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2024 Chevy Blazer EV lease from Bayway Auto Group Click here
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2025 Ram 1500 Factory Order Discounts from Mark Dodge Click here
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everthing i everything i have ever rented from them has been below standards.
The red tag is the max. price a dealer may charge.
Mark
This is a Max price plan. The price is calculated as x-plan price + $100. This is basically invoice or less than 50 to 100 over invoice. A deal a savy consumer could have negotiated on their own in most cases.
This leaves the consumer with hold back plus $400 dealer cash to try to get from the dealer.
Its clear that Detriot seems bent on forcing the dealers to sell at a fixed profit.
Mark
some are taken in by something marketed as 'Red Tag' or 'Keep It Simple'.
Negotating the price of a car is one of those things. This is just a marketing attempt to try to get some show room traffic.
When my sister baught her first new car, she got a good price and she was so happy. Then some jerk at work told her she got ripped off? She was in tears and the whole new car thing was ruined for her until I showed her that she did get a good price.
People HATE buying cars. If marketing can convince people that its not so bad. Then I say GREAT!
Mark.
So, these Red Tag, Employee pricing, rebates, etc., offer "guaranteed" discounts off MSRP that the majority of folks would NEVER NEVER get on their own...so, it is a true discount to them...the fact that a hard negotiator may do better does not matter...what matters is that with a $5K rebate, or whatever the gimmick, they can buy the car for much less than they ordinarily would have paid...
I read somewhere on this board that it "should" happen, but would like others opinions also.
If you are waiting for prices to drop below 15k, you will have to wait along time, or accept more millage.
Assuming you don't drive over 15k miles a year, you should really consider a lease. You can be in the low 400s a month with little out of pocket. Explorers depreciate so fast, its almost a shame to buy one. (this depreciation is a result of the huge numbers of Explorers produced, not necessarily a function of the Explorer's quality.)
Mark.
In California they are going for much less than that. You can a new XLS for around 20K!
The reason: In a quest for top safety ratings, the door handle is mounted under the arm rest, near the front of the door. That makes the handle hard to reach, which has auto reviewers and consumers complaining."
I can't believe that a mistake like this would be made on their top-selling model. They have only been building cars for 100 plus years. If you and I made a mistake of this proportion, we would be out of a job!
If it's any solace, they weren't making today's models a hundred years ago!
tidester, host
Yea, your right. But you would think they would know where the best place for a door handle is!!
tidester, host
Of course, putting a cup in the arm rest really makes way more sense.
One thing that is even more annoying for me is that Ford choose to make the 6 disc changer optional on the XLT and Eddiebauer...HELLO this is a $30K plus truck! Especially since the 6 disc changer is standard in a $17k Focus SES.
I know why they did this, there is double the markup in options verse standard equipment. But then they should build them all with that optional equipment.
Mark
The CD changer would be another sticky point. It needs to have one for me. OTOH, a woman who works for me has a Mountaineer - and has never used the CD changer in it. Only radio.
BTW, to this day, I still wonder what it was that made them sit around and think, "where can we put the horn this year???"
He's considering the new Hyundai Azera sedan, after having seen and ridden in my '05 Sonata.
Went to the local Mercury/Hyundai dealership and talked with the same salesman who arranged his lease 20 months age and knows he has a chance to sell a new Azera.
Salesman asked how many miles on Mountaineer?...27K. "oh, that's a lot in one year." I can figure your lease buy out if you like. Friend said, "no, that's OK, I know it's between 25 & 26 K." Sales guy says it'll cost you another $6K to turn in the lease now.
So, sales guy is saying that a Mountaineer that listed for over $40K is now worth under $20K after only 27K miles; plus, he'll want full retail + BS dealer fees for a new Azera.
Has the Mountaineer really depreciated that badly or do we just have a case of a super greedy salesman? He already lost a sale to me on the Sonata...I told him he was at least $1K too high, more like $1800. My parents are in Florida, contacted a Hyundai dealer there and he gave me a good price. After flying to FL and driving home to CT including all travel expenses, I still saved about $1500 compared to the "special deal" this guy was going to do.
I guess the bottom line is, has the Mountaineer depreciated that much after 27K miles in 20 months, or is this salesman just too greedy?
