Ford has big EV plans, and it wants dealers to be in on those plans. But those plans require a big investment by dealers. While it looked like a lot of dealers were on board, dealer association groups have other ideas. Automotive News reports that dealer associations in 13 states are coming out against Ford’s EV investment requirements for its dealers, saying that Ford is “unfairly burdening its retail network with costly requirements for electric vehicle sales and breaking some franchise laws.”
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@9ozl I’m guessing that you don’t spend much time in the truly rural areas. The dealerships already are consolidated been that way for decades. One lot has all brands that person wants to sell- of course they might have the appearance of multiple lots that are separated by poles with chain strung thru them - but they are all owned and operated by the same family.
In 1970s the small farm town I grew up in had two dealerships. One that was Ford-Chevy-GM-Chystler and one across the street that was VW-Renault. Toyota-Mazda-Honda was added to the VW dealership over the years. Then in 2000s the two dealerships merged into one.
Also there is a thriving business in rebuilding and selling old model trucks in the rural areas. The ones are technology free. People would much rather rebuild something that they can maintain than spend money on cheaply made, unmaintainable new vehicles.
That is something the Ford execs don’t understand. They see things as its either A or B and we will stack the deck on A (EVs). they are blind to options C, D and E
@7ctq+1jysHd3Y You miss my point. EVs are coming. Even if only 50% of the country adopts them, it will crush the supply chain for ICE vehicles. Increasing their costs, making the benefits of our current model become much less so.
When this happens, the service $ that dealers make will be reduced. Significantly. That's why you need consolidation. They need a broader customer base to make up for the lack of service dollars.
In rural areas, you can do the same but likely will have to do it across brands. One dealer to rule them all kind of thing.
@7ptd+1jysHd3Y It’s simple rural dwellers won’t buy a Ford EV. They have common sense and are practical. Just like now they favor base model RAM trucks and Toyotas. Ford caters to the city dwellers who do not need a truck.
If ford is going to be successful with EVs, then need fewer dealerships. THat way the dealers make less money / car, but can still stay in business.
Now I'm not sure how that works for rural areas, but hey. Someone will figure it out if it isn't ford (maybe multi-brand dealers?)
It likely comes down to the integrity of the dealership.
My brother bought an F150 at a dealership in Nebraska had zero issues with the PIN I generated for him. The dealership honored and there was no markups and no hassles.
My sister found a Florida dealership that would honor the PIN with no markups. She had to go to 6 dealerships before she found one.
In Metro Detroit my son was gave up trying to find a dealership to honor the PIN with no markups, he bought a Toyota instead.
All the fake pricing and dishonesty is short sighted. The dealerships doing the gouging won’t have customers after the manufactured scarcity is over.
@nis+1jysHd3Y - NO dealership is required to participate in the A/X/Z plan, it's strictly voluntary. Once they agree to participate though, they must follow the rules for the program.
For my daughter's car on A plan, they kept telling us the date moved, when we suspect they sold the car that was assigned to her so they could get more money, then they put the order in and because of the chip issue they then cancelled the order after 6 months and she had to continue paying the same lease amount to Ford Credit. We will not be doing A plan for her any longer. Ford dealers are out of control and no one with Ford gives a rip. We called customer service and they said it wasn't their problem, talk to the dealer...owe, you mean the dealer that just screwed her...we are going elsewhere. If A plan isn't accepted, then Ford is not my choice. Hate to say it after working 14 years for them before I retired.
@nis That is all smoke and mirrors. I was scammed by a Lincoln dealer with my A-plan (they tried to add things into the contract after I agreed to it but before I signed it) and filed a complaint with the dealer liaison department. Absolutely nothing came of it. They let the dealers get away with mu---r, even when the sc--w employees.
call FCSD if a dealership won't accept your A plan. They can't under the franchise rules
Cut the dealers out. Have been trying to use my A plan and the dealers won't take them. Additionally, they are tacking on $7000 market uptick over MSRP. I'm done...I'll go get a Toyota that at least won't be recalled 10 minutes off the lot.
People aren't going to buy these vehicles if they have to go a farther distance to get it serviced (since all dealerships will not offer the service). And we all know those vehicles will be in service, all the time!
Nice to hear the Dealer Association confirm what I suspected, Ford cannot force the dealers to do this under the terms of their Franchise Agreements.
We should require them to get Carshield too.
Hard to have much sympathy for dealers considering the games they play with customers.
There are dealerships that dont want to be forced by ford gas bags into putting expensive ev stations.Hence they are moving to sell kia.
Well over 90% of Americans are unhappy with dealerships and car manufacturers period. The average cost of a new car is 47k. The average income of new car buyer is over 122k, and only 12% of Americans make 122k or more.