Ordered Explorers given -Lower- Priority?

[morpheus3013]

Hello all,

My frustration with getting my Explorer is increasing rather quickly. Below is my timeline...

2/15 - Order placed.
3/13 - Build date per window sticker.
3/19 - Crystal reports status as "Awaiting Shipment", ETA 3/26.
3/27 - Dealer calls "mixing station" (as I understand it, a contractor who gets vehicles off the train and puts them on tractor-trailers for delivery - in this case located in Kansas City) and it had not arrived.
4/7 -- Dealer calls mixing station. Mixing station says it is there. Dealer guesses it will be here 4/10 or 4/11.
4/11 - Dealer calls "Ford Rep" who reports the mixing station has new software and can't tell the difference between vehicles that are on site or in transit. Also a recent railroad strike is keeping the rail system backed up. ( this seems to be another excuse comparable to the one found at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3280607&postcount=14 ) Dealer believes it should reach mixing station 4/15.
4/16 - Dealer reports it is to reach mixing station 4/18.
4/16 - Crystal and Customer Relations Center report status as "In Transit", ETA 4/24. Neither has additional info on any cause for delays.
4/16 - I begin investigating how there is a backlog of Explorers of apparently at least 30 days. Checked dealer website. Two Explorers listed with build dates later than mine.
4/18 - Checked cars.com. Of about 10000 2014 Explorers listed with pictures nationwide (pictures assuring they are actually on lots), approximately 2400 were listed in the past 2 weeks, to me indicating they arrived in the past 2-3 weeks and would likely have build dates after mine.

When I discussed the 2 newer Explorers on the dealer's lot, my salesperson said he/she saw them come in and was livid when he/she discovered one wasn't mine. According to the dealer, customer ordered vehicles are given "priority 1" and dealer-ordered vehicles are given "priority 2" so the salesperson does not understand why these came first.

It seems to me the earlier referred poster and myself are/were given excuses and for some reason (more sales?), Ford is shipping unspoken-for vehicles before ordered ones.

I'm hoping to hear others' ideas and experiences, but given what I've seen in this case, this could be my last Ford after owning four in the past 15 years.

morpheus3013

 

[PMAX6]

I suspect your issue is similar to mine. I was originally scheduled to receive my vehicle on 4/15. Not here yet, due to the cold winter there is a backlog of vehicles to be shipped from the Midwest. I received a copy of an email from my dealer that came from Ford's UPS Autogistics that stated the delays are due to rail car shortages from the winter. Google Midwest rail car shortages and you'll find a number of articles on it. All the manufacturers are dealing with the same issue.

Frustrating that it's for sure!

 

[Sgt1411]

Hello all,

My frustration with getting my Explorer is increasing rather quickly. Below is my timeline...

2/15 - Order placed.
3/13 - Build date per window sticker.
3/19 - Crystal reports status as "Awaiting Shipment", ETA 3/26.
3/27 - Dealer calls "mixing station" (as I understand it, a contractor who gets vehicles off the train and puts them on tractor-trailers for delivery - in this case located in Kansas City) and it had not arrived.
4/7 -- Dealer calls mixing station. Mixing station says it is there. Dealer guesses it will be here 4/10 or 4/11.
4/11 - Dealer calls "Ford Rep" who reports the mixing station has new software and can't tell the difference between vehicles that are on site or in transit. Also a recent railroad strike is keeping the rail system backed up. ( this seems to be another excuse comparable to the one found at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3280607&postcount=14 ) Dealer believes it should reach mixing station 4/15.
4/16 - Dealer reports it is to reach mixing station 4/18.
4/16 - Crystal and Customer Relations Center report status as "In Transit", ETA 4/24. Neither has additional info on any cause for delays.
4/16 - I begin investigating how there is a backlog of Explorers of apparently at least 30 days. Checked dealer website. Two Explorers listed with build dates later than mine.
4/18 - Checked cars.com. Of about 10000 2014 Explorers listed with pictures nationwide (pictures assuring they are actually on lots), approximately 2400 were listed in the past 2 weeks, to me indicating they arrived in the past 2-3 weeks and would likely have build dates after mine.

When I discussed the 2 newer Explorers on the dealer's lot, my salesperson said he/she saw them come in and was livid when he/she discovered one wasn't mine. According to the dealer, customer ordered vehicles are given "priority 1" and dealer-ordered vehicles are given "priority 2" so the salesperson does not understand why these came first.

It seems to me the earlier referred poster and myself are/were given excuses and for some reason (more sales?), Ford is shipping unspoken-for vehicles before ordered ones.

