Looking for New 2011 Explorer

[drober30]

I saw a 2011 explorer drive past me on the expressway and that's all it took!

I went to my Ford dealer and test drove a Limited. I was really impressed with the ride quality, styling and features of the new Explorer!

Like I always do, I looked for the related forum on the Internet to start reading up on my latest interest, which of course landed me here.

I now understand that I'm not the only person who saw that Explorer driving down the road!

What a drag that these things are hard to come by and now the issue with the paint. Black is the only color I'm willing to buy. The Explorer looks amazing in every color that's offered (something that not all vehicles can pull off) but Black is my color!

To make things more challenging, I really want the second row buckets so now I'm being pretty selective on a hard to find vehicle.

Not to mention that its a race against the clock as I don't want to lose out on the owner loyalty that will expire on 4/4.

 

[jedimike]

The inventory finder on the Ford.com site is pretty good... it might turn up something. Otherwise, as long as you order prior to 4/4, the incentive is supposed to carry over.

Honestly, I'm not a big Ford fan. I did my homework and looked at every possible 7 seat SUV on the market. In the end, this new Explorer just had everything I wanted with the technology, style, and increased efficiency.

I'm crossing my fingers that the technology will hold up well because I like to keep my cars for 7-10 years.

 

[scottfmc]

Here is a better site to search quickly for Grand Blanc, MI.

http://www.thinkfordfirst.com/

 

[new to ford]

there seems to be quite a bit on inventory for Metro Detroit, the dealer from which I bought our XLT shows 14 vehicles (not sure if they are customer ordered/sold though). You should be able to choose from multiple vehicles, as long as you don't want AWD
We drove to Ann Arbor and back and the ex drove like a beauty, very nice handling!

 

[Joe Dirt]

That is an issue- I know when we were buying my Mom's new Fusion, the searches show everything accepted (received) into dealer stock. That included cars that were ordered/presold, cars awaiting pickup, fleet sale vehicles, and cars that were gone. It's probably best to stop in, and see what they have. Whatever the dealer says, add 3 weeks to delivery.

 

[drober30]

The inventory finder on the Ford.com site is pretty good... it might turn up something. Otherwise, as long as you order prior to 4/4, the incentive is supposed to carry over.

This has been a subject of debate. My sales person told me that incentives are not locked in.

When I ordered my Dodge truck, the incentives were locked in and I got what was ever better when I took delivery, the ones I ordered with or the current ones.

I can ask my sales person for some further details. My sales person is a really nice guy and knowledgeable , he does not have to go ask for answers to my questions. When we leased my wife's car, I did not even have to see a finance manager, we did the paperwork at his desk. He could quote prices, figure out lease payments right at his desk.

There are other dealers in my area that have to have all pricing and payments done by the business/sales manger. Sales person leaves their desk, waits to get an answer, then comes back and gives you the info. If you then say, well what about if I do this, the sales person has to go back to the sales manager again! I hate dealing like that.

Anyways, I thought I read where it might cost the dealer money to lock in incentives so maybe he just said that he was not locking them in?

 

[rnmomx2]

there seems to be quite a bit on inventory for Metro Detroit, the dealer from which I bought our XLT shows 14 vehicles (not sure if they are customer ordered/sold though). You should be able to choose from multiple vehicles, as long as you don't want AWD
We drove to Ann Arbor and back and the ex drove like a beauty, very nice handling!

Like Joe Dirt said, most of the Ex's shown in stock are customer ordered etc. I'm in the metro detroit area and the minute one of my area dealers gets one in, it is gone that day. I was told that the website inventory is not an accurate reflection of what's available.

 

[blazin8556]

i was at the chevy dealer ship in my x. and as i was pulling out a 2011 x pulled in. i wanted to turn around and follow him/her to see the car. lol.

i was at the chevy place for parts for a friends truck.

 

[drober30]

Like Joe Dirt said, most of the Ex's shown in stock are customer ordered etc. I'm in the metro detroit area and the minute one of my area dealers gets one in, it is gone that day. I was told that the website inventory is not an accurate reflection of what's available.

