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2013 and Earlier - Ford Escape Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • rcinmdrcinmd Member Posts: 139
    Heck, I am just letting the Tribute sit while racking up miles on the Honda until I sell the Accord. I average somewhere around 12,000 miles per year, maybe a bit more. I sure don't expect with these temps, and my short drives to realize yet what the vehicle will do gas mileage wise, but I have an idea that once I start using it 'normally', I may see 22 around town, and hopefully push the upper 20s on a long trip, though that might be asking a bit much. I had a Nisan Pathfinder that did 20 mpg from new till trade-in, a Civic that realized 38 mpg on the highway from new till sale, and the Accord has done 34 mpg consistently to this point. So it seems that the rating of 22 / 26 for the Tribute should be accurate. It is those owners of the V6 who seem to miss the mark significantly.
  • huskerdoo1huskerdoo1 Member Posts: 13
    Ok, I have bought a few cars but never over the internet. I have been reading about this here on Edmunds. How did you guys begin negotiating? I have contacted a local dealer through their web site but all that has been talked about is when I plan on buying and that there are current incentives of up to 3500 (of which Edmunds says there is another 500 cash to dealer as well). Did you just say what is your best offer for 05Tribute with X packages and add ons then deal down from there? Did you or did they quote the first price? Was it asked for or did they volunteer it? Did they ask about a trade in prior to completeing the new car pricing? If so did you say no or yes to that. Please if anyone could outline the course or a typical course of advancement for me. I am excited to try this new phenomina and not dealing with the dealership in person until I have to sign papers. Did you get prequalified as well?

     

    Thanks
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Here is what I did:

    Sent an email to about five local dealers with the vehicle that I wanted plus all the options I was looking for. I also gave them a preference on color (I actually liked three different colors on the Tribute, so this opened up more bargaining options). After I listed what I wanted I told them to email me with their best offer, and that I wanted to purchase immediately (this is key!).

     

    Got back 4 responses within less than 8 hours:

    1 for 24K

    2 between 22,500 and 23,500

    1 for 21,888!

     

    Obviously I choose the dealer that offered 21,888 (or about $500 under plus $4K in rebates). I have bought three cars in this fashion, and really prefer it. A few other tricks are to look at the end of the month (some dealers are willing to further reduce prices to hit their goals), and make sure you do your homework on invoice prices. Also, you have to make it clear that you are serious and want to do the deal ASAP. If you tell the dealer you are just looking, you will not get as competitive a quote. Also, make sure you ask them for all of their fees too!
  • huskerdoo1huskerdoo1 Member Posts: 13
    Hi,

     

    So you bought it new for about 17900? Wow! Which would you buy and why? Tribute or Escape?

     

    Thanks
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Sorry, I am not sure that I was clear. I got my Tribute for 21,888 (the Edmunds invoice price with rebates is 22,900 (including rebates, excluding destination and ttl).

     

    I think deciding between the Escape and Tribute (and now the Mercury Mariner) is really a personal choice, but here is why I picked the Tribute over the Escape:

    - Price. The loaded Tribute I bought was a few thousand dollars cheaper than a similarly equipped Escape. Mazda had better rebates at time of purchase vs. Ford.

    - Handling/performance. Mazda engineers tweaked the Tribute and made it a little tighter (handling), and geared it to make it a little quicker. But the Escape is great too, so this fairly minor. I just liked the way Tribute drove and vs. the Escape.

    - Warranty. The Tribute has a better warranty (4yr/50K vs. 3yr/36K for the Ford). This is a no brainer! Also, Mazda gives a loaner car for any warranty work that is being done. This was a nice plus for me after owning a problematic Volkswagen and being left stranded to find rides on numerous occasions.

    - Interior. It may just be me, but I thought the overall fit and finish on the Tribute were better than the Escape. I love the heated leather seats in the Tribute! They are so comfortable.

     

    I think that exterior styling is a toss-up. I liked them both, but actually think the Mariner had an advantage. I did not test drive a Mariner, but I am almost sure that I still would have bought the Tribute. I really love this vehicle, and highly recommend it. You get a lot of bang for your buck!

