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Comments
How is the road noise? very quiet
Have you taken it on highway driving yet? Yes up to about 65 mph -- Very smooth ride
Any stalling problems? no
What city are you in? Charlotte NC
What color is your new Escape? Gold
I'll keep everyone posted but so far so good -- I love it!!!
HOWEVER, even though I've stated all along that we are X-plan customers, they now tell me that they DON'T ACCEPT X-plan for the Escape! They said since it is in such high demand they aren't accepting that plan.
Here's the price they are quoting, please tell me what you think!
4WD, V-6, XLT, cloth interior, side bars, moonroof, tow package, 16" wheels, privacy glass
They say that factory invoice is $23,420
They say MSRP is $25,020
They want to sell it to me for $24,420
Is this a good deal?
I thought Xplan was supposed to be 4% over invoice? Wouldn't that come out to be only about $70 less than their offer? For those of you that bought with an Xplan, I read that you got LESS than invoice? How did that work?
Also, is it true that a V-6 with 4WD gets the same mileage as a 2WD?
Anyway, according to kelleybluebook's invoice, I paid exactly $573 over invoice for my
4WD V6 XLT, leather, privacy glass. That's a healthy 2.5% profit for them.
It was the best deal I could finalize in three days of shopping. I have no idea how the X-Plan'ers do it for *under* invoice. And S.F. being as pricey as it is, I have no idea how anybody can pay less than what I paid. I used a very shrewd tactic and had to be quite *rude* to get my price, but that is business, nothing personal.
As far as mileage, the messages on the Internet indicate that mileage is roughly 1.5mpg better for the V6 2WD compared to the V6 4WD.
According to kelleybluebook, the trim level that you mention,
4WD V6 XLT, side bars, moonroof, privacy glass should be =
$22,887
which includes destination charge of $540 and documentation charge of $45.
Everything else, including tow package, 16" wheels and dealer prep should be included FREE OF CHARGE.
"Sticker" is the MSRP, right? As in what they want you to pay.
So when everybody says they paid $X over invoice, or under invoice, they are all referring to the factory invoice?
Odie
Don't know if this is the Factual answer, but that is the way it was explained to me from 2 different Ford Dealers in my area.
hckynut
Rest assured that the dealership gets financial rewards in many ways, not just profit over invoice. There's "dealer holdback" for one. See edmunds.com. The X-plan seems to be another. Meeting monthly quotas and paying in advance for vehicles they sell also help dealerships.
As a businessman myself, I wouldn't be surprised to see as much as 10% of the vehicle price go to the dealership, but much of it pays for their overhead expenses, which is not negotiable. It's obviously big business, and they continue to thrive.
Kelleybluebook.com and Edmunds.com are practically required research because many salesmen (and their managers) KNOW buyers have these resources.
-EC
IF THE DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO HONOR X-pLAN PRICING....THAT IS HIS PEROGATIVE.
However, they do receive "extra' monies from Ford for this plan. How much, I do not know.
The 2002 escape retooling begins very soon {right after the July 4th week shutdown...I think}...so there should be no problem getting the X-Plan from a Ford dealer on a 2001. Be PATIENT and look around. Sooner or later you will get X-Plan from some dealership.
Or in the dead of winter if you have to make a 30 second trip to run into the video store to return a movie...leave the truck/heat running, lock the doors, return the movie, come back and enter the code to get back in.
Same with a walk-up ATM...
They have been available on the Explorers and Tauruses for years now. Ford says they continue to offer it because customers demand the system...
We have often wondered why other automakers don't offer similar systems.
I am however still swaying from the 4cyl to the 6. The price diff is only about 1K..
thanks
tom
They have at least 4 Escapes on the lot (one green, one yellow, one red, and I think one black). The sales guy there said that they are asking up to $1000 over sticker for these vehicles since the demand is so high!!!! Yes, and notice that they are still sitting on the lot.
Gee, sounds like the kind of stuff I hear they are doing on the Liberty.
