With just about everyone having internet access why don't the auto companies make available their dealer inventory data? I'm looking for a regular cab STX 4WD with the 5.0. Not a very popular truck as witnessed by visiting a many Ford dealer website and coming up empty. WHY do we potential buyers have to visit a dealer to learn if such a unit is within say 300 miles? My local ford dealer found 4 but would NOT show me the dealers names nor locations. He wants to make the deal, in essence handle everything from his end. And that I would have to pay for the related transportation costs. Which of course I laughed at as I walked out.

Why isn't this type of info made public? It's almost as if they're playing consumer vs dealer. Let me see the inventory listings on a particular vehicle and let ME make contact with the respective inventory holder.

I’ve used autotrader but the listings there are usually too general in nature. They just list how many F-150's they have. Not much in the way of specific inventory.

 

Try this link Art. It should be able to list dealers by state. Then you can search to your heart's content from coast to coast and side the dealer dog and pony show. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...mV-RyAbmBYQ9zA

 

I hear ya. evidently no one but me wants a super-cab XLT with an 8 foot bed!

i've even had a couple dealers tell me it doesn't exist.

 

Have you tried cars.com? Their site is much better than Autotrader in my opinion. In fact, it's how I found my current truck. When you look at the site, you can narrow the search from the menu selections on the left side of the page. You can specify the trim level, 2WD or 4WD, cab style, color, etc. It's a very good site and at the top of the page, you can change the zip code for the search area and narrow the mileage radius in which to search.

New Cars for Sale: Listings Near 37620 - Cars.com

 

Over on the ford website, if you go to shopping tools, then choose dealer inventory, enter your zip code (or any zip code), it will take you to local dealers.

Or, if you go thru edmunds.com, you can e-mail your requirements a set of dealers. Usually, those requests go to the fleet manager, who is the person you want to talk to if you have a special truck that you are looking for.

They will be happy to make you happy, and take your money.

 

You should be prepared, unless you find a great dealer, to pay more for a rare model. You can punch you requirements in the Ford Truck website but I think is a range limitation, i.e., you can't search the entire US. I just bought a 2012 Screw Platnium 4X4 with a 6 1/2 foot bed and I did not want black, white or gray and I wanted the brown/black interior. That was a hard truck to come by. Fortunately I found a great dealer to work with on pricing and locating. Good luck.

 

You can always custom order if you are not in a hurry. Works great but can take a while. I got my truck with 2.9 miles on the odo. After more than 3 months of waiting, but it was still well worth it to me. Got a great deal as well, and EXACTLY as I wanted it.

 

Powerstroke, thanks for the cars.com suggestion.

 

Why does it take 3 months? I would think customer orders would take precedence over any other order? Isn't customer service Job # 1? Besides, how many hours does it take to actually build a unit? 8 hours?

 

yeah, cars.com seems pretty good for searching new inventory. And when they don't post the window sticker so you can't tell what options it has, just copy and paste the vin number into this website and you'll get the window sticker:

User your VIN number to get Ford Window Sticker

 

this is how I usually do it. Then if I don't find what I want at the 5 or so dealers closest to the zip entered I input a different zip in the area and get a new set of dealers to check through their inventory. Not anywhere near as convenient as it was back when I had my dealerconnection account and could search the inventories pf every single Ford dealer in the nation in one big search but, it works well enough for me.

 

T htought the same thing when I was looking for the new F250 in Bronze Scap. Had to do all the leg work myself.