[oldeguy]

okay, so some of you may have read my last post, about me havinh about $5000.00 to pick up a new to me vehicle. After much investigation, research, it has been decided to go another route.... a new car, using the money I have as a down payment. I went to a Ford dealer to talk, and it seemed like I new more about the 2012 Focus and it's various packages than the salesman. However, Does anyone know where I can get a good deal from an honest dealer? I priced a 2012 Focus SEL CDan ( still have a wheelchair to haul around in the trunk)

[ZTWsquared]

(06-10-2011, 08:36 PM)oldeguy Wrote: okay, so some of you may have read my last post, about me havinh about $5000.00 to pick up a new to me vehicle. After much investigation, research, it has been decided to go another route.... a new car, using the money I have as a down payment. I went to a Ford dealer to talk, and it seemed like I new more about the 2012 Focus and it's various packages than the salesman. However, Does anyone know where I can get a good deal from an honest dealer? I priced a 2012 Focus SEL CDan ( still have a wheelchair to haul around in the trunk)

The key to getting a good deal is to know what the good deal is before you go to the dealer. Then it doesn't matter whether or not the dealer is honest or otherwise because you simply stick to your guns until you get the numbers you want.

It's been my experience (both as a consumer and as a subject matter expert) that going from dealer to dealer trying to negotiate one against the other is an unrewarding and unsuccessful method ... unless you've done your research and know what the cost / margins are - in which case you might just as well go to the closest dealer to you and use that info to get the deal you want from them.

You also need to know the relative value of the vehicle you're buying. If it's a hot mover and dealers are getting full pop and turning their inventory, you won't be able to get a low-ball deal no matter what you do.

Find the car you want (and I do mean the car) ... do the math ... figure out what a good deal to you looks like ... and then wait 'till the last business day of the month and go and make your offer.

Don't negotiate a payment, negotiate the final, all-in net price including whatever their admin fee and other dealer fees might be. And stick to you guns ... be prepared to walk and mean it ... but also be prepared to sign the deal if you get what you want.

If you want some insight into what the margins are and what kind of profit dealers are likely to accept, drop me a PM.

[j3rt]

Solid advice right there.

[oldeguy]

(06-11-2011, 12:48 AM)j3rt Wrote: Solid advice right there.

As always

[meford4u]

If you want the X plan(family and friends), send me a PM and I will hook a brotha up.

And a good dealer? My son works at Mohawk and they take care of everyone I send in. But they are in Hamilton.

[reldridge]

(06-11-2011, 12:01 AM)ZTWsquared Wrote: Don't negotiate a payment, negotiate the final, all-in net price including whatever their admin fee and other dealer fees might be. And stick to you guns ... be prepared to walk and mean it ... but also be prepared to sign the deal if you get what you want.

Quoted for truth! We made that mistake on our Mazda, and even though we feel we're only out about $150 from what we wanted in the end, we were aiming for a 'magic' monthly payment. We hit it, but some other stuff got snuck in...

[ANTHONYD]

Nicely put Ken.

Know those margins!!!

[moon111]

I bought our (used) minivan in Toronto, since the prices were about $3000 less for a 2 hour drive. Was happy with the deal, but the next day, they turned around and added a 'admin' fee. Swear we negotiated that into the price, but the blood-suckers said it wasn't. With the time and money spent on gas etc, I eat the fee. Getting home my wife was pissed because she definitely confirmed it we did negotiate that into the final cost. So they got a few extra bucks for the word of mouth I would of been eager to give out, because up to that point, was happy with the deal.

[oldeguy]

I went and looked at the competition for my new car, the Hyundai Elantra. I looked at a GLS, which has more stuff ( that is important to me ) in it than the 2012 Focus SEL. Mind you, the SEL has some stuff in it that I would appreciate and use. The Elantra came in a few dollars cheaper. It is nice to drive, with a sporty feel, but the interior is designed nicely, looks cheap, compared to the Focus. That being said, my next criteria was how easy is it to get at to replace engine parts, because if I'm buying it, once the warranty is gone, I'm fixing whatever I can. In the Elentra, everything is easy to locate and in the Focus, I'm still looking for the Alternator. Anyone know where I can look up the information on the 2012 focus's engine? I also would like to know if the engine is a chain drive or belt drive timing.

[ZTWsquared]

(06-13-2011, 09:41 PM)oldeguy Wrote: I went and looked at the competition for my new car, the Hyundai Elantra. I looked at a GLS, which has more stuff ( that is important to me ) in it than the 2012 Focus SEL. Mind you, the SEL has some stuff in it that I would appreciate and use. The Elantra came in a few dollars cheaper. It is nice to drive, with a sporty feel, but the interior is designed nicely, looks cheap, compared to the Focus. That being said, my next criteria was how easy is it to get at to replace engine parts, because if I'm buying it, once the warranty is gone, I'm fixing whatever I can. In the Elentra, everything is easy to locate and in the Focus, I'm still looking for the Alternator. Anyone know where I can look up the information on the 2012 focus's engine? I also would like to know if the engine is a chain drive or belt drive timing.

