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Unhappy with dealer

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1sttimeexplorerowner

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Tri-state
Year, Model & Trim Level
2020 Explorer XLT
Thanks to everyone who has mentioned the lemon law - due to the vast difference in price between what I paid (32,800) and what it's worth (39-41k is what I see them listed as), it's not be the best deal. Since I'd have to spend $40k currently on a comparable car I can't afford that kind of loss.

After a week the Ford dealer finally went ahead and appraised my vehicle. They said they were a KBB ICO dealer for buying cars, which when I ran and it came to $30,500. They called me offering $27,000. I just laughed at the guy and told him to tell the service department to hurry. I told him Carmax offered me $35k, I don't know if he thought I was bluffing but he said "okay take it there then, good". I reminded him I can't because it's in his service garage waiting on a part.

I just don't get it, they're so greedy they don't make money. I'd have taken 35 just to be done with it, and they have no vehicles on their lot and a bunch of sales people standing around. They buy the car, sell it for 38-40, make more profit than they do off most new cars, and the sales person feeds his family for another day. So looks like I'm going to rent a car for a month until it's fixed, which luckily as a government employee will "only" cost me $550 for a corolla, but well worth it to private sell it for thousands more. The next headache will be finding a new vehicle the wife likes that isn't grossly overpriced.

Unfortunately that's how all dealers are. Before i got my XLT i was talking to a salesman, before actually going to the dealer. I initially contacted him about 2 weeks before actually going to the dealer. Non stop calls, texts, hey man how's it going, just wondering if you're still interested. We have special offers, we can do this for you, that for you, we can offer free oil changes for the life of the lease blah blah.

Got to the dealer, everything was good. Salesman told me to text him to give him updates on the explorer. And that he'll notify me when my plates come and all that.

The day after i got the car, texted him and told him it's awesome i love it. Crickets. Ok no big deal, maybe he's busy. I texted him 3 days later. Crickets.

2 weeks later, hey man did my plates come yet? One word answer. NO.

Another week goes by, hey man just wondering if my plates came? His answer, idk yet, i'll get back to you when i'm free. Nothing.

2 days later, i call him. He didn't pick up. Called the dealer, they can't find him.

Next day called the dealer, got him on the phone. Hey man did my plates come? His answer, no it didn't, it might be another 2 weeks or so.

I didn't believe him cause it's been too long. Called the receptionist, gave her my name, BAM my plates were in. How does the receptionist know but he didn't? Oh i know, cause he didn't care, he already got the sale.

I showed up with coffee to thank her. She was happy.
 



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Disagree with "Unfortunately that's how all dealers are." Some perhaps but not all. As for the plates, the dealers (Ford, Toyota) always had the plates already mounted on the vehicle when it was time to pick them up. I even had my former Toyota salesman drop off new plates at my home for the Highlander sitting in my driveway that was sold to a friend of mine through the dealership. That was when I had just leased the 2011 Explorer Limited and transferred the personal plates I had on the Highlander to it.

Peter
 






Unfortunately that's how all dealers are. Before i got my XLT i was talking to a salesman, before actually going to the dealer. I initially contacted him about 2 weeks before actually going to the dealer. Non stop calls, texts, hey man how's it going, just wondering if you're still interested. We have special offers, we can do this for you, that for you, we can offer free oil changes for the life of the lease blah blah.

Got to the dealer, everything was good. Salesman told me to text him to give him updates on the explorer. And that he'll notify me when my plates come and all that.

The day after i got the car, texted him and told him it's awesome i love it. Crickets. Ok no big deal, maybe he's busy. I texted him 3 days later. Crickets.

2 weeks later, hey man did my plates come yet? One word answer. NO.

Another week goes by, hey man just wondering if my plates came? His answer, idk yet, i'll get back to you when i'm free. Nothing.

2 days later, i call him. He didn't pick up. Called the dealer, they can't find him.

Next day called the dealer, got him on the phone. Hey man did my plates come? His answer, no it didn't, it might be another 2 weeks or so.

I didn't believe him cause it's been too long. Called the receptionist, gave her my name, BAM my plates were in. How does the receptionist know but he didn't? Oh i know, cause he didn't care, he already got the sale.

I showed up with coffee to thank her. She was happy.
He's a salesman that will be saying he used to sell cars.... Hundreds come and go only a few become pros and make it a career.
 






Disagree with "Unfortunately that's how all dealers are." Some perhaps but not all. As for the plates, the dealers (Ford, Toyota) always had the plates already mounted on the vehicle when it was time to pick them up. I even had my former Toyota salesman drop off new plates at my home for the Highlander sitting in my driveway that was sold to a friend of mine through the dealership. That was when I had just leased the 2011 Explorer Limited and transferred the personal plates I had on the Highlander to it.

Peter

What do you mean had the plates already mounted?