     

    Good luck, and let us know what you decide on..
  • huskerdoo1huskerdoo1 Member Posts: 13
    ok,

    Contacted 1 dealer because they advertised below invoice pricing plus you get the rebates. His invoice pricing was 1000 more than the Edmunds and NADA. He specifically named Edmunds as a non-affiliated non-manufacture source, which is true. I guess that I am misunderstanding the Invoice price posted on these web sites. I took them as they are factual and true, procured from the manufactures. Well, lets see what happens, I will stand tall before the man and negotiate with the info I have.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    Unfortunately, invoice price concept lost its value. Looks like every site has different invoice price. Dealers, of course, developed their own defence mechanism against internet invoice pricing...So my point is how do you know which invoice price is the real invoice price....

    Edmunds invoice doesn't cover some fees and advertising expenses so dealer invoice is actualy higher than what Edmunds publishes.
  • mphxazmphxaz Member Posts: 27
    Huskerdoo1
    snowman is right in that the dealer will add fees and advertising expenses not noted on the Edmunds invoice price, changing that amount slightly. However, $1000 dollars over the Edmunds invoice seems excessive to me. Edmunds TMV trys to take those extra fees into account with it's pricing.
    For what it is worth, when I purchased my 05 Trib in December (and my 01 Gran Prix in May of 01) I was able to negotiate with the dealer using the Edmunds invoice price with no hassle from the dealers. Are you working with the fleet / internet manager/ department as opposed to just any salesman? They are the ones I've asked for when entering/e-mailing the dealership and that has always worked for me ......

    Good Luck with your negotiations!

    Marcel
  • midwesttradermidwesttrader Member Posts: 291
    Simply call the dealer's bluff and ask them to show you the invoice on the specific vehicle you're interested in. If they won't do that for you maybe you should try another dealer.
  • arizonajoearizonajoe Member Posts: 123
    There is no such thing as the Edmunds invoice price, or the CarsDirect invoice price, or the dealer's invoice price.

    There is only one invoice price, and Edmunds just reports what it is. So do all the other sites. Realistically, for some makes, you'll need to add advertising and other fees to the invoice since the dealers claim that they must pay them. (NOTE: By "other fees" I do not mean the dealer doc fee, which is a dealer concoction. I mean manufacturer fees.)
  • jbrook10jbrook10 Member Posts: 7
    I am looking to buy an 05 Tribute S with package 1 and a few other add-ons. I am in the Chicago area. I can currently get the following incentive: 2500 cash, 1000 cash for using mazda credit, 500 dealer cash, 500 student discount because the wife just finnished her master, 500 auto show bonus. (5000 total) I also qualify for Mazda "S Plan" through my work which gets me the vehicle for invoice cost. Has anyone negotiated a price for under invoice, or should I just take "S Plan" and the $5000 in incentives? Thanks.
  • dmarxdmarx Member Posts: 1
    Just test drove an '05 Escape XLT today. Nice car, really liked it a lot. V6, 2WD, automatic, pretty much standard XLT stuff with the additional cargo cover thing. Sticker was $24,095, sales guy quoted me $20,616 which includes the current $2K incentive and $1479 discount through my work's employee/dealer program with Ford. Good? Bad? I'd like to get it for around $19K. The Nissan dealership on the other side of town is anxious to give me $5K off a new '04 Xterra (stickers at $24K, final sale at $19K) which if the Ford guys are willing to be competitive against, it might be worthwhile. Any thoughts? Like jbrook10, I'm also interested to know if anyone has negotiated for a better deal under a plan from work such as the S or X plan. The sales guys seem to think it's a done deal at that price.
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    If you look at some of my previous posts, I was able to purchase a completely loaded Tribute S (pkg 3) for under invoice. I was buying near Thanksgiving, and it was slow here in Northern VA, but it can be done! But I gotta tell you, if you get yours at invoice minus 5K, that is a great steal, I mean deal :)
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    I think you should shop around some more.. If not, check out a Mazda Tribute since they have better incentives. I picked up a totally loaded (comparable to a Escape AWD V6 Limited) for 21,888.. You should be able to pickup a similarly equipped 2wd Tribute for 20K or less.

