Newbie Waiting on a HyTi

[shanc]

Greetings, all! Just wanted to say “howdy” and introduce myself, since I image I’ll be posting here quite a bit when my new car arrives. I’ve lurked for a while, and posted a couple of times, and look forward to engaging more with everyone soon.

 

This is my first hybrid, and my second Ford (I had an Explorer back in the mid-90s). My last few vehicles have been a BMW 5 series, a Lexus RX-300 and a BMW X5. My X5 is a 2002, but very low mileage for the age (80,000) and I decided to get something more “practical” before age (and pricey repairs) finally caught up with the BMW. What I love most about the FFH is the balance of functionality and form. Yes, it’s very practical (hybrid, warranties, mileage, cost of ownership with Ford vs. a luxury import) but also dare I say “sexy.” There’s great tech in the car (especially compared with the decade old stuff I have now) and it has terrific eye appeal and “luxury” features for a moderately priced domestic sedan.

 

My tuxedo black HyTi (which I will name “Drusilla”) was built last Tuesday, and now I’m joining the waiting game to find out when it will be shipped to the dealership here in Maryland. From looking at the spreadsheets and other posts, I’m guessing (hoping) it will arrive in the next couple of weeks. The forums have been very useful in helping me make my purchase decision and learn more about the car, and I look forward to chatting it up with y’all in the future.

 

 

[steveo358]

I hope you love yours as much as we love ours.

[rjent]

You will love it. So many toys on this thing, so little time ... :)

[acdii]

Dont name it, dont name it, dont name it. I made that mistake naming it on day 1. We waited a year before naming our 2010 and it likes it. Waiting a while before I name my Flex Just In Case! I think I jinxed the FFH I had by naming it right away.

 

Anyhow, Enjoy it, it IS a Sexy car.

[shanc]

Well, shortly after the VIN was generated, I was told my car would arrive mid to late May. Subsequent conversations with @FordService on twitter indicated the ETA would be May 15th. I checked again this morning, and they said it was looking like May 9th, but that my dealer would have better info. I talked with them, and the car actually arrived in the state this weekend, and the rail station is less than 10 miles from my dealership. So it's looking like I'll be able to pick it up in the next couple of days!

 

Very pleasantly surprised that the dates have been shifting in my favor, and I can't wait to take her for a spin!

[AmpedFFH]

Congrats! You are going to love the car. I was impressed from day one and the car continues to get better. It is such a nice looking car that gets a lot of compliments on its looks alone. Driving it is even better. It is so quite, with a nice interior and lots of tech. And the MPG which was great on day one just keeps getting better. Have fun and enjoy!

[shanc]

Well, shit. It seems I got my hopes up prematurely. I checked in with my dealer yesterday, and the car is mysteriously "on hold" at the railyard and has not been delivered to the dealership. As noted above, it's only a few miles from the dealer, but for some reason, it's in a limbo and not yet scheduled to be moved to the dealer for prep and delivery. My salesman has discussed this with the dealership manager, and they've reached out to Ford corporate to find out what the hell is going on. My salesman says he has never gotten this particular message, nor seen anything like this, in his 18 years. So...who knows?

[neod192]

Well, shit. It seems I got my hopes up prematurely. I checked in with my dealer yesterday, and the car is mysteriously "on hold" at the railyard and has not been delivered to the dealership. As noted above, it's only a few miles from the dealer, but for some reason, it's in a limbo and not yet scheduled to be moved to the dealer for prep and delivery. My salesman has discussed this with the dealership manager, and they've reached out to Ford corporate to find out what the hell is going on. My salesman says he has never gotten this particular message, nor seen anything like this, in his 18 years. So...who knows?

Oh no .. not another TBD .. cars going to Flat Rock for repairs and cars on the way to customers stopped en-route and re-routed to Flat Rock ...

[hybridbear]

Hope you get your car soon!

[shanc]

This is getting very frustrating. Here it is a week later than my scheduled delivery, and I still know nothing about the car and its status. The car arrived at Allied Systems, which is just a few miles from the dealership, on May 5th. All the Ford tracking reports, according to my salesperson and his sales manager (and @FordService) simply show the status as "TBD." No further info is available. The sales manager had the Regional Ford manager call me last Friday, and while he was very nice and apologetic, he couldn't (or wouldn't) tell me why the vehicle was suddenly classified as "TBD." It's just their policy not to give out that information. So I don't know why it's being held there (spot testing? Damaged during transport? Failed inspection? Something else?), and nobody can give me a revised ETA. Will it be days? Weeks? Months? Should I give up on this VIN/specific car and order another one? Should I give up on Ford altogether and shop for a different make/model?

