First Forum Post - potential buyer questions

[Littlefield82]

I'll start by saying I've read through many of the forums and threads on here and appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with each other so that we can benefit from what others have gone through. I've also watched the videos on ordering, buying, etc. that are posted and read a lot of Granger Ford has posted.

I visited my local Ford dealer here in Fuquay-Varina, NC yesterday to test drive a 2021 SC Lariat and XLT and like them both. I'm particular about vehicles so I'm thinking ultimately I'll order what I want but here is what I'm struggling with right now. The salesperson I was paired with pointed out to me that earlier this year all of the 2021 F-150's on their lot had huge rebates from Ford which are no longer in place. I have a hard time buying a truck right now knowing that someone bought the same truck six months ago for $5,000-$10,000 less than I can right now. I do want a new truck right now but I don't need one. How are others who want one, but don't need one coping with higher prices you are being asked to pay? I know that is a lot of uncertainty in the truck market right now so those rebates may not return for 6 months or even a year or more. I've also read that when you order a truck you only get the rebates at the time of delivery and not when you order so even if a great incentive came out and I ordered my "dream" truck I'd likely miss out on the incentive. Just thinking out loud really about ordering one now and hoping there are some incentives when the truck arrives in 3 months, 6 months, who knows.

Also, the salesperson I was paired with said salespeople at his dealer get paid based on the difference of invoice vs sales price so no way they are selling at or below invoice or it cuts him out. Should I just go around him and email with the sales manager directly to have the most leverage? I understand he wants to keep some meat on the bone but everything I've read on this forum says to try and get at or below invoice pricing and if you can't to be ready to walk. He also noted that they rely on Ford rebates so that the customer can get a break and the salesperson can still make some money.

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[Platimatter]

Hate to say it but the dealerships that have any inventory of f150's are in the driver's seat and can't blame them given the fact that they don't have much to sell given all the restraints, shortages, shutdowns etc. The dealership I bought from has zero 21's on the ground and they usually have 90-120. Inclined to say 'wait it out,' however who knows what is around the corner these days in terms of shortages, inflation etc. I would also broaden my search if I were you, ie the closest major cities, Raleigh Atlanta, Charlotte etc and see what's out there. Flew to one of the ATL area ford dealers to get my last car and it was worth it based on the deal. That being said one things for sure if I were you would not compromise one bit on your specs given these prices. Good luck!

 

[flatag]

#1 rule -Don’t believe a word a salesperson tells you. They are trained to get a yes at the highest possible cost to you. Salesman always act like their kids won’t get Christmas unless you spend more.

#2 rule - Supply and demand. It’s a sellers market right now. Your best bet for a good deal is to wait until the supply opens up.

 

[Rich1982]

I'll start by saying I've read through many of the forums and threads on here and appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with each other so that we can benefit from what others have gone through. I've also watched the videos on ordering, buying, etc. that are posted and read a lot of Granger Ford has posted.

I visited my local Ford dealer here in Fuquay-Varina, NC yesterday to test drive a 2021 SC Lariat and XLT and like them both. I'm particular about vehicles so I'm thinking ultimately I'll order what I want but here is what I'm struggling with right now. The salesperson I was paired with pointed out to me that earlier this year all of the 2021 F-150's on their lot had huge rebates from Ford which are no longer in place. I have a hard time buying a truck right now knowing that someone bought the same truck six months ago for $5,000-$10,000 less than I can right now. I do want a new truck right now but I don't need one. How are others who want one, but don't need one coping with higher prices you are being asked to pay? I know that is a lot of uncertainty in the truck market right now so those rebates may not return for 6 months or even a year or more. I've also read that when you order a truck you only get the rebates at the time of delivery and not when you order so even if a great incentive came out and I ordered my "dream" truck I'd likely miss out on the incentive. Just thinking out loud really about ordering one now and hoping there are some incentives when the truck arrives in 3 months, 6 months, who knows.

Also, the salesperson I was paired with said salespeople at his dealer get paid based on the difference of invoice vs sales price so no way they are selling at or below invoice or it cuts him out. Should I just go around him and email with the sales manager directly to have the most leverage? I understand he wants to keep some meat on the bone but everything I've read on this forum says to try and get at or below invoice pricing and if you can't to be ready to walk. He also noted that they rely on Ford rebates so that the customer can get a break and the salesperson can still make some money.

