Ask a Ford salesman anything (Incentives, Inventory, etc)

[me2000]

Originally Posted by imccrea

iminhell-
Most new car pay plans hover around 18% up to 30%. New car pack will vary from $0 up to $800. That means invoice is $16,494 on a base S and if the dealership packs it $500 it doesn't matter if you sell it for MSRP or not, you're only getting paid a flat for it.

I can sell you a full equipped Titanium and at my dealership the most I'll make is $400 in my pocket. In the internet day and age I start at invoice as a price, if other dealers want to hold to MSRP power to them, but they won't touch the volume that we will and in the end I'll have the happier customers because they are getting the product they want at dealer cost plus fees.

Plus it's important that people here realize that not all sales associates are there to rip your head off, I work my ass of and sometimes only make $100 on a sale.

And I can tell you from personal experience that giving a customer the price they really want without forcing them to haggle makes a satisfied customer that WILL come back and buy from you again.

[MoggSquad]

Is $399 reasonable for a documentation fee. This is a dealer in Las Vegas.

Background...

-I live in Utah, Costco Auto Program hooked me up with them.
-They will give me car at invoice + $364 marketing fee by Ford + $399 documentation fee by dealer minus any incentives
-Car is 2012 Ford Focus SEL that is going to be delivered from their sister dealership for no cost.
-This is without haggling so far. Should I haggle on the fee or hold that for my trade in? Should I be happy with this deal considering the Focus are still scarce at dealerships?

[Missourileo]

I notice there is a college student discount. Is there an active duty, veteran or military discount? Just asking.

[clutchrider]

What's your intel on the ST?

*I had to ask*

[imccrea]

Originally Posted by MoggSquad

Is $399 reasonable for a documentation fee. This is a dealer in Las Vegas.

Background...

-I live in Utah, Costco Auto Program hooked me up with them.
-They will give me car at invoice + $364 marketing fee by Ford + $399 documentation fee by dealer minus any incentives
-Car is 2012 Ford Focus SEL that is going to be delivered from their sister dealership for no cost.
-This is without haggling so far. Should I haggle on the fee or hold that for my trade in? Should I be happy with this deal considering the Focus are still scarce at dealerships?

At this point Mogg I would ask to see the actual invoice, it seems they are trying to double charge you for stuff.

If you were here the price would be invoice plus $499 D & H, marketing is already on the invoice so no need to double charge. They should be more than happy to show you the invoice, if not let me know what you're trying to find and I'll tell you where to go.

MissouriLeo-
There is active military just need a military ID for proof. I'd have to see if you can combine offers however.

ST-
Still planning on late this year from last I heard.

[Shorty Long]

Over the past couple months, I've made multiple requests for a brochure through the mail in order to receive the $750 cash from Ford, but I haven't received one. Therefore, I can't read the fine print. Can this be combined with the $500 retail order/technology rebate for those of us that ordered our cars?

[imccrea]

Originally Posted by Shorty Long

Over the past couple months, I've made multiple requests for a brochure through the mail in order to receive the $750 cash from Ford, but I haven't received one. Therefore, I can't read the fine print. Can this be combined with the $500 retail order/technology rebate for those of us that ordered our cars?

From the looks of incentives you can combine usually just 2.

EX:
FMC $500 rebate plus $500 college grad

OR
FMC $500 rebate plus $750 private offer

I haven't seen any tech rebates at our store so I couldn't put any input on that but I would say that you're only going to get that plus FMC or college.

[Gobird]

I have to say my dealer is pretty good. We retired to FLA. over three years ago. There are two different Ford dealers in my area. The one is a real pain to deal with. The one I ordered from has treated me real good the past three years. They do oil and filter changes on all my cars for $15.00 and also preform a check on just about everything on the car while it's in there.

I priced my new Focus at both dealers just to com-pair. The first dealer gave me the run around just like I thought they would and wanted $600. over invoice and $1,000 down. They wouldn't even tell me what the invoice was until I placed the order. I spent 1 1/2 hours there.

Now, the dealer I have been using over this time said, " Let me look up the invoice price". He came back with it in hand. He already had that, taxes, transfer, everything worked out. Even my trade in. He said" this is the price, invoice and nothing else". I ask what do you require down? His reply was, NOTHING. He said if I didn't like it when it came in, not to worry, they would sell it to someone else.
I spent 45 mins there.
This is the Best Ford dealer I have ever worked with. I'm 62 and have bought a lot of new Ford cars and trucks over the years and for me to say something like that, well it means something.

[newmission]

inccrea,

Thank you for your time an efforts to answer everyone's questions! I just put in my order for a 2012 Focus SE, which is my first new car purchase. I'm curious if I got taken for a ride or not. My invoice price came to $20478.36. After my X-plan, rebates, and negotiations, my final price (before tax and title) is $19421.45. Good or could I have done better? Thank you!

Also curious if the "invoice" number is the ACTUAL "cost" for the vehicle. If not, how much below "invoice" does a dealer pay for a new vehicle? Thanks again!

[imccrea]

Originally Posted by newmission

inccrea,

Thank you for your time an efforts to answer everyone's questions! I just put in my order for a 2012 Focus SE, which is my first new car purchase. I'm curious if I got taken for a ride or not. My invoice price came to $20478.36. After my X-plan, rebates, and negotiations, my final price (before tax and title) is $19421.45. Good or could I have done better? Thank you!

Also curious if the "invoice" number is the ACTUAL "cost" for the vehicle. If not, how much below "invoice" does a dealer pay for a new vehicle? Thanks again!

They have to charge you X-Plan, no more no less otherwise they lose their ability to do them. Also under X-Plan rules they must give you a copy of the invoice. Most they can charge is $75 for dealer handling so remember that part as well.

Finally X-Plan is usually slightly above invoice, so here it's a good deal because you avoid paying D & H so it's really $425 below invoice. The markup on a Focus isn't significant, so if you didn't have X-Plan you probably could negotiate to below X-plan but it could be a hassle.

As far as "true invoice" goes. I always laugh when customers think I makeup an invoice, like I would go through that much work to develop a invoice for a vehicle. But that is besides the point, the "true" cost of the vehicle is invoice less holdback which is listed on the invoice. I pulled invoice on a SE automatic 203A and holdback is listed at $587. Your dealership still makes about $640 total on your deal. The catch is your salesman that does all the work only gets paid off of price over invoice, so the dealership will take most of the money and give him $100-$200.