Ford Explorer Prices Paid and Buying Experience

vic74

Hi all. This was my first lease. You guys know alot more about leases than I do, so I would appreciate your feedback. How did I do for my first time? I KNOW I did not get the best deal, but I do not feel like I was ripped off either. What do you think about this?

Mountainer Premier Loaded V8 (has everything except the DVD player and navigation)...24 months...$319/month...about a $600 bank fee....$400 sec deposit...plus DMV, etc.

My total payment is $400/month (because I rolled some of the fees into the payment)...paid them $2300 down...I have the option to buy at lease end for $23k...10,500 miles per year (which I won't go over--I usually drive 6-8k miles per year).

What should I do better next time?

marsha7

While I am not an expert on leases, a lease is basically a long term rental contract on a vehicle...anytime you can get a $400 payment with almost nothing down, then walk away after 24 months, I think is a good deal...be sure you have GAP insurance because if you ever total it out, you will pay much for the remainder...but, I think you did well...and, in 2 years, it may be worth much less than $23K, so, who knows???...good luck with your vehicle...

vic74

Thanks for your feedback. GAP insurance is included in the lease. Great car...love the new interior.

imariquinn

Repost from Lease Questions.

is this a good deal? I am looking at $306/mo for 12K miles or $316/mo for 15K miles. 24 mo lease, $2200 down includes first payment if financing with FMCC.

MSRP $28870
Selling Price $28870
Down Payment $2200
Net Trade: $1175
Term 24 mos
Rebate $2500
College Grad 0
Renewal Cash 0
Bonus Cash $500
Est Net Selling Price $22495
Miles per term 24000
Payment $306

Newspaper ad reads $275 for 10500 miles, 24 month lease, plus tax tag title with $2200 down and FMCC makes first payment. When I did the credit application online with FORD, it gave me those numbers above and I put my current car as a trade (showing some equity) since the lease is up this month with VW. So more miles payment jumps to $306? 15K miles look better to me. Just wondering how to get the net trade to count towards the $2200 down and get payment to $275, then ask for 12K or 15K miles.


This is Charlotte County Ford (FL). How does this look?

cathmac

I am looking for the best possible price on a Ford / Mfr backed ESP (extended warranty).

I had thought if you shopped aggressively you could find an extended Mfr warranty for about 40% off of MSRP. I personally can tell you where to get a $2,400 Toyota warranty for about $900; or a $2,500 Subaru warranty for about $1,400. Could it be the difference between foreign and domestic vehicle warranties, since the only other domestic warranty I have shopped for is GMC Chevy and the approximately $3,300 MSRP can be found for roughly $2,800 or about 85% off.

Note, all of the above warranties are the highest level of coverage I could find for the Mfr in question and are for 7 year / 100K, $0.00 Ded.

I checked the "official" site and a couple of sites that seem to sell genuine Ford ESPs and the best I can find is about 16% off.

To be specific here is the breakdown on a "Premium Care" (highest level of coverage) 7 year / 100K, $0.00 Ded.
www.esp.ford.com: $3,310.00
www.warrantys.com: $2,920.00
www.fordesps.com: $2,860.00
www.fordwarranties.com: $2,745.00

If anyone is familiar with a dealership that is willing to discount more steeply than that please reply.
Thanks, ~Cath

cathmac

CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS POST

The GMC Chevy warranty $3,300 MSRP can be found for roughly $2,800 or about 15% off (not 85%).
~Cath

chuck1

I bought one through Lombard Ford that does business as--

www.fordwarrantys.com

At the time I paid $755.00 for an extracare warranty on my '02. I later cancelled and received a refund. NO hassles!

mtnman1

I have a 2004 AWD Mountaineer. Checked the website for Ford Warranties. Quote I got for $250 Deductible 6 year 60000 miles was $855 with the discount they e mailed me. Not bad. About $400 less than the dealer attempted to sell me when I bought it new. Of course, I realize it's two years less coverage, but in reality it is for the same coverage. The first 3 years or 36000 are fully covered anyway. I've never bought a car warranty and I'm 50 years old. Don't know if I want to start now. I have never had a serious problem that occurred after my initial Manufacturers warranty. I usually keep a vehicle about 6 to 7 years. Everything I have ever read from the experts says they are a bad investment for a car. They always say to put the money aside in a CD or something to use just in case. If a problem would happen, it's not like I don't have the cash. Just hate to spend $3K for a transmission instead of something else. Any thoughts out there in cyber space?

chuck1

If you feel the quality of your vehicle is such that you don't need one, don't get one. However, the track record on the model years '02 through '05 are not that great.

