Ford is getting worried about getting stuck with all those unfinished vehicles, announced they are shipping them.
Full article.
The Verge
Ford to ship and sell Explorer SUVs with missing chips
Emma Roth - 5h ago
Ford will soon start selling and shipping some Ford Explorers without the chips that power rear air conditioning and heating controls, according to a report from Automotive News. The automaker will instead ship the missing semiconductors to dealers within one year, which they will then install in customers’ vehicles after purchase. Customers who purchase a vehicle without the rear controls will receive a price reduction Ford spokesperson Said Deep told The Verge that heating and air condition will still be controllable from the front seats, and that customers who choose to purchase a vehicle without the rear controls will receive a price reduction. According to Deep, Ford is doing this as a way to bring new Explorers to customers faster, and that the change is only temporary.
The automaker originally had plans to ship partially-built, undrivable vehicles to dealers last year, but now, the unchipped vehicles will be both driveable and sellable. As pointed out by Automotive News, Ford’s decision comes as an attempt to move the partially-built vehicles crowding its factory lots. Last month, hundreds of new Ford Broncos were spotted sitting idly in the snow-covered lots near Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, all of which await chip-related installations.
Like many other companies, Ford has been grappling with the constraints introduced by the chip shortage. After the lack of semiconductors forced Ford to scale back production of its popular F-150 last year (and once again earlier this month), it started giving customers the option to purchase the pickup without automatic start-stop, the feature that turns a vehicle’s engine off when it comes to a complete stop. Ford gave affected owners a $50 credit in return.
Other automakers have also had to make sacrifices due to the chip shortage, with GM dropping wireless charging, HD radios, and a fuel management module that made some pickup trucks operate more efficiently. Meanwhile, Tesla sold some cars without USB ports and made them installable at a later date. Luxury cars haven’t been exempt from the shortage either, as Cadillac nixed its hands-free driving feature in its 2022 Escalade, while BMW began shipping some cars without touchscreens.
Update March 13th 1:45PM ET: Updated to clarify that the affected vehicles are Ford Explorers and that they’ll be missing rear HVAC controls. Also updated to include some additional context surrounding Ford’s removal of the F-150’s start-stop feature due to the chip shortage, and information from a Ford spokesperson.
Maybe there a “few chips” short themselvesLmfao@ the verge and any thing they write
They got laughed off the internet while calling themselves a tech website and proved in a YouTube video they couldn’t even put together a computer
I LOVE the Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles!!!Maybe there a “few chips” short themselves
Lmfao@ the verge and any thing they write
They got laughed off the internet while calling themselves a tech website and proved in a YouTube video they couldn’t even put together a computer
Ford called and had them correct, did you even bother to read ?
Nevermind some or most of those are probably also 2021's almost a full model year old.Ford even changed their online configurator to remove options on vehicles, with an alert now when you go to the site that some options are no longer available.
Think about how many 99% complete vehicles are sitting, technically spoken for, but when the economy tanks people may cancel those orders.
Or they got tired of waiting and spent that money elsewhere.
Bottom line is undelivered = unsold.
How many billions of dollars at risk are sitting in parking lots right now, only Ford knows.
Would be good to know myself because I’m thinking sooner than later to get a different ride and if Nick can beat Vroom/Carvana, then I’m making the short trip up to do the deal. My car just rolled over 100k.@13COBRA
Do you /your dealership have any issue with trade ins over 100k miles and listing it on the lot?
Assuming of course it's in good condition and not a junk car.
Got told by a ford dealer that anything over 100k they aren't allowed to put on lot and it will be auctioned, hurting the trade in value.
What you have plans to get?Would be good to know myself because I’m thinking sooner than later to get a different ride and if Nick can beat Vroom/Carvana, then I’m making the short trip up to do the deal. My car just rolled over 100k.
@13COBRA
Do you /your dealership have any issue with trade ins over 100k miles and listing it on the lot?
Assuming of course it's in good condition and not a junk car.
Got told by a ford dealer that anything over 100k they aren't allowed to put on lot and it will be auctioned, hurting the trade in value.
Nah. The new vehicle supply will still be down, used prices will still be high.This time next year, there are going to be a lot of people so upside down!
They must have ridiculous mark ups.Local dealer has 4 new Broncos on the lot and 14 F150's. I haven't see that kind of inventory locally on hand in almost a year.
Yes and no.Ford is getting worried about getting stuck with all those unfinished vehicles, announced they are shipping them.
Yes, but most are on a no-sale. They're paying us to install parts rather than a 3rd party company.@13COBRA
Is Ford shipping out vehicles without certain options that are needed from the semicondutor chips? And then when those chips are available, the customer brings their vehicle back to the dealership to have them installed?
IIRC, I think GMC is doing this.
No. They're full of shit. Lol@13COBRA
Do you /your dealership have any issue with trade ins over 100k miles and listing it on the lot?
Assuming of course it's in good condition and not a junk car.
Got told by a ford dealer that anything over 100k they aren't allowed to put on lot and it will be auctioned, hurting the trade in value.
See aboveWould be good to know myself because I’m thinking sooner than later to get a different ride and if Nick can beat Vroom/Carvana, then I’m making the short trip up to do the deal. My car just rolled over 100k.
Nah. The new vehicle supply will still be down, used prices will still be high.They must have ridiculous mark ups.Yes and no.Yes, but most are on a no-sale. They're paying us to install parts rather than a 3rd party company. No. They're full of shit. LolSee above
Sent from my Potato
Let's hope so. I can't think of anything I hate more than stepping foot on a dealer lot.Car Dealers are Dinosaurs and will be extinct soon. Ford's new "Ford Model e" and its "dealer less platform" will lead eventually to ALL Ford products being sold directly to consumers, and will service them through their own Ford owned service locations...
Book it!