iainkirk Posted July 12, 2004 Report Posted July 12, 2004 I read an interesting post on Honest John's website regarding Ford Direct. Basically, it is alleged that when the Ford dealer enters a search code on the computer for Ford Direct, part of the code is the percentage margin he requires to sell you a car. If a particular car isn't available with the required margin, it won't show up in the search. That's why you don't see the same selection of vehicles available on the dealer's computer as you do when you visit the Ford Direct website yourself. Can this be true??? (I am inclined to think it is, given that the item was posted by one of the HJ website moderators...) Quote
Guest nelse Posted July 12, 2004 Report Posted July 12, 2004 When I tried to buy through Ford Direct many of the cars the search turned up at home, the dealer said wasn't available, and of those that were available all had between Quote
Guest nelse Posted July 12, 2004 Report Posted July 12, 2004 Oh and one thing that occured to me weeks after buying my car, is what would have stopped me from working out a deal with one dealership, asking for a while to think it over then phoning other dealerships asking if they are willing to beat the deal i'd got for the same car? o.k the car may have been sold elsewhere but it would only need take a few hours at most, especially if I'd already visited or contacted a few salemen and got an agreed trade in value from them for my car. Quote
Tigger Posted July 13, 2004 Report Posted July 13, 2004 When buying my car. You use your best trade in value to get at the next garage. My car put on Quote
Richmond Posted July 13, 2004 Report Posted July 13, 2004 The way in which Ford Direct operates doesn't strike me as unethical (although I see what you mean) or a scam, but as bad business. Dealers are entitled to offer cars at whatever price they like, and we are entitled to buy them or not. However, if there's one thing that's going to piss off your average punter, it's finding a car on the web at a price only to be asked to pay another few hundred quid for it. What is the price which appears on Ford Direct? Is it the price at which the dealer who has the car will let it go? If it is, why not go directly to the dealer who has it? If the cost and inconveience of that rule it out, that's why you're paying a few hundred quid for your dealer to get it for you, I suppose. Quote
Guest nelse Posted July 13, 2004 Report Posted July 13, 2004 The way it was explained to me is the cars are held at one of a number of distribution centres, where it is inspected, prepared and held in storage, when a dealer sells a car it's reserved and can't be sold elsewere, when you search a list of cars come up with basic spec and a price. The search site will tell you who your nearest dealer is and to contact them about buying any of the cars. I don't believe they are held at other dealers and the delivery costs are already built into the price. However when the dealer searches the price is always more, I was told by one dealer a car that came up as priced at Quote
godimgood99 Posted July 13, 2004 Report Posted July 13, 2004 i found thecheapest and best place to buy a ford direct galaxy was gates of bishop stortford...sad thing is it ws hit by a hit and run friday night and now its being repaired :angry: Quote
Denis Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 I bought my car from Ford Direct and was pretty happy with the deal. It came at the price listed on the website too. I tried to buy the car through a couple of the small Ford dealers near me because I thought the aftersales would probably be better but they weren't interested. They said basically, the price (or their margin perhaps?) was too low. So I was forced to buy from large main dealer a bit further away. Quote
Guest warnerj Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 I got mine from Ford Direct a year ago from CD Bramall in St. Albans at Quote
Richmond Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 I bought from a local dealer via Ford Direct. I think that I was told that the cars are held at various dealers, although the stock (5000 cars according to the website) presumably does not represent all the stock held by the dealers which qualify for Ford Direct (less than 4 years old etc); maybe it does. Any system that shows one price but expects that dealers may charge a higher price is bonkers. On the site, for some of the cars found it says that they are not at the named dealer (the named dealer presumably being the closest to your post code); for those cars it says that 'The named Ford Direct dealer has independently determined the price' and that you can buy the car from any dealer. I think that this means that the named dealer has determined that price for themselves and that it may not be the same as the price from the dealer who actually has the car or from any other dealer. If you go to the named dealer, I think you should be offered it at the price on Ford Direct; anywhere else, it's up to that dealer. Quote
seatkid Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 Don't know if its been mentioned but I'm pretty sure that all those rejected cars are put into the Ford Direct scheme. Quote
stourwalk Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 I've been having fun experiences trying to buy a FordDirect car, so have some insights as to how it works (allegedly).. The cars are indeed stored in nationwide locations (not at dealers) and have a internal 'bonnet' price - this is the price that the dealers see when they access the system internally. Each dealer sets the margin that they want to make on a FD car. - in the case of my local dealer it appears to be Quote
Denis Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 Don't know if its been mentioned but I'm pretty sure that all those rejected cars are put into the Ford Direct scheme. EEk! what do you mean Seatkid- that dud cars get put into the Ford Direct pool? Wouldn't it show up on the logbook, that there had been more that one previous owner? I'm worried now, think I'll check my V5 tomorrow.. <_< Quote
Ivor_E_Tower Posted July 14, 2004 Report Posted July 14, 2004 DVLA have facilities to "de-register" an owner who rejects a car sold by a garage, so looking at the V5 may not tell the whole story... Quote
buford_t_justice Posted July 16, 2004 Report Posted July 16, 2004 Just joined the Galaxy forum and hope to take delivery of my Galaxy in the next two weeks. :) I checked through the Ford Direct website and the car I was wanting was upto Quote
Another?Maybe! Posted July 19, 2004 Report Posted July 19, 2004 Help, Please!! I found a post on here yesterday wgich gave you website to formula for finding out what the Vin Number meant. In particulsr I am interested in the bit which tells you when the vehicle was manufactured. But....... I can't find it now and 'search' can't find either. Anyone remember or tell me where it was??? Thanks PeteR Quote
Another?Maybe! Posted July 19, 2004 Report Posted July 19, 2004 Thanks! Actually found it myself through 'Google' after I left this site. Told me the 04 demonstrator I had agreed to buy at 2004 prices, but then sneakily copied down the Vin number, was actually built in October 2003 although not registered until April, hence 04 plate. So... see my legal question at 'General Discussion & Nonsense'!! PeteR Quote
Guest tonycoates Posted July 26, 2004 Report Posted July 26, 2004 Going back a few years, 1998. I went to buy an 3 month old R reg mondeo 2.5 MkII ghia X in leather, for Quote
galaxyman Posted November 2, 2004 Report Posted November 2, 2004 I have just purchased a Zetec 1.9 TDI Auto registered 2/04 from Ford Direct via Dagenham Motors in Surrey. By putting in my post code the car was Quote
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