Is it a King Ranch or XLT?

[robereg]

I recently bought a 2012 Expedition. The dealer, who sold it to me, said it was a King Ranch. But when I brought it to another dealer, for a possible trade-in (long story), they said it was an XLT. When I do a VIN search, it pops up as "XLT/King Ranch." How can I determine, which one it is? Thanks.

 

[ExplorerTom]

what's the interior look like?

 

[Bedrck47]

Go to ford etis and enter the vin number It will show all that was built on the expy

 

[kawi_200]

Can you post up pictures for us?

 

[k9education]

If you check CarFax etc, the XLTs come up as XLT/King Ranch. As others have stated above though, you can run the VIN through Ford and it will give you the official model. Or you can simply look at the interior. The 2012 King Ranch came with a brownish red interior only. No other model came with that interior color.

 

[robereg]

Thanks

Thanks for your replies. Even Ford customer service is confused. They say it's a King Ranch (or XLT/King Ranch ... whatever that means) just by looking up the VIN. But it's a color (Gray) that isn't even listed as a King Ranch option. And the interior is kind of a stone gray color -- and cloth. Is King Ranch interior leather?

Since this was my first Expedition experience, I was naive, but I feel like the dealership should've known better. It is, indeed, confusing to pull up the carfax, as they did, to have it show XLT/King Ranch. I can understand why they might think it could be a King Ranch. But with just a few minutes of research, this naive dude found out that it isn't.

Now, I'm upside down in my car loan by about $5k. Not sure what to do, now.

 

[Bedrck47]

If the dealer that sold it to you misrepresented the expy and you can prove that he showed it as a King Ranch and in fact it isn't (check your sales agreement) You may have some legal recourse.

 

[ExplorerTom]

You've got an XLT.

Typical King Ranch interior. Notice the squiggly logo- that's the King Ranch "brand".

 

[robereg]

Proof

If the dealer that sold it to you misrepresented the expy and you can prove that he showed it as a King Ranch and in fact it isn't (check your sales agreement) You may have some legal recourse.

Unfortunately, there is no mention of any trim level on any of the paperwork.

 

[Bedrck47]

Was there any advertisement in the news paper or elsewhere that you could obtain a copy of

 

[robereg]

Was there any advertisement in the news paper or elsewhere that you could obtain a copy of

Unfortunately, no. Whatever documentation I can find, there is no mention of a trim level, at all. Just "Ford Expedition."

Looking back, it almost felt like a bait-and-switch, but in the opposite. During negotiation, I insisted on them bringing the price down, but they kept going back to "But it's a King Ranch! We're losing money on it, already!" They kept shoving this carfax report and what I assume now to be a concocted NADA book value sheet that declared it to be a King Ranch. So, I believed them, and thought I was, indeed, getting a good deal.

 

[Flexpedition]

This is terrible if true, so shame on the selling dealer for being so shyster, shame on the irresponsible bank who loaned you too much money, and shame on you for not doing your due diligence. Maybe I'm just a tightwad, but I find myself researching toaster ovens before making a $50 purchase.

Hopefully this isn't a case of buyers remorse.

 

[rexster314]

If your seatbacks don't look like this, you don't have a KR. This was the ONLY seating covering for the 12 KR. I have this. They certainly didn't do cloth upholstery.

 

[robereg]

This is terrible if true, so shame on the selling dealer for being so shyster, shame on the irresponsible bank who loaned you too much money, and shame on you for not doing your due diligence. Maybe I'm just a tightwad, but I find myself researching toaster ovens before making a $50 purchase.

Hopefully this isn't a case of buyers remorse.

Buyer's remorse? Buyer's regret, maybe -- as in I regret that I went there, in the first place. I went back to that dealer, today, and the salesperson admitted that she was convinced it was a KR, based on the carfax report and VIN reports. They were a little standoff-ish, but all felt badly. I don't get the sense that they intentionally misled me.

They offered to do a couple things, to help make me feel better ... to make up for the loss of perceived value in my expy, like putting new tires on it, cut me a check, etc. In the end, they cut me a small check, and I walked. Not nearly enough to make up for the amount that I'm now under, on my car loan. (The bank, by the way, didn't loan me more than it should've.)

Ford doesn't do anyone any favors, with their VIN numbering system that pulls it up as XLT/King Ranch. Mine can't be the first instance of confusion.

 

[Bedrck47]

Did you check on Ford ETIS to see what it shows

 

[ExplorerTom]

It's not at all uncommon to immediately be upside down on a loan when you buy from a dealer.

Cars are rarely an investment. Forget about it. Drive it. Enjoy it.

 

[Bedrck47]

The other thing you could do is find a KR and run the vin number for the KR on ford etis and compare yours with it

 

[Bedrck47]

It's not at all uncommon to immediately be upside down on a loan when you buy from a dealer.

Cars are rarely an investment. Forget about it. Drive it. Enjoy it.

Would you feel that way if it happened to you? In that you found out that you paid for a KR and didn't get it

 

[k9education]

Maybe I'm just a tightwad, but I find myself researching toaster ovens before making a $50 purchase.

I do the same thing. I hate to throw away money.

 

[Bedrck47]

Just for a quick comparison

Nada on a 2012 Ford Expedition-V8 Utility 4D King Ranch 4WD $34,825

Nada on a 2012 Ford Expedition-V8 Utility 4D XLT 4WD $27,975

This was done quick without taking into consideration options and mileage for either model

I wonder if the person that says forget about it still feels the same after seeing the comparison