I'm hoping to hear others' ideas and experiences, but given what I've seen in this case, this could be my last Ford after owning four in the past 15 years.

morpheus3013

I feel for ya because I waited 17 weeks to get my Sport. I never understood the dealer allocation and build slot process or how it all works.

My dealer took my order and submitted it Sept 13th 2013, I got my Sport January 9th 2014.

The order sat in the system as "Processing" because my dealer didnt have any allocation for the current build cycle.

Drove me nuts to see other ordering and receiving their new Sport's while mine sat doing nothing.

Where I am there are no Sport's sitting on dealer lots, they are almost all Special Order's.

Here is a quote from another forum that explains the very complex Ford allocation/order process.

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f61/ford-dealer-discusses-orders-allocation-19747/

Its worth it when you get it though.

 

[morpheus3013]

PMAX6 - thanks for the info! There must have been some sort of miscommunication between the Ford rep and my dealer about the rail car issue. When I first heard of the railroad strike idea, I tried Googling it and found nothing. At least this part of the issue seems to be solved.

 

[morpheus3013]

Sgt1411 - thanks to you too for the info! 17 weeks?? Wow!

In my case, it's not just me waiting for the Explorer -- the vehicle it will replace is greatly needed by some relatives. They are being very patient, but it puts further stress on the situation. We are essentially driving a sold vehicle while we wait.

 

[PMAX6]

Below is a copy of the email I received, interesting enough we also sold our F150 to a relative and the Explorer is our 2nd car. Hopefully we'll both see them this week!

"Shipping Delays from Plant/Ramps/Mixing Centers

Due to severe weather conditions throughout the country of late, we are experiencing a shortage of railcars, including snow, ice and flooding issues.


This railcar shortage is affecting all plants, ramps, and mixing centers.


Unfortunately, due to the amount of units waiting to be shipped via rail, no expedites can be accommodated.
We are shipping via rail, just not at the rate we would like.
Some units have been waiting 3 weeks to 1 month to rail out.
Each location is doing their best to ship out oldest units first.


According to our UPS Autogistics fleet contact, it will be late April before we are back to normal rail shipping levels. We regret any inconveniences this may create."

 

[morpheus3013]

Thanks PMAX6! Sounds good for the deliveries this week!

 

[tenari]

Hello all, My frustration with getting my Explorer is increasing rather quickly. Below is my timeline... 2/15 - Order placed. 3/13 - Build date per window sticker. 3/19 - Crystal reports status as "Awaiting Shipment", ETA 3/26. 3/27 - Dealer calls "mixing station" (as I understand it, a contractor who gets vehicles off the train and puts them on tractor-trailers for delivery - in this case located in Kansas City) and it had not arrived. 4/7 -- Dealer calls mixing station. Mixing station says it is there. Dealer guesses it will be here 4/10 or 4/11. 4/11 - Dealer calls "Ford Rep" who reports the mixing station has new software and can't tell the difference between vehicles that are on site or in transit. Also a recent railroad strike is keeping the rail system backed up. ( this seems to be another excuse comparable to the one found at http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3280607&postcount=14 ) Dealer believes it should reach mixing station 4/15. 4/16 - Dealer reports it is to reach mixing station 4/18. 4/16 - Crystal and Customer Relations Center report status as "In Transit", ETA 4/24. Neither has additional info on any cause for delays. 4/16 - I begin investigating how there is a backlog of Explorers of apparently at least 30 days. Checked dealer website. Two Explorers listed with build dates later than mine. 4/18 - Checked cars.com. Of about 10000 2014 Explorers listed with pictures nationwide (pictures assuring they are actually on lots), approximately 2400 were listed in the past 2 weeks, to me indicating they arrived in the past 2-3 weeks and would likely have build dates after mine. When I discussed the 2 newer Explorers on the dealer's lot, my salesperson said he/she saw them come in and was livid when he/she discovered one wasn't mine. According to the dealer, customer ordered vehicles are given "priority 1" and dealer-ordered vehicles are given "priority 2" so the salesperson does not understand why these came first. It seems to me the earlier referred poster and myself are/were given excuses and for some reason (more sales?), Ford is shipping unspoken-for vehicles before ordered ones. I'm hoping to hear others' ideas and experiences, but given what I've seen in this case, this could be my last Ford after owning four in the past 15 years. morpheus3013

Seems like at least your dealer isn't a deadbeat (unlike mine).

After 13 weeks of what was supposed to be an 8 week process, I backed out and bought a Durango R/T. Couldn't be happier. I NEEDED to replace a leased vehicle and thought ordering 12 weeks early would be enough... Especially when my scumbag dealer made it clear I had to take the car the day it arrived.

 

[morpheus3013]

Just to put a bow on this....

The Explorer arrived 4/23 and we picked it up 4/24. Not much else was said about the delay.