First rule of thump when negotiating a price for a new vehicle is when asked if you have a trade-in say NO. First, usually if it is older then 4 years they really don’t want it and they really can’t sale it on their lot. You will “usually” always be able to sell it outright yourself and make more money off of it.

They will use the trade-in to screw with the numbers and make you “think” you’re getting a great deal on trade-in. If you really want to know what you’re finally price is on the new vehicle and what they will really give you for the trade-in is to make the deal with “no trade-in” and before signing the papers tell them you now would like to trade in your other vehicle. Then you will know the true price of the new vehicle and what they are “really” going to give you for the trade-in…

I think someone already mentioned it and I would agree. Do not spend more then $500 over invoice. You will also find the “best” deals at dealer who have larger inventories compared to a dealer with only 50 – 70 vehicles.

 

I was dealing on a S/CREW fully loaded that stickered out 36K and change. I am a X plan partner. Dealer gave me a price of 31,700. I put on my sad face and got an offer of $100 below X plan and $400 more into my trade. I walked away as I am going to try te sell my current truck for more. The reality is around invoice should be easily had if you can keep your "little boy in the candy store" mood from coming out. Hang tough, plenty of time ahead to get a deal. YOU CAN DO IT !!!!

 

That is so true what Home Again stated. You know how pregnant women seem to have a glow to them (like glow of joy or whatever) same damn thing can happen to a guy out car shopping. The salesmen zero in on that glow so you have to do what ever it takes to keep that glow away. Also when test driving put some plugs in your nose so you are forced to breathe out of your mouth. You can’t “smell” the buying potion they spray inside new vehicles if you have to breathe out of your mouth. The buying potion is what corrupts your brain cells located in the logical part of the brain and over activates the “I don’t give a damn how much I WANT IT” brain cells.

It’s evil out there so prepare…

 

Ford of Montebello has the best selection for that zip code. If someone can tell me how to post, I saved their whole inventory listing as a PDF. If you have one specific one there in mind, give me the VIN and I'll tell you exactly what the X Plan price is.
The one they list for 33,375 X plan is 29512.
35,370 X Plan is 31229.
34,860 goes for 30794
37540 goes for 33114

etc. these are all lariats. Dealer marks all up about 4K apparently.

 

In the DFW area (texas) dealers regularly advertise very low prices on F150's. These may be a limited number of trucks and be careful of the bait-and-switch.
I will buy a 2004 F150 when the dealers have most or all of the 2003's gone and the prices drop.
My last F150 was an 2001 scab xlt with sticker of $26,200 and I paid $20,500 with %1.9 from Ford for 36 months. Invoice was about midway between sticker and buy price.
2004's won't sell this low at this point, it’s too early in the game, but you can bet they will, it’s just a matter of time.
Large dealers who order hundreds, even thousands of vehicles from Ford don't pay this "invoice" price everyone is mentioning so much. That "invoice" price is just part of the marketing game. Dealing F150's is very profitable.

 

OK, so here are my results.

1) I got my Lariat special ordered AT INVOICE! ($31,773, I got rid of the heated seats option to save a bit of money, don't need 'em in California)

2) My dealer said he would waive all fees except tax, license and doc fees. That means I pay no advertising fee, no tank of gas, no tire fee, etc.

3) I played hardball indeed. I walked in, told them what i wanted and they said "are you crazy? we've been selling them all at MSRP or above. the best we can do is $1500 over invoice unless you are X-Plan." so i said, "looks like my business is going elsewhere" and i walked out. when i got home, another salesman who had sort of been in on my dealings called me back and said "ok, we'll do $500 over invoice." I said ok, i'll be back in an hour. then i proceeded to call around to the other Ford dealers in my area and said "Ford of Montebello will give me a special order at $500 over invoice, can you do any better?" One of them agreed to invoice. Just then the fleet manager from Montebello, who I had been dealing with when I first got there but had to leave, called me back and said "I hear you are coming back." So I said, "Well Ford of El Monte is giving it to me at invoice, so I guess I'm not coming back." He says, "We'll do invoice." Then I told him he has to waive all the extra fees from Ford and he agreed. I went back, put the deposit down, and the truck will be ordered to my specs today. I'll go back and confirm everything this afternoon.

So for those who said it can't be done, I did. I am a stubborn SOB so I get what I want or I walk away. That is genetic straight from my dad who has walked out of many a car dealership. Of course, I am going to get the dealer to put it all in writing about waiving the fees and crap.

Lesson Learned: NEVER PAY OVER INVOICE. I am happy and proud of my dealings on my first vehicle purchase.


<--me, standing in the truck bed, when I get my truck.

 

I ordered my Screw FX4 in early August. I am paying invoice less $200. In reality I got the truck at invoice price along with undercoating and a spray in bedliner. This bedliner is under the rail and made of quality. I pay $200 out of my pocket for this.

My dealers cost on the spray in liner is $390 on a bedliner that retails for $450. The undercoat retails for $125 and my dealer is throwing that in for free. So I am getting $575 retail cost after market add on to my truck for $200 out of my pocket. Sounded like a good deal for me so I took it.

Rumor has it that my truck is sitting on Oregon soil.