The automotive world has changed drastically over the past couple of years in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting supply chain issues, forcing automakers to slash production considerably. This has led to dwindling inventory and surging prices, though fewer and fewer buyers are willing to pay more than MSRP to bring home a new vehicle these days. Instead, an increasing number of new car shoppers are open to ordering their next vehicle, according to new data from Cox Automotive.
Of those surveyed in a recent study, 35 percent of new car shoppers said they would be willing to order their next new vehicle, though on average, those same folks expect to wait around 10 weeks to take delivery of that vehicle. Even more interestingly, 63 percent of the study’s respondents said that they believe the “order and wait” process will become the new normal for purchasing a vehicle moving forward.
This is good news for Ford, which has been shifting to more of a build to order model in recent months as it aims to slash incentive spending and improve profitability. The automaker has already said that the chip shortage will forever change the way it does business, and that inventory levels will not return to their pre-pandemic highs as a result.
Luckily, more and more buyers are embracing the digital car buying process, and that much is clear from Ford’s retail order figures from the past few months. New Lincoln retail orders were up 300 percent in February, year-over-year, while around one-third of Ford’s new vehicle sales stem from retail orders. However, the majority of those orders are being placed for one particular model – the Ford F-Series family of pickups, which includes the Ford F-150 and Ford Super Duty.
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Comments
Willing? More like, no other choice.
Exactly.
Mach E will not take 10 weeks, could be 5 to 8 months.
I’d be willing to do this if the contract states that delays beyond a certain date will translate into an additional discount off the sales price. The longer it takes, the less I pay. That won’t happen because people that opt to do this are going to get delayed to death and the manufacturers won’t care…especially if they hold your deposit money. Oldest trick in the business book. Get money in fast and slow-roll it out. In the meantime, invest it and increase the margins. This business model is going to cause all kinds of accounting gimmicks.
It’s not like we have much choice. For people that just want a vehicle for transportation, they might find something they like on a dealer lot if they’re lucky. The rest of us that desire a particular model/options have no choice but to place an order & being the hope & waiting.
know what you want, model, color, and specs, then search “dealer inventory” for your exact vehicle. Chances are it is out there. Took me a week and a half.
Only 1/3? I hope Ford is reading this, we the dealers only have Retail Orders to sell new Fords, how will we sell the other 2/3? Or is Ford really ok losing those customers to a dodge and GM? Wow…
Nope… My stepdaughter ordered a new vehicle in November last year, it just arrived this week.
A week and a half ago I set my vehicle parameters in search of “dealer inventory” all over Ontario Canada… Within a week, my new vehicle was sitting in my driveway, in the color I wanted, spec’d as I wanted it. A new vehicle is obtainable if you are willing to put the legwork into finding one.
The longest that I waited between purchasing and deliver of a new vehicle was 5 weeks. If Ford thinks that I will wait between 5 and 7 months they will go out of business first !!!!!!!!! And I do not want a F**KING electric vehicle, PERIOD !!!!!!! We are a VERY LONG way from those being very practical or standardized enough for ordinary people to purchase !!!!!!! It took almost 100 years before gas engines were very reliable and reasonably standardized. We are already seeing different battery voltages on EV’s or what to do with the batteries when dead (or disposal costs). Just wait till the battery components start changing. No one is sure what they have is the best way of doing any of this.
That’s BS. 1/3 . Where and what are the rest doing? Nothing and or purchasing used. To spend that amount of money, I need to see it, and drive it first. Since the chip,sourcing
Between people I know and myself at least 6-10 new cars would have been purchased, instead kept what we have.
Try to order a full size Transit and you may wait 8 to 10 months for one and if you need it for your business, good luck that you get it before your current vehicle stops in the road and you have nothing to drive.
Bronco Sport
Hybred?
This long delay and removal of chip controlled items is pushing me away from Ford after 15 purchases. Ordered in January, no idea if and when delivery will take place.
would be ok to order if you ever GET IT !! ordered maverick 6 months ago-NOTHING !!!!! B.S.
of course the lots are mostly empty of new ,if they have any they are all above msrp. the nuts at toyota have the tundra only $19,995 over msrp