When no one has a baseplate for towing your car.
BlueOx had a baseplate for the 2022 Ford Escape and when the 2023 Escape was coming out it had substantial improvements and a revised front end. No one had a base plate for the new model.
The standard way to get a baseplate installed on a tow vehicle is that the manufacturer, BlueOx or other, produces and distributes to local dealers who actually perform the installation. We did not want to wait those weeks/months especially since Ford was about 6 months late on the 2023 Ford Escape production start. Note, You must verify in the owners manual that the vehicle IS towable “4-Down” aka “flat towable”, also RV towing in some manuals.
BlueOx has a program for upcoming/new models that will be towable. The program allows them access to new models and a faster solution for the lucky customer who is the first one made, many weeks before production can begin in masse. We began conversations with BlueOx before we could even order the car and found them to be very helpful and interested in using our car as the test subject to create the new baseplate. Ford’s order book was about to open and we confirmed again with BlueOx for the program. We ordered the car and one day before picking up the car we double checked with BlueOx as we were about to begin our 8500 mile RV trip through 22 states.
One week after we picked up the car the BlueOx rep. told us they had selected someone else and we would have to wait of the production base plate months later. We were devastated with our trip seemingly in jeopardy. Once I got ahold of someone up the food chain they recognized the issue and we came to a very fair solution. BlueOx agreed to make a second baseplate the week after the first one was developed.
The measure of a company is not what happens when things go perfectly, rather the measure of a company is how they handle things when they go awry. Many thanks to Paula Moser, Chad Luber and the actual team who do the design and build work. Yes, BlueOx Rocks.
The only drawback to being one of the first couple cars for a baseplate is that the manufacturer needs your car at their location. In the case of BlueOx, that is in eastern Nebraska in a small town named Pender. This meant that for the first few weeks of our trip, Sharon had to drive the Escape while I drove the motorhome. BlueOx maintains a full hookup RV Park for it’s customers and provides maintenance services for their equipment while you stay at their park. When we stayed there the spots were free for up to one week for your stay.
