I am in the market to buy a F150 FX4 SuperCrew soon. I browsed this forum but couldn't find any pricing from Van Bortel Ford. I have just read all the great comments about the dealership. I found their site that lists MSRP and Invoice: http://www.vanbortelford.com/flta.html But it doesn't list their price? So I have 2 questions for Jeff.

1) Am I not reading the link correctly above? Or do I need to call for the price?

2) I have the X-Plan available to me and it's 1% below invoice. Can I tack on the 1% below invoice to whatever Van Bortel offers below invoice?

Thanks,

This site rocks (This will be my first Ford, and first truck).

Forrest

 

Our dealership is in the process of building a new website. We have no one in-house to maintain it, and the people that currently do- well, let's just say we're less than happy with them (the prices on that link are from LAST FALL... ). Please ignore that website.

Just tell me what you're looking for, either here or e-mail/ private message, and I'll price it out for you. FTE pricing is $500 below invoice, or $500 below X-Plan, whichever works out cheaper for you (sometimes X-Plan is more than invoice). I don't know who told you that X-Plan is 1% below invoice; it's actually A-Plan (Ford Employee price) + 4% + $150. That results in an X-Plan price that's HIGHER than invoice on the low-markup vehicles (Focus, Ranger, Escape, etc...), and a couple hundred dollars below invoice on the high-end stuff (Expedition, Super-Duty, etc...). X-Plan will save you about $50 from invoice on a 150, EXCEPT: right now, there's an additional $500 X-Plan rebate from Ford on all 2004/ 2005 F-150s and Rangers, good through May 31st.

 

Are the invoice prices that are listed on the Ford Direct site correct? Or, are they approximations?

Kent Kester

 

They're closer than they used to be. The most accurate site is CarsDirect.com.

 

Jeff,

I went ahead and struck a deal with my local Ford Dealer. I had to haggle with them on the price on my trade but we agreed on a number that I am happy with.

My question is. They didn't tell me there was a $500 rebate on X-Plan? Can you check into this for me on this VIN.

1FTPW14585FB00473

They told me X-Plan price on that VIN is $34,311. I saw a copy of the invoice. The vehicle is not in my area, it's about 4 hours away. They are going to get it on Monday.

The tried to stick me with a $99 documentation fee but I told me that I read that X-Plan purchases are exempt from any deal fees like doc and advertising etc. They agreed and took $99 off of the price of the truck instead.

They are also charging me $300 to go get the vehicle. Is this reasonable?

Since they are going to go get the vehicle the only thing I did today was sign the Ford Motor Credit paperwork, nothing else. Is this standard procedure? They took my trade today and put me in a F-150 XLT until Monday.

Let me know if any of this sounds fishy. Thanks so much for your help. This site rocks.

Forrest

 

Jeff, also, I just called the dealership asking about the X-Plan $500 rebate. They said they would check into it Monday. If they come back and say it's not there anymore how do I go about proving it? I can't seem to find anything online that shows rebates on Ford's picing plans.

 

My personal opinion only. I worked in a Ford dealership as a salesman. I had to quit due to the tricks used to sell cars and to lock you into the deal. One of them is to take you trade and send you home in a loaner. Then when your truck gets there, you will go through with the deal since "your car in not here anymore, we sent it to auction...or we sold it... or something" when in reality we have hid cars behind buildings or put them on other lots. Next, X plan prices are free of other dealer fees. Them taking it off the price is a ploy to avoid a class action lawsuit. They have been charging everybody the extra amount (ours was $499) and if they don't charge it, then they can no longer claim that everybody has to pay it. Bought three cars on X-plan in the last 5 years. I have to go through the fight each and every time. If they are getting the vehicle from another dealership, there may be some extra charges involved. You are NOT required to pay them. It is up to the dealer if he wants to absorb the price to sell the vehicle. Like any car sale, what the customer will pay is what they will charge.

If you are happy with the trade price, great. Take it.

One last piece of caution, finance people at dealerships will give you the interest rate that you will accept, not necessarilly the best they can. Go to your bank or credit union and ask what rate they will give YOU for the same deal. The bank will give you a check to take to the dealership to pay for the truck. You can deal interest rates just as you deal vehicle price or trade in value.

Lastly, remember one thing, The vehicle is not yours until you leave the lot with it. Everything up to that point is just foreplay and can be changed.

Good Luck

 

Thanks for the info. Should I go back and try to get my Trade-In tonight? I am a little concerned about the $500 X-Plan rebate Jeff noted. I am not sure how I can prove this on Monday if they say it's not there anymore.

 

Hold on!! wait for Jeff to reply/discuss with you first...


he saved me $$$ from my local dealership that tried to jack up the price!

SO I end up bought a nice truck 04 FX4 Screw from jeff and drove home- 7 hrs-WORTH IT!

YOMAN!

 

Tell them to shove that $300.00 vehicle pick up fee!!!