The website inventory shows vehicles that have not even hit the dealers lot yet. Just last week when getting my wife's Fusion, I located several vehicles on the Internet and the dealers said they were not there yet.

I found a vehicle but it does not have the rear buckets. If I was willing to compromise and go for the bench, I might have a shot at getting it.

 

[2FST4U]

The website inventory shows vehicles that have not even hit the dealers lot yet. Just last week when getting my wife's Fusion, I located several vehicles on the Internet and the dealers said they were not there yet.

I found a vehicle but it does not have the rear buckets. If I was willing to compromise and go for the bench, I might have a shot at getting it.

Just remember that with the bucket you end up with a 6 passenger vehicle

 

[jedimike]

This has been a subject of debate. My sales person told me that incentives are not locked in.

I've heard that too... hopefully Ford will just continue them and we won't have to worry.

 

[BrianDye]

What a drag that these things are hard to come by and now the issue with the paint. Black is the only color I'm willing to buy. The Explorer looks amazing in every color that's offered (something that not all vehicles can pull off) but Black is my color!

To make things more challenging, I really want the second row buckets so now I'm being pretty selective on a hard to find vehicle.

Dont settle for something your not gonna be completely satisfied with man! Wait til you find a black one, with 2nd row buckets

 

[Quackinup]

The website inventory shows vehicles that have not even hit the dealers lot yet. Just last week when getting my wife's Fusion, I located several vehicles on the Internet and the dealers said they were not there yet.

I found a vehicle but it does not have the rear buckets. If I was willing to compromise and go for the bench, I might have a shot at getting it.

Yeah, the vehicle I went to see at the dealer after seeing it online was long gone. Fortunately they just got one that had been ordered by someone who had backed out. Wasn't even cleaned up to put on the lot yet and was very similar to what I had gone to see so it all worked out great. I would have prefered black to grey but everything else was great.

I was considering a white one that was ordered by a closer dealer (and I assume was available and not ordered for a customer since they called me several tiems about it...once while I was talking to the salesman at the other dealership). But I looked tonight and almost 3 weeks later they are still waiting. They were expecting it a couple of weeks ago...but we all know how that goes.

 

[paulfrank285]

The inventory finder on the Ford.com site is pretty good... it might turn up something. Otherwise, as long as you order prior to 4/4, the incentive is supposed to carry over.

Honestly, I'm not a big Ford fan. I did my homework and looked at every possible 7 seat SUV on the market. In the end, this new Explorer just had everything I wanted with the technology, style, and increased efficiency.

I'm crossing my fingers that the technology will hold up well because I like to keep my cars for 7-10 years.

same here jedimike, i never owned any american car before. this is my first one (well, since i am still waiting, so it should be "will be" my first one). after compared everything that i want, requested so many brochures to be mailed...Audi Q7, Subaru Tribeca, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti FX35, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander/4Runner, Mazda CX-9, etc......i hope the technology will hold up too cos as always i plan to keep my car for a long time, just like you.

 

[drober30]

Here is a better site to search quickly for Grand Blanc, MI.

http://www.thinkfordfirst.com/

This is a much better way of searching than the ford.com website! I get allot more dealers to chose from when I select a zip code.

Thanks!

 

[scottfmc]

This is a much better way of searching than the ford.com website! I get allot more dealers to chose from when I select a zip code.

Thanks!

Most welcomed. As others have stated, it still doesn't prove the Ex is there (ordered, sold, etc.), but it gives you a quicker way to compile a list to call about.

 

[jedimike]

same here jedimike, i never owned any american car before. this is my first one (well, since i am still waiting, so it should be "will be" my first one). after compared everything that i want, requested so many brochures to be mailed...Audi Q7, Subaru Tribeca, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti FX35, Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander/4Runner, Mazda CX-9, etc......i hope the technology will hold up too cos as always i plan to keep my car for a long time, just like you.

If I was to label myself a fan of any manufacturer, I guess it would be Nissans. I've owned more of them than anything else but the Explorer puts the Pathfinders to shame. The other cars that were near the top of my list were the XC90, Highlander, and used BMW's and Mercedes in the same range as the Explorer.

My last Ford vehicle was an old Fiesