Mk. 4.5 Delays

[Bashful]

On 8/12/2022 at 6:16 PM, daverob said:

Spoke to my dealer yesterday. He told me that my Focus has been re-segmented and the build date is showing as September 5th. Looks like I'll be getting a '72 plate then. Or it could be a '23 or even a '73 if the dates keep slipping 😂

Dave, don't get your hopes up.  I ordered a new Fiesta in December (I know this is the Focus thread but there's more input here) My dealer told me it was in re-segmentation in May with arrival time July.  That was then changed to say the 3 door model was no longer being built so build date for a 5 door was estimated August (impossible with factory shutdown) and delivery in September.  

[Shinetop]

A question to members and all interested, is there any well connected group, person or organisation who would be able to communicate directly with Ford, to find out what the fluck is going on?!! 
there are various ‘guises’ of Focus for sale in dealerships with various options, including sync 4. Not seen many mk4.5 St line Vignale’s for sale, maybe a couple of used examples. 
spoke to my broker today who is the go between with company I’m purchasing from…. Reminded them that last communication mentioned September build but at this stage cannot be confirmed. Neither of these online car providers know anything at all! Absolutely no info to them from Ford, and these are respected car factory order sourcers who have been ordering and selling vehicles online for over ten years! They no less than us!
it’s not rocket science, a simple set of questions to Ford… are you going to build ALL the customer orders with original specifications ordered? Yes or no… and if yes, then when? What’s the production priority order? Etc. etc. If the answer is no, have the integrity to explain this so we can move on.

 

[Plimp92]

Here here.

I don't have any connections unfortunately, but I think this could be an idea.

After hearing dukes story, I am now very much of the opinion that if they even get one single option wrong, then I'm going to walk away.

I'm already nervous about having my first new car, as I'm a nervous nightmare as it is with any car.

What will bills going up etc, I'm kind of approaching 50/50 about the whole thing at the moment.

To get an answer like the one your suggesting shinetop, would really help me. 100% delivered in early December to the exact spec I asked for? I'm still in.

One option missing, or a different colour, and I'm out.

It would be better for me if I knew this now so I could get on with my life, and not suffer the same fate as Duke.

 

[Shinetop]

2 hours ago, Bashful said:

Dave, don't get your hopes up.  I ordered a new Fiesta in December (I know this is the Focus thread but there's more input here) My dealer told me it was in re-segmentation in May with arrival time July.  That was then changed to say the 3 door model was no longer being built so build date for a 5 door was estimated August (impossible with factory shutdown) and delivery in September.  

What concerns me is that your dealership has told you an ‘exact’ build date, which is great. How come others’ dealerships have no information? I can’t believe that they haven’t asked Ford, as their customers will need to know. Now I’m thinking about all sorts of conspiracy theories! I.e. some unscrupulous plan to pull the plug on some heavily discounted orders! 
like Plimp, I’m even nervous about my cars delivery journey to my home address! Should it ever happen, which I really hope it does. I think that I will leave it until the end of September, and if I’ve not been given a firm build date, then I’ll have to have a contingency plan, for my sanity’s sake!

[Plimp92]

Agreed yeah. No action as yet as everyone building em is on holiday. It'll take most of Sept for them to have confidence in the October build schedule. Wait till end of Sept and see where we are 

[TomsFocus]

People talk about 'Ford' as if it's still a small family business rather than a monstrous multinational conglomerate. 

I might be completely wrong here, but I don't think any one person in the whole corporation would know exactly what's happening with build dates of every car.  I think each section is sort of left to its own devices and effectively just playing it by ear.

I'm not singling out Ford with this.  I've had frustrating dealings with various large companies over the last couple of years where it appears that they're all just winging it with very little structure in place.

[Shinetop]

20 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

People talk about 'Ford' as if it's still a small family business rather than a monstrous multinational conglomerate. 

I might be completely wrong here, but I don't think any one person in the whole corporation would know exactly what's happening with build dates of every car.  I think each section is sort of left to its own devices and effectively just playing it by ear.

