Buying a new car likely isn't a priority as economic uncertainty begins to bake in amid the coronavirus era, but Ford's latest program hopes to lay some of those fears to rest.
Titled the Ford Promise, the US automaker said on Monday it will allow new car buyers and lessees who finance through Ford Credit to return a vehicle with no strings attached in the event they lose their job. No, buyers won't be guaranteed a full refund, but they will have a burden of debt taken off their backs, should a worse-case-scenario play out.
Diving into the details, Ford said it will value any car based on the National Automobile Dealers Association average trade-in value, reduce a customer's amount owed by the NADA figure and then waive up to $15,000 extra. If there's a remaining balance after the assistance, the buyer or lessee will be responsible, but even then, it should hopefully be a fraction of the original loan or lease amount.
Those who enroll should also know they'll be responsible for any late fees and deferred payments arranged through Ford Credit. However, once everything's squared away, Ford will report the account paid and closed -- no derogatory marks.
Some other details important for interested parties: Ford Promise will only cover buyers for a full year after 30 days of the initial purchase. Thus, if you buy a car today and lose your job on Friday, the program won't be applicable. After the 30-day period, owners and lessees will see the benefits become active.
Anyone who purchases or leases a new or used 2019, 2020 or 2021 Ford vehicle will have the Ford Promise benefits available to them; enrollment runs until September 30.