When I bought my '04 F250 last fall you recieved an extra $1000.00 rebate if finaced thru Ford, at a much higher rate than my credit union. I went ahead and did the Ford finacing. It knocked $1000.00 of my truck price. Then I waited 3 weeks, called Ford Credit, got my loan info and went to the Credit Union and refied with them. Saved me $30.00 a month over the life of the loan.

 

Program # 9562, $500 for Ranger/F150. Now I know why I couldn't see it- it relates to a stairstep program, but A/X/D/Z plans get the money. It is a regional thing (I suspected as much). Just tell those rocket-scientists back at the dealership to run a smartvincent on the thing!

This is getting pretty bad when I have to call the office to find out what Fords dealer website address is.

edit: pickup fee. That really depends. Dealer trades are art, not science. Since they're trading at their request, there's nothing that says the other dealer has to make the trade, or play fair when they do it ("OK, bring me a KR PSD for it, and you can have it"). Then there are expenses associated with going to get it. My own rule of thumb is if it's reasonably local (100 miles or less) and readily available, there shouldn't be any pickup fees. But- recently we went to Montana to pick up a vehicle and flatbed it back (900 miles). We didn't charge a pickup fee per se, but you don't do that for a $100 over invoice deal either.

 

I am not sure I can go the Van Bortel route. I think they are almost 1200 miles away from where I live. I don't the time to make that trip (I have a trade-in so I'd have to drive both ways). I am not sure it would save that much more also. I've calculated that I would be spending about $350 worth of gas there and back, plus meals, plus 1 hotel night, it all comes to about $500 plus I'd have to take a day or 2 off of work. It might be worth it if Jeff could do $1000 below X-Plan and give me what this dealership is giving me for my trade plus ensure I'd still be able to $3000 in rebates etc. We'll see. Jeff hasn't responded yet.

----------

I shouldn't pay the $300 pickup fee? I've already signed the Ford Motor Credit paperwork but nothing else. I have not taken delivery of the F150 nor have I given them my trade (well, I did at first but went back last night and told them I felt more comfortable if I still had my trade with me, so they gave it back).

I am doing the same thing, getting the $1000 FMC cash and then re-finacning. The thing is that I have heard rumors on this forum that FMC makes you keep their financing for 90 days in order to keep the $1000 rebate. I read the FMC contract letter by letter and there is NOTHING on the contract that states this. The contract states there are NO early prepayment fees. I'll try it in a couple week and ask FMC if I will lose my $1000 rebate, we'll see what happens. I have already lined up credit from another bank I use.

 

Forrest F150,

I only waited about 3 weeks before the refi. It says right on the paper work that there is no penalty for early pay off. You can call the 800# for Ford Credit and it's all done by computer voice. Never talked to a real human.
If they say that they have to charge you a pick up fee tell them your leaving. If they won't budge, get up and leave. If they don't stop you on the way out, your phone will be ringing by the time you walk in the door when you get home.

Good Luck!

 

Forrest_F150,

If you pay off the FMCC loan early you won't have any issues with your $1000 bonus cash incentive. But, as I understand it, you have to keep the loan for 90 days in order for the dealer to get their kickback. If you have a personal relationship with the dealer, then it may be worth it to you to wait the 90 days before refinancing. Or if you don't have any ties to the dealer (and it sounds like that's the case here), then there's no reason to wait.

I agree on the pick-up fee. Try to hold your ground, remind them about the holdback that you know they'll be making on the traded vehicle (as long as the dealer trade is a comparably equipped -- and priced -- truck). If it comes down to it, tell them you don't need the truck that bad and you can find another one from another dealer. You can even mention the below invoice deal you can get if you drive to Rochester!

Good luck, hope things work out for you.

 

PolarBear.
YOU ARE THE BOMB!!!! Thanks a million for tracking that down for me!!! I can tell them the Program # and that should convince them.. If it doesn't, well they will be stuck with the truck. I'll go somewhere else.

The vehicle is about 4 hours away. I'll ask them to split the $300 charge...and see what they say.....

TDN,
Thanks for the advice. I don't have any ties with this dealership so I'll probably refinance right away. I think if the dealership wanted their kickback from FMCC they would have given me a better finance rate from FMCC. They gave me a whopping 8.75 rate!!! Even though my credit score was 782!!! They knew I was planning on refinancing after 90 days. I imagine they get more of a kickback if they give out a higher finance rate. So, I'll play hardball and refinance right away. The way I see it, its what they get for stickin me with a high rate and making it sound like that's as low as FMCC would go.

As for the $300 fee for getting the vehicle, I'll try to have them split it with me as I noted above it's 4 hours away. The FMCC contract I have already signed has 1 error on it anyway. Nothing major, they listed my trade as a 2004 and it's a 2000. So, I imagine they'll have to amend the contract (if that can be done). That's when I can talk to them about the $300. I don't think they'll be able to create a new contract as the $1000 FMCC rebate was only good through today. That