<p>Ford’s web site allows an inventory search of dealer inventories. You may want to check to see if any nearby dealers have car of the desired color and options.</p>
<p>Is the ordered car one with an unusual selection of options (e.g. manual transmission) or an uncommon color?</p>
<p>I agree that since the dealer made a mistake they should put you in a comparable car at their expense until they get the car you ordered and paid for from them. They are already over a month late in delivering what you paid for.</p>
<p>I meant to mention before that when a dealer didn’t have the car on the lot that my son wanted, they offered a loaner until the car came in. They were due the exact car he wanted in from port in a month, so they gave him a loaner. The loaner was a brand new car from their lot; the same car he wanted, but in another color. When his car came in, he was 3 hours away in medical school and was not going to be able to come to town for 2 weeks due to a test. The dealer had a driver take his car to him and drive the loaner back home. Another easy car transaction!</p>
<p>We also recently bought a Ford that had to be a specific model, color, and certain set of options. Ford.com is really the best way to go. It will show you every car either on the lot or on order for every dealer within a certain mile radius of your home. You can then contact the dealer with the car your interested in, or just send them an email of what you are looking for to a bunch of dealers if nobody has it. We found out that dealers can hide cars from each other on the private Ford system, but you can see it on Ford.com. That is because they are not willing to trade cars they know they can easily sell.</p>
<p>My guess is that the car you wanted was sold to someone else, possibly to the person who ordered the car coming in next month. Something is fishy, and I wouldn’t go back to the original dealer.</p>
<p>The Ford Focus is an in-demand model. It is kind of hard to find. When I ordered the Focus, they showed me the ordering information before they put it in the system. The color is clearly stated.</p>
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<p>Because humans never make mistakes? I think human error is within the realm of possibility.</p>
<p>Poor kid. But great life lesson on getting documentation for everything before turning over any money or signing anything, right? He’ll be super-careful in the future I bet.</p>
<p>I’m not clear on how he paid, but I would have your son decide if a monetary discount would help or if he just wants the right car. Then, he should call the GM of the dealership and ask for what he wants. If he doesn’t get satisfaction there he should call Ford directly and ask for customer relations. He should be prepared to walk away (with his refund or contract torn up).</p>
<p>There would have to be multiple errors, not just one. The order would have to be entered wrong. The confirmation of the order would have to come back and be unread. The shipping documentation would also have had to be unread. The dealer then would have to have decided, once the car arrived, not to attempt to rectify the error.</p>
<p>Each individually improbable. Taken together, extraordinarily improbable. Can happen. But, as I said, I don’t believe it.</p>
<p>I recently bought a used car and used [New</a> & Used Cars for Sale, Auto Dealers, Car Reviews and Car Finance Advice](<a href=“http://www.cars.com%5DNew”>http://www.cars.com) to search for models I liked. They list both new and used cars. I searched for models, colors, and features I wanted within a certain radius of my home. Then, I did some quick online research into the dealerships that had these cars.</p>
<p>I ended up eliminating about half the dealerships because of credible, negative reviews! That was probably the most important part of the whole process. I ended up with the car I wanted, from a dealership that had good reviews and buying it was just a joy. I wouldn’t be surprised if the OP’s dealership had pulled this kind of stunt before (or just been sloppy, if that’s how it happened).</p>
<p>BTW, one model I was looking for was a Ford Fusion hybrid. I ended up eliminating all of them because all the local Ford dealers selling them (used) had negative reviews. Maybe the OP lives somewhere near me…</p>
<p>Today the dealer offered to order the car with an expedited status which would take 5-6 weeks. They would not do a loaner car. I think my son is going to take the car because he really can’t wait another 6 weeks. The dealer only offered two years of free oil changes and tire rotations. I was going to be getting a new car next and was looking at the Fusion. But I won’t be getting one from this dealer.</p>
<p>2 years of oil changes and rotation would not get me to buy a car from them; your son just let them win! What they offered you cost them nothing; did they admit to their error? How much does he dislike the color of the car? </p>
<p>I am sorry your son is in a rush for a car, but he needs to talk to the GM and get more than oil changes and tire rotations. If this is a car he really wants in a certain color I would have already been on the phone and internet finding the car I wanted. I bet if you told me what he was looking for, I could locate it within 2 days; I do some serious research :)</p>
<p>DON"T accept that!!! Be strong. Be assertive. Complain higher up!!! Your son was played by the dealership, and they are in the wrong. Really - they should be providing a loaner car, because THEY screwed up.</p>
<p>Try cars.com or one of those other on-line car shopping sites. I bet there is some motivated car dealer out there with just what you are looking for sitting right on the lot and can get it to you in just a few days.</p>
<p>When none of the local dealers had our new Honda in the color I wanted I used that site and had three different dealers respond to me within two days offering just the model and color I wanted. </p>
<p>This guy is just pretending he can’t get you want you want in order to unload the car he already has.</p>
<p>Oil change + tire rotation at a Ford (as opposed to BMW, Mercedes, etc.) dealer is probably around $40-70 each time. Typical frequency is every 10,000 miles or one year, or based on a variable interval depending on driving pattern for cars with such a mechanism (so expect the car to need such service twice in the first two years for an average driver).</p>
<p>What options, color, and ZIP code? If you specify, perhaps someone can help you locate a car.</p>
<p>I hope S declines this offer. 2 Free oil changes a yr(ave) on a car he hates is very little comfort.