If you don't NEED the truck currently and you prefer to keep your $$$'s then wait - invest the $$'s now and once the chip shortage is resolved buy one of the many '000 trucks that are currently sitting on temp lots - worst case the rebates don't come back, but most likely they will (best deal though will be from inventory and not ordering custom)

If you buy now then YOU will likely be paying $10,000 more than people paid in March or even early April.

 

[Littlefield82]

Thanks guys. That's pretty much what I thought. I don't mind waiting until inventory recovers and it's good to know that I'm not the only person who thought the sales pitch was just that, a sales pitch. Another thing that I thought was funny, but not funny, was when I brought up the rust issue. He knew of the rust problems but said Ford is a reputable company that takes care of it's customers so no need to worry. At that point I was already walking back to my car and didn't feel like debating that topic.

 

[satchamo]

Man I’m in a similar boat as you. Except I’m getting closer to the “need” position but I’m digging my heals in and waiting for inventory and rebates. I have to believe once auto makers can catch up they’ll be chomping at the bit to recoup all the lost sales from this year so hoping they get aggressive with pricing. Also, this allows me more time to build my honey pot so I’m financing as little as possible.

 

[Jloyd98]

I’m definitely not in the need department, but after inquiring about the trade value of my 2020 F150, I pulled the trigger on ordering a ‘21 model from a little dealership south of the Twin Cities. They are still offering a dealer discount of approximately 3% under invoice, and the better of the rebates between now and when the truck finally lands on the lot. Coupled with an agreed upon trade allowance of higher than I paid for my truck a year and 15k miles ago, I decided it worked for me to order a new XLT 302a with PB, just the way I want it. It’s going to be a long wait I’m sure, but I’ve still got my beautiful 2020 to enjoy in the meantime.

 

[UNIKRN150]

Jus

I’m definitely not in the need department, but after inquiring about the trade value of my 2020 F150, I pulled the trigger on ordering a ‘21 model from a little dealership south of the Twin Cities. They are still offering a dealer discount of approximately 3% under invoice, and the better of the rebates between now and when the truck finally lands on the lot. Coupled with an agreed upon trade allowance of higher than I paid for my truck a year and 15k miles ago, I decided it worked for me to order a new XLT 302a with PB, just the way I want it. It’s going to be a long wait I’m sure, but I’ve still got my beautiful 2020 to enjoy in the meantime.
[/QUOT

I’m definitely not in the need department, but after inquiring about the trade value of my 2020 F150, I pulled the trigger on ordering a ‘21 model from a little dealership south of the Twin Cities. They are still offering a dealer discount of approximately 3% under invoice, and the better of the rebates between now and when the truck finally lands on the lot. Coupled with an agreed upon trade allowance of higher than I paid for my truck a year and 15k miles ago, I decided it worked for me to order a new XLT 302a with PB, just the way I want it. It’s going to be a long wait I’m sure, but I’ve still got my beautiful 2020 to enjoy in the meantime.

Just curious...

I see a LOT of 2020s out there. You're driving what is essentially a brand new truck.

What is it about the 2021 that you hope to get that you don't have now?

Is it just the financials of being able to cash in on value that supposedly vanished when you drove your 2020 off the lot?

 

[Jloyd98]

The ProPower Onboard 7.2kw generator was probably the biggest factor for me, along with a lot of new tech now available on an XLT trim. The 360 camera will be useful in many ways as well. I had been keeping an eye on the ‘21 model, without any consideration that I’d get one. I didn’t have any idea my current truck would hold its value the way it has, but after some research and calling around, I figured why not upgrade.

 

[Pedaldude]

Anyone waiting on inventory to recover or rebates to get better should look into qualifying for X-Plan. It is good insurance in case supply is still tight and dealers don't want to play ball.

Another potential way to save on a new truck is through a custom order. Play with the Ford configurator and see what you come up with. Sometimes dealer ordered trucks are more expensive in lower trim levels because they add on options that are included in the higher trims and the lower trim trucks usually don't get as much good rebates.