Good luck!

( I can hear the replys coming now....)

mtnman1

So far no serious issues whatsoever. The only problem that could have been serious was the rear tranaxle fluid that there was a recall for. Had that replaced at 6000 miles I think. I'll probably end up rolling the dice and not getting one.

autoboy16

looking to buy or lease an 06 mountaineer primer 2wd v8 w/ 3rd row, and most goodies. Trying to leave behind an 04 explorer xls. 1 simple question i can't find the answer to... In the 04, the rear seats don't recline. Do they on the 06 mountaineer? No time to visit dealership 32miles away.

Thinking on buying within 3-12 months. Would anyone recommend the darker colors? Is the nav system worth the extra money performance wise(does it call with blue tooth or play dvd's while parked)? Nearest ford place is less than a mile away but want to see the mountaineer to see what I'm dealing with.

aspesisteve

I'm looking for a used explorer - 1,2 or 3 years old with less than 36k miles. Was there a year in there that had a big change for the Explorer.

I would also be towing a tent trailer that weighs 1,500 lbs. Will the v6 be labored for this?

thanks,

kyfdx

I doubt you'll get much response here... You might have better luck in the general Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer forum.

regards,
kyfdx
Host-Prices Paid Forums

aspesisteve

you were right about responses here - I can hear myself echo in here

hellloooooooo

Anyone care to take a stab at my question?

Why are there sooo many one year old Ford Explorers for sale out there. I'm delighted to see that I can buy a used car with low miles and save some cash, but on the other hand it's a bit perplexing to see so many 1 year old cars on the market. They can't be lease returns.

graphicguy

While I don't own an Explorer, I have rented quite a few over the last several years in my travels. I think the reason there are quite a few 1-2 year old Explorers out there is because the '06 model was a ground up redesign for Ford. It's a pretty substantial upgrade (and a well deserved one...since I just rented one of these last week).

All those folks who love Explorers wanted the new one. That happens with just about every major redesign for every brand.

I would think with SUV sales being as soft as they are with rising gas prices, you should be able to strike a decent deal on any used (or new) Explorer you find.

aspesisteve

graphicguy,

I can't imagine selling a car after just one year of ownership unless I really hated it or the family suddenly grew.

But I would agree that the Explorer is one of the few SUV's that can be rented at Hertz for example - and they usually flip their cars after one year. That explains why all the '05 used Explorers for sale are on dealer lots and not by owner - I'm guessing.

Not sure I like the idea of buying a former SUV rental. :sick: :confuse:

thanks,

graphicguy

ASP....I rent from Hertz all the time, in different cities. As such, they usually give me their "newer" rentals. Although, I've gotten some "stinkers" from then from time to time...all ratted out with 20K+ miles on them....beat up exterior and interior (although, they all run fine).

That said, I see a lot of non-Ford Hertz rentals, too. I see Kias, lots of GMs, Mitsubishis, Toyotas....even some Hondas on their rental lots.

I don't know how often Hertz turns their cars over, though.

There are two Ford plants around the city I live in (Cincinnati). One is getting ready to close down since Ford announced their restructuring. But, there's always a ton of 1-2 year old Explorers available around here....some of them have under 10K miles on them. I assume these are employee vehicles that are turned over every year.

These vehicles were bought with the employee discount plan and the owners probably didn't lose much, if anything, on them by trading them on a newer model. I don't know of anyone who's said they don't like them. It's just attractive for them to drive a new one every year.

Then, you're going to have those folks whose "knee jerk" reaction to oil prices decide they don't want an SUV anymore. Then take a beating by trading their perfectly fine Explorer in on something smaller and more fuel efficient. I'd say you'll see that with just about any brand that's currently selling SUVs and bigger trucks. I've probably seen more 1-2 year old Toyota Sequoias and 4 Runners (which I own one of) SUVs for sale in the last month or so as I ever have.

I wouldn't dare trade in my 4Runner right now as I'd get absolutely slammed on the real worth of it. Plus, the toyota lots are filled with both slightly used and new ones just piling up on the lot. Same with Honda Pilots....and Blazers or Tahoes, etc.

aspesisteve

while the '06 revision sounds like an upgrade, the last time I owned an Explorer was 1998 - so I've missed a generation (or two) and am sure an '05 will feel like a big upgrade.