I'm not singling out Ford with this.  I've had frustrating dealings with various large companies over the last couple of years where it appears that they're all just winging it with very little structure in place.

I think you’re probably right there!

is it naive to think that there might be someone or group with some connections with the Saarlouis factory? Even if they confirmed that it is chaotic or that ‘speaking with forked tongue’ is standard practice! Probably…

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, Shinetop said:

I think you’re probably right there!

is it naive to think that there might be someone or group with some connections with the Saarlouis factory? Even if they confirmed that it is chaotic or that ‘speaking with forked tongue’ is standard practice! Probably…

If anyone knows anything about Saarlouis on here, it's likely to be @JW1982.  

[Eric Bloodaxe]

15 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

If anyone knows anything about Saarlouis on here, it's likely to be @JW1982.  

As we know, the plant is due to close in 2025. The Saar is an area, like many in the UK, that has been badly affected by the loss of traditional industries such as coal mining so this will be a big blow. I've seen several items in the financial press that suggest Ford has not been handling the situation particularly well so the workforce there will not be happy bunnies and unlikely to be pulling out all the stops.

I did spot this which obviously has a socialist bias but interesting nonetheless:

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/07/16/nmji-j16.html

[D-Day]

Back from holidays and I see more and more mk 4.5 on the road.

[Alex.S]

There must be somebody in Ford uk that knows what their plan is for the backlog of focus and fiesta orders for the uk market. They’re either planning on clearing it , clearing some and cancelling some or no intention of completing orders with all the options that need chips (that don’t exist.) I’ve read of Seat orders getting cancelled 14 months after being ordered. Kia/Hyundai and MG (Chinese?) seems to be the only ones getting anywhere with orders for uk. 

[nleharris]

Ford garaged called me to say car will be with them next week!

Ordered Nov 2021.

ST Line Vignale 155MHEV, Desert Island Blue with Parking Pack

[Jamb0_1874]

1 hour ago, nleharris said:

Ford garaged called me to say car will be with them next week!

Ordered Nov 2021.

ST Line Vignale 155MHEV, Desert Island Blue with Parking Pack

Nice one, its always good to hear some positive news between all the doom and gloom. Fingers crossed it doesn't turn up as a random spec!! 

[Ishvan]

I ordered my Focus ST-Line Vignale 155 A7 + B&O + Sunroof + Matrix  + Technology Pack + Frozen white + detachable towbar in middle of January. Just talked to my dealer. He said that manufacturing date is now 30 September. So delivery date might be in October/November.

I was just canceling my order ( without any sanctions ) but i think im still going to wait month or two.

[Plimp92]

I'm not doom and gloom, and don't go looking for bad news, but........

https://fordauthority.com/2022/08/ford-production-could-be-impacted-by-european-energy-crisis/

I hope this isn't the next flipping thing.

[IL Dotore]

Actually there is good news there, Ford learned the hard way that they need to keep at least a 30 day stock of all parts delivered by suppliers.

Two years ago this would have been something "unimaginable". 😂 

By the end of all shortages they might even learn to stock for more than that.

 

PS. If you have a September date of production you really have a chance of actually getting your car produced. Starting October will again be a lottery.

[Shinetop]

17 minutes ago, IL Dotore said:

Actually there is good news there, Ford learned the hard way that they need to keep at least a 30 day stock of all parts delivered by suppliers.

Two years ago this would have been something "unimaginable". 😂 

By the end of all shortages they might even learn to stock for more than that.

 

PS. If you have a September date of production you really have a chance of actually getting your car produced. Starting October will again be a lottery.

Hi Dotore , I’m clutching at straws here, like many others,

so you are assuming that during the August shutdown, the Saarlouis factory should have accumulated 30 days worth of stuff needed for production? and our hope is that the orders backlog will be fulfilled.I hope you’re right ! I also hope that they don’t squander all those parts on keeping main dealers sweet with a mismatch of oddly specced ‘Style and Design’ models!
and if we don’t hear about a build date in September, then parts, energy,etc etc will be like rocking horse 💩!