Idk how it is in some states but by me, you are given temp tags, which i believe expires in 30 days. When the plates arrived, usually you go pick them up, and someone puts the plate on for you. But in my case, my plates were there but my salesman wasn't aware and/or he didn't care and i had to have the receptionist tell me they were already in. I went there, picked up the plates, drove home and mounted the plates myself.

The only time i had my plates shipped to my house, was when i purchased a car that was about 150 miles away. I wasn't going to make the trip to get those plates, i had them ship the plates, along with the registration to my house, free of charge.
 






He's a salesman that will be saying he used to sell cars.... Hundreds come and go only a few become pros and make it a career.

He was definitely not a pro. I leased this car during peak pandemic and he was wearing his mask as a chin warmer.

I got the deal i wanted so i couldn't care less about his skills nor did i care if he still made a killing on the sale. The price vs the original MSRP was fine by me and it was a lease so after 3 years, i give it back and find something else. No biggie.
 






What do you mean had the plates already mounted?

Idk how it is in some states but by me, you are given temp tags, which i believe expires in 30 days. When the plates arrived, usually you go pick them up, and someone puts the plate on for you. But in my case, my plates were there but my salesman wasn't aware and/or he didn't care and i had to have the receptionist tell me they were already in. I went there, picked up the plates, drove home and mounted the plates myself.

The only time i had my plates shipped to my house, was when i purchased a car that was about 150 miles away. I wasn't going to make the trip to get those plates, i had them ship the plates, along with the registration to my house, free of charge.
Before I got my personal plates the Toyota salesman arranged to get someone to go to the local license bureau to get the new ownership/registration and plates. The salesman then put them on the vehicle before I arrived. That's the way it is done here. No temp tags required. In fact I've never had temp tags on any vehicles I've bought/leased. Everything is done the same day.

Peter
 






What do you mean had the plates already mounted?

Idk how it is in some states but by me, you are given temp tags, which i believe expires in 30 days. When the plates arrived, usually you go pick them up, and someone puts the plate on for you. But in my case, my plates were there but my salesman wasn't aware and/or he didn't care and i had to have the receptionist tell me they were already in. I went there, picked up the plates, drove home and mounted the plates myself.

The only time i had my plates shipped to my house, was when i purchased a car that was about 150 miles away. I wasn't going to make the trip to get those plates, i had them ship the plates, along with the registration to my house, free of charge.
In PA the dealer hands out new plates, if you don’t transfer your current plate to the new car. There’s none of that paper temporary nonsense.
 






Before I got my personal plates the Toyota salesman arranged to get someone to go to the local license bureau to get the new ownership and plates. The salesman then put them on the vehicle before I arrived. That's the way it is done here. No temp tags required. In fact I've never had temp tags on any vehicles I've bought/leased. Everything is done the same day.

Peter

Definitely not like that here.

When i bought my C7 corvette, i used the same plate that i had for my C6. When i asked my dealer, "can i put the plate on the new corvette now?" He said, no. I have to drive with the temp tag until the new registration with my plate tag number on it comes in, then i can throw the plate on.

The way you described your scenario is the first time i have heard that done through a car buying experience, ever.
 






In PA the dealer hands out new plates, if you don’t transfer your current plate to the new car. There’s none of that paper temporary nonsense.

Ok, so that's PA. That doesn't happen in NJ.

I don't mind the temp tags, it's the hassle of getting your plates when they come in that's annoying. Otherwise i couldn't care less.

And how did this turn into a license plate debate? I was simply stating how all dealers aren't good lol
 






Ok, so that's PA. That doesn't happen in NJ.

I don't mind the temp tags, it's the hassle of getting your plates when they come in that's annoying. Otherwise i couldn't care less.

And how did this turn into a license plate debate? I was simply stating how all dealers aren't good lol
You mentioned that you’ve never seen a dealer plate a car. I gave an example of how that’s entirely normal somewhere.
 






I've had nothing but a great experience with Ford dealers both at the sales and service level. When I was buying my Explorer I went to a dealer 100 miles away because they had the exact vehicle I was looking for. When I went there it happened to one that was missing a couple parts so I talked to the salesman about that and after he did some checking he said that they would order them. Fine with me as not much else they could do. Went home with it that day and a week later I found out it was also missing the front strut tower insulator. Called the salesman and sent him the part number and he got that ordered also. Once they had all the parts he called me and we set up an appointment and went to get them installed.

2 or 3 weeks later I noticed a pin head size spot that the paint had popped. Went to my local dealer about 20 miles from me. Service snapped some pictures as they needed to get approval from Ford for the repair. The next day they called and it was approved so we set set up an appointment for the repair. They also set me up with a loaner on their dime.

That is why I feel painting all dealers with a wide brush as being bad is dead wrong.
 






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