What dealer did everyone get there Lightnings at?
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 829
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA, USA
FIRST, I went to Board Ford in Whittier. It was an hour drive, and when I got there and said I was interested in purchasing one of the two lightnings they had left, I received absolutely NO service! I literally sat there for an hour, and the salesman did NOT come back to help me!! Didn't even check on me, just left me there. He ran into an older couple that was looking into an Explorer. I'm only 25, so maybe he didn't think I had any money! LOL
I actually had to go to the desk manager, stand there like an idiot while he ignored me and helped everyone else but me, and finally, I asked him, what price can you give me on financing a Lightning?
This guy did not look up at me once. Gave a sigh, typed in some stuff on the computer, and said somewhere around $750/month for 60 months! Plus $3000 down! The whole time he had a look on his face like I was some little kid bugging him. I was staring at him just shocked. He didn't even look at me once, never gave a reply longer than 2 words. Well, I said thanks, and left. Spent about three hours there, for a 1 minute quote - didn't even check my credit or nothing.
So, the next day, believe it or not, I called back to get another quote over the phone. The salesman said to come down and we would work out a reasonable deal. When I got there, he gave a better price, about $600 a month for 60 months w/$3000 down. Still expensive, but vastly different from the original quote.
He had me fill out the credit check form, and when they realized how much money I made plus I had perfect credit, they were all over me!
What really disgusted me was after all this, they went back to the original price from the first day, saying "that's what you were quoted by the desk manager - you didn't tell us that at first." And then, "we're not sure if those Lightnings are still available. If you leave us a deposit first we'll work it out later, worst comes to worst we'll get you a 2000 Lightning. They're due in early October." It was unreal.
Of course I ended up going to another dealer (Fritts Ford in Riverside), where I worked directly with the sales manager, and was treated as a "special" customer, as SVT buyers should be. Actually paid close to sticker price, plus 9% interest on financing.
I'm planning to send a pic of me and my Lightning to the first dealer as well as to SVT headquarters, to let them know how Board Ford in Whittier treats it's special customers. That place has the worst management and a staff of the most incompetent loser salesmen I've ever seen.
Mike
I actually had to go to the desk manager, stand there like an idiot while he ignored me and helped everyone else but me, and finally, I asked him, what price can you give me on financing a Lightning?
This guy did not look up at me once. Gave a sigh, typed in some stuff on the computer, and said somewhere around $750/month for 60 months! Plus $3000 down! The whole time he had a look on his face like I was some little kid bugging him. I was staring at him just shocked. He didn't even look at me once, never gave a reply longer than 2 words. Well, I said thanks, and left. Spent about three hours there, for a 1 minute quote - didn't even check my credit or nothing.
So, the next day, believe it or not, I called back to get another quote over the phone. The salesman said to come down and we would work out a reasonable deal. When I got there, he gave a better price, about $600 a month for 60 months w/$3000 down. Still expensive, but vastly different from the original quote.
He had me fill out the credit check form, and when they realized how much money I made plus I had perfect credit, they were all over me!
What really disgusted me was after all this, they went back to the original price from the first day, saying "that's what you were quoted by the desk manager - you didn't tell us that at first." And then, "we're not sure if those Lightnings are still available. If you leave us a deposit first we'll work it out later, worst comes to worst we'll get you a 2000 Lightning. They're due in early October." It was unreal.
Of course I ended up going to another dealer (Fritts Ford in Riverside), where I worked directly with the sales manager, and was treated as a "special" customer, as SVT buyers should be. Actually paid close to sticker price, plus 9% interest on financing.
I'm planning to send a pic of me and my Lightning to the first dealer as well as to SVT headquarters, to let them know how Board Ford in Whittier treats it's special customers. That place has the worst management and a staff of the most incompetent loser salesmen I've ever seen.
Mike
Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, NC
Had a similar experience - they didn't take me seriously, then tried to add close to $6000 to the list and give me $12000 for my '97 F-150 on trade when they did finally talk. I laughed and walked out.
Found a 70 year-old man in the country who bought his Lightning sight unseen, drove it once to the mountains and back. It scared the hell out of him - said it reacted quicker than him and he'd lived 70 years and wasn't going to kill himself now
I rescued it for $30000 even with 200 miles on it
Drove by the dealership just to rub it in. I'll never forget the looks on the salesman and manager I dealt with.
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| '99 White Lightning + SuperChip
| '97 F-150 XLT (for sale)
| '99 Grand Prix GTP (gathering dust)
| '98 Grand AM GT (for the lady)
Found a 70 year-old man in the country who bought his Lightning sight unseen, drove it once to the mountains and back. It scared the hell out of him - said it reacted quicker than him and he'd lived 70 years and wasn't going to kill himself now
I rescued it for $30000 even with 200 miles on it
Drove by the dealership just to rub it in. I'll never forget the looks on the salesman and manager I dealt with.
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| '99 White Lightning + SuperChip
| '97 F-150 XLT (for sale)
| '99 Grand Prix GTP (gathering dust)
| '98 Grand AM GT (for the lady)
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: St. Clair, MI
Jerome Duncan Ford in Sterling Heights Michigan. Will NOT deal with these people again. Long story getting the truck and longer story getting the truck fixed.
