Dealer-related questions

[gribblegrabble]

We're looking at buying a new Premium ER RWD in the Kansas City area, which will be our first new car ever. I had a few questions about dealing with dealerships and would love to hear any thoughts you have.

• Will we need to get servicing done at the dealership we buy from? We're in a smallish town about an hour from the main metro area. We have a Ford dealer in our town, but I don't know how many certified techs they have or how they'll do on maintenance. If buying from them locks us into service through them, we'd be more likely to figure out which dealers in the KC area are best for EVs and buy through them.
• The salesman we've talked to suggested we go through them to buy inventory from other dealerships. (Specifically, that we shouldn't inquire as to price from other dealerships, because that will make it hard for our local dealer to pick the vehicle up from them and sell it to us.) I am obviously not taking the salesman's advice at face value. But since prices seem fairly stuck at pretty close to MSRP, is it a terrible idea to buy through the local dealership if they give us a decent deal?
• More generally, my understanding is that anything on the lot today is going to be a pre-price cut vehicle, and cheaper models will be arriving within a few months. The existing inventory doesn't get a price cut, but there is a $2,000 rebate available to shrink the gap. Is that correct? Is the expectation that the dealers will just sell the existing inventory down before the cheaper models arrive, or be forced to sell them below the old MSRP?

If you have any other advice for a newbie dealing with a dealership, please share it. We're very excited to join the club.

(But I'm no dummy. I specifically told the salesman that the car was ugly and dumb and smelled bad and not worth any American money.)

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[hartmms]

Warranty service can be done at any Ford dealer. Your selling dealer may be offering you free loaners or something that would not apply at another dealer. Regular service can also be done at any Ford dealer (like check up inspections). Any Ford dealer will be happy to take your money for paid service.

The "orders after May" reduced prices removed 3 years of blue cruise (BC) and the mobile charger. Ford has said activating BC for 3 years will cost $2100. They charge $500 for the mobile charger. I would go online and configure a model like the one in stock and find the new price. Add $2600 to it and that is what you should pay for the in stock one. $2k incentives or 2.9% financing is just extra on top of that.

Ignore what this salesperson said about always going through them. Inquire at other dealers. If you want reduced prices on an older unit, just negociate it. I'd suggest you figure out exactly what price you want out the door (tax, tag, title, etc), walk into a dealer and tell them "I will pay X for this car. Does that work for you?" Start with that. Be firm. I took this very approach at one dealer and we were in and out in 5 minutes since they didn't take it. Look over the quote with fine tooth comb. One dealer I went to added $7k of markup for various "real" reasons. Nitrogen in tries, security system, paint protection, etc, etc. One of the items was some fake $1.3k "tax". They were high pressure and had me talk to 3 levels of sales management. When they said "what would it take to sell you a car", I just kept saying said "zero out all these numbers". The goal is to know exactly what you want and be firm. Also - don't let them quote you in payments. Pretend you will pay for cash and get the price fixed. You can discuss financing after that (or bring your own bank financing).

I highly recommend the Costco car program. They will connect you with a "certified" dealer and you will get a no haggle price. I suspect that program prevents dealers from adding all the stupid markups. My deal (back in March) was $500 below MSRP + tax + tag + title, nothing else.

 

[gribblegrabble]

Thank you! The website adds 1,800 for destination and delivery, even at my local dealership and for an in-stock vehicle. I assume that's something I should reject?

 

[RickMachE]

Thank you! The website adds 1,800 for destination and delivery, even at my local dealership and for an in-stock vehicle. I assume that's something I should reject?

You have to pay it. Everyone pays it.

Your dealer is right, and @hartmis wrong regarding dealer trades. If you contact dealer B and then dealer A approaches dealer B to do a dealer trade, B is likely to say "no", because they have a live one - YOU.

Some dealers may choose to refuse to service your vehicle if you don't buy from them. My local dealer has done that. I bought two Mach-Es from them, but went out of state last month to buy a 2022 Lightning demo and they won't service it, because they cannot handle the load. Their decision, and I will likely switch dealers as a result. Their loss.

 

[raz]

Shawnee Mission Ford were keeping calling me last year telling ONLY $10k markup. SCUMBAG !

 

[hartmms]

Your dealer is right, and @hartmis wrong regarding dealer trades.

My comment would be wrong in that context, but that's not what I meant. I meant that without any other considerations, why limit yourself to Dealer A when you might get a better deal from Dealer B. If Dealer B has the exact vehicle you want, but it's too far for you to drive (or wahtever) and you would rather use Dealer A, then by all means only talk to Dealer A.

My implied point was that it's not best to start out assuming the dealer is doing you a favor for free. You should only come to trust a dealer once they have proven it to you (or you have a 3rd party vouch for them (like Costco)).

I also forgot to mention the $1.8k delivery charge.

 

[Mrn]

I'm wondering if most of the delivery charge is railcar storage fee for the 6 weeks in Kansas.

 

[hartmms]

Somebody's gotta pay for all these train derailments.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Unfortunately, the concept of dealers refusing to service vehicles not purchased through them is real. So you are better off buying and servicing through your local guy.

If you want to test market pricing, I’d recommend you skip a town and email a few stores in St Louis or the closest metro area to you. Just tell them: I test drove and am looking to buy within a couple days. What is your out the door pricing? Ideally, get a few offers, take the lowest price to your dealer and ask him to match it. Even if you end up paying him more, you’d at least know the ‘convenience penalty’ you had to pay.

The above worked particularly well pre-Covid. Not sure if dealers are willing to sell Mach-Es below MSRP.

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