 

My experience all through the process up until this point was easy, pleasant and hassle-free, but the past week or so has left a very bitter taste in my mouth. And it's not like I don't understand that sometimes "shit happens" and cars, especially the first of a model year, can have issues. Or that a vehicle can be damaged during transport. It's the lack of honest communication to let me know what the status is that really chaps my hide. I've been purchasing cars, both domestic and imports, for well over two decades now, and I've never had an experience like this one. How you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on a product, and not have anyone able to tell you what the hell is going on with it, is beyond my comprehension.

[acdii]

If it did get damaged in transport, Ford wouldnt admit it, they would just get it repaired and then shipped, rather than ship it damaged.

 

However, chances are the car is stuck on a rail car somewhere in the yard and just hasn't made it through logistics yet. In either case, someone doesn't want to admit to a snafu.

[Aquineas]

shanc, ugh, that would be the ultimate in frustrating! So close and yet so far... I hope it gets resolved soon and you get your ride! I'm a couple of months out from even a build date, so I will live vicariously through you and others getting their rides soon.

[shanc]

Well, here I am a month after my car "arrived" in state, a few miles from my home and the dealership, and I still don't have a Fusion HyTi. It tunes out that Fusions built on two particular days in April (which happened to be when my car was built) have had steering gear problems. So my original car was shipped off to Detroit for analysis and (possibly?) repair, and I doubt I will ever see that one. In the meantime, Ford and my local dealer have attempted to get me another one via two methods:

 

1. Locating a similarly equipped, same color HyTi at another local (or even nationide) dealer. In the last two weeks, they have found a handful of matching cars, but they have all been spoken for, and seem to be in VERY short supply.
2. Relying on a "supplemental order" that was placed by the dealer when we realized there might be problems. The specs for this match my original order. This car was supposed to be built on 7.8.2013, but they got it moved up to 6.17.2013. Still, this puts its arrival in Maryland potentially sometime mid to late July (or...two to three months after I was originally going to take delivery).

Everyone's been sympathetic and nice about it, but it still doesn't alleviate the frustration, nor get me what I wanted and ordered any sooner. Sigh.

[CombsAuthor]

That's crazy!

 

It will certainly be worth the wait...but in the meantime, tell your dealer that there are plenty of them out there:

 

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/searchresults.xhtml?zip=21208&endYear=2014&keywordPhrases=Titanium%2C+hybrid&keywords=+Titanium%2C+hybrid+&listingType=new&listingTypes=new&sellerTypes=b&maxPrice=48000&modelCode1=FUSION&startYear=2013&makeCode1=FORD&exteriorColorSimple1=BLACK&numRecords=25&extColorsSimple=BLACK&searchRadius=100&minPrice=1&showcaseOwnerId=88710&captureSearch=true&Log=0

 

Maybe they'll work a better deal with you for your patience.

[acdii]

I can sympathize 100% with you. Having the first one have issues, if the second one were to be like the one you ordered, I would be very reluctant to take delivery of it. Good luck in your conquest and may you get a good one.

[shanc]

Thanks for the well wishes, y'all. I did forward that autotrader link on to the Ford customer service team handling my case. (I refined the search out to 500 miles, and it indicated 34 vehicles). And as for working out a better deal, there has already been talk of a no cost to me Premium Care Warranty plus making sure that my now-expired private cash offers are honored. We'll see how it goes, and perhaps the pot can be sweetened further after all is said and done. Fingers crossed!

[shanc]

Well, I finally got her. The dealer was able to trade for one that was exactly like I spec'd, and I took delivery yesterday. So happy. Plenty of pics in my gallery.

 

 

[corncobs]

Congrats on your new ride enjoy driving as much as you can.

[acdii]

Think Ying and Yang now when you see a White Fusion pass you. :)

[GrayStrider]

I can imagine how anxious you were, to get so close to having it, and then to have to wait even more. So glad yoiu were able to finally get your car!! It's a beauty!