Talked to a Ford finance manager
5/14/05, 11:24 AM
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Last night, I talked to a friend of a friend who was a Ford finance manager until very recently. This was a very social setting, so take this with a grain of salt. He told me a couple of things I didn't know.
First, I mentioned the California Special for '06 and he said "the one with the black and yellow interior?". I said I didn't know anything about that.
Second, I told him I had x-plan through work, and he told me that i would end up paying about $1000 over invoice. He told me to talk to the fleet manager instead to get $100 over invoice. I asked him about signing a buy order, and he said they won't sign one until the car is actually on the lot. He may have been telling me their standard operating procedure instead of what's possible (from a demanding customer) though.
Mods: I can't find the rumors forum anymore, so move this there and tell me where it is.
First, I mentioned the California Special for '06 and he said "the one with the black and yellow interior?". I said I didn't know anything about that.
Second, I told him I had x-plan through work, and he told me that i would end up paying about $1000 over invoice. He told me to talk to the fleet manager instead to get $100 over invoice. I asked him about signing a buy order, and he said they won't sign one until the car is actually on the lot. He may have been telling me their standard operating procedure instead of what's possible (from a demanding customer) though.
Mods: I can't find the rumors forum anymore, so move this there and tell me where it is.
5/14/05, 05:51 PM
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Hey Dallas, I'm a salesman at a dealership, and have posted alot of helpful info on here in the past. The California Special, there is no info on it, only that Ford trademarked the name again. Once the order guides come out, might we see some info on it.
About X-Plan. On a GT, the price is usually at or just below invoice, depending on the options in the car. To give you an idea, I just did a search for one, as I can access Ford's dealer site from home. A Premium GT, 5-speed, with IUP, ICAP, Shaker 1000, Active Anti-Theft, Side Airbags, wheel locks and 17" brights, has an MSRP of $29,610. The invoice of the car is $27,555.84. The X-Plan on this particular car is listed at $27,498.71, just under invoice. If you get X-Plan, you get the car at or just below invoice, no questions asked.
I know for a fact that some dealers in my area DO NOT show a copy of the invoice to customers who get X-Plan or A-Plan, they just tell them what the number is, and it is NOT the right price. Any customer who can get these plans, it is their right to be able to see a copy of the invoice.
And finally, about signing a buyers order, HE IS FLAT WORNG, and it doesn't help the customer at all!!! To protect yourself from what alot of places are doing in regards to not honoring X-Plan deals, you should always sign a buyers order, AND get a copy. This is binding, by law. For him to say that they don't have customers sign them until they get there, means that they may not honor any type of price protection, as it would be on the buyers order when the car was ordered.
An example would be that you ordered a 'Vert under X-Plan in November, when they were just taking orders. The dealer says they would happily take X-Plan, but they didn't write up a buyers order, no prices yet. Just a Vehicle Order Confirmation (Which IS NOT BINDING, as is isn't a contract).
The prices come out, and you see the X-Plan price, and everything is so far cool, but they still never wrote up a buyers order. Then fast forward several months when the car comes in, and the dealer sees what the possibilities are with this car in terms of ridiculous markups. They call you, say the car is here, but WILL NOT honor X-Plan, saying the stupid "why sell it for little profit, when we can make $XXXX over MSRP.
In this situation, If you had a signed buyers order (by u and a manager there), that has the X-Plan price listed, then they HAVE TO honor the price. Without a signed order, this deal is over, and the customer who waited months, and months can either pay whatever the over MSRP is or walk away. I have read too many stories on here about this happening with X-Plan deals, and customers getting the shaft. A signed buyers order is binding by law, and it is your protection from these BAD dealers who don't care about making friends and a relationship with a customer, just the money they can get at that time.
Sorry for the length of this reply. I just wanted to explain myself the clearest way I can think of. Hope this helps Dallas.
About X-Plan. On a GT, the price is usually at or just below invoice, depending on the options in the car. To give you an idea, I just did a search for one, as I can access Ford's dealer site from home. A Premium GT, 5-speed, with IUP, ICAP, Shaker 1000, Active Anti-Theft, Side Airbags, wheel locks and 17" brights, has an MSRP of $29,610. The invoice of the car is $27,555.84. The X-Plan on this particular car is listed at $27,498.71, just under invoice. If you get X-Plan, you get the car at or just below invoice, no questions asked.
I know for a fact that some dealers in my area DO NOT show a copy of the invoice to customers who get X-Plan or A-Plan, they just tell them what the number is, and it is NOT the right price. Any customer who can get these plans, it is their right to be able to see a copy of the invoice.
And finally, about signing a buyers order, HE IS FLAT WORNG, and it doesn't help the customer at all!!! To protect yourself from what alot of places are doing in regards to not honoring X-Plan deals, you should always sign a buyers order, AND get a copy. This is binding, by law. For him to say that they don't have customers sign them until they get there, means that they may not honor any type of price protection, as it would be on the buyers order when the car was ordered.