    Personally, I think you should be able to get an Escape XLT for invoice (then take off 2K for incentives).
  • hawkeyeshawkeyes Member Posts: 1
    Just finalized the purchase, 05 Tribute, V4, 2WD, Auto, Cruise $16000 out of door including TTL. I think this is a good deal. It is after $2500+$1000 rebate and $500 graduate rebate.
  • jbrook10jbrook10 Member Posts: 7
    Just got a Tribute S, package 3, Side Airbags and homelink mirror for $21,653 (plus TTL). This included $5,000 in incentives. Overall the car drives great but a rattle has developed in the roof near the sunroof or overhead light. Anyone else have this issue?
  • reuel3reuel3 Member Posts: 114
    You will probably have more luck getting an answer to this question in our regular Mazda Tribute discussion.

    /WebX?ed_displayMakeModelRelatedD- iscussions@@.ee6b280!make=Mazda&model=Tribute
  • huskerdoo1huskerdoo1 Member Posts: 13
    Well,
    I drove all of the small SUVs over the past 3 weeks, Escape, Tribute, Jeep, Subaru. Each seemed to have there +/- and it probably depends on the persons needs and likes. I needed something to get to work when it snows 9-12 inches. The results:

    Ford: Drove fairly smooth but lacked he comfort in the cabin. Nice incentives 3250 for me during this time. Salesman talked down the other SUVs I was looking into. During the test drive the gas pedal stuck down. Thought the vehicle lacked the power of the others. 4.24 financed through my instituion beat the 5.5 from Ford.

    Mazda: Drove very responsive. A bit too responsive for my taste. Seemed to be very noisy when you stepped into it.Nice incentives 3500.00 and though there was a dealers 500 more posted on this web site couldn't seem to pull it from the dealer here in town. 5.9 from Mazda, beaten by my instition as stated above.

    Jeep: Drove a little sluggish but good power/pickup. Less noisy then the others. 3000.00 incentives plus Friends and family 1% below invoice. Then 0% financing for 60 months.

    I chose the Jeep. I could deal with the sluggish steering in exchange for the real 4wd (the others are really awd). As I said it was really a preference choice. I was convinced I was buying a Tribute until a freind talked me into testing a Jeep. The damage? 27,500 loaded limited leather premium stereo 28 g package, only things left to get were sun roof (didn't need it) and towing package. 23,000 out the door TTL 0% financing.

    Oh, and the Subaru? Nice car, and I say car. Very nice if you don't mind driving a station wagon on roids and paying 30,000+ for a comparable version to the others I tested (v-6 AWD/FWD leather premium stereo). Only modest incentives too = no sale for me.
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Glad to see that you took your time and drove all the vehicles. The Jeep is definitely a little more suited to handle inclement weather and to take offroad. Too be honest, I did not look to close at the Liberty when I purchased because my brother in law had two lemon law Chrysler's (cars, not SUV, and not a Jeep) over the past year or so, and completely talked me away from the Daimler brand. I do like the looks of them, but the few that I rode in (not current model, but a couple 03's) seemed to have a rough ride to them (but hey, its a Jeep!). BTW, what type of warranty comes with it? Have fun! I know I am in my Tribute today with all the snow that we will be getting (gotta love those seat warmers)!
  • mike071581mike071581 Member Posts: 3
    I'm looking at getting an Escape from a dealer. They have a used 05 XLT on the lot with 18,500 miles on it for $19,400. It comes with the sunroof, towing package, step bars and 6 CD stero and speakers. Is this a good price on it?
  • mike071581mike071581 Member Posts: 3
    I'm looking at getting an Escape from a dealer. They have a used 05 XLT on the lot with 18,500 miles on it for $19,400. It comes with the sunroof, towing package, step abrs and 6 CD stero and speakers. Is this a good price on it?
  • chuck1chchuck1ch Member Posts: 15
    MSRP $25100 - XLT, V6, 2WD, moonroof, safety and cargo package.

