Ford Taurus X Prices Paid and Buying Experiences

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Invoice
23159 K01H FREESTYLE FWD SE
257 53A CONVENIENCE GROUP PACKAGE
566 575 AUX CLIMATE CONTROL
700 DELIVERY
-----
24682 INVOICE TOTAL

25030 X-Plan Price
PLUS
No Documentation Fee (normally $50)
No Advertising Fees
Just Tax (6.25% Texas State Sales Tax = $1564.57)
Inventory Tax (0.25% = $64.06)*
License = $60.36
Title = $33.00
State inspection = $21.75

$26,774 drive out price.

Normally, the Inventory tax can not be added to X-plan customers, but since the dealership had to get the car I wanted from another dealership 40 miles away, I wasn't going to quibble over that.

So I got the Freestyle for 348+64.06=$412 over invoice.
Dealer Holdback was $782, so I didn't sympathize too much with the Salesman's sob story.

I gave up the $1,000 Rebate in order to get the 0% for 60 month Ford Loan.

I plan to buy the extended warranty from "fordwarrantys" just before the 3 yr 36,000 mile Manufacturer's warranty expires. Why should they have the use of my money for 3 years before the warranty even kicks in. Plus, if for some reason my car gets totalled in a wreck between now and then, I won't lose any money on the warranty with a pro-rated refund. The Ford warranty can be purchased any time before the manufacturer's warranty expires. There is an extra $100 surcharge if the warranty is purchased after 12 months, but I think it is worth waiting. I'll have a much better idea of what kind of mileage I am actually putting on the car.

rick2456

The advantage of buying the warranty now instead of later is if there is any warranty covered overnight repair, you get rental car reimbursement. This starts from day one.

tmltml2

Are you sure about that? I seem to recall reading some legalese weasel words (on a Warranty Gold Warranty) to the effect that you can get the rental car ONLY if the repair is covered/paid for by the ESP warranty. So if it is covered by the 3yr/36K MFGR warranty, you are S.O.L., in that instance. Anybody got an actual contract with the fine print?

bobw3

I was told the same thing about the lack of rental car on the standard warranty, but I didn't have any warranty repairs anyway. I just bought the ESP (I have 31K miles), so now I'm covered. But I also think that individual dealers may give the rental coverage anyway. Depends on the dealer.

explorerx4

i like your thinking on the warranty. i went to the site you mentioned. magically, i got a great offer good up till 3 years or 36k on my 2 year old focus.

njmom91

This seems like a good price to me, but I wanted to run it by y'all to make sure I am correct.

quote:
2006 SE FWD with bench seat, and 3rd row has a sticker price of $25,805. would cost you $24,738. (includes 700 destination and delivery). No other options.

1.9 % APR on 72 mos, no other rebates.

Taxes and title extra.

It's the Blue with dark interior. The test one I drove today had the beige. I was driving at noon on a very sunny day and the glare was as if I had fog in the window, I'm hoping the with the darker interior this is less of a problem.

So, does this seem like a reasonable price?

Location: Salerno Duane in Summit, NJ.

Thanks!

tmltml2

Best way to check is to compare to Edmunds True Market Value Price calculator. List the options on the vehicle, and it will tell you the Manufacturer's invoice price, and the TMV price.

Watch out for the last minute Dealer Profit Padding, for such Items as Advertising fees, Window VIN etching, fabric protectant and Outside sealant. BEFORE you step onto the property, ask for the drive out price, and make sure you understand everything they are charging you for. I had all those padded charges removed before I agreed to show up in person. I had about $1,700 knocked off MSRP for my SE.

njmom91

Edmunds TMV for this vehicle is 24391. My quote was 24738. I have e-mailed the internet manager, whom I have been working with (and I know is out tomorrow) to show him the difference. It's only 347, but hey I'll take it!

Also - anyone in NJ know the 'usual and customary fee' for title transfer. The guy in the dealership said 300 which seems crazy high.

thanks!

tmltml2

In Texas, my Title Fee was $33.00 The documentary Fee is "Printed" as $50.00, but is waived for X-Plan purchasers.

Sounds like the dealer is trying to pad his profit.
Don't give in. The four in-town dealers were chomping at the bit to sell me at X-Plan pricing (~$350 over invoice), and I bet I could have bargained down further. Just keep reminding them that you know their holdback is 3% of MSRP, or $774, and that there are other dealers willing to sell for less.

