How bad are dealers doing?

So I was in the market for a TACO but I put it on hold as well things (job) is unclear. So its not a good time to buy (it is) until I get confirm on things... a lot of my buds got laid off and its sorta scary when 10 of 14 friends have been let go from their jobs (corporate jobs).

anyway i inquired with a few dealers 2 weeks ago about prices. i noticed the dealers with the most inventory are constantly emailing me asking me to come in. they already offered 4k off sticker but said "maybe" we can come to an agreement we both will be happy with.

I also inquired about the Ford F-150 at 2 dealers. These guys have emailed and called me every other day. Granted I haven't responded to them. But both dealers said they have 2009 f-150 XLT and STX they will let go at a price i will not refuse. Begging me practically to come in. Pleading with me. Oh geeeez But Fords specs make my head sorta spin, not sure about them...

But its interesting to see Toyo dealers bashing Ford products and vice versa.

It just makes me wonder how bad are auto dealers doing. Real bad? Also makes me wonder how low could they possibly go on price. Someone is still buying trucks its not like its at a stand still. If it was a good time for me I'd play the game more and try to strike up a deal...just not yet...

 

I hear ya. I know many Ford owners who ARE NOT HAPPY. Granted none of them own a Ford Truck but they generally have a bad rep in quality.

And one Toyo dealer kept saying this...Do not buy a Ford truck. There is a reason why they are willing to drop $15k off sticker !?!?!?

 

I've owned a Ford F-150, And a ranger. they were good trucks. but not half the truck my 94 toyota pick up was. (1/2 year before they called it tacoma) The fords were really nice trucks comfort and looks wise.
And by not half the truck the 94 toyota was i mean the four wheel drive wasn't that great. I got stuck in places the Toyota would have crawled through. I can only hope my 2009 toyota is half the truck my 94 was.

 

You can get a "new" vehicle really cheap right now as the market has turned into a "used" car market. Dealers are having a tough time selling new vehicles and are surviving off the used. As a result...people buying used cars from a franchise dealer run the risk of paying too much for it since the dealer had to pay a pretty penny at the auction. Now is the time to strike a deal on a new car...just wait till you're confident in your job status

----> www.lenderguidance.com <----

 

That is a good synopsis of the market situation. I purchase cars at auction weekly for my taxi fleet, I've witnessed a huge increase in dealers buying used inventory recently. Decent used cars have gone up on price two to three grand per unit, it's a feeding frenzy as everyone tries to find inventory.

New car sales, not so much. There are some good factory interest rate offers out there depending on what you're looking for, but right now there's been a shift in the market and used is where it's at.

 

when i was doing my research with like 8 dealers i noticed the majority do not have many 09 pickups at all. no 08/09 FJs either. If they have 09 pickups they will have maybe 5 tops. Some only had 3 Tacomas and 2 of them being the 2WD version. 1 Tundra. These dealers are PUSHING me towards used Tacomas they have (there are a lot of used pickups on the lots). Now I see why.

The two dealers that call me have maybe 20+ 09 Tacomas on the lot (various styles). I wonder how long they will sit there. How desperate they will get come summer.

 

Honestly is your going to get a Ford truck, get a diesel. My father had a 99' F150, that we had in the shop constantly, so we sold it. A diesel is the ONLY thing that I'd get from Ford. But after owning a Toyota, I doubt I will ever get another brand of car. I keep hoping that Toyota will come out with a diesel for the states.

 

The 09 F-150's are very nice trucks. As for the reliability issue, I find that it's hard to seperate truth from perception in allot of cases. My 97 F-150 has only required 2 minor repairs since new other than regular maintenance. I have two close friends with 99 and 02 F-150's and same thing, no major issues to speak of.

I wouldn't be scared off from a Ford truck because of perceived reliability. The reality is that every auto maker will produce the odd dud. Toyota isn't exempt, Honda isn't exempt, nor is Ford. I suggest you drive them and see which one you like best for your needs. I'd actually be more worried with buying a first model year than I would be with overall reliability. I'd also go with a Ford over a GM or Chrysler in a heartbeat.

The F-150 and Taco are very different trucks so I think you need to figure out what exactly it is you want and/or need and go from there. If you are serious about trying F-150's, you should look at Tundra's as well.

Good luck!

 

I'll be the lonely voice standing up for Ford. Let me preface this defense by stating that I'm an import guy through and through, out of the 40 some vehicles I've owned 90% of them have been imports.

I own almost 400 Fords in our Indiana and Florida taxi fleets. These vehicles consist of Freestars, Windstars, Tauruses and a few Crown Vics. They all hold up amazingly well considering the abuse our taxi drivers put them through, we consistently get over 300,000 miles per vehicle. As far as domestic brands go, Fords are by far the best IMO.

I've owned an F150 and couple of F250's, all were great trucks. My business partner currently has an F350 to tow his horse trailer and it's a bad ass machine. It's easy to slam another manufacturer and we all love our Toyota's, but every other vehicle on the road isn't crap as many would like to believe. Except for GM trash of course.

 

^ good post.

