Choosing your dealer

[Lightning.Dav]

Curious how much thought people are putting into their choice of dealer.

I have never purchased a new Ford, so at reservation time I just put in my closest dealer (Gosch Ford in Temecula, Ca). Researching afterward, I find they have a bad reputation (Yelp) for both sales and service. So I'm considering switching to Kearny Mesa Ford in San Diego.

Some of you are lucky and have great dealers nearby that you have an existing relationship with.

How are the rest of you deciding on your dealer?

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[Knickell]

I pulled up about the nearest ten or twelve dealers in my area, and spent a good deal of time researching reading Google reviews. It does take some sifting to see if people are dissatisfied with the sales department, service department, or both. You can also learn a lot about particular salesmen from these reviews and can specifically request one of them when you get closer to finalizing your purchase.

You can also check the Better Business Bureau’s website for any extra complaints that have been made on dealers you’re considering.

For me it was a combination of good sales reviews from customers, as well as one who was willing to deal and negotiate, or offer Ford X-Plan. Although, that portion may be out the window for a bit given how much of a seller’s market the new vehicle scene is currently. I felt I got a fair deal at my time of purchase, but relative to now, it was a killer deal! MSRP or invoice is probably as fair as you’re going to get for the next several months.

 

[EaglesPDX]

I went by location to work. Any service I need, I'd drop off and get a ride to work. If they were going to keep it, I'd have Enterprise pick me up. The dealer I picked, Damerow Ford, was the only one who had a rep. the auto show when the MachE came out (had a deposit on MachE which I changed to F150) so that was good sign they were interested in EV sales.

 

[Villageidit]

I chose to reserve with a dealer about 8 hours away. (Granger Ford in Granger, IA) Why? Because of their reputation and the goodwill they built during the Bronco launch. Retired and looking forward to picking it up and having a mini vacation on the way home.

 

[Diceman]

The manufacturing plant where I worked for 19 years the majority of the Ford owners preferred one local dealer over the other one. I went to that dealer even though the other one is only 5 miles from my house and mine (Lutesville Motor CO)is 25.

 

[BLoflin]

For sales, simple, go with the one that will give you the best price, even if it 2 states away. Sales used to be a one and done, you never saw or talked to the salesman again (this year is weird of course).

For service, that's where their money is made (both in and out of warranty repairs), they could care less where you bought your truck. So pick a service locations that's convenient and has good word of mouth.

 

[midmack]

I’ll be traveling from Harrisonburg, VA to Horsham, PA to pick one up at promo pricing. Figure it is well worth the drive!

 

[EaglesPDX]

Having multiple orders in the system makes the wait more fun....

I wonder how prevalent that is in relation to Ford's announcement of 100,000 order for the F150EV.

Is the idea to get the dealers in a bidding war and lower the price, or at least not raise it with limited supplies.

In watching MachE sales, Ford was aggressive in stopping dealers from putting markups on the EV's to the point of Ford execs posting their email with the admonition that they'd find the customer a MachE with no mark up if the dealer didn't respond to Ford's request to go with the MSRP.

Ford's betting the house on the Mustang and F150 EV's. I suspect they'll do something similar with the F150 EV.

 

[flatag]

I looked for any dealer that wasn’t an Auto Nation dealer and went from there. All dealers are thieves just some more than others.

 

[EaglesPDX]

refusing delivery of the 1st one because the dealer won't give you a price break i

Don't think you'll see any price breaks. Fords been beating on the dealers not to add markups on the MachE's.

 

[RavenYZF-R6]

Don't think you'll see any price breaks. Fords been beating on the dealers not to add markups on the MachE's.

One dealer on here is offering $1,000 below invoice. Pretty good deal for a brand new vehicle that in all likelihood wouldn’t sit on a lot more than a week for the first year.

 

[texag]

Oops didn’t realize I had stumbled upon the electric forum but my below experience was for my King Ranch.

Went through carprousa.com and got hooked up with Tomball Ford. I don’t buy vehicles all that often (between wife’s suv & my truck maybe once every 5-7 years on avg) but this seemed to be the most straight forward process ever. I emailed the salesman through the aforementioned website and got a very reasonable offer. I then reached out to granger to see what they could do which I then shared with Tomball. They weren’t quite able to match but came close enough for me to go with them. Taking delivery was straight forward and easy.
What has really set them apart from the competition in my opinion came after my truck burned to the ground on the transport truck. Jorge worked with me to get a new one in order and even honored the original price we agreed upon on the first truck for the replacement truck. This was ~ a month ago when the market was completely different from when I ordered the original truck with many dealers selling well above MSRP.
Ordered at end of May and already have a build week for end of Jul as well. This is what’s nice with being able to deal with a high inventory dealer.

 

[Merccat]

There is a Ford dealership walking distance from my house so yeah, went there.

But also had worked there once upon a time (20 years back) and had previously worked with the salesman we went to.

 

[KartRacer25]

All good points. I visited researched most in San Diego.
All the trucks for Socal were going through train depot just north of you in Mira Loma too. You should be able to track train car number from plant to Mira Loma once its shipped.
With a new gen Id think you would want someone close.
I went with Penske La Mesa, just east of the 15 off 8. I was told they were honest. And close enough to my house. And Penske is National so good buying power with Ford for orders.
They were great. (Shan Persaud) They got me priority 10 order and X plan. Check yours, if not 10 on your order form ask Temecula if they can upgrade it. Kearny mesa seemed good. El Cajon Good. No to Chula Vista or National City. Skipped Gosch Escondido, not sure about them, Temecula Hemet so 3 dealers may have some pull. Ken Grody seems ok Carlsbad, they and El cajon are Rousch dealers too.
Temecula seems to have had good inventory over last 6 mos per my constant internet searches San Diego to LA. If you can get second order in great. Also keep searching inventories SD to LA. Some dealers aren't honoring X Plan now and charging a premium though.
Oh lightning so '22, so maybe put second order in somwhere not too far.
Good Luck !

 

[jperry5835]

For purchasing I will go wherever the best deal is. Its the service that you want that long term relationship built up. Case in point the platinum I have on order now is coming in about 1500 miles away. For the amount I saved on it I can fly up there and have a nice drive back getting to know my new truck.

Now on the Lighting deposit I have open, I elected to go with the same local dealer I use for service. Reason being is its such a unique vehicle I am not seeing dealers are going to be willing to discount anything. So I puchased the 100 shares of Ford stock to be qualified for the X plan and will use that if possible. Plus I can always change dealers later as we get closer to actually making the order.

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