Steve, Host
Steve, Host
As to Explorer/Mtr depreciation...your story sounds like it's half true (Explorer MTR and all SUVs have experienced depreciation meltdown) and half dealer greed on the new vehicle. Every time you trade a vehicle there is huge juice, known in the investment world as "friction". Your friend should just keep his Mtr until the end of the lease. Gas prices are easing (at least for now) and there is no way he'll ever recoup even at $3/gallon. At least he leased and knows exactly when he can walk away "for free". Truthfully it sounds more like a case of car boredom than a case of any burning need to get a new vehicle. My MTR is almost 40 months old and rides fine. Surely your friends isn't that bad either. Tell him to focus on making money, not on car boredom (which ALWAYS COSTS money).
i found the door harder to close than open in the '06 explorer. is that what everyone else is refering to?
And two demerits for the first person offering admonishments to people who live in them!
tidester, host
Just turned over 1,000 miles. More than 250 of this on NASTY dirt/mountain roads. 45-50 MPH over washboard surfaces. Descending & ascending gnarly, twisty, rutted, rocky grades at 5 MPH. Still no rattles. AWD needed at times, and works great.
Nav. guidance voice still sounds like Lilith (Frazer's ex-wife) gargling. Street name spoken way too rapidly.
Location of the Nav. screen above the climate control registers is a subtle but significant safety factor because it's now at the same level as the instruments, and much closer to the line of sight to the road.
Getting adjusted to inside door handles, but still not happy with them.
Tongue-depressor fix for overdrive button location is essential if a person uses it much. I use it often for engine braking on highway downgrades.
Another wart is the lack of a "Cancel" button for the speed control. The only way to disengage it without losing the speed setting is to tap the brake pedal ... and it requires a firm tap. My '03 Lincoln LS had "Cancel", as well as my '06 Mazda 3. It should be easy to make the "Resume" button dual-mode.
Getting compliments on the styling from pre-teen boys, and young-married folks. My color is Cashmere ... VERY dusty at the moment.
When you turn in a lease EARLY, you are still responsible for ALL OUTSTANDING LEASE PAYMENTS.
In rare instances, the trade in value the lease vehicle will exceed the buyout on the lease. The buy out equals ALL REMAINING PAYMENTS and the RESIDUAL VALUE or PURCHASE OPTION of the lease. This only happens if the vehicle mileage is a lot lower than typical.
Most leases are calculated at 12k miles per year. Obviously, for your friend to be at 27k in 20 months, he is SUBSTANTIALLY OVER MILES which really accelerates the depreciation.
In regard to the price on the Sonata please keep in mind that ultimately it is the person who buys a car that determines its price. The price will reflect supply and demand. FL is a different market from CT with maybe more supply and/or less demand, hence the different price.
Not all auto sales people are not out to screw people over, they are trying to make a living too. Must auto sales people are trying to form a relationship that will lead to repeat business.
Mark
Then there is gas mpg to be concerned with. This of course is not to mention that this is FORDS FIRST YEAR of a new redesign. Their reputation is less than stellar on new models. I came out of an '02 Explorer with rear-end and issues with the transmission solenoid. I traded it in with 46K on the clock for a 4Runner. Let us know what you decide. Will practicality be more important than "appearance?"
Toyota has great products as well, but they are different in their characteristics, and less evolved in design - more old school.
NV, I felt I gave an accurate appraisal of the cons of the Explorer which you agreed with. Me being a cynic, I feel is not a necessary part of this conversation.
The Ford 500/Mercury Montego, both being newly engineered models, were built at a newly remodeled Ford plant, and have experienced no first year issues. If anything, it was one of the top 3 vehicles rated by JDPower's for initial quality...behind the Grand Marquis, and Buick LaSabre...didn't see the newly designed Avalon on that list heh...
The Freestyle itself, built in the same factory as the above mentioned vehicles, also had no issues come up on it's first year build.
The Mustang, another newly engineered vehicle was also built in a newly remodeled plant, was rated in the top 3 in initial quality by JDPower's with no first year issues.
The newly re-engineered Ford F-150, had it's introduction, with no recalls in it's first year.
The re-engineered Super Duty F-series, also debuted with no issues.
Etc.etc.