[focusse]

I emailed, through youtube 4 Fiesta Movement agents in the San Francisco Bay Area about hooking up so I could check out and hopefully test drive their Fiesta. I provided my email address and personal cell # to contact me. The first emails were sent at the end of April and the second emails were sent last Tuesday, May 26th. I never got one response back from anyone on both occasions. All I can say is this is pretty disappointing. Even if these agents couldn't get together at least give me the courtesy by saying we can't get together. It only takes a few minutes to call, text, or email someone.

Oh well, sometimes things don't go the way you expect them to. But that's okay. Life goes on.

 

[Mark Kleis]

Which agents did you try and reach? I think I have the cell # of one of the SF area agents...

 

[focusse]

Which agents did you try and reach? I think I have the cell # of one of the SF area agents...

Beto Lopez (late April & May 26)
Jason McMurry (late April & May 26)
Noah Kagan (May 26)
Jamy Donaldson (late April & May 26)
Thomas Knoll & Whit Scott (late April)


When you send a youtube message it alerts whatever email address you entered when you signed up. One of two things is happening here I suspect: either the email address they gave is no longer active or logged into anymore or they simply are ignoring me or anyone else who is emailing them about a test drive. If the latter is true then that is quite sad.

Thanks.

 

[golf strom]

Sorry to hear about the lack of response from these so called agents.

I think Ford make a mistake in putting ALL their cards in this silly "agent" marketing campaign,

INSTEAD they should have simply had a slightly bigger fleet of the Fiesta's and rotated them through a large number of US Ford dealers. That way instead of relying on the whims of a few nit witted twits....err agents, you could have just headed down to you local dealer during a certain week made an appointment and drove the thing easily.

 

[PowerShift]

I had a similar problem with the Ride & Drives. I went where they were supposed to be and found nothing. Doing this through the dealers as you suggest would have been so much better for people who already know what a Fiesta is and just want to drive one.

 

[focusse]

Yes, the Ride & Drive program has become vague at best. Some of the events locations say downtown somewhere look for us. HUH?? Downtown where? Most "downtown" areas cover several city blocks. They need to be much more specific. People aren't just going to go on a wild goose chase looking for these Fiesta's. Ford should be providing people a specific event with a specific address of the Ride & Drive event. What they are currently doing just doesn't make any sense.

 

[GhiaFan]

@focusse, have you tried using Twitter? If not give it try, you can have direct contact with Ford Fiesta organizers, Scott Monty (Fords Media man), and also with the Fiesta agents. And also with the Ford Motor Company, Ford customer servce etc.
Twitter is a good tool to use for direct contact these days, IMO better then email.

 

[BRGT350]

I posted a question on the Agent forum concerning your issue about getting ahold of the agents in your area.

As mentioned on FocalJet, rotating the Fiesta's thru dealers would have been a mistake. Most salespeople know very little about these cars, and would only be interested in selling things they can get commission on. Showing off a car they can't sell would have been a waste of time. Plus, each Fiesta would need equal time at each dealer and every dealer would need to be included. Most people would not go to a dealer full of hungry salesmen to test drive a car.

 

[Mark Kleis]

Sorry to hear about the lack of response from these so called agents.

I think Ford make a mistake in putting ALL their cards in this silly "agent" marketing campaign,

INSTEAD they should have simply had a slightly bigger fleet of the Fiesta's and rotated them through a large number of US Ford dealers. That way instead of relying on the whims of a few nit witted twits....err agents, you could have just headed down to you local dealer during a certain week made an appointment and drove the thing easily.

First of all, the agents technically have NOTHING to do with the Ride and Drive program. Agents are allowed to show up, but our cars are not part of the program, nor are we supposed to be involved in letting people test drive.

That said, there is a distinct difference between what Ford is trying to accomplish with the Ride and Drive events compared to the Fiesta Movement (two DIFFERENT programs). The Fiesta Movement is intended to get an absurd amount of media coverage (which it is), and the Ride and Drive is meant to give 100k test drives.

I think the idea of having more cars for test drives is great, but to do what you are asking would require thousands, if not several hundred more cars. Times are tight, and Ford is doing the best they can, with what they can.

I understand your frustrations, but you might want to make sure you understand the program before you start dissing the wrong folks

 

[BRGT350]

I posted the question to Mission Control, and they said to watch for the ride/drive program in your area.

 

[azulejost]

I also had some difficulty with a Ride & Drive event scheduled in Cincinnati, OH. A couple of weeks before the scheduled event was supposed to be in Louisville, KY, changed to Cincy, then the morning of the event it was taken off the Ride & Drive website. This was all about a month after I had hoped to go to Louisville to drive the cars until Mr. De La Garza informed me the exhibit was a static display so I wouldn't be able to drive those.

After some frantic tweets to Mr. De La Garza, the website was updated including with the exact location of the Ride & Drive group, and I made it out. I think part of the problem with defining an exact downtown location is they just find a few parking spaces (or at least that's how it was in Cincy) on the street where all of the vehicles can be together and set up shop. Hard to know where 3-5 adjacent spaces will be until you're there to start. I understand the frustration this causes for all of those wanting to take a drive; unfortunately, I'm not sure there's a better way.

Thanks to Mr. De La Garza's clarification, I not only got to drive the 5-speed Fiesta but also see the Ocean Blue color in person. It was a great experience, and I cannot express my gratitude to Mr. De La Garza for keeping me informed and making it possible.

 

[Ponypower]

azule, any tips for finding the ride and drive today in chicago?

 

[azulejost]

azule, any tips for finding the ride and drive today in chicago?

Sadly no. The website may update with their actual location around 2 since that's when it's supposed to start, but maybe that isn't what normally happens. I would tweet @FordFiesta or one of the people listed there to see if that helps. Sorry I cannot be of more assistance.

 

[Ponypower]

thanks though, its just kinda frustrating, I just really want to see this car in person.