Supposedly, my dealer had to give UP their holdback, because they had to get the car I wanted from another dealer, who did not want to take another car in trade. I don't know if I can believe that they gave up their holdback, and only took a $412 profit. But they had to take two salesmen down in one car, and each drove a car back. (So they say.) Ford is hurting real bad.

tmltml2

If the glare was terrible, but you can't get the shale interior for the car you want, an option is to get a dashboard mat, which can cut the glare, if this vehicle is the only one readily available.
http://www.global-accessories.com/products/store_link.phtml?cust_id=113&selling_- page=dashmat.html&SYSTEM=storelink

CarMan@Edmunds

Hello John. If you were to lease a 2006 Ford Freestyle SEL 4WD through Ford Credit in you area right now for 36 months with 15,000 miles per year, I believe that its base lease rate and residual value should be 3.25% and 50%, respectively. The numbers for an otherwise identical 39 month lease should be 3.5% and 48%. As you can see, Ford Credit publishes lease rates instead of money factors for vehicles. You can convert its published lease rates into approximate money factor equivalents by dividing them by 2400. When negotiating your lease on this vehicle, make sure to take the lease cash that is available on it into account. I believe that there is $500 on it in your area at this time. This cash will help you to negotiate your vehicle's capitalized cost.

Car_man
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passat_2002

I believe you meant to say AWD.

passat_2002

New incentives beginning June 1.

0% interest
$1,000 gasoline debit card
$????.?? in rebate money
(Some rebate money will be included I believe)
Applies to '06 models only.

foona

Looking at buying 2006 SEL FWD.

1. Before incentives should I be able to get car for invoice price? Below invoice? Don't have any type of x-plan or such. Will work with internet rep at local dealerships.

2. ford main site says 0% for 5 yrs. But many sites show 0.9%... which is it?

passat_2002

Buying an '06 at invoice shouldn't be a problem. Your dealer can fill you in on the incentives that went into effect June 1.

barnstormer64

X-plan is typically a few hundred dollars over invoice. You should be able to match that. You could probably get it AT invoice with a bit of patience.

If you run into a dealer who's ready to get rid of a particular vehicle, you might be able to get it BELOW invoice.

Unfortunately, that never happens for a particular vehicle that I want . . it's always for a model that doesn't have what I want included.

sgtcpu

Has anyone heard that Ford is offering two buyout the final lease payments (up to 5)on certain vehicles towards the lease of certain new Ford Products? I am interested as I have 6 payments left on my 03 Explorer lease.

ramj70

As passat and barnstormer said, buying at invoice shouldn't be a problem. Just tell them you want to pay invoice, ask for the invoice, not a copy of the invoice, they have "copies" that are not the invoice but look like them. If they don't want to do that threaten to go somewhere else. Remember they want to sell that vehicle just as bad as you want to buy it. They don't like cars sitting on the lot. For vehicles that are in high demand and there is low inventory you will not be able to do that, but there are not many vehicles like that.

ramj70

I haven't heard of it and its not on Ford's website. Maybe its a local dealers special.

mike1958

I recently purchased a Ford Freestyle SEL FWD. The model had no charge leather, safety and conveinience package. MSRP was 28,705 which included a 875 discount for the leather. After nearly one month of haggling, we settled on 24890. But what made this deal even better was that I traded in a 1999 Expedition and got 10,000. This was no small feat since Expeditions are not in high demand. I hope my Freestyle gives me good service

passat_2002

If I'm not mistaken, an offer by a car company to "buyout" the end payments on one of their leased vehicle's is a very common practice within the industry. It is of course contingent upon you buying or leasing another one of their vehicles. That's the whole reason they do it. It gives them 100% brand loyalty from a lease type customer.

As far as I know they only do this when the spirit moves them. It's more likely to happen when the vehicle you're leasing is selling well in the used market.

foona

Thanks for the replies.

I was able to obtain an x-plan pin from a friend. So that means $300 over invoice. My thinking is go with that and haggle on getting best money for trade in. Usually car buying is a 2 step process, haggle on new car price then haggle on trade in.