From personal experience, I STRONGLY recommend this potential purchaser go up the chain before he makes a decision. Ford regional or Ford district manager might offer more, and better offer, or even have other options. Please forgive my harsh language, but it would be foolish not to even try to resolve this at a higher level.
Maybe someone in family can loan a car if he has to wait on a replacement… There must be some other options than buying a new car today, or else walking for 6 weeks.</p>
<p>I would also suggest you confirm conversations you have/agreements you make via email, so you have writen documentation of the agreement. We purchased a car about a year ago that had an additional incentive/discount for the military. I asked if we would qualify as DH was military and still has a reservist ID. I was clear with them that the car would not be titled or financed with my husband’s name on it, as this was a company car for me. We would have to finance the car to get the discount, but could pay it off in a month (the savings with the discount was still better than a month of interest). All this was confirmed via email that the salesman had addressed this with the GM and it was all fine. I faxed a copy of DH’s ID card, and all was fine. </p>
<p>Fast forward to a few weeks after the sale was done. I get a call from the dealership that they “made a mistake” and would like us to come over to redo the paperwork to put DH’s name on it to qualify for the additional discount, and that since they knew my DH travelled a lot, they would even, “as a courtesy”, come to us to minimize the inconvenience. Um, NO. The deal was done, the sale was complete, and we were NOT redoing any paperwork, and definitely NOT putting my DH’s name on the purchase or financing. When I politely reminded the salesman (who seemed to be having a case of convenient amnesia) that we had discussed and confirmed all of this in writing prior to the purchase (and I read to him from the emails), and that he assured me all was fine, that as far as we were concerned all was well and we were done. He at first tried to talk me into it , but after I read him the emails he quickly backtracked and threw his GM under the bus, as it were. I asked if it would affect his commission. He said no. I then told him that I was sure they would find a way of handling this internally on their paperwork between the dealership and the parent company. That was the last I heard of that issue. </p>
<p>As an aside, I believe when cars are being ordered, the companies use a number code to reference parts, accessories, interior/exterior colors, etc. So it is very easy to mistype a number, and it wouldn’t be apparent to the purchaser if the exterior paint color is coded as (and I am making this up for purpose of example) P23, and it should have been, say, P32. You, the purchaser, are not in the wrong. Go up the chain , talk to the GM, tell them you are more than willing to post your negative buying experience on the web (Edmunds forum, etc) with the dealership name listed, and stand firm. Any chance you can let your son drive your car and you drive the loaner? The dealership may be more comfortable with an older adult driving a loaner. Its a reasonable compromise. Good luck.</p>
<p>JYM is right about color codes, though I’m not sure pruple is only 1 number away from black(as an example.) Easy to look up on the 'net the color codes, just so purchaser has more info!</p>
<p>I fully agree that if your S takes the “free” 2 year oil changes as compensation, that this dealership wins. DO NOT take this deal. </p>
<p>You know what I heard when I read the OP opening message? I heard that Ford has a color they can’t seem to move, and “accidentally” delivered it to you…It’s called bait and switch and I’d be on the phone with Ford Corporate so fast their heads would be spinning. I wouldn’t yell, but this is complete and total BS. Your son should RUN, not WALK away from this deal.</p>
<p>Imagine if this is how they (Ford) are treating him now, how they (Ford) will treat him when he NEEDS them!</p>
<p>No deal!</p>
<p>I suggest your S spend $1500 on a used car, and keep looking.</p>
<p>Here is the list of the exteriour color codes for the 2012 focus [2012</a> Ford Focus Touch Up Paint Colors](<a href=“2012 Ford All Models Colors of Touch Up Paint”>2012 Ford Focus Colors of Touch Up Paint) This is the list for the touch-up paint, but I am guessing its close to the code for the factory paint order. I’ve found a list for focus exterior paint up to 2009 but not beyond. Here is that list <a href=“Southern Fanatics | Focus Fanatics Forum”>South East Fanatics | Focus Fanatics Forum;
<p>Check out THIS THREAD on the ford focus fanatics forum (thats a mouthful). Its exactly about your situation-- a car ordered came in the wrong color. I havent read the whole thread but bet you’ll find useful info [Car</a> came in the wrong color after a 14 week wait! - Focus Fanatics](<a href=“Focus Fanatics Forum”>Car came in the wrong color after a 14 week wait! | Focus Fanatics Forum)</p>