This is a great site. I've learned more reading through messages here in the last 3 days than I have researching other resources in the last year. I'm about to buy a new S'crew and this will be my first experience buying a new vehicle and haggling with a dealer. I understand that the destination fee is not negotiable but what other costs will a dealer try to stick me with that are negotiable, i.e. I don't have to pay? I'm determined to pay close to invoice or below, I just don't want to get hit with any hidden costs. Thanks for any help.

 

Try the following web sites for info.

www.kbb.com

or

www.edmunds.com

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Order Code Item Description Dealer Invoice Suggested Retail Price
F150 SUPERCREW CAB 2WD 139" W.B. $24,656.00 $27,860.00

Destination Charge $715.00 $715.00

99L V8, EFI (5.4 Liter) $680.00 $800.00
44U Automatic, 4-Speed w/Overdrive STD STD
508A Series Code • Lariat N/C N/C
18E Cab Steps $213.00 $250.00
535 Trailer Towing Pkg., Class III • Includes 7-wire Trailer harness, class III hitch receiver, H.D. Shock Absorbers & H.D. Electrical/Cooling Pkg. $298.00 $350.00
43M Moon Roof, Power Glass includes Mini Overhead Console $688.00 $810.00
90P Seat Adjuster, Power Driver's Includes Auto Headlamp Control STD STD
90H Seats, Heated • Lariat $207.00 $245.00
XH9 Axle, 3.55 Ratio Limited Slip Rear $243.00 $285.00
63E Bed Extender, Stainless Steel Cage $166.00 $195.00
153 Bracket, Front License Plate (LPO) N/C N/C
60C Entry System, Illuminated Keyless Remote Control STD STD
41H Heater, Engine Block (LPO) • Models w/Trailer Towing Pkg. 535 $30.00 $35.00
954 Paint, Lower Two-Tone Includes Body Side Stripes. $192.00 $225.00
91P Radio, Premium AM/FM Stereo w/Cassette Includes 6-Disc Compact Disc Changer $251.00 $295.00
EH Seat, Leather Surfaced Split Bench • Lariat (Medium Parchment) N/C N/C
T5S (5) P275/60R17 OWL • Lariat STD STD
433 Window, Sliding Rear $107.00 $125.00
AQ/LL Beige, Arizona Metallic/Blue, Deep Wedgewood Metallic N/C N/C
$28,446.00 $32,190.00

X-plan Price: $28,192.84

Order Placed 11/3/2000
Serialized on 11/9/2000
Estimated Build Date Week of 11/27/00
Produced 11/28/2000
Shipped via rail 11/28/2000
Estimated Delivery to Dealer 12/16/2000
Picked up Super crew from Dealer on 12/09/2000

 

After you know the exact equipment you want list everything out and get the invoice price. Make it clear you will not pay more than invoice, and be prepared to walk. The best deal is usually on an ordered Screw. No "floor cost" for the dealer. Also, have your financing arranged prior to shopping. My best bet was talking directly to the sales manager (was also their internet manager) and stating my case. Your best defense against being taken by the dealer is doing your research first. Like dbdunn suggested, edmunds.com worked great for me. Good luck.

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SuperCrew XLT 4x2, Silver Metallic, Dark Graphite, 5.4L, Captain's Chairs, 6-CD, L/S, Tow Package, Gen. III, Lund Bug Deflector

 

Many of us here have purchased our trucks at invoice price, using the tatics silverstreak suggests. I had good luck talking to the fleet sales manager.
BTW, InvoiceDealers.com (or something like that) will give you an online price which will be close to Invoice, depending on your location. With that information, you should have the confidence to talk invoice with a dealer.
Good Luck

 

STH,

All of these are good ideas. Remember knowledge is power.

One thing you might consider is a tactic that worked well for me. I went to the Ford website and found 14 dealers within a 100 mile radius of my home. Then, on my company letterhead, I faxed a request for bid to the fleet manager of each of these dealers. I asked for a bid, replying by email or fax, with the critera I wanted on my SCrew. I used Edmunds.com to get the invoice price of the options I wanted, so I already knew invoice price on the truck I wanted.

8 of the 14 dealers responded, three of which offered to sell me any Super Crew on the lot for invoice.

What was interesting was one of the dealers who did not offer invoice pricing, had a truck with the features I wanted. I used the bids of the others to get that truck at invoice.

Don't be afraid of playing one dealer off against one another to get the deal you want.

Good luck and welcome to the ownership of one of the best vehicles on the road.

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MIKEnTN

2001 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4
Toreador Red with Silver Two Tone, Med. Graphite Int., 5.4 V-8, 3.55 Limited Slip, Class III towing, Skid Plates, 17" Alum Wheels, Sliding Rear Window, Remote Keyless Entry, Rhino Liner.

AWESOME Truck!

 

http://www.autobytel.com/
While looking for a Tundra, Autobytel found me a dealer that with no argument would give me any Tundra for $700 over invoice.

I end up with a SuperCrew because of the room, ABS, etc., etc., etc.

Autobytell will e-mail a list of dealers that work with them, make sure you call more than one, some of them will charge more than others, so the only thing you will need is the invoice price list from Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com), or Edmunds.com.

I purchased my SuperCrew for 4% over the FORD employee plan A, ended up being about $250 below invoice, because of larger inventories you could find a better deal right now, then there is the $500 rebate also.


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2001, F150 SuperCrew, 5.4, Limited 3.55, Trailer Tow, 255-70-16, Captain Chairs.
Assembly Date 10/4/2000.
** Gibson Side Swept Stainless Steel - Cat-Back exhaust. **
*************** AUSTIN, TEXAS ***************

 

Just purchased an 01 S-Crew for $476.00 under invoice. That figure was arrived at using KBB for trade in value of my truck against invoice for the S-Crew as figured by KBB. Truck was purchased off the lot. I was actually given a better deal on this truck than 2 other dealers were willing to give me on an 01 SuperCab equiped about the same.

[This message has been edited by Lee (edited 01-30-2001).]

 

Thanks for the help. I think I have a pretty good handle on the invoice cost of the base and options I want. I'm just wondering what else I may encounter in the F&I room. I saw in another thread where it looks like most dealers are not budging on the advertising cost of about $130. Has anyone else seen any other types of fees or costs, like dealer prep, dealer floorplan assistance, etc.? If so, how much are we talking and are these things that can be negotiated down?

Thanks again.

 

I bought mine in the early fall for $500 over invoice. No ****ering, thought that was a fair price at the time. With today's market I'd go for invoice.

This is what worked for me. I have a Palm Pilot on which I have the equivalent of an Excel spreadsheet. I downloaded all the list and invoice prices for each and every option. I set up the spread sheet so the first column has the 'option', the second column is 1 or 2 characters wide, the third and fourth columns are blank, the fifth and sixth columns contain the list and invoice price the the option. I then put a little formula in the third and fourth columns so that if I enter a '1' in the second column, meaning that the specific truck I'm looking at has that option on the window sticker, the list and invoice prices for that option are copied to the third and fourth columns. With some totals and tax and dealer markup, etc., at the bottom we're done.

A long explanation, but with this in my Palm I can look at a specific truck on a lot and when the sales guy comes up and say, "Son, what do I have to do to put you in this truck today?", I can answer him.

I'd be happy to e-mail the spreadsheet I tried to describe to anyone that's interested.

Tom Melesky
c0014827@airmail.net