Does anyone know... with x-plan and say $300 over invoice will dealer make more vs no x-plan and $300 over invoice??? Wondering if there's any value in x-plan if I'm already a hard negotiator.

passat_2002

Seeing as how it is "year-end" pricing time, I would forgo the x-plan and just make an offer around the invoice price itself. The '07 Freestyle has been coming off the production line since May 1. The '06's are now "last year's" vehicle. Invoice should be doable.

lou2sims

Hello, I think we are gearing up to buy a freestyle but I don't understand completely the 0% offering. What does this quote mean,isn't this basically a fee for 0% ? Any help would be appreciated. By the way I found this on Fords Site for Freestyle!

"*0% for 60 months at $16.67 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment. For all offers take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 07/31/06. See dealer for qualifications and complete details."

barnstormer64

It's simple. With 0% interest, you pay back $1000 over 5x12=60 equal payments.

$1000 / 60 = $16.67

Thus, $16.67 per $1,000 financed = 0% APR.

No "fee" at all.

cmuniz

If you are a good negotiator I would rely on that more than the X-plan. You can always use that as a last resort if you are not happy with negotiations. My son-in-law works for Ford so we can use the A-plan which is better than the X-plan. Over the years sometimes using the A-plan has worked well, other times what they give you for the trade-in is a joke and you can do better going someplace else. It all depends on the dealer and the demand for your vehicle and the one you are buying. My advise is to know what your trade-in is worth before you start any car buying and then compute the difference between that and what you are willing to pay for the new car. Once you have those figures it doesn't make any difference whether it's an X-plan or something else. To answer your specific question, I have always heard that Ford kicks in something to the dealer on those "employee" deals but my experience doesn't confirm that - sometimes dealer wants to sell you a car that way, sometimes they don't.

mike1958

Dear Sir, I have an sel with the beige interior and glare is a problem. I believe that I will have purchase a dashmat in a dark color to cut down on the glare. I believe you could do much better on the price (I have a price posting on page 12) God luck

rick2456

I also have an SEL FS, but have never noticed the glare problem. Probably because I always wear polarized sunglasses. I did take them off and did notice you can see the glare, but unless you are focused on the reflection, it didn't seem to be a big deal. Then again, my dash is gray and it might be worse with the shale colored dash. Good luck.

midwest12

I am looking to lease a SEL or Limited in Michigan -- does anyone know the applicable residuals and MF? Thanks

ramj70

The gray interior is called shale It seems the pebble color is causing lots of problems with glare. I have the shale interior and I don't really notice any glare either.

cmuniz

The pebble dash has significant glare but can be corrected with polarized sunglasses and/or a dashmat. I use both.

CarMan@Edmunds

Hi midwest12. This vehicle's lease rates and residual values vary depending upon how long you lease it for and how many miles per year you drive it. For now I will assume that you are interested in a typical 36 month lease with 15,000 miles per year. Let me know if you want something different. According to the latest information that I have seen, if you were to lease a 2006 Ford Freestyle SEL AWD through Ford Credit in Michigan for 36 months with 15,000 miles per year, its base lease rate and residual value should be 3.25% and 50%, respectively. When negotiating your lease on this vehicle, don't forget about the $1,000 bonus cash or gas card that is available on it.

Car_man
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bugeater

While looking at a Freestyle, the dealership showed us a 2005 they still have on the lot. It's a Limited AWD with everything except the Entertainment/DVD package. To make a long story short, the dealer has incentives from Ford to get the '05 off the lot as the '07s are coming in so they offered it to me at just over 27k. Sticker was over 33k. There is none of the incentives that the '06 have right now so I have to do my own financing.

Opinions?

passat_2002

As a general rule, you never accept a dealer's "offer" on price. You're the buyer.. you be the one to take command of the purchase price process. Make them accept your offer. If they're "offering" it to you at 27k, can probably get it for a thousand or more less if you just try.

cmuniz

Use Edmunds to find out what the the difference in used prices are for similar 06 vs 05. You should be able to buy the 05 for at least that much less than the best deal you can get on an 06.

taos

I am considering purchasing a 2006 Freestyle Limited AWD dealer demo with 5,000 miles in Merlot and was wondering if I am getting a good deal. Here it is:

After the $1,000 rebate the price is $29,000. With taxes and tags it comes to $30,913.50. The car includes the following:

aux climate control
reverse sensing system
safety package (anti theft alarm, side curtain, etc.)
memory adjustable pedals
second row bucket seats with center console

It DOES NOT include a dvd player, navigation system or moon roof.