[Jamb0_1874]

I've seen the design/style models mentioned a few times on here. I know that the style is pretty much the mk 4.5 exterior but with the mk 4 interior. Is the design just the full mk 4.5 car, both inside and out or is this something else yet again?  

[cnikolakakis]

8 minutes ago, Jamb0_1874 said:

I've seen the design/style models mentioned a few times on here. I know that the style is pretty much the mk 4.5 exterior but with the mk 4 interior. Is the design just the full mk 4.5 car, both inside and out or is this something else yet again?  

The design line is the full mk4.5 car but it's lacking some technology equipment like the front facing camera If I recall correctly.

[Shinetop]

My understanding is that the base model has sync 3 without Satnav! But I think CarPlay is included. Seats are not leather in either, missing heated steering wheel? But strangely I’ve seen a few with the odd parking pack, thrown in and I don’t think the cruise control is adaptive with radar to slow you down if you’re too close.

I’m not ‘dissing’ these cars, if Ford decide that these models suit the chaotic chip shortages etc and were upfront if ST Lines Vignale 155 were off the agenda for the next 6 months, then some of us may consider these models if approached

with incentives…? And money off?

[Shinetop]

1 hour ago, Shinetop said:

My understanding is that the base model has sync 3 without Satnav! But I think CarPlay is included. Seats are not leather in either, missing heated steering wheel? But strangely I’ve seen a few with the odd parking pack, thrown in and I don’t think the cruise control is adaptive with radar to slow you down if you’re too close.

I’m not ‘dissing’ these cars, if Ford decide that these models suit the chaotic chip shortages etc and were upfront if ST Lines Vignale 155 were off the agenda for the next 6 months, then some of us may consider these models if approached

with incentives…? And money off?

Just been scouring Autotrader for new Focuses , in stock, and they say also to order. CarPlay seems absent from listed spec, most have sync 3, digital dash not available, all 125 bhp, but some include parking pack, winter pack, most/all do state heated seats and steering wheel. 

[cnikolakakis]

I think that all of them have Car play and Android auto, just not wireless. This was standard on Sync 3 equipped Fords I think.

[IL Dotore]

4 hours ago, Shinetop said:

Hi Dotore , I’m clutching at straws here, like many others,

so you are assuming that during the August shutdown, the Saarlouis factory should have accumulated 30 days worth of stuff needed for production? and our hope is that the orders backlog will be fulfilled.I hope you’re right ! I also hope that they don’t squander all those parts on keeping main dealers sweet with a mismatch of oddly specced ‘Style and Design’ models!
and if we don’t hear about a build date in September, then parts, energy,etc etc will be like rocking horse 💩!

Hi, it was just a wild guess, but as long as you don't have a VIN even with a date it's not really planned.

I for one don't have a VIN allocated and being from a tiny market I don't have to high hopes. I guess DE and UK would be the lucky b@stards. 🙂

[tddif2000]

The only thing that its coming together In my mind is that they are still building November orders. My is from 3 November as stated In the internal system and should be delivered In the next two weeks, so all the people that ordered after that date or In March like i did, well buy your self a confortable chair because the wait should be long unfortunatly... 

[cnikolakakis]

1 hour ago, tddif2000 said:

The only thing that its coming together In my mind is that they are still building November orders. My is from 3 November as stated In the internal system and should be delivered In the next two weeks, so all the people that ordered after that date or In March like i did, well buy your self a confortable chair because the wait should be long unfortunatly... 

I think we have passed the point where we can safely say that Ford is building vehicles in chronological order. It surely depends on a lot of factors - extras, market size, order date etc. We 've seen vehicles ordered in February, with all the extra options ticked (including the Pixel LEDs and driver assistance pack), already delivered and other cars still without a VIN number and a build date after 12+ months of waiting. It's a lottery. Let's just hope that they will be able to catch up with the backlog in the next couple of months otherwise I believe things are going to get really slow once again.