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Ford Fiesta not yet in dealerships; dealers and customers get antsy

Ford Fiesta Forum - The new Ford Fiesta small car is either right on schedule or a few weeks late, depending on who's talking.

Ford says the car is on schedule for a promised “summer” launch. Ford is shipping the cars this week from an assembly plant in Mexico.

But some customers and dealers say the car was due to arrive weeks ago.

On Ford's Fiesta Facebook page, some customers awaiting their pre-ordered car vented about it being at least two weeks late. One complained of Ford's lack of communication about the holdup. Ford insists both accusations are inaccurate.

“We've been very transparent with our customers who've made pre-orders,” said Angie Kozleski, a Ford spokeswoman. “We have a reservations call center and a reservations hotline. In the case of this vehicle, there's been a lot of communication with them.”

Kozleski said there are no production problems at the plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico, where Ford began production of the Fiesta in May. It takes two to three weeks to transport the Fiestas from the plant just to the U.S. border, she added.

“We are not late. We've said summer,” Kozleski said. “We have processes in place, and we make sure our vehicles are of the highest quality when they leave the plant. They are on their way to dealers.”

The Fiesta will arrive in showrooms in the “next several weeks” -- likely to dealerships in the South and Southwest first, Kozleski said.

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