They were green with envy when they found out I'd ordered already.
They said they aren't honoring X-plan for Escapes on the lot, just ordered ones. Hmmm, I would think it would be the other way around. If I had vehicles on the lot, I'd want them out, and would charge more to have one ordered.
I'll never figure this process out!
I live in the same area outside Chicago, did you order your Escape from a south suburb dealer? What did you order - at what price over invoice? What made you select the Escape over the Liberty? if you didn't notice, those are the exact two I'm looking at.
1. Ford quality seems better than Jeep's (read the Cherokee boards and they will curl your hair!).
2. The wheel is not on the outside--less chance of being stolen.
3. The ride is smoother.
4. Privacy glass is optional with 2001 models--I don't want privacy glass; the Jeep salesman thought it might be standard.
5. The inside seems bigger.
6. I'm not stuck wondering if I can get certain options or not (like the sunroof on the Liberty).
7. X-plan means I'm probably getting a much better price than I would on the Liberty.
8. There are 2 Ford dealerships in town, so if lack of service becomes an issue, I can switch to the other dealership.
9. My friend's husband manages a sister dealership and could petition on my behalf if I have a thorny issue with the dealership.
10. The seats fold flat without much effort in the Escape.
11. It feels like you are too close to the windshield when you drive the Liberty.
I was really a nerd about the whole thing--I have my criteria outlined on a spreadsheet, with the models under consideration going across in the columns. The criteria are split in 3 sections: must-haves, ones that would be really great to have, and add-ons that I noticed only after test drives. The more black marks against the vehicle, the less chance I had of choosing it. Made the whole decision process logical and easy when you see your own criteria in black and white, and prioritized. Hope that helps.
I like the looks of the Liberty much better than the Escape. I wish and hope Ford does something with the accent trim on the bottom of the Escapes. With certain color cars it really makes the front end of the car look way too busy. Just a personal opinion on that one.
We saw at least 25 Liberty's. Some were the Sport and the others the Special Editon(I think that is what they called it). I didn't see a single one with Leather Interior or a Power Sunroof, which are imperative on the new SUV we choose.
I can't even find an option for either over at Edmunds.com or Kelly Bluebook.com.
One thing that really turned me away from the Liberty was the fact that if you choose 2WD it comes only in Rear Wheel Drive and in Nebraska that plain just don't cut it in the winter.
The Liberty V6 also is rated at much less MPG than the Escape.
I built one over at Edmunds and even without the Leather and Sunroof options(which are a must for our new SUV)the price was about the same as the Escape(2001 of course)with these options.
We plan on waiting for the prices on the 2002 Escpape Models(which I hear will be out either this week or next)before ordering ours.
If the fordfleet.com site is correct it looks like there will be bunch more models of the Escape. I would think you could buy one of these with options included that you want for less than taking say a 2WD XLT and adding a whole bunch of options. Think this would also make it easier for Ford Dealers to sell these if and when the demand ever lowers.
Just my observations and opinions on the Liberty and Escape and meant to be nothing more.
hckynut
1)Choice Model
2)Choice Model #1
3)Premium Model
With each in the order I listed them having more standard equipment. The Premium the most the Choice Model the least.
Didn't have any prices but the Premium Model had pretty darn near everything we want except for a few low dollar options. My feeling is that this Premium Model will probably not be much more than the 2001 XLT if I added all the options that come standard on the 2002. I hope I am right. Any info.you have on any of this would be appreciated.
I too will order with the X-Plan. Not sure if we are going to Lease or Buy. Since we don't drive too many miles, treat our cars like they are made of gold, and like driving new models I think Leasing looks like the best option to me right now.
Anyone that has leased a Ford Product I would appreciate any imput and it would certainly help one who has always bought new cars.
