February and maybe beyond.

That's great news. Keep us posted. Did they give you a VIN or any info?

 

Looking back through your posts, it's clear that some of what this dealer's said is simply false. I don't think they're trying to be misleading. The sales person is probably getting bad info from his or her manager. Remember to keep your sense of humor about the shifting stories. Take it all with a smile and a grain of salt.

 

It can be really frustrating when a dealer keeps doing that Charlie Brown thing where they coax you into kicking the ball, only to pull it away at the last minute. Don't let it get to you; It's just how a lot of dealers operate.

[yark99]

Thanks for your thoughts, mtberman (and yay w00t back Julie!)

 

We drove it. We could have taken it yesterday, but we'd have to give it back when they got the parts to upgrade the options. So it exists, and carries a "Sold" sign. The week delay is mostly our fault-- both husband and I travel a lot and we can't take delivery until we are both in town to sign. Otherwise it would probably be just a couple of days. I should have noted the VIN but I was too busy figuring out the gadgets!

 

I am not sure who is giving mixed signals. I've talked to both the salesperson (who is very new) and the manager, and I think some of the things they've told us are weird, but they are all consistent with the idea that Ford is giving them a tiny allocation and Retail Order Verification isn't possible any more. They had to trade another CMax for this one and now they don't have another one on the lot. That's a shame for their sales, because it was the drive that convinced us. But if they can't get them, I guess there's not a point in selling them. I don't understand this system, but I do think the dealer is trying, and that means something to me.

 

Dealer tried to trade for this very car when we first ordered, but the other dealer wouldn't let it go, and/or didn't want to trade for the CMax they were giving.

 

I don't know if allocations are handled differently around the country. We are not in a large urban area and might not be in one of Ford's target markets. They may be hoping to pump up the visibility in the classic hybrid markets (California, DC area) with their initial limited production, and selling in downstate Illinois doesn't get them a lot. I'm totally guessing though.

[Roggie 51]

Did Someone had this message from FORD VIN TRACKING. When I enter my VIN this is the response I get from the site of Ford research Maniacs

(the VIN was not found in our sy stem). The VIN is from my dealer, and it is suppose to be good. I should double check with my rep. What happens :worship:
 

[MikeB]

The VIN may be fine, but you won't be able to view your window sticker until about a week before the car is scheduled to be built.

[Laurel]

Roggie I think my window sticker came up about a week or so after I got the VIN.  Don't fret!

[Adair]

I had my VIN # for weeks but didn't know I could look up the window sticker from it until a couple of days before it was due to be built. The good news is that it was scheduled/built on 11.24.12 and I took delivery on 11.29.12.......yeah, I live in Michigan, only a few miles from the plant....sorry

[har]

November 13 ordered took delivery  January 3

[Roggie 51]

Thank you guys, you are great

[yark99]

Took delivery of the CMax today! We were very lucky that there was one somewhere in the vicinity with our specs (201a, moonroof, SE). Downside of the dealer shuffle-- it had 250 miles on it at 25 mpg. Ugh-- were they driving it without tires??

 

Now I can get on to whining about mpg instead of delivery time...

 

Rachel and everyone else waiting, please keep us posted!

[donhak]

Model: C-Max Hybrid SEL
Date Ordered: 10/03/2012
Promised Delivery time: 60 - 90 days
VIN Available: 11/15/12
Window Sticker Available: 12/04/12
Scheduled Build Date: 12/11/12
Actual Delivery Date: Est 1/12/13
State: AK

 

After a three month wait my car is almost here.  It sat in Washington ten days over New Years before finally getting loaded in a container for the sail north.  The ship is scheduled to dock tomorrow, and I should take delivery later in the week.  There was a one month delay when the dealer did not initially put in for the verification program, a two week change in build dates when I upgraded to the SEL from the SE, and minor delays shipping by rail during Christmas and New Years.  They all add up.  Ford at least sent me a brochure with a $750 private cash rebate to combine with the $1,000 rebate that the dealer locked in.  I don't expect stellar gas mileage initially with winter weather, but it will beat the 22 mpg winter average I have been getting.

[yark99]

Hurray donhak!! Incredible patience on your part.

[Laurel]

Don I am looking forward to the pictures!  Too bad we couldn't see one of it on the ship--now that would be cool.

[donhak]

The car arrived in port this morning and the container unloaded in the yard.  Now it just has the short trip to the dealer and dealer prep.  The salesperson will call me as soon as he sees the car.  My schedule probably will not let me pick it up until later in the week.  After this long it is still hard to wait.  It is almost ten years since my last new car purchase, and hopefully with the C-Max it can be the same.

 

With our large container ships the cars get placed in totally enclosed cartainers, which keep them protected from the elements and saltwater.  I think they are similar to the railroad cartainers, with cars double decked in them.  The trip up the inside passage is pretty well protected but the Gulf of Alaska is notorious for winter storms with hurricane force winds and 50 foot waves, as witnessed by the recent Kulluk drilling rig grounding in Kodiak.  Every once and a while they still report containers that break loose and wash overboard although it is rare with the bigger ships.

[Laurel]

Makes sense that your car was in a container. I remember many years ago buying a Skoda that had been coated with some sort of oil based smelly stuff on the ship over and the smell stayed with the car forever (sort of like stinky bear grease).  Hope you really like your C-Max when you pick it up. 

Edited January 14, 2013 by Laurel