https://arstechnica.com/cars/2022/06/ford-wants-to-sell-evs-online-only-with-no-dealer-markups-says-ceo-farley/
11 replies (most recent on top)
If dealers can't sell EV's there is no incentive for them to spend all the $$ for the repair/maintenance training.
When a battery pack is at 600VDC you don't sc--w around. Mechanics need specialized tools and training.
Ah but Storage lots provide considerable income to the local “auto parts businesses”. Which allows Ford to make insurance claims. Which keeps many Ford employees employed (processing theft claims, ordering replacement parts and making repairs).
We do of course have to continue to pump out unsellable vehicles, as we book the sale when the vehicle rolls off the line, not when the vehicle is delivered to the dealership/customer. Outsiders shake their heads at the foolishness, but it does make Ford sense.
Will convert our storage lots for partially built vehicles to sales lots and put a tent up for salespeople? Sell them from where they sit, what a brilliant idea from CarCar.
Many an oem has tried over the years to sell vehicles directly to consumers, or dictated prices to sell to the end customer...or both.....there's a reason none of them have succeeded. It's called state franchise law. Love to see how JF and team are going to get around those.
If you’re part of a dealership crew, nobody ever tells you that they’re going to sell 100% online and eliminate your franchise. It doesn’t happen that way. There weren’t any arguments or curses like in the movies. They come with smiles. They come as your friends, the people who’ve cared for you all of your life, and they always seem to come at a time when you’re at your weakest and most in need of their help in getting exciting new Ford products into your showroom.
If we can’t design them correctly and build them right, who thinks we can fix them right. Not to defend the established dealers but Ford direct to consumer will k*ll the brand and Ford.
I believe Michigan law requires delivery of new vehicles through a dealer. Many have tried to get it changed, including Tesla, and have failed. CHRIS' cousin should know this or he doesn't deserve to be CEO.
A root canal is more pleasant than buying a new car through a dealership. This is good news for customers.
elon had at least that part easier, since there was no existing dealer network to keep happy. well, it will keep the lobbyists in lobster and caviar for a good spell. keep working hard my fellow engineers...there's some lawyer's yacht payments that need to be made, haha!
Elon has showed us that this is 2022, not 2002...
Ford tried this 20 years ago, under Jac Nasser. It failed due to stiff resistance from dealers. At one point, there were a number of "Ford-owned" stores which closed down or were sold to existing dealer networks.
https://www.wardsauto.com/news-analysis/ford-gets-out-dealership-game-leaves-dealerships-dealers
Ford CEO Jac Nasser told Ward's Dealer Business magazine that the idea was to better connect Ford to the marketplace. However he added, “It got very complicated.”
Ford Div. President James O'Connor tells Ward's, "I think we have to acknowledge that we paid a heavy price for the auto collections in terms of trust with our dealers. Divesting ourselves of this hopefully puts us on a positive journey to improving and getting that partnership back to what we were used to."