I'm guessing that if the 1 year old Hertz rental isn't "rattled out" then it might be the way to go considering everything is covered under warranty for another couple years. Buying an employee car would be great if they were here on the west coast - most every 1-2 yr old used Explorer out here is on a dealer lot - unfortunately.

I've got an '04 F150 that is just more truck than I need and not enough car - the 35 gallon tank now costs over $100 to fill, but it sounds as if the Explorer milege is about the same.

graphicguy

asp.....you might want to look at the '06s. Don't know what your budget is. Best I can tell, they aren't moving and I know an Eddie Bauer edition, totally loaded up, can be had for around $32K ($40K MSRP), on X plan. Golf buddy just bought one this past weekend.

aspesisteve

an '06 eddie at $32 sounds like a good price, but I'll be putting alot of tools in the back of my Explorer and hate the idea of working with a new car/truck.

a one year old Explorer XLT 4x4 at Hertz with 20k miles can be had for $17k.

Since I usually pay cash and plan on using the truck most of the time for work, I'm likely to go used.

graphicguy

Sounds like a deal on that Hertz Explorer.

aspesisteve

gg,

checked out a used Hertz.
'05 with 26,000 miles for 17,885 (no haggle pricing).
XLT w/ cloth seats, 3rd row, tow package, running boards and cross rails.

The car was surprisingly clean and no rattles at all - I was really impressed with the car and the condition.

after driving an '04 F150 supercab for the past 2 years, the explorer feels like a compact car.

graphicguy

after driving an '04 F150 supercab for the past 2 years, the explorer feels like a compact car.

LOL! Good deal....enjoy! That's about 1/2 the price of what an '06 would have cost.

jess123

can anyone tell me what kind of gas mileage an '02 or '03 explorer gets???? we are looking at buying one and was curious on the gas mileage. i heard they do ok, i wanna know what you think. thank you.

kyfdx

You might check out this discussion...

SUV gas mileage - Feel free to participate

aspesisteve

this must be the most popular car on the road not to have any postings of prices paid since.....

do Ford buyers use the internet?

kyfdx

Maybe they are trading them all in for Honda Insights? Have you seen the price of gas?

marsha7

has considered a Ford, lately???...sorry, just could not resist...:):):):):)

aspesisteve

certainly I would agree with you that gas prices make SUV's a tougher choice, but they still sell many of them.

The Honda Pilot for example has many people posting their buying experience on Edmunds, while the Edmunds thread is completely silent.

kyfdx

If we just went by the number of posts, the whole world would be full of Hondas and Hyundais...

I can't explain it, but there it is...

marsha7

Most trucks and SUVs, like Explorers, seem to have truck type engines for the tork and towing capacity...yet many folks would never tow anything as they just need to carry capacity or the soccer moms feel safer in a large vehicle that sits above traffic...stick with me...

Also, many vehicle engines that are used in passenger cars, often with better mpg, are re-tuned for the truck tork which lowers mpg to "SUV range"

Would a manufacturer's option be reasonable/economical to offer, say, an Explorer with a passenger car engine with lower tork but better gas mileage...

If I knew up front that my new SUV would never tow anything, or if I was willing to forego the tork, maybe we could get another 5-7 mpg on the highway in an SUV by just making it with either the "truck engine option" or the "passenger car option"...I almost think that many folks would choose the "passenger car/better mpg" option because I would also bet that over 80% of SUVs will never see a tow hitch behind them...

Could this thought be viable???

mcdermott2

You think there are no posts on the Explorer? I am interested in the Mountaineer, of which I see everywhere in Northern NJ, that is even more depressing. No posts for leasing or buying.

aspesisteve

i've often wondered the same thing regarding a "car like" engine vs. a truck like engine in an SUV to improve milege. You can find examples such as the Pilot which uses the same engine as the Odyssey - this is a car like engine with great performance. The gas milege in the Pilot comes down due to weight. A Pilot V6 milege is slightly better than what Ford puts into the Explorer but not much. Even if you use the v8 by Ford vs. the V6 in the Pilot, there's not much of a difference.

mtnman1

Even if you use the v8 by Ford vs. the V6 in the Pilot, there's not much of a difference.

