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Comments
To petea - I too am in SE Penna. and have been struggling with the hard line pricing here. I travel quite a bit and have seen walk up pricing in Birmingham,AL at $3,800 off MSRP and the Boston globe add for $4,500 off. AL dealer said his pricing was into his dealer holdbacks. I don't know how the Boston dealer gets to their price.
Bottom line is that I have been in a very active holding pattern since Thanksgiving. Very nice car though and I am very patient. I will buy one shortly......kenop
Did hear a goofy radio commercial this am.
All rebates in paper ads are for the SEs.
X Plan/Trade - They won't show an overage on the Xplans/Zplans for trades. The price is what it is with those programs. Consider a private sale or CarMax maybe. (We are finally getting some calls on ours)
Can't help with the snow questions in ATL but we did leave pavement at the circus parking lot this weekend and didn't have any problems getting out. Very muddy & hilly.
RE:Price reduction since ordering, renegotiate - they should apply any discounts/rebates that are good at the time of delivery.
X Plan rebate - it is my understanding they can change daily.....
I still would appreciate real world feedback on the snow handling capability of the Front wheel drive models in the snow?
kenop
Businessweek ran a bad sales of 500/Freestyles/Montego article last week. Unfair IMHO as very few vehicles are on dealers lots.
I'd rather Ford ramped up sales slowly and were assured quality not lemons reached owners.
Bad reputations are real tough to shake.
Personally, I appreciate the appearance of the Freestyle---friends all think it's a Volvo at first glance (which is a compliment in my book!) My Freestyle interior reminds me of my old SAAB for fit, finish and quality of materials and the exterior attracted me from the git-go. I'm not a "stuffy old fart" either who is looking for a conservative vehicle.
Yes, the new Chrysler 300 and Magnum will sell big, but that "cool retro" design will get old fast and will not endure the test of "timeless" subdued design. I think Ford went in the right direction getting away from that funny Taurus look and going for a more non-dated design with a hint of European elegance.
Hey Ford---wanna sell more Freestyles? Try a heavy advertising campaign. I have yet to see a Freestlye TV ad here in N. Calif...and we Californians love to buy new cars!!
Just my 2 cents.
Anyone else experiencing this? It's not a door ajar issue, all five doors are closed.
I am also interested in hearing more about playing MP3's.
I think the Freestyle design is a classic. No glued on body parts to make it look "hip. No swooping rooflines that remove any semblance of useful space inside. No glittery nameplate that puts it high on the most frequently stolen list. Functional, Cray designed (???), nice handling, innovative SUV/car/wagon/truck.
Regarding sales, there can be many causes, but from reading more than 2400 posts here, it sounds like the number of cars on the lots is small, and the ones that are there don't have the options that many of us want.
OK, the first things the uninitiated look at are eye-catching looks, pretty colors, number of cup holders, and envy factor. Psychological factors. Add recent favorites of DVD players, navigation systems, satellite radio.
So, to get someone's attention, you have to put the product in front of people. It has to grow on them (it's a lot of money). In Minnesota, they have been playing Freestyle ads on TV quite a bit lately. That's Step 1. Step 2, put Freestyles on the streets, car shows, malls, sports events, reintroduce the test drive now that you can buy a Freestyle - so that people see they are real. Step 3, Hold clinics/educate the public about the new features/technologies inside/fit and finish. Some may be skiddish because of the new transmission, engine size, layout, etc. Make people comfortable with the new features. To me, the ease of "flattening the seats", visibility out the sides and rear, and tight handling don't show up on the radar - but helped me to pick the Freestyle.
This is only my two cents worth, but something I have been thinking about. Now, don't worry about the sales too much yet.
The BusinessWeek article said, "Analysts also fretted that sales for the trio of new family cars Ford launched last fall -- the Ford Five Hundred and Freestyle, and the Mercury Montego -- haven't been picking up momentum." I read elsewhere (don't remember where) that the expectation for the Freestyle/500/Montego was 200,000 and they reached 167,000. With the slow delivery - no surprise.
And Ford said this week, "- Demand for well-equipped, all-wheel-drive (AWD) models outstrips supply in first months. - Sales mix of AWD versions of the Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle and Mercury Montego has exceeded expectations. - Ford Motor Company sees continued growth in AWD, expects to sell more than 500,000 AWD-equipped vehicles by 2007, including more than 400,000 car-based products." (Feb. biz.yahoo.com)
No posts for two days, then a burst of them. Go figure...
"Ford's Affordability Advantage
Affordability is a key driver in Ford's growth in AWD vehicles sales. AWD models of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego are priced as much as $5,400 less than the least expensive AWD-powered large sedan, while the Ford Freestyle is more than $3,100 less than the closest AWD-equipped crossover utility vehicle.