Jim
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99.5 Red Lightning, black Rhino,
Superchipped (Thank you Mike)
Jim
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99.5 Red Lightning, black Rhino,
Superchipped (Thank you Mike)
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Jerome Duncan Ford in Sterling Heights Michigan---Call them, got a different price each time.
I call about 20 dealer in metro-detroit, till I found Pat Milikan, 100 down (refundable), 1st on the list of y2000, 2500 under y2000 list.
Granted I don't know if they will try to screw me in the end....
I call about 20 dealer in metro-detroit, till I found Pat Milikan, 100 down (refundable), 1st on the list of y2000, 2500 under y2000 list.
Granted I don't know if they will try to screw me in the end....
Last edited by 2000Silverbulletonorder; Jun 21, 2012 at 07:04 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 450
Likes: 1
From: Midwest
I bought mine at North Brothers Ford in Westland Mi. They were the third dealer that I had spoken to that was willing to sell to me at "A" plan prices. They told me that they did not want the bad word of mouth that other dealers get for jacking up the prices or not willing to sell at "A" plan prices. They earned my respect quickly for that.
Unfortunatly for me, they are a fairly high volume dealership, so I don't have a lot of faith in their service dept. (horrible luck in the past with large dealer service "get'em in and out" mentality) We'll see.......
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99 Lightning, Black, CD
changer, Downey SST tonneau, Class 3 hitch, Ford bed mat
DOB: 4-21-99
My one really cool toy..
(except my Mercury Parklane "hobby")
SVT RULES!!!!!
[This message has been edited by LightningKid (edited 09-18-1999).]
Unfortunatly for me, they are a fairly high volume dealership, so I don't have a lot of faith in their service dept. (horrible luck in the past with large dealer service "get'em in and out" mentality) We'll see.......
------------------
99 Lightning, Black, CD
changer, Downey SST tonneau, Class 3 hitch, Ford bed mat
DOB: 4-21-99
My one really cool toy..
(except my Mercury Parklane "hobby")
SVT RULES!!!!!
[This message has been edited by LightningKid (edited 09-18-1999).]
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 5,438
Likes: 1
From: Palm Coast, FL
I bought both my 95 Lightning and my 99 Lightning at McCarville Ford here on Long Island. The salesman whom I bought them from is a good friend of mine. I do work at a dealer myself, but I could not have gotten them through my dealer because we are not an SVT dealer
SAL
SAL
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 0
From: Oak Point, Texas
Bill Utter Ford / Denton, Tx. Good Folks!
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1999 Black (Soon to be lowered) Lightning - w/Super Chip (YEEEOW!), CD Changer, Towing Package,Grey Rhino, clear corner lenses.
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1999 Black (Soon to be lowered) Lightning - w/Super Chip (YEEEOW!), CD Changer, Towing Package,Grey Rhino, clear corner lenses.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,557
Likes: 0
From: Belleville, MI
I got mine at Fairlane Ford, Dearborn, MI. The salesman was great, second vehicle from him-fourth in family, but their service dept. ruined it for him on the service on my Lightning. They won't be getting anymore business.
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
PFA
'99 WHITE LIGHTNIN'
#0873
RHINO, Soft cover
LoJack
Valentine 1
Mobil 1
Superchip
Water Wetter
Best ET to date-13.68
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
PFA
'99 WHITE LIGHTNIN'
#0873
RHINO, Soft cover
LoJack
Valentine 1
Mobil 1
Superchip
Water Wetter
Best ET to date-13.68
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
From: Dagobah, lots of snakes & very swampy
Bell Ford in Phoenix, Az.
I to am only 29, look very young around 23-25 make pretty good money, & when I first went 2 "look" at the lightning (I was really just going to look at it), this was the only dealership in phoenix out of 5 SVT dealers that had anymore 99's left. they had 2 black 1's & I really didnt want a black (looking for white), but after some time with my wife @ the dealership we decided 2 buy it. The guys there seemed kinda skeptical about us "young kids" buying this truck but after i filled out the credit report etc.. they were really helpful. Although when the truck was deliverd to me (about 11:30pm) the detailer didnt do squat. The dealer gave us $30 to go to dinner anywhere we wanted, + i took my truck to a real detailer & the dealrship paid for it. all-in-all it went ok.
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Driver of a FF Lightning
Black 99
Phoenix, Az
I to am only 29, look very young around 23-25 make pretty good money, & when I first went 2 "look" at the lightning (I was really just going to look at it), this was the only dealership in phoenix out of 5 SVT dealers that had anymore 99's left. they had 2 black 1's & I really didnt want a black (looking for white), but after some time with my wife @ the dealership we decided 2 buy it. The guys there seemed kinda skeptical about us "young kids" buying this truck but after i filled out the credit report etc.. they were really helpful. Although when the truck was deliverd to me (about 11:30pm) the detailer didnt do squat. The dealer gave us $30 to go to dinner anywhere we wanted, + i took my truck to a real detailer & the dealrship paid for it. all-in-all it went ok.
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Driver of a FF Lightning
Black 99
Phoenix, Az
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Prescott AZ
Saw an ad in Autoweek. Flew 2000 miles next day and drove 2000 miles home in two days. The trip gave me an opportunity to really appreciate the seating comfort, performance, and excellent visibility. I would do it again in a heartbeat (not of America)!