I ordered a Ford 2000 Windstar LX with normal equipment in a medium steel blue on November 20, 1999 as this vehicle had been reported "shipped" to the dealership on November 18, 1999. Time passed and on December 13, 1999 with no vehicle in sight, I advised the dealership that if the vehicle was not received by December 22, 1999 I would have to seek a different vehicle. It seems that this vehicle had indeed been shipped on November 18, 1999 but placed in a rail yard and forgotten about. It appears that when Ford ships a vehicle, it goes into computer never never land and is lost to the computer until it physically arrives at the dealership. When the selling dealership received this email message, they got the Ford transit people going and they upgraded the priority on the vehicle from for stock to hot. Anyway, the vehicle was delivered to the dealership on December 17, 1999 and delivered to me on December 18, 1999. The vehicle itself is beautiful and functions perfectly.

However, I would most strongly recommend that Ford get its shipping act together (maybe a new head of Department would help). There needs to be no loss of where a vehicle is once shipped by rail. Ford and the selling dealerships MUST know where the vehicles are every step of the way.

Based on this experience, I would recommend that one purchase Ford products that are in stock and not wait for a questionable delivery system that is in critical need of overhaul.