An example would be that you ordered a 'Vert under X-Plan in November, when they were just taking orders. The dealer says they would happily take X-Plan, but they didn't write up a buyers order, no prices yet. Just a Vehicle Order Confirmation (Which IS NOT BINDING, as is isn't a contract).
The prices come out, and you see the X-Plan price, and everything is so far cool, but they still never wrote up a buyers order. Then fast forward several months when the car comes in, and the dealer sees what the possibilities are with this car in terms of ridiculous markups. They call you, say the car is here, but WILL NOT honor X-Plan, saying the stupid "why sell it for little profit, when we can make $XXXX over MSRP.
In this situation, If you had a signed buyers order (by u and a manager there), that has the X-Plan price listed, then they HAVE TO honor the price. Without a signed order, this deal is over, and the customer who waited months, and months can either pay whatever the over MSRP is or walk away. I have read too many stories on here about this happening with X-Plan deals, and customers getting the shaft. A signed buyers order is binding by law, and it is your protection from these BAD dealers who don't care about making friends and a relationship with a customer, just the money they can get at that time.
Sorry for the length of this reply. I just wanted to explain myself the clearest way I can think of. Hope this helps Dallas.
5/15/05, 03:10 AM
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05fordgt,
If all that ordered on plan had your info, there would'nt be so much of this bad deals going on. I ordered on Xplan in Dec. with no buyers signed order. But I was lucky to have a dealer that kept their word on deal. If only there more dealers that look beyond the buck and see the long road ahead! Hats off to you for your valuable info. on ordering. I see you can see the road ahead!
Happy Trails!!!
If all that ordered on plan had your info, there would'nt be so much of this bad deals going on. I ordered on Xplan in Dec. with no buyers signed order. But I was lucky to have a dealer that kept their word on deal. If only there more dealers that look beyond the buck and see the long road ahead! Hats off to you for your valuable info. on ordering. I see you can see the road ahead!
Happy Trails!!!
5/15/05, 06:04 AM
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What Jeff said is almost exactly what happened to me. I had a buyers order from my January order with our agreed upon price just under MSRP. Now on Friday when my car comes in the sales rep tells me the sales manager wants to talk to me and goes into the normal bs about the demand and the market adjustments and blah blah blah and tries to get me to walk away from the deal since I was the only one who signed the order. He went so far as to say he wasn't going to sell me the car now since I was going to be upset with him. Finally the general manager comes over and we rehash the details of my deal and the buyers order and I get the car at MSRP. Moral of the story.....make sure you and a Ford sales manager signs your buyers order.
5/15/05, 04:25 PM
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Hey guys, thanks very much for the kind words. I am 28 years old, have been doing this job for 8 years, at the same place, and I love what I do. Where my dealership is at, we have both a Merck plant, and a Visteon Plant 5 minutes from us, so needless to say, we get alot of X-Plan, and A/Z Plan deals. I loved them when I first started because, I just was learning how to do this job, lol, and these deals are no hassle, and everyone is happy in the end. I still love them today, since they are still easy, painless, and the customer is very happy knowing they got a good deal . I know some dealerships dispise Plan deals, and to them I say shame on you :nono: , these type of sales generate future sales down the road. Trust me, I know, as I have sold some of my X-Plan and A-Plan customers 4, 5, and 6 cars since I started. I hope my info helps some of you out in the future with the 2006 orders being ready to be taken soon. If anyone has a question, post it, or send me a PM, and I'll be happy to help. .
Jeff
. I know some dealerships dispise Plan deals, and to them I say shame on you :nono: , these type of sales generate future sales down the road. Trust me, I know, as I have sold some of my X-Plan and A-Plan customers 4, 5, and 6 cars since I started. I hope my info helps some of you out in the future with the 2006 orders being ready to be taken soon. If anyone has a question, post it, or send me a PM, and I'll be happy to help. .Jeff
5/16/05, 04:47 PM
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I can certainly say that the dealership that sold me my car was straightforward and helpful and sold me the car I wanted and didn't screw around. They even took an extra $500 off AFTER I said I'd buy it at the specified price. I will certainly be a returning customer.
The dealerships that tried to tell me they could sell me a car, but then it didn't actually exist and they couldn't sell it to me... they'll never get a sale from me, nor anyone that I know.
So I appreciate the Ford salesmen that treat their customers well, and I'm sure that they will appreciate my repeated return to your dealership. This is NOT the only new car I'm every going to buy
The dealerships that tried to tell me they could sell me a car, but then it didn't actually exist and they couldn't sell it to me... they'll never get a sale from me, nor anyone that I know.
So I appreciate the Ford salesmen that treat their customers well, and I'm sure that they will appreciate my repeated return to your dealership. This is NOT the only new car I'm every going to buy
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