Except for a huge difference in towing capability between an Explorer and a Pilot. I realize that wasn't exactly the point you were making, but the Pilot is in fact a glorified Mini Van. Same as the Highlander. That's why ford added the Freestyle and the new Crossovers they are introducing next year I guess. For people that like the feel of driving an Suv type vehicle, but really don't need an SUV. I like driving an SUV whether I tow or not. I'll pay the extra price in Gas for now, but will consider a change in a few years if Gas prices continue to rise. I'll never consider a Pilot. Can't stand the looks or the fact they are becoming the new Soccer Mom Mini Van.

explorerx4

maybe they don't feel the need to seek support for the price they paid.

aspesisteve

"maybe they don't feel the need to seek support for the price they paid"

I'm not sure what you mean by that.
Sure some ask on Edmunds if they got a "good" price, but you can't deny what a benefit it is to hear stories from other buyers who will go out and e-mail or fax offers to several dealers at once to see who will cave in the most.

Or you could always just ask the car salesman what a good price is :surprise:

My guess is that a majority of Ford and GM buyers are old school buyers.

mtnman1

Ford Buyers probably feel good about owning a Ford and don't need to justify their decision. Honda buyers seem to want to let the world know how much more intelligent they are than the rest of us. Some Hyundai buyers still have an inferiority complex. I own both a Ford and Hyundai product which means I feel good and inferior at the same time.

kyfdx

Well... I try not to read that much into it.. People buy different makes for all sorts of reasons..

By the way.. any news on Ford Explorer purchases out there?

explorerx4

we are saying the same thing.
i'll consider a new explorer, but it either has to lose the ugly styling and smaller 3rd row form my '02, or get a whole lot cheaper to accomodate for those steps back.

mtnman1

Just a theory I've developed from reading different posts in several different Forums. I think it's more of an attitude I see from different Brand owners. Hyundai owners seem to want to defend their choice while Honda owners come across with a smarter than thou attitude. All I can do is guess about Explorer/Mountaineer owners since you don't read much from them. I see many of them on the road though and I love my Mountaineer's styling both inside and out. I am having a problem with whining noise which I'm having checked on the 27th of this month. Other than that I love it. Sorry no recent Explorer purchase here.

aspesisteve

I'd be curious to know what you paid in '02.

I'm guessing with gas prices and the economy the way it is that you'd get an '06 for less than an '02. Which is saying something since the car has improved considerably.

I checked the car ads this weekend in the San Jose Mercury, which covers alot of Ford dealers. Thought I might see if there was an Explorer price leader in the paper; strangly there wasn't one Ford dealer advertising this weekend. I guess they blew their wad on the 4th of July "sales event".

explorerx4

i paid x-plan 'price', took the 0% for 5 years instead of the 2k rebate. also got a great trade in.
i have an eddie bauer which has totally change from what it was. i figure the sticker on a new on equipped the same would be about 10% higher.

explorerx4

just goes to show you, spell check has it's limitations. i needed grammar check.

gf2020

You are correct that you can get a 2006 Explorer for less than the comparable vehicle in 2002.

We purchased our '02 XLT with a sticker of $33,000 for about $27,000. I can now get an '06 Eddie Bauer with more features and a sticker of $34,500 for about $26,500.

Of course, my '02 is only worth about $8000 in trade so they better be discounting the new ones heavily!

mcdermott2

Looking to lease a mountaineer Luxury. Does anyone know the cash back to dealers in July? I saw on the site it might be $3500. Is this right? Any help would be appreciated.

explorerx4

i can't replace my '02 eddie with a new eddie for less money with at least the same features.
current eddie is pretty much the same as an xlt used to be.

wilsoncat

I am looking to lease a 2006 Mountaineer Luxury AWD w/ Moonroof, Adj Pedals, Heated Seats, and Satellite receiver as options. The MSRP is $35,660.

What number should I be working with BEFORE the $4500 in rebates. I want to make sure I am not getting "worked over" on this one. Or should I look into an Explorer?

Thanks.

mcdermott2

Are they really offering $4500 cash back? My wife is into the Pilot but I do like the truckier Mountaineer. Are you looking to buy or lease?

wilsoncat

I am looking to lease.

Until the end of the month there is a $3500 rebate on the Luxury model as well as an additional $1000. They are also waiving the bank fee.

I got back from a different dealer with the following:

$4080 Down (Includes the Down payment, Tax and fees)

$359 per mo. for 36 mos.

Sound good?

You can do better on a 24 mo lease right now but that is too short for me.

aspesisteve

see if you can get the cash back to cover your down payment.
if not, it's like the dealer is getting 7-8 grand up front in a lease deal and that is NO deal for you.

see if you can reduce your cost up front down to around $1,000 - push as much cost to the residual and of course reduce the cap. cost down to around invoice