Ordering a vehicle and backing out

My wife and I want to order a 2025 Maverick Hybrid with AWD and the 4k towing package. If we place an order (we'd be financing with our credit union for better rates than Ford Credit) and change our minds, what penalties are there for doing so? We are waiting on a settlement from her biological father's estate, but we don't know what we are getting. Could be 4 figures. Could be 6 figures. I realize we could simply wait until we know, but I'd like to get in the queue for the truck as early as possible.

Depends on the dealer. I ordered a Ford and they didn't even want a deposit. A lot of dealers do. It'll be up to your contract if its refundable. However they shouldn't have any issues selling that truck. I can't see why you'd have to agree to a nonrefundable deposit.

This is entirely dealer specific. For something easy to sell and not oddball there shouldn't be an issue. You're just spec-ing an allocation that their sales manager would be doing for a stock order otherwise. 

When I ordered my '23 Maverick I wasn't asked to put anything down, fully able to back out. 

Either way, it does seem like the sort of thing you want to get in writing just in case.

My dealership tried really hard to get me to NOT pick up my Maverick order. 

Tom Suddard said:

My dealership tried really hard to get me to NOT pick up my Maverick order. 

Can you elaborate?

And, I have to go to the dealer to order right? I can't just do it via Ford's website?

At least with Ford, having a retail preorder seems to mean they can get more allocations. It was the same deal with a mach 1. They were hoping they'd have another one to sell at markup.

If you sign a contract for the car you are in their hands - whatever the contract says, goes, including terms like forfeiting any deposit if you back out.  Some will order a car without a deposit, but if you want an unusual combination of options or colour that would make it hard to sell if you default, expect a contract and a deposit that may not be refundable.

To give an actual example, I knew of a guy that insisted on buying a new big block Corvette in the 60s, in the last year when disc brakes were a delete option, so you combine the poorest brakes with the most powerful engine. In that case a dealer would be crazy not to get a binding contract with penalties, as their chances of selling that particular car would be much reduced.

We've talked about this and are okay with losing a deposit if it means we aren't putting ourselves under water if the estate results are at the lower end of our estimate.  Just depends on the amount of the deposit.

I'll second others and recommend just checking with your local dealer. I put a very explicit refundable deposit down for a Maverick before they launched and backed out a couple months before delivery. They were thrilled to have the truck to sell to someone else. Then, shortly after that specific truck delivered, my financial situation changed and I got back on their wait list and ended up buying one that another customer backed out on. It all worked out in their favor in the end. 

If your local dealer has markups definitely check around the forums too. There's a few dealers nationally that will take orders and sell below MSRP with no hassle.  

And enjoy the Maverick. If AWD and hybrid had been an option at first I might still have mine now. 

I'm pretty sure that state laws vary and could determine the answer to you question.

Depends on if they nose it into the parking space or not. 
 

:D

We were looking to order a new 1994 Chevrolet S10 Blazer under the GM Employee Discount Program and when we wanted to get the front bench seat every dealer wanted a non-refundable, $1000 deposit.  (They couldn't believe we didn't want bucket seats).

One dealer didn't care and ordered it for no money down and ended up ordering a few more once they saw how cool it was (6 person seating).

I suggest you find the right dealer to work with. 
 

I've ordered a Maverick twice.  Both times the dealer lost the order as in "sorry  we have no record of that" (the signed order they gave me) .   There won't be a third time.

I am kind of glad since Ford seems to have a lot of engine problems coming out with newer vehicles and I don't want to go down that rabbit hole of fighting for a new engine while not having my vehicle in working condition.