It's still basically a Duratec 20 (+ direct injection and variable valve timing) which means interference engine and timing chain.

[GFXjamie]

alternator on most new cars is usually not a DIY job anymore as you need to remove lots of parts around it to replace.

I know there is a lot of competition between the focus and new elantra, somehow the koreans made a car to compete this time and its doing very well. However, one thing to look at on both cars to set them apart is the paint quality. I have friends with new Hyundai vehicles, not one has good paint but otherwise nice cars.

pick which one has the most features and BENEFITS along with them. even if they dont benefit you now, they may in the future but dont just look at is as a feature, make sure it is of benefit to you.

[oldeguy]

(06-14-2011, 03:14 AM)GFXjamie Wrote: alternator on most new cars is usually not a DIY job anymore as you need to remove lots of parts around it to replace.

I know there is a lot of competition between the focus and new elantra, somehow the koreans made a car to compete this time and its doing very well. However, one thing to look at on both cars to set them apart is the paint quality. I have friends with new Hyundai vehicles, not one has good paint but otherwise nice cars.

pick which one has the most features and BENEFITS along with them. even if they dont benefit you now, they may in the future but dont just look at is as a feature, make sure it is of benefit to you.

I've replaced the Alternator in my 2000 ZTS a few times and done some other jobs too, so removing a few parts isn't too much of an issue, as long as I can get it. I've looked at both cars, the Focus and the Elentra and although I haven't driven it yet, just by looking at interiors and a few other things, the Focus seems to be a better vehicle, except for the price, but you sometimes get what you pay for....

[meford4u]

Oldguy....As a getting older guy the one thing I have learned is you always get what you pay for.

You buy a Hyundai and your out.

Far out.

No smiley face. No emicon. Bye bye.

[GFXjamie]

(06-14-2011, 03:53 AM)oldeguy Wrote:

(06-14-2011, 03:14 AM)GFXjamie Wrote: alternator on most new cars is usually not a DIY job anymore as you need to remove lots of parts around it to replace.

I know there is a lot of competition between the focus and new elantra, somehow the koreans made a car to compete this time and its doing very well. However, one thing to look at on both cars to set them apart is the paint quality. I have friends with new Hyundai vehicles, not one has good paint but otherwise nice cars.

pick which one has the most features and BENEFITS along with them. even if they dont benefit you now, they may in the future but dont just look at is as a feature, make sure it is of benefit to you.

I've replaced the Alternator in my 2000 ZTS a few times and done some other jobs too, so removing a few parts isn't too much of an issue, as long as I can get it. I've looked at both cars, the Focus and the Elentra and although I haven't driven it yet, just by looking at interiors and a few other things, the Focus seems to be a better vehicle, except for the price, but you sometimes get what you pay for....

by removing parts, im talking about axles LOL

and the focus is definitely a pretty wiked car for the segment now. Really stepped up in a big way for sure.

[oldeguy]

So, if I bought a Focus, I've done good?

[moon111]

You do realize this is http://www.focuscanada.net right?

[ZTWsquared]

(06-15-2011, 07:49 AM)oldeguy Wrote: So, if I bought a Focus, I've done good?

At the very least it means Meford will continue to let you know him and he will continue to tolerate your presence on this board, as he tolerates the rest of us who also own Fords.

[oldeguy]

(06-15-2011, 12:09 AM)meford4u Wrote: Oldguy....As a getting older guy the one thing I have learned is you always get what you pay for.

You buy a Hyundai and your out.

Far out.

No smiley face. No emicon. Bye bye.

no need to ban me. after talking prices with the salesmen, driving both vehicles, we both know which is the superior vehicle, by a large margin. Ford has an awesome product for us, and I've decided, that a 2012 Focus SEL CDan, ( sorry, still needed room for a wheelchair ), will be in my garage within the near future.

[Oscar The Grouch]

Good choice. :thumbsup:

[meford4u]

You are wise.

(06-15-2011, 11:43 PM)oldeguy Wrote:

(06-15-2011, 12:09 AM)meford4u Wrote: Oldguy....As a getting older guy the one thing I have learned is you always get what you pay for.

You buy a Hyundai and your out.

Far out.

No smiley face. No emicon. Bye bye.

no need to ban me. after talking prices with the salesmen, driving both vehicles, we both know which is the superior vehicle, by a large margin. Ford has an awesome product for us, and I've decided, that a 2012 Focus SEL CDan, ( sorry, still needed room for a wheelchair ), will be in my garage within the near future.