Does this sound like a good deal? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

neek

Hey guys... I have been waitng months to buy a used 2005 Freestyle, but keep your eyes open on Auto Trader because I just picked up a 2006 SEL FWD fully loaded (no DVD)with only 6000 miles for 21,000. a major rental car company in Colorado just auctioned off a bunch and they are showing up at delers all over the place. My Freebie was Ford Certified Used and I opted for the 75000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, for a great price ($1000). Plus with Certified used if you need to finance the rate is on 4.9%. this is definitely the way to go, heck my car even still smells new! It s gorgeous and I got just what I wanted. I'm really happy!

neek

Honestly the polarized sunglasses really do the trick, even the ones at Walmart for $17 work fine. I bought my glasses before I bought my Freestyle!

cmuniz

Without more info (MSRP, etc)it's hard to tell, but it doesn't appear to be a good deal. This time of year and for a demo you should be able to get it for about $6,000 less than MSRP. Look up used prices at Edmunds for a 2006 similarly equipped and see how that compares to what you would be paying.

taos

Thanks for the insight. I was actually able to get the price down to $28,000 and ended up getting the car. The MSRP was $33,115 and invoice, according to Edmunds, was $30,385. Thanks again for your thoughts.

extraz

Hello,

Thinking of getting 2006 preowned Freestyle w/16,000 miles... How does it compare to Explorer? And if I buy, should I purchase an extended warranty for $1700 or is there a warranty for the transmission..if so, how much? Any advice would be helpful...
Thanks,
Potential Freestyler

neek

I used to own an 2002 Explorer and traded it in for a Passat when the gas prices skyrocketed, but I really missed the room. Just bought a Freestyle SEL FWD and LOVE IT, much more room than the Explorer, more versatile and the same mileage as my Passat (avg 25mpg). Go for it! but you get a 2006 with a lot less miles on it so keep looking but I say definitly buy a Freestyle, they are awesome!

birdiesbows

We're looking into a new 2006 freestyle , 7 passenger, black with pebble leather. The sticker is around $28,000. Ford now has a 0% program for 60 months plus $1000 credit and no charge leather. We haven't started negotiating yet, so what do you think would be a reasonable price for this car given the incentives?

freealfas

get the black/dark gray interior and avoid the reflection problem of the dash in the windshield that has been widely publicized(do a search on the dash glare). $28K seems a little high as he got our '05 limited black/black for $27.4k during the pay what employees pay incentive period.

stevedebi

"get the black/dark gray interior and avoid the reflection problem of the dash in the windshield that has been widely publicized(do a search on the dash glare)."

My Freestyle is dark gray with gray leather, and you can still see the dashboard reflected in the windshield. I use a pair of polarized sunglasses regularly, and do not notice the effect at all.

So buy whichever color you like best...

barnstormer64

I have the tan interior, and the glare is pretty bad. A friend has the gray interior, and the glare is still there but much reduced.

In either cae, a pair of polarized sunglasses works wonders.

birdiesbows

I posted earlier about what to pay for the 2006 7 passenger SEL. Point taken about the interior color... I'll definetly look into locating a gray interior. Since I have never negotiated a vehicle before (bought new through carmax or ubs), I'm new to this. What do you think about getting it for $500 under invoice, and then having the $1000 gas credit, $895 leather credit, and 0% financing on top of that?

passat_2002

It's not about what anyone here thinks of your offer. Rather it's all about what your dealer thinks of it.

The free leather and gas credit are a "given" from Ford and don't enter into the negotiating process between you and the dealer. The 0% financing will depend on your credit rating only and it plays no role in the purchase price agreed upon.

Under invoice for an '06 model - maybe
Under invoice for an '07 model - doubtful

tmltml2

I don't intent to insult your intelligence, but since you said you have never negotiated a car purchase before, I just wanted to make sure you understood the difference between $500 under Invoice and $500 under the Sticker price.

To me, $500 under Invoice sounds good, depending upon miles on the car. $500 under Sticker price, stinks.

It will also depend upon how much "After Market" profit padding the dealer will try to insist upon adding, such as window etching and under coating and fabric protection, is nothing but 95% Profit packing for the dealer, plus whatever else they may add, so find out what the itemeized "Drive out" price will be BEFORE you go to the dealership. Once you are at the dealership, the price will start to unexpectedly rise, unless you have previously locked down the price over the phone.

deserth8r

Car Man,
I was wondering if you have MF and Residuals for Freestyle LTD AWD in Seattle. I am planning on a 24mo/24k lease.

Thank you.