ESP Pricing Increase

[Jettix2]

They just quoted me $4400 (remember, I'm in the anti-consumer State of FL) for 4 years/48k miles on a 2020 XLT with 78k on it. I may pass as it comes with a lifetime powertrain warranty from Ford that covers engine, trans, axles, transfer case. Seems super expensive for only 48k coverage.

I paid $2,000 Appx for an added 5 year /80k extra mile (I think?) warranty ESP Platinum with $100 ded and lighting coverage included. This was in Feb 2023 on a 2019 Expy with 28k miles at the time.

 

[jdawg2020]

I paid $2,000 Appx for an added 5 year /80k extra mile (I think?) warranty ESP Platinum with $100 ded and lighting coverage included. This was in Feb 2023 on a 2019 Expy with 28k miles at the time.

I'm supposed to take delivery tomorrow and sales manager is going to work with finance guy to get me a better deal. Mind you that FL is much different than most States and the actual warranty price is fixed. Essentially, they'll discount the car more to make the price look better. The FL legislature is owned by corporate interests and has a lot of this crap that is "pro business" while screwing the FL consumer.

 

[jdawg2020]

Just to add another datapoint, they gave me a $1000 off the vehicle which in FL speak is discounting the extended warranty so essentially $3400 for 48 mo/48k miles. Pricy but I plan to keep this one for 4-5 years and if trans or phasers go I'm covered. My XLT has 78k miles on it. Just ordered fluids and filters, plugs, belts to give ensure everything up to par. Wish me luck on longevity

 

[SyndicateZ]

Looks like Ford PremiumCare is also taking away covered items on top of increased prices???

My 2019 expedition is at the dealer because my 360 camera system stopped working randomly. When I push the camera button nothing happened.

Got a call from the dealer today saying they reprogrammed the system and tge cameras are showing now but my warranty wont cover the camera alignment and they want $400 to do this if I want them aligned properly. Im pretty sure the alignment should be part of the esp coverage...... sounds fishy to me

UPDATE: nvm- the dealer is just trying to scam me and attempted to bypass Ford protect and make me pay out of pocket after I did some investigating.

 

[jdawg2020]

Looks like Ford PremiumCare is also taking away covered items on top of increased prices???

My 2019 expedition is at the dealer because my 360 camera system stopped working randomly. When I push the camera button nothing happened.

Got a call from the dealer today saying they reprogrammed the system and tge cameras are showing now but my warranty wont cover the camera alignment and they want $400 to do this if I want them aligned properly. Im pretty sure the alignment should be part of the esp coverage...... sounds fishy to me

UPDATE: nvm- the dealer is just trying to scam me and attempted to bypass Ford protect and make me pay out of pocket after I did some investigating.

I just don't understand why these dealers are never punished for this behavior. I think some people are too afraid to challenge charges like this and the dealer probably can even double dip and still charge warranty to Ford while also charging you.

 

[LanceExp2025]

Yep jdawg2020! You are absolutely correct!

It is us consumers that have become wusses and have not raised cane with Ford for so many years now that the dealers are taking advantage of us. And, it is becoming common place practice now as it's become "whatever they can get away with", mentality. I also think that, in the past, many, [if not most] dealerships were "Family owned & Family run" This is no longer true and most Ford Dealerships now have the BIG Corporate Attitude of "make money and to hell with the customers!" Ford seems to sell almost everything they make so, Honor and Integrity are no longer important either, it seems. Ford is definitely not what it was 40-50 years ago, that is for sure!

Many of these dealers are now money hungry thieves! Ethics have gone out the window and Ford Customer Care is just washing their hands of all of this thus, basically blowing us off. Ford Customer Loyalty Honors are out-the-window too, at Ford Corporate, it seems.

I just bought a new 2024 Expedition MAX Limited from Fullerton Ford in CA in the end of February 2025. They had the one I wanted & bought discounted -$4127.00 (over the Ford -$7000 discount) which they honored both of. But, they had listed/advertised Ford financing at 1.9% for 36 months. When I got there, the salesman was extremely nice and seemed honest. By the time I got into the Finance Office, they had raised the 1.9% Ford interest to 6.9% interest w/ Chase Bank NOT Ford. They also tacked a 5 year/60,000 ESP Premium warranty on for $4200.00 without my knowledge or approval. I asked the finance guy "what is that"??? He says, "don't worry about that, we financed that into your 6.9% loan" . I told him to take that out of there and he refused until the Sales Manager heard me raising my voice to him, and came in and told him to remove that, which he reluctantly did. We ended up buying this car but we went to my wifes Credit Union the following day and got a cashiers check to pay 100% for it (no financing from Fullerton Ford, CA). When we went back the following day to finalize the deal and pay for everything, the NEW finance guy said the first guy made a Premium Care mistake and it should have been for 8 years/100,000 miles w/ $200 deductible, for $4800. We declined that too (a week later we bought 10 years/125,000 miles & $100 deductible from GRANGER Ford, in Iowa w/ lights, keys, first day rental and extended rental for $3530.00)