I was also between the two - F150 and Tacoma. I was coming from an 04 Tacoma, which I was very happy with, but went to market with an open mind. Of all trucks on the market, it would be one of these 2.

I concluded on the smaller truck because I wanted a smaller truck. For my needs, a 5' bed was OK. I had to have the DC (kids) and the F150 DC was just too big.

IF I did need a bigger bed, I would go with the F150 - not the Tundra. They are well built and have a good track record. They are the number 1 selling vehicle on the market (probably because of fleets). I would NOT buy any GM or Chrysler products. I've given them enough of my tax $!

Finally, look at resale value. There are sooooo many F150's on the market that resale value is low. Tacoma's are very well known for retaining their resale value.



As for timing on buying a vehicle...I looked at supply/demand. Production typically lags the buyers market. This means, they are still producing at full capacity when the buyers market slows down. Our economy toppled so fast that many dealers and auto makers had huge inventories built up on their lots. They began offering huge discounts (like Toyota's 0% financing - the first time since the 2001 stock slump).

Once they deplete their over-supply, they can level off their prices again. Companies are still offering great rebates and financing options. If you can afford it, get in now.

You are also helping the economy by spending your money!

 

well i am not ready to buy now. I was actually thinking of waiting till the 2010s come out. And seeing what 09s they have left. My initial plan was to buy come Sept/Oct before winter... but i have to see what happens financially first before I do anything anyway so... it wouldn't be until fall anyway.

i can tell you that the dealers with the most inventory are being very pushy with me. Even though I said i am not looking to buy now they continue to request I come in to sit and talk and test drive, bad mouth the 09 150 saying their "video" is false and unrealistic!? blah blah.

I only looked at the 09 150 because I wanted to just experience a different brand. Its nice no doubt but I think I will stick with Toyo. Although you can get a killer deal on a 09 150 right now. According to the sales guy he said no one is even looking at the 09 F-150 at his dealership and they need to move them before they are forced to bring in 2010s.

So it does seem like they need to move stuff. Its still early in the year though so... i know one dealer that is closing its doors come June. Not sure where all their inventory will go. something about they can no longer afford the loans on the inventory.

it is a good time to buy a new car if you are in a good financial standing and have a secure job. no doubt. but it looks like no one is buying any high ticket item now a days.

I know of someone that sells boats and he said this is the worst its ever been since he started. He is being "released" from his services the 1st of the month. He's going to sell suits now.

 

F150s are great trucks no doubt. If someone needs a larger truck and can deal with the gas mileage, the F150 is a solid buy. In my opinion the styling versus GM and Dodge is night and day. The only downside is that they do offer so many incentives. They're great when you're buying, but they absolutely kill the resale value. So if you're the kind of person who wants a new vehicle every few years, a Ford (or any domestic for that matter) probably isn't the way to go. If you plan on holding onto it for a while, it'll run forever.

Notice there are hardly ever any incentives on Tacomas...hence the solid resale value.

Someone mentioned the Ford diesel. The new 6.4 liter they released in 08 has had a ton of issues. They hope they're resolved for 09, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking that chance on a $50k truck.

 

The F-150 is the way to go in a full size. If you want midsize....Tacoma.

 

the sales guy at Toyo advised me that it would be a big mistake if I were to buy a F-150. he said sure you can get a fully loaded F-150 at a low price now but that it would have no resale value, will break down, will cost a lot to get up and running, unreliable, and too bulky and gas guzzler at 8cyl. I felt this was in poor taste but I guess when you need to sell you'll say anything.

I haven't counter offered because again I am not in the market to buy at this time but 4k off sticker is pretty good I think. Makes me wonder if I could get another 1k off. This is an SR5 model that is $28k. Wonder what they'd do around Labor Day on an 09...

 

Look around and you'll find plenty of TRD Sports and Off Roads in the $28K MSRP range. It all depends on the options included, most of which are over-priced owner reward type packages. $4K off the sticker is the average deal going around right now...it's roughly invoice price minus the $1500 rebate. The rebate offer ends May 1 (I think), so you will be rolling the dice that one will also be available in September.

 

It is in poor taste to blindly say they are unreliable. Ford's are just as reliable as Toyota's and ALL brands will have lemon's. There are several on here that think their Taco is a lemon.

The V8's are gas guzzlers but you can get a V6. I had a Dakota V8 that got 11.2 mpg averaged over city and highway. I do not tow and do not need a V8. If you do, then you are not worried about gas - you need power.

They are not "bulky", they are just bigger. Is a Tundra "bulky"? If you need more room, you need a bulkier vehicle.

They do lack a resale value. If you want to save some money, get a used F-150.

 

my taco is a lemon!!! even toyota has admitted it. all brands have there problems it just the way it is. i own a ford but its 58 years old and its more reliable than any of my new cars.

 

They do lack a resale value. If you want to save some money, get a used F-150.[/quote]

Absolutely. I bought a 2006 Ford F-150 FX4 extended cab for $36K brand new. Sold it to a buddy 1.5 years later at the peak of gas prices for $21K. When buying domestic, big $$$ to be saved buying used.

 

My family was a ford family but converted to Toyota haha, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Tacoma