Ford Five Hundred SE AWD $24,595
Chrysler 300 Touring AWD $29,995 +$5,400
Volkswagen Passat GLX 4Motion $33,190 +$8,595
Mercury Montego Luxury AWD $26,795
Audi A6 3.2 Quattro $41,074 +$14,279
Infiniti M35 3.5 AWD $43,010 +$16,215
Acura RL 3.5 SH-AWD $49,470 +$22,675
Ford Freestyle SE AWD $27,470
Buick Rendezvous CX AWD $30,655 +$3,185
Chrysler Pacifica Touring AWD $31,605 +$4,135
"
Hey, sj freebie--I'll be watching out for you and the Fish Trap is the best! Awfully crowded on the weekends, though. I feel kind of lucky; it's a five- minute walk from our house so we go in the middle of the week.
I didn't buy any warranty--I'm just hoping the 36/36 that came with it will suffice. I've already had my first oil change and it wasn't low at all--I didn't you even really had to check the oil levels on newer cars... I'm such a girl! Of course, I have my oil changed every 4-5K religiously. I had mine done at Jiffy Lube and with sythetic oil, it was $67--might have to rethink that.
Just finished first road trip, have about 1,900 on the car, and it performed nicely. Mileage seems to be coming up; the Ford Duratecs are pretty tight when new, so don't expect peak mileage for the first 5K miles or so.
Pros:
-Cargo space and versatility. Hauled 5 and all our luggage for a week to the airport. Tight inside, but it all fit. 1st and 2nd row storage consoles are big, split fold 3rd row is great. Swallowed a new dishwasher without lowering 2nd row seats.
-Love the room, cupholder amount and variety (in the doors even).
-DVD player w/wireless headphones is great and integrated nicely into the main audio, but takes a little practice to get used to all the features.
-Nicely laid out dash. 6 CD-in-dash and steering wheel controls are cool.
-The 3.0L gets along OK. Not great, but OK. Need the new 3.5L motor that's coming in a few years.
Minor annoyances:
-Floormats have gotten cheaper over the years, now the driver's side doesn't even have a grommet in the retainer hole. No plastic insert on the high-wear carpet section in front of the pedals.
-Slope in cargo floor takes a little getting used to after having a wagon with a flat floor. I know why they did this, so the load works its way to the back so you don't have to reach, but still different.
-Wind noise from the metal roof rails at 75+ mph. Glad they're metal, but kind of annoying. Copilot will know when you're going too fast, though. Also, no standard crossrails; have to get them from Yakima aftermarket (or the Ford accessories catalogue).
-Loud gear whine when backing up.
-Slight suspension clunk releasing steering wheel from full lock. Most noticeable backing up.
I brought the car into the dealer and they are going to replace something in the electrical system once the part comes in.
Do any of you owners tow? Any idea what the capacity is for this vehicle??
Thanks for the input and best wishes for great ownership experiences with your Freestyles.
I think our XC70 does the same thing. I just don't drive it enough but it does it when I back out of the garage, and put it on full lock. Might just be part of the Haldex system and the way it works. Ie Normal.
I have a question that perhaps you or another brilliant person from this forum might be able to answer. You mentioned the large inventory in your area. I live in a heavily populated area (San Francisco Bay Area) and Freestyles are fairly scarce. My local dealer had one, sold it and doesn't have any more. Does the dealer order them or are they allocated? Can a dealer order more if they want them? Hayward Ford, where I bought mine, only has a couple, but they say they sell them fast. Is the ability to order them online cutting down on what we see on the lots? The Freestyle is such a smart car, safe, right price, decent mileage, etc. (although my husband thinks they are overpriced--he thinks that a car with a 6 cyl. 3.0 Duratec engine should be cheaper). Several people have asked me if I was worried about buying a "new model." I have to admit, I was nervous about the tranny at first, but everything else is pretty tried-and-true. I figure if the transmission is going to go, it will go before my 36/36 is up (and I'm crossing my fingers as I type this). I have a lot of confidence in the car and the only things that bug me are the transient rattles in the dash/front somewhere and the CD player, which is awfully finicky and skips a lot (I don't have the Audiophile system). But it's no big deal in the grand scheme of things. Even high-end cars have their little buggy things. You ought to hear the problems my friend is having with his Jaguar and his Corvette!
Thanks for the post and best of luck with your new wheels - kenop
Those of you looking for just the right equipped Freestyle in areas of limited availability might try on-line car brokers who can locate vehicles fairly quickly in a wide area and get them to your location for a pre-negotiated price. I used their services before and got a very good deal on my 2002 Expedition.
So, when a dealer says they have no more, it could be that the shipping rate is still slow in general for the Freebie. It could also mean that it is a convenient excuse because it used to be true and they may be reluctant to order more until there is a "rush" of people asking for the Freestyle.
Did it mention models? Here it is only on SEs nothing else (advertised anyway)
The Odyssey price increase is on MSRP. Ford will probably have a similar increase. I have noticed a lot of dealers on certain models are giving near invoice prices on the Odyssey just 6 months after intro. The prices are not holding up nearly as well as the last generation. Discounts are not much different than the Freestyle.