Before we drove the car off the lot, the salesman put the temp paper license plate on the back with one of their frames. He showed me the carpeted floor matts, head phones box [that came with the rear seat entertainment screens], where the jack and lug wrench were. I saw that they had not put the front license plate bracket & screws onto the car but, when I had taken my first drive, that bracket & screws were in a plastic bag in the back seat floor. I assumed it was still back there. Nope! When I got home, that day, I looked for the Front License Plate Bracket & Screws and, they were NOT in the car anywhere. I called the salesman and he said their car washing guys had taken the License Plate Bracket and Screw bag out of the car to vacuum and forgot to put it back in. He sent me a text confirming this and said that he would "personally" box it up and ship it to me at home. He never shipped them and now no one will answer my call nor return calls from messages @ Fullerton Ford, CA. Just a bunch of every-day crooks at Fullerton Ford, CA.

The following day at home, I was pulled over by our City Police because the Temp Paper License plate was "Expired"!! I walked back to look and it was MAY 2024 instead of May 2025. We pulled off the temp registration, taped to the windshield, and confirmed the 2025 date of purchase. The cop let me go. This Fullerton Ford most likely saved a few bucks by putting an expired temp tag on our Expy. NOT necessary & Most aggravating!

I called Ford Customer Care and was given a Case # and the Case Agents name who would be calling me back so I could explain all of this. The CS phone operator was very nice and seemed sincere! The agent never called and never emailed me. Nothing! I called CS back and was told my Case # was closed and to deal directly with this dealership personally. What the heck! ??

So, I will have to buy a new front license plate bracket and screws myself. The DMV sent me my new License Plates so, that is fixed now. But, NO THANKS TO Ford for anything! Bought Ford cars, trucks, vans and dump trucks from ONLY FORD for years, as my dad & grandpa did, before me. I still think that there is nothing better but don't care for Fords neglect of us loyal customers!

Anyway, that my snivel for today, Lance

 

[Hellwig]

Just to add another datapoint, they gave me a $1000 off the vehicle which in FL speak is discounting the extended warranty so essentially $3400 for 48 mo/48k miles. Pricy but I plan to keep this one for 4-5 years and if trans or phasers go I'm covered. My XLT has 78k miles on it. Just ordered fluids and filters, plugs, belts to give ensure everything up to par. Wish me luck on longevity

fair price.

 

[GlennSullivan]

It is unfortunate, but when you are buying any vehicle in the last 10 years, it is literally a war. I do all my fighting over price and the documentation digitally. I insist on final final copies of the bill of sale BEFORE I go to the dealership. When I show up, if the deal is $1.00 different from agreed, I simply get up and walk out. I actually made it all the way to my car once, with the sales guy begging me to come back inside - he asked my wife if I was going to walk over $150, and she just looked at him, laughed, and got into the car.

 

[LanceExp2025]

Yep, Glenn: That is very admirable of you! It is hard to do sometimes but necessary to make your point, I think. In Dec. 2007, my wife and I stopped by a Ford Dealership to look at a new 2008 Ford F450, diesel, crew cab dually to maybe load our 10'-6" camper in and tow a 3-horse, slant-load, dressing room, drag, horse trailer to shows. This was on a Sunday. These were the newest Super Duty Ford pick-up and were not yet selling so hotly because most hauling/towing folks didn't know they were even available and somewhat pricy, at that time. I had seen a sales video on TV and we stopped by that dealership on the way home from a 2-day vacation, just to look at one. The salesman came walking out and politely asked if we wanted to see inside. I said yes and he went back inside for the keys and a printed brochure (common, in those days). I was reading the Window Sticker and asked about the price once he returned. He said they were selling them for full MSRP because they only had 3 of them and they were a 'high demand' item. I said OK thanks, don't bother opening it up because we were not going to be paying MSRP. He said Ford may have some incentives. I asked what are they and he said come inside and we'll write it up. Nope, if you don't know, we're not spending 2 hours going through that drill. He asked for my name & number, and we left.

Two days later he called me back, had done his homework and quoted up a price -$2800 below MSRP. I told him if he could do - $3500 off MSRP, we would come back. He said let me ask and I will let you know. I said OK but don't call back with any counter offers because we really didn't need it right now, which was true. He called back and I let it go to voice mail. This was a counter offer for -$3000 & I didn't call back. That next Friday, he called back and said he got the OK for -$3500. I called him back and said to write it up and we would come in to take a test drive. We did and loved it so went inside and he had it in writing with Fords zero % for 36 month financing. We agreed on a hefty down payment and that financing, wrote it up and were taken to the finance guy. The finance guy just started working us over, added a high-priced 'mandatory' ESP Premium and a couple of other un-wanted ad-ons so we got up and walked out too. The salesman came running out after us and was apologizing. I said sorry, you did your job just fine and we appreciated it but we don't think it was honorable for you folks to try and screw us over when we had an agreement and were ready to fulfill our end. We hit the road and never came back to that dealership. Done there! My wife was disappointed but the next weekend we went to a Ford dealership closer to home and made a slightly better deal on a little more loaded F450 and drove it home. It was a matter of principle, to us too. Never understood that line/method of dishonest selling?? Oh well, Lance