    $10000 trade in (52K miles, moonroof and premium stereo)
    $2500 cash back
    $500 cash for using Ford Motor Credit
    $7500 loan - minimum required by FMC. Must make 3 payments. (At 6.7% will cost about $122 in interest so I will net $378.)
    $4128 out of pocket.

    Actual cost on paper less rebates was $21047 plus tag and admin fees. This was less that I paid the Tribute 4 years ago for essentually equally equipped vehicle.

    I had no access to X,S, etc. plans. Just hit some local dealers by internet and settled on the local Ford dealer.
  • snowmansnowman Member Posts: 540
    I had the same vehicle but mine came AWD for $25000 +TTL - $2500 rebate on October 04. Have yo closed the deal yet, cause you can do better than that...
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    For recent Tribute buyers, as I understand, the buyer can qualify for $3500.00 in rebates if financed through regular Mazda Finance. If the buyer does this, it appears the dealers qualify for $1500 in factory rebates to dealer. Does this vehicle have 5K in total incentives?

    I am looking to replace a Protege ES 01 with a Tribute i FWD auto, cruise control only add - is just under 18K before buyer rebates ($3500) about where one wants to be with a dealer? That would put the buyers cost at a little over 15K with rebate.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    Mazda Incentives are regional...some are higher than others. In the Northeast the incentives are $3000 customer cash and $1000 for financing with Mazda Credit ($4000 total)...
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    Vehicle has no options or accessories at all.

    18K + 95 processing fees after 4K rebates to buyer and $500 factory to dealer rebate. Not bad, but for those that really like to haggle between dealers, this vehicle can be had for less than 17.5K
  • southfokesouthfoke Member Posts: 3
    Looking at the i automatic. Sticker is 21,085.00. I can be out the door at 16,472.oo. Sound ok for NC?
  • southfokesouthfoke Member Posts: 3
    i just bought the exact Tribute you mention. I paid 16,700 out the door and that included 3 years of free manintence. This was in NC.
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    Pretty good price for the i, I ended up buying the s for 18K. I did not like the 4 cyl engine in the i.
  • steve3589steve3589 Member Posts: 11
    Isnt there $4k in rebates if you finance thru Mazda. Also, thought there was a $1k (Marketing Support)manufacture to dealer rebate. I looking at a plain jane i 5spd and have the s plan. Price would be about $19k minus $5k in rebates putting it around probably $15k OTD. Are there any other rebates out there that I'm not aware of? This seems to be a great price on this suv.

    Thanks
  • mphxazmphxaz Member Posts: 27
    Steve,
    You might want to check what is currently listed for incentives available here on Edmunds for your zip code. I just checked for here in Arizona and the cash rebate is now $2,250 plus an additional $1,000 for financing through Mazda Credit for a total of $3,250 (It was 3K and 1K for a total of $4,000 back in December when I picked up our Trib S FWD) No Marketing support listed currently, but I think I remember seeing some in January or Feb ....
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    Steve,

    The mazda.com webpage has the customer information for rebates and financing on all Mazda vehicles.

