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why not to buy a ranger truck - READ ONLY

22 messages,  Last post on Oct 02, 2003 at 9:41 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Ranger, Truck

Messages Page 3 of 3

#19 of 22 by xcel

Oct 01, 2003 (12:53 pm)

Hi All:
 
___20 days later and I now also own an 03 Ranger ... I had a little kicker incentive by the name of the X-Plan to do it but after all was said and done, I received an 03 Ranger XLT w/ its included A/C + the Tilt and Cruise option for just $9,692.32. This came from the well advertised $4,000 in rebates plus the X-Plans extra $1,000 rebate and just $25.00 over invoice. What a deal and Thank you Ford.
 
___From the above, I just had the privileged experience of purchasing a brand new Ford Ranger for my small business. Not only were the sales personnel far more honest and pleasurable to deal with than any I have dealt with at any local Acura and even Toyota dealerships, they were down to earth without any show, glitz, or waste.
 
___Since one of the Landscape vehicles is basically shot, I was looking for a 2.3 L manual tranny equipped Ranger XL w/ Air last month as has been posted previously. I tried to stay with a local supposedly HQ Ford dealership (Sessler Ford in Libertyville) with the possibility of a trade through other dealerships but I always came up a bit short of exactly what I wanted. There were quite a few XLT’s w/ 3.0 and 4.0 L V-6’s and Auto’s but very few 4 bangers w/ manuals including cruise and tilt. In fact none from what I could find locally and the sales lady mentioned the same ... Anyway, I saw a posting at work last night that the Ford X-Plan was offering another $1,000 on top of their already generous $4,000 rebate amounts if I purchased by 09/30. I arrived home this morning and found an E-Mail from the local supposedly HQ Ford dealership saying they would add another yada yada yada off there internet pricing if I purchased the vehicle with the huge rebates today. Big whoop. With the X-Plan however, all the BS is removed and you get the vehicle for what the X-Plan says you will ... Ok, I did a few searches and found the exact truck I was looking for (not exactly the right color unfortunately but I can live with that) from a dealership up near Milwaukee. I called the supposedly HQ local Ford dealership and said I found the truck I was looking for and if they could do a trade, I would be willing to purchase it immediately. The supposedly HQ local Ford dealership sales lady said she would call back within the hour. She did call back saying that they could not procure the Ranger from the other dealership because it was already sold and was transferred from another dealership as a trade already? I thanked her for her time and said I would call back if I found anything else further away. She said, “Well, we have an XLT w/ this and that and those options ...” and I told her again that I don’t want a loaded up XLT but only what I was looking for ... You would have thought she would have called the Milwaukee area dealership, right? I only gave her the dealerships phone number and the VIN for the exact truck in question! After I hung up the phone, I called the dealer (Hiller Ford) near Milwaukee myself. I spoke with a lady salesperson (Pam) that said, “Yes, we have that vehicle in stock.” Hmmm. Ok, I mentioned the X-Plan and she said that is even easier for us. She asked where I lived and I told her Illinois. She said we could do most of the leg work via FAX and I wouldn’t have to come until the following day if that was convenient for me? I said, “no, that is Ok, I can finish off the deal in person”. She said, “Ok, no problem, I will top off the truck and park it out front so you can test drive it as soon as you arrive.” She also asked that I make sure to bring my insurance card, 4 references including phone and address’ for the Ford Credit App, and a picture ID/work badge for the X-Plan paperwork. Great and off towards Milwaukee I drove ... At least the Cub’s game was on I arrived and we made our introductions. She had the paperwork all laid out and the keys were in her hand. Yep, the same vehicle I had wanted equipment wise and similar to what I have test drove in the past. The only difference was that now it was $4,975 under Invoice, not just $4,000 off and $200 over invoice! As Pam and the sales manager (Carl) were performing the credit check and finalizing the paperwork, some of the salesmen and myself were watching and discussing the Cub’s at Atlanta (Go Cub’s Go!) on an older 25” TV. I didn’t need Internet access while I was waiting although I had to access the internet to pull a particular PIN number for the X-Plan paperwork which they provided nor did I need a Cappuccino and Croissants. I simply needed the sales paperwork to flow all the while the 25” TV supplied all the entertainment I could have imagined. Pam and Carl simply did all the bull work in the background without any hassles. Even while finalizing the signatures, Carl asked me if I wanted to know anything about an extended warranty plan. I simply asked at what point (miles and years) could I decide to purchase it down the road if I wanted. No pressure and maybe 20 seconds of time wasted on my part and the answer was provided. No more extended warranty discussion was ever brought up. In fact, Carl didn’t mention anything about protection packages except to cross them off the paperwork on his side of the desk. I mean how much less BS could I have asked for? No forced options, no MSRP, no extended warranty hard line, no protection package hard sell, no anything! Just here’s the paperwork and there you go. When purchasing the MDX, McGrath Acura in Glenview, IL. pulled some of this and they were the best up to the point Acura of Libertyville came though with an Internet deal of their own ... Why can’t all Acura dealerships perform like this small town Milwaukee suburb based Ford dealership? I don’t know what the service would be like at this small town dealership but given it’s a dealership; the only time a vehicle of mine will ever set foot back into their grasp is for a warranty repair or super special deal of some kind.
 
Continued below ...

#20 of 22 by xcel

Oct 01, 2003 (12:55 pm)

Continued from above ...
 
___Anyway, the Ford Ranger XLT I picked up was a relatively stripped down 2WD w/ Air (included with the XLT package) as well as Tilt and Cruise. Out the door minus the taxes which I still owe to the Illinois state government it came to just $9,692.32. Not only do I like the truck for its intended purpose, the price is literally a steal. The seats are more comfortable then the XL and possibly as comfortable as the MDX’s leather! The main point I wanted to bring up here is that after purchasing an 03 Toyota Corolla LE in late 02 for $200 over invoice, the MDX in early 03 for $1,500 under MSRP (that is still a rip by today’s standards IMHO), and this Ranger for $6,202 under MSRP and just $25.00 over Invoice - $5,000 in rebates, the Ford dealership and deal was by far the easiest of the three to swallow as well as actually go through. Pam could have been my mom and Carl was just another guy like many of us just trying to make a living instead of flashing a fancy suit or watch all the while discussing how great the amenities of the particular dealership are ... Screw the amenities and the 15 minutes to explain them. I don’t want to be at the dealership for even 15 minutes longer than I have to and if I do have to, just get the work done yesterday. Even the Ford supplied Road Side Assistance appears to work similarly for the sub $10,000 vehicle as it does with the $40,000 Acura from what I see? Well maybe no an overnight stay assistance but I hope I will never have to use either ... All the above being said, I would also stay away from Sessler Ford in Libertyville now that I know how they operate.
 
___I hope that your next car buying experience is as pleasurable as mine was from this smaller town Ford dealership just outside of Milwaukee. I wonder if it has something to do with the beer they drink vs. the swill we drink here in the Chicago area
 
___Good Luck
 
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdesearthlink.net

#21 of 22 xcel by bolivar

Oct 01, 2003 (7:25 pm)

So,Wayne, do you think you got a good deal or what?

#22 of 22 by xcel

Oct 02, 2003 (9:41 am)

Hi Bolivar:
 
___Decent but it doesn’t sound as good a deal as Dchinn received last spring. I was going to hold off until the Spring of 04 myself until the additional $1,000 off + just $25.00 over invoice via the X-Plan came across my desk. It will also help with my taxes this year given it’s a truck for my landscaping business.
 
___Good Luck
 
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdesearthlink.net

Messages Page 3 of 3

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