Thanks for anyone that can keep me a better informed consumer.
the top model is the limited and with the "g" package, it comes with leather. moonroof is a $700 option. as far as the 4wd system, in the limited, you get selec-trac which can be configured any number of ways. this is from the jeep website describing it:
Full-time; two-speed with shift-on-the-fly; includes low-range (2.72:1); allows for two- or four-wheel-drive mode, full- or part-time 4WD; single-lever transfer case mode operation
I have a liberty on order which is scheduled to be delivered in mid-july. I have test driven both escape & liberty. escape has the edge in power & handling, but the liberty is more solid. I felt much safer in it. the interior appointments are superior as well.
However, the one they have available does not include two options that I really wanted, power moonroof and privacy glass. At this point I am just going to have them installed after market. What do you think?
MACH Dual Media Audio System w/CD and Cassette Player
Leather Comfort Group
Power Glass Moonroof with Shade
Privacy Glass
Side Step Bars
Trailer Towing Class II
The invoice price came out from Edmunds is 24,395 and it was 24,065 from the dealer and they ask 23,465 for it.
Second of all what I said was "I didn't see a single one with Leather Interior or a Power Sunroof, which are imperative on the new SUV we choose.
I can't even find an option for either over at Edmunds.com or Kelly Bluebook.com"
If you notice I did not say they were not available I said I did not find them.
As far as you going into the way the 4WD functions that is great if that is what you want. I said that the Liberty did not offer 2WD other than in a Rear Wheel Drive version and that version is not suited to winter driving here in Nebraska.
I'm happy if you're happy with the Liberty but I personnaly don't see paying several thousand dollars more for an SUV that has way to many negatives for my needs.
The comparison was not to start a "I like Liberty, I like Escape" debate or confrontation.
I was merely pointing out some of the things that I found that were important to me in an SUV and 2 Wheel Front Wheel Drive was one of them. Just thought this information would be helpful to those that want only 2WD but want that drive in the Front and not the Back Wheels.
I guess feeling safe is subjective to you but it is not to me. I will go by the proven methods which are generally considered to be "crash tests". Unless I am not reading the reports correctly the Escape came out very well on all of these tests.
"It's a great day for hockey" the Late Bob Johnson
Odie
The Choice is strictly standard equipment which includes all the 2001 XLT standards plus the new 2002 standards of privacy glass, 6 CD changer, and power driver seat.
The Choice 2 is exactly the same but adds the 16" alloy wheels with wheel lip moldings.
The Premium adds leather and the power moonroof to the package. I have ordered a Choice 2 and added the leather as I don't want a moonroof. Hope this info helps!
Oh well, what goes around comes around. Apparently they are having a hard time selling the yellow ones so it will probably sit around their lot forever.
We bought the unloaded one from the cool dealership and will have our options put in later. We are still very happy with our $2,000 savings.
Thanks for the help.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
If you do decide on the Escape I would strongly suggest making sure that the Dealer Installed Luggage Racks on the top are put on correctly.
Last week we were looking at the Jeep Liberty and the Escapes as one Dealer close to my home sells both. They had 3 Escapes sitting on the lot and 1 of them had the Luggage Rack on backwards. The 3rd one they must have just gotten as it wasn't installed yet. The side that is angled(about 45 degrees)should be the one that faces the front of the SUV.
We are waiting for the prices to come out on the 2002 and also to see if you can get the XLT without all of that plastic side/front/rear trim.
I read at Fordfleet.com that Solid Paint will be an option. I prefer not having the "off-road look" of the gray/graphite or whatever color that trim happes to be. The Liberty Special Edition has the solid paint and the Sport has that plastic trim. I really liked the looks of the Special Edition much better and am hoping that this is indeed an option on the 2002 Escape.
Odie
http://www.downsford.com/order_guides/2002escape.pdf
YES!! I have the same creaking!! It is about to drive me crazy... It started about a month ago - I bought my Escape a couple of months ago - At first I thought it was the back seat, so I road in the back while my husband drove and it is definately the hatchdoor. I need to bring it in to the dealership (just haven't had the time). Has anyone else out there had the same problem?? Sounds like the car is falling apart! Also - anyone had a problem with the smell of gas when starting up the car?
Thanks
Tom