WOW, that's a better discount than my A-Plan price. I don't see discounts like that anywhere in my area.
My local dealer (according to a friend) is selling loaded 2005 T'birds at 7k under sticker. There is a 1k rebate going on, but nothing that could conceivably get the price down to 35k on a 42k car.
The explanation given to him is that Ford was forcing them to buy more T'birds than they wanted in order to get more allocations on the Mustang.
So, if anybody wants a good deal on a T'bird, look up Gullo Ford/Mercury of Conroe, TX on the internet, and see what kind of deal they can make you.
I love the new T'bird, but it's just too impractical. I'd probably rather get a Dodge Magnum instead of it, anyway. Or maybe a Pontiac GTO?
Just got my windows tinted today . . gotta run to pick up the car now.
Then the Tbird languishes in the lot, taking up space, THAT could be used for something that might move.
I remember when those T'Birds first came out; you could't get your hands on one even if you wanted to. We rented one a while back: fun, but they are impractical. I guess if you want a cool looking car to drive around on the weekends and have the extra garage space (and oh yeah, the extra money), it would be okay. They have a certain retro chic about them.
In other words, people had supposedly paid for the rights to buy ALL of the vehicles that would be produced.
I don't know if that was true, but if it was, something sure happened in the interim to change that.
I wonder if something like that is happening to the low-end Freestyles: some dealers are forced to take them to get allocations of the Mustang, so those vehicles get extremely discounted.
It'd be a shame to pay X-plan or A-plan for one, and then find out you could've saved another 3 grand!
Let us know how you like the tinting. I was thinking about doing that myself.
Has anyone heard of their Cash Rebate offer of $500.00 if you purchased your freestyle under the
X-Plan? Do we have that now here in the USA yet? My friend lives in Canada and they are already offering it. Any other new incentives besides the 1.9% financing for 36 mo?
Come on Ford, I know it's still new, but lets get people in the door to take advantage of this wonderful car!!
Austin TX here..I picked up a new AWD FreeStyle limited on Feb 1. It's loaded with everything except the DVD player Black ext, Black int. ( is there any other color?) -( insert funny gothic comment here)
Any way.. This could be my favorite car ever. I am coming off a 95 Ford explorer limited and way back a Subaru wagon. I am amazed at the ride and smoothness of this car. The engine seems to completely purr.
I am still not quite over the gigantic body roll my old explorer had, and I find myself bracing for body roll that just never happens in the FreeStyle. It truly drives like a pretty tight car. I feel totally safe inside as well... the thing is built like a tank.
I just got the plates and I have about 900 miles on the car.
I haven't seen any FreeStyles on the road, or even an advertisement around town. To be honest I am kinda diggin it..
It's like I have this "innocuous car" that is totally unique.
Every day I drive this car I am more and more impressed.
It's a sweet ride.
Stylie
The 450 Crossroad Railing Foot fits on the rails. If you have the Thule cross bars from previous vehicle you're all set.
Now I can use the rack for something more than just look'in (but still have to watch the total weight). Now if I can just get a trailer hitch (for my bike rack) I'll be happy.
I just wanted to add my impressions of this awesome new crossover vehicle. I had just came back from a 250 mile round trip to visit the inlaws and I will honestly tell you that the Freestyle has PLENTY of POWER. I think the negative reviews are not even close.
I had to backoff the gas pedal a few dozen times because the Freestyle had creeped up to 87MPH without even noticing or any effort.
The Car rides very smooth and is super quiet, I will say, do not change lanes without peeking over your shoulder...More than once a car had been alongside and I did not even hear it, it is that smooth and quiet.
The Gas Mileage is great, the Cargo room is awesome, I had a Cannondale Road Bike inside and 6 XL duffel bags with the wife and babies clothing and still had room. The Baby was in Heaven watching the Shrek and Nemo DVD's in back, the heated leather seats made the quick pitstops very comforting upon returning from the 25 degree weather outside.
The suv/car handles amazing, we had a Expedition that cannot compare to this vehicle. The Expedition cost us 120.00 in gas roundtrip, this vehicle cost us $48.00 roundtrip...it saves us 72 dollars a trip right there and we visit once a month.
The Freestyle turns a lot of heads since it is new (ours was made January 25th) we were driving it 3 weeks later on Valentines Day.
And for those wondering if the Ford Incentives and rebates were for real, Believe it, because we got our FULLY LOADED for 5,000 off the sticker price.
If you want a SAFE, ROOMY Vehicle that is Great on Gas, Tons of Bells and Whistles, and Fun to drive, the Freestyle will not disapoint you.
The Power is there fellas, take one on the Highway and see for yourself, the reviews are not accurate, unless your looking for a Nascar Family vehicle.
To Ford, Nice Job
K's Daddy
I am afraid to put it on the roof, I would hate to see my Carbon fiber frame take a shot from a rock or pebble from a tractor trailer.
Looks like I am going to be shopping for a hitch, anyone have a bike hitch on their Freestyle?
K's Daddy
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