 

[GlennSullivan]

Yep, Glenn: That is very admirable of you! It is hard to do sometimes but necessary to make your point, I think. In Dec. 2007, my wife and I stopped by a Ford Dealership to look at a new 2008 Ford F450, diesel, crew cab dually to maybe load our 10'-6" camper in and tow a 3-horse, slant-load, dressing room, drag, horse trailer to shows. This was on a Sunday. These were the newest Super Duty Ford pick-up and were not yet selling so hotly because most hauling/towing folks didn't know they were even available and somewhat pricy, at that time. I had seen a sales video on TV and we stopped by that dealership on the way home from a 2-day vacation, just to look at one. The salesman came walking out and politely asked if we wanted to see inside. I said yes and he went back inside for the keys and a printed brochure (common, in those days). I was reading the Window Sticker and asked about the price once he returned. He said they were selling them for full MSRP because they only had 3 of them and they were a 'high demand' item. I said OK thanks, don't bother opening it up because we were not going to be paying MSRP. He said Ford may have some incentives. I asked what are they and he said come inside and we'll write it up. Nope, if you don't know, we're not spending 2 hours going through that drill. He asked for my name & number, and we left.

Two days later he called me back, had done his homework and quoted up a price -$2800 below MSRP. I told him if he could do - $3500 off MSRP, we would come back. He said let me ask and I will let you know. I said OK but don't call back with any counter offers because we really didn't need it right now, which was true. He called back and I let it go to voice mail. This was a counter offer for -$3000 & I didn't call back. That next Friday, he called back and said he got the OK for -$3500. I called him back and said to write it up and we would come in to take a test drive. We did and loved it so went inside and he had it in writing with Fords zero % for 36 month financing. We agreed on a hefty down payment and that financing, wrote it up and were taken to the finance guy. The finance guy just started working us over, added a high-priced 'mandatory' ESP Premium and a couple of other un-wanted ad-ons so we got up and walked out too. The salesman came running out after us and was apologizing. I said sorry, you did your job just fine and we appreciated it but we don't think it was honorable for you folks to try and screw us over when we had an agreement and were ready to fulfill our end. We hit the road and never came back to that dealership. Done there! My wife was disappointed but the next weekend we went to a Ford dealership closer to home and made a slightly better deal on a little more loaded F450 and drove it home. It was a matter of principle, to us too. Never understood that line/method of dishonest selling?? Oh well, Lance

Many of us, who actually do the math, first determine what we want / need, then determine where we can get the best "all in" out the door price for that vehicle.

However I "think" the reason these dishonest dealership business practices continue, is too many other people payment shop for vehicles, where they walk into a dealership, see something they like, and determine they can afford it by how much it is per month. Not thinking about what the interest rate is or if the loan it is 4 5 or 6 years. Then when the F&I guy / gal gets ahold of them, they have no problem with the "but its only $10 more per month" game.

From my home in NY, I've purchased new vehicles as far away as Detroit Michigan for a new daily daily driver and Omaha Nebraska for a new sunny day car.

 

[5280tunage]

As @GlennSullivan says, a lot of time people create their own issues by not looking past the first few lines or paragraph. No only like @GlennSullivan said, but the F&I person comes in and says oh yeah, and your trade in, you owe $20k on that, we can just roll that in and we'll make your loan 84 months now, and we'll be close to your monthly number. It's funny, the loan terms are going beyond the useful life of many cars these days. At this rate, I would need 2-3 transmissions in this thing to go 7 years, lol. And how many folks take into consideration the maintenance costs? I want a loan for $800/mo. But when you factor in all the other expenses, that car will cost $1400-2000/mo.

 

[Hellwig]

As @GlennSullivan says, a lot of time people create their own issues by not looking past the first few lines or paragraph. No only like @GlennSullivan said, but the F&I person comes in and says oh yeah, and your trade in, you owe $20k on that, we can just roll that in and we'll make your loan 84 months now, and we'll be close to your monthly number. It's funny, the loan terms are going beyond the useful life of many cars these days. At this rate, I would need 2-3 transmissions in this thing to go 7 years, lol. And how many folks take into consideration the maintenance costs? I want a loan for $800/mo. But when you factor in all the other expenses, that car will cost $1400-2000/mo.

I always only focus on OTD price to make it as low as possible. Monthly payment is meaningless for me. Either $500 or $1000 monthly, I don't care. I care about the total cost of a purchased vehicle.

 

[LanceExp2025]

I always only focus on OTD price to make it as low as possible. Monthly payment is meaningless for me. Either $500 or $1000 monthly, I don't care. I care about the total cost of a purchased vehicle.

Yep! Me too! OTD is the bottom line for me, as well. Dealers depend on the unknowing people who are OK with 'payment limits', to make their purchase decisions rather than TOTAL Cost of the Vehicle. Usually, those 'payment limits' buyers rarely realize how much they are actually paying for their vehicle until they trade it in, especially when it's NOT paid off and they find they have little or no equity, in their car. It's a shame but dealers are super unscrupulous when it comes to selling & financing cars. It is "buyer be ware!"