    Edmunds lists a $500 dealer support rebate and a $1000 dealer rebate which applies if the customer finances using the 2.9% financing (those with lower credit ratings).
  • steve3589steve3589 Member Posts: 11
    When I put in my zip code of 27105 on Edmunds it shows a total of $5k. NOt sure if I'm quite ready to buy yet but that kind of rebate sure is appealing!
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    It is hard to say how the rebates will shake out in April. In Ohio, even with these rebates, many Tributes are sitting on the lots. They do not seem to be moving and I would not be surprised to see these rebates extended. I checked your zip code on the Mazda site, I only see 4K in customer rebate? The 2004 MPV is 5K.
  • steve3589steve3589 Member Posts: 11
    Mazda site isnt going to show the $1k (Marketing Support)manufacture to dealer rebate like Edmunds does. The dealer wants this money or could use it to make the deal sweeter for you. I got it when we bought our MPV last year but a lot of dealers didnt mention it until I said something about it. Thanks to Edmunds for this secret info!!
  • coltrcoltr Member Posts: 18
    Edmunds shows the 1k and $500 factory to dealer incentive. The 1K incentive is only if the buyer uses the 2.9% financing. No one would do that and give up the $2500 rebate. I did manage to get (figuratively speaking) the $500 factory to dealer incentive when I bought.
  • mr_kmr_k Member Posts: 1
    Which dealer in NC are you talking about? I'm planning to get a tribute in NC, too.
  • southfokesouthfoke Member Posts: 3
    I got mine at Millennium Mazda in Durham NC.

    cheriann@wmconnect.com for any further info you may want.
  • j647j647 Member Posts: 4
    I bought mine at southern states, the saturday before Xmas, for $18,300. It's the "S" model, 6 cyl, with nothing extra
  • sigor111sigor111 Member Posts: 8
    I just got my Tribute in South Florida. I got 3000$ cash back + 1000$ bonus for financing through Mazda Credit + 500$ college graduate and + 500$ certificate that I got from Mazda (probably as a current owner). Total: 5000$

    I got Trubute I, 2WD with Premium Package and I am very happy with it. Runs great and great gas mileage too.
  • vjoe_udovjoe_udo Member Posts: 30
    total $15,450 - including doc, registration, etc... no sales tax in OR, woo hoo!
    redfire Tribute i, 2WD, auto, no options
    Herzog Mier in Beaverton, OR.
    The internet sales rep was the best sale guy, I'd ever work with.
  • cumbiero81cumbiero81 Member Posts: 3
    I'm new to buying an American made car and want feedback from you guys... I came across a good deal here in Linden,NJ that for the Ford indicated...but I want to make sure I'm getting a good car... here are the facts :

    2003 Ford Escape XLS - V6 - 4x4 - 36K = $14,995
    Trading in : 2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS - 45K = -$4,000
    OTD Price w/ MV fees, tax = $11,500 (after negotiation)

    I want to drop the amount to 11K even, and thinking of financing for 48 months at an average of 6% APR... Is it worth it? Is it a good deal? Should I lease/buy new? My other interests are Toyota Matrix,Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV...

    PLEASE HELP! :confuse:
  • capttrumpetcapttrumpet Member Posts: 2
    I purchased an '05 Tribute S on 3/31/05 from White Plains Mazda. The check engine light was on as the salesperson was describing the controls to me when I was picking up the car. He brought the car back into the service area and they just cleared the code. When I drove the car back to my house and re started it the check engine light came on again. I brought the car back to the dealer on 4/4/05. The car was not repaired until many calls on my part to bring in a company engineer to fix the problem. It turned out to need a new computer. But the car was at the dealer for 2 weeks before I got it back. Each day I called they said that they were working on it. I knew that they needed outside help as they could not diagnose the problem correctly. My current problem with them is that they mishandled all of my registration, credit and title documents by posting an incorrect address on them. My temporary registration expired, I still haven't received my title and I never received any payment invoice from Mazda Credit. I received a call from Mazda Credit last week from their collections department demanding the first payment. I asked them what address they had and it was an incorrect address. I gave them the correct address. They said they would straighten things out. I'm still waiting to get their payment coupon. In the meantime they have botched up an unblemished credit history that will take me a lot of time and effort to correct. Mazda Customer Service states that they have no control of their dealerships and that I have to settle this myself. The nightmare continues....
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    That sucks that they had your Tribute that long. The only thing is that in most states, if the dealer has your vehicle in the shop for more than 30 days within the first year, it is considered a Lemon... You are halfway there :)

