Who's planning to bite the hook?
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Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Maine, Virginia
Who's planning to bite the hook?
Ford is clearly very hungry and perhaps showing a slight desperation to move inventory.
The Ford friends and family is equivalent to A&Z plans except you get to pay the enormous doc fees. Ultimately this is a better purchasing option than X plan.
The days of 20 and 22% off MSRP on an F150 are nearly gone unless you find that one rare year old never sold unit. The margins are shrinking, rates are still high, extended warranties are high and even though used car values are starting to recover, the trade in values are still unattractive.
Unless you're in a must have right now situation, make them come at you hard with generous trade values, steeper discounts on the vehicle that you're shopping for and get as creative as they are before signing your hard earned money away for the 36 to 84 months. If you're the rare cash buyer then disregard.
Don't let the dealer make you think that this is it and if you don't buy now, you'll lose out.
If they can give up their hold back money now, they can do it all year long. Remember, there will be an independence day sale and a model year end sale.
BE PATIENT
Soap box mode over.
The Ford friends and family is equivalent to A&Z plans except you get to pay the enormous doc fees. Ultimately this is a better purchasing option than X plan.
The days of 20 and 22% off MSRP on an F150 are nearly gone unless you find that one rare year old never sold unit. The margins are shrinking, rates are still high, extended warranties are high and even though used car values are starting to recover, the trade in values are still unattractive.
Unless you're in a must have right now situation, make them come at you hard with generous trade values, steeper discounts on the vehicle that you're shopping for and get as creative as they are before signing your hard earned money away for the 36 to 84 months. If you're the rare cash buyer then disregard.
Don't let the dealer make you think that this is it and if you don't buy now, you'll lose out.
If they can give up their hold back money now, they can do it all year long. Remember, there will be an independence day sale and a model year end sale.
BE PATIENT
Soap box mode over.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 948
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From: Adirondacks
Unless there was a catastrophe, I only buy a new truck when I can get a good deal. I plan to keep my 2019 a few more years. I am not wealthy enough to be financing vehicles, so I was wondering why you wrote cash buyers can disregard what you had written.
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From: Maine, Virginia
I would add that if one were to amass enough cash to buy outright, I think it's smart to finance a small amount to take advantage of Ford's financing incentive. Who doesn't want an extra $1000 taken off the price. As soon as the loan populates, pay it off and save an extra grand.
With that said, my comments clearly indicate that the industry preys on people who need financing, who need the latest right now and are willing to pay for it over time.
So, if you need financing, pre-arrange it so you know the terms going in.
Buy for price, not payment
Be willing to walk away.
My nephew just bought a new never owned 2025 STX. MSRP, $61,xxx and discounted to $48,xxx. My little one room school house in coastal Maine taught me that that's 20%. So, the money is there, make them earn the business.
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2020
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From: Adirondacks
No worries. You did not strike a nerve. I have done financing before. My first financed vehicle was young and dumb in the military, and I saw the huge financing cost so I paid that off extra quick. I did financing again twice when it was zero percent financing, and twice when taking the Ford financing got you a bigger discount. In both cases taking the Ford financing, I had to make three monthly payments and then I could pay off the loan. That was a good deal, and since I had the money, no risk either. I did my first tractor with zero financing too. All the auto TV commercials seem to almost always focus on financing and getting you an affordable monthly payment, but you pay so much more that way. Refinancing my first house and going from 30yr to 15yr mortgage was a huge eye opener how much money I was wasting by borrowing when the bank told me how much I was saving doing the 15yr deal vs 30yr. I do what you suggested and budget some of my money for the next truck years down the road. I grew up on the poor side so I have always been cautious with my spending.
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From: Maine, Virginia
My nephew financed $55K and will pay back about $70K when it's done........ugh. I hope he realizes that he buried upside down for at least four years and possibly a tad longer. At $925 per month, I don't see him doubling his payments. I wish he had called me first. I think he still would have bought the truck but he would have done so with a load of intelligent questions that may have thrown the dealer off it's axis for a second. But I digress.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2021
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In 2013 I bought my 250 with 0% financing @60 months.
If I could buy a new 2013 with the same options and adjusted for inflation, I’d buy it today.
As for options, Lariat with heated and cooled seats, no push button start, transmission dipstick and a drain plug, A 6.2 before the intake and fuel pump issue, and a 6R 140.
If I could buy a new 2013 with the same options and adjusted for inflation, I’d buy it today.
As for options, Lariat with heated and cooled seats, no push button start, transmission dipstick and a drain plug, A 6.2 before the intake and fuel pump issue, and a 6R 140.
Last edited by Split rims; May 11, 2026 at 08:57 AM.
4wd Low
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 13
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I'm unimpressed by the "deal" local dealers in the Boston area are offering. They don't seem to be hungry enogh to pass on all the incentives Ford is giving them.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Maine, Virginia
My local dealer is advertising all of Ford's benefits plus offering 110% of trade in value based on KBB. I say there's still more money to be squeezed out of that deal.
Last edited by tseekins; May 11, 2026 at 11:24 AM.
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Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Maine, Virginia
@tseekins
I’m not surprised. I’m in Brunswick and Waterville multiple times a year. No current plans to trade, but always looking.
I’m not surprised. I’m in Brunswick and Waterville multiple times a year. No current plans to trade, but always looking.
Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2024
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From: Wsetern Colorado
I quit buying new and buy like 2-3 year olds with extended warranties. My favorites are corporate Fords .. for some reason my local dealer has like 3 or for every time I go looking ... and that is just the white ones.
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Super Moderator
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From: Maine, Virginia
I think carmax is a great place to shop for a truck that's a year or two old and their warranty is second to no one. My sole issue with carmax is they are a one price dealer and will only negotiate on trade. I expect to buy a loaf of bread or a pair of shoes for the asking price but not a vehicle. However, if I were shopping and my search lead me to carmax and I felt the price was fair because they added the warranty at no charge or they sweetened the deal in another way, I'd definitely trade with them.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
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My Son got into a cycle of buying a car then trade it in a few months later for something else, then a Truck and then a Mustang. It got to a point where he couldn't make the payments and traded the Mustang in for a cheap old Fusion. I will say the smartest thing he did was get Gap insurance because 6 months later a truck pulled out in front of him and total the Fusion.
He learned a good lesson about interest rates and being underwater lol.
He learned a good lesson about interest rates and being underwater lol.
Last edited by RacingJake; Yesterday at 08:50 AM.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
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Just like the kids in the oil fields when oil is up they all drive new trucks and when it's down all you see is for sale signs.