Rarely do dealers order lower trims with packages that make sense. Then the manufacturers wonder why nobody is buying base model trucks. Almost like they're trying to sabotage them!

 

[Wolf Man]

Almost always the XLT with have the 'higher' rebates.

 

[xtraman122]

Someone else mentioned it, but I will again; the one thing I noticed in your post that seemed incorrect was about the rebates available to you if you do a custom order. You're eligible for the better of either what's available at the time the order is placed or when it arrives and you actually take delivery. You can't mix and match, but you definitely do have the option of picking whichever is better for you.

It sounds like your dealer isn't that helpful or maybe just not being completely honest with you. How the salesman said he got paid sounds odd as does the messaging about what rebates/incentive are available. If I were you I'd try checking with another dealer, the good thing with ordering custom is it doesn't really matter what dealer you use because you're relying on them already having "your" truck.

 

[Littlefield82]

Someone else mentioned it, but I will again; the one thing I noticed in your post that seemed incorrect was about the rebates available to you if you do a custom order. You're eligible for the better of either what's available at the time the order is placed or when it arrives and you actually take delivery. You can't mix and match, but you definitely do have the option of picking whichever is better for you.

It sounds like your dealer isn't that helpful or maybe just not being completely honest with you. How the salesman said he got paid sounds odd as does the messaging about what rebates/incentive are available. If I were you I'd try checking with another dealer, the good thing with ordering custom is it doesn't really matter what dealer you use because you're relying on them already having "your" truck.

Thanks for clarifying the rebate situation. The salesperson did not mention that to me and I thought I read it before on this forum but I was wrong. I'm going to keep up to date on the inventory / chip shortage and revisit the buying process in December of this year. I have a buddy who is working a few dealers right now for a Mazda CX-5 and he's been able to get under invoice pricing. I know it's not exactly the same but I agree with others that it depends on the dealer and potentially the salesperson that you interact with that day. My hope is that a flood of F-150's will hit dealers later this year but if not I'll roll with the punches and order when the time is right.

 

[Redskins5]

I'll start by saying I've read through many of the forums and threads on here and appreciate everyone sharing their experiences with each other so that we can benefit from what others have gone through. I've also watched the videos on ordering, buying, etc. that are posted and read a lot of Granger Ford has posted.

I visited my local Ford dealer here in Fuquay-Varina, NC yesterday to test drive a 2021 SC Lariat and XLT and like them both. I'm particular about vehicles so I'm thinking ultimately I'll order what I want but here is what I'm struggling with right now. The salesperson I was paired with pointed out to me that earlier this year all of the 2021 F-150's on their lot had huge rebates from Ford which are no longer in place. I have a hard time buying a truck right now knowing that someone bought the same truck six months ago for $5,000-$10,000 less than I can right now. I do want a new truck right now but I don't need one. How are others who want one, but don't need one coping with higher prices you are being asked to pay? I know that is a lot of uncertainty in the truck market right now so those rebates may not return for 6 months or even a year or more. I've also read that when you order a truck you only get the rebates at the time of delivery and not when you order so even if a great incentive came out and I ordered my "dream" truck I'd likely miss out on the incentive. Just thinking out loud really about ordering one now and hoping there are some incentives when the truck arrives in 3 months, 6 months, who knows.

Also, the salesperson I was paired with said salespeople at his dealer get paid based on the difference of invoice vs sales price so no way they are selling at or below invoice or it cuts him out. Should I just go around him and email with the sales manager directly to have the most leverage? I understand he wants to keep some meat on the bone but everything I've read on this forum says to try and get at or below invoice pricing and if you can't to be ready to walk. He also noted that they rely on Ford rebates so that the customer can get a break and the salesperson can still make some money.

I was able to lock in all rebates at the time I ordered my truck, i ordered back in Feburary, the truck has not been delivered yet. At the same time the value of used trucks has gone up, so my trade in value has gone up, They are honoring the rebates at time of order and have offered to give me what my trade is valued at now.

 

[Littlefield82]

Is there a way to get notified by Ford when incentives become available such as an email list, member site, etc.?

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