    Now let me just play devil's advocate here.. You did not notice that your address was wrong on all the paperwork when you signed it? I realize that the dealer throws quite a lot of paperwork at you, but you really should have checked the documentation before you signed it. As for your credit, you should be able to get Mazda to drop this from your credit report, but I gotta ask didn't you start to wonder about your payment book back in mid-April? I gotta wonder why you did not think to call Mazda Credit to find out about your payment... Anyway, based on all the problems you have had with the vehicle, the least that Mazda can do is to straighten out your credit..
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    I have almost 27,000 miles on it. It still under original warranty until Sept. 05.
    I started to shop around for ext. warranty. The prices range from $2,500 and up for 7y/100k miles and around $2000 for 5y/75k-100k miles

    Basically I have 3 questions.
    1) Should I wait until end of August and buy day before expiration or buy it now with current mileage?

    2) Should I stick with warranty from Mazda dealership or third-party warranty like DS(Dealer Services) letters we're getting by mail periodically?

    3) Are the prices I getting from dealerships seem right?

    Thanks a lot!
  • nortsr1nortsr1 Member Posts: 1,060
    Go to mid-statesford.com... Good prices...andf get a Ford ESP warranty
  • 4bib4bib Member Posts: 17
    Well, I have Mazda Tribute not Ford Escape. I doubt I can warranty Iowa's Ford dealership. I live in NY
  • cumbiero81cumbiero81 Member Posts: 3
    Hey everyone... well, after much thought and browsing intensively through the internet and local newspapers, I decided that instead of getting a used 2003 Ford Escape (35K miles) at $11,500, to get a new 2005 Mazda Tribute i 4WD. The incentives on the Tribute are excellent and the deal I got made my decision a very good alternative. Before I go on, here is what I got for the price I got :

    Wayne Mazda located in Wayne, New Jersey
    2005 Mazda Tribute i 4WD = $22,500
    Mazda Incentive = - $3000
    Mazda Financing + Dealer Incentive = - $3000
    Trade In (2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS w/45Kmiles)= -$3000
    Total OTD = $13,900 (bargaining included)

    When I went in, I was shooting for a great deal and came out with a figure slightly higher than what I expected but came out positive. I managed to squeeze out free carpets since they massed up on a calcuation and had me assume I was paying $12,995 because of newspaper misprint. Is this a good deal? Anyone have similar deals?
  • capttrumpetcapttrumpet Member Posts: 2
    I have been at my current address for 16 years. When I started to fill out the credit app the Saleswoman stated that we don't accept PO Boxes. Well the IRS does, that's how I've been filing my return. My state does - it appears on my driver's license. I told them that I would give them my physical address, an address given to me by my town's 911 department. But I also told them for any mail you must use my PO box or I won't get any documents that you send. Just print both the street number and PO Box number. They assured me of everything. They also photo copied my driver's license, again with my correct address and I faxed them a copy of my previous vehicle's registration for them to transfer plates, again with my correct PO Box address. My credit report which they had to check had to have my correct address on it. As for checking the bill of sale and credit documents, I checked the bottom line - what I paid and what I owe - and I discovered that the small cash deposit I initially put down to hold the car was not indicated on the bill of sale. The F & I Mgr. jumped to his feet and said "Oh yes, I forgot that and handed me my cash." Kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? As for when the first payment was due - yes I wondered about it but I also wondered why I never received any contact from the dealer or Mazda USA following up on all of my troubles. I certainly made enough calls to Mazda's customer service line. I also thought that maybe they were going to adjust the first payment as some type of compensation for the trouble I had. May I add that the loaner car they gave me for 2 weeks was a 6 year old Mazda with 60K miles on it that didn't go down the road straight. That euphoria you get when you buy a new car went out the window for me. I had two questions for the service manager (who by the way resigned, got fired or quit in the middle of my nightmare) if these vehicles are so fragile why would anyone want one and two, if it takes so long to get parts for them to service it, again, why would anyone want this car.
  • dc_driverdc_driver Member Posts: 712
    Thanks for clarifying... You really got a raw deal with that dealer. I really hope that Mazda can do something to make your experience better, but I can certainly understand your frustration..
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