Ford EcoSport buyers in for a long wait

In what comes as a big disappointment to prospective owners, Ford has indicated that the delivery period for the EcoSport crossover could be lengthened. Those who had booked the car in June 2013, had been given a March 2014 delivery date, but now they could have to wait till July or even August.

Ford claims that the unexpected demand for the car is the reason for the delay in deliveries. With its inability to meet the demand, the company has asked its customers to opt for other models from its line-up like the Figo, Classic, Fiesta and Endeavour. Additionally, benefits of up to Rs. 10,000 are being offered on them. In the event of the booking of an EcoSport being cancelled, Ford is offering a full refund of the booking amount, without the deduction of cancellation charges.

Ford had launched ten variants of the EcoSport, priced between Rs, 5.59 lakh and Rs. 8.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Customers could choose between a 1.0-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The company raised prices of all its models in September.

With another hike in prices due in January 2014, customers will be required to pay more to that extent, which has left most of them unhappy. The company stopped accepting bookings for the EcoSport after the number crossed 60,000. So far, only around 30,000 cars have been delivered. 972 units of the EcoSport diesel were recalled within two weeks of the car’s launch, to rectify a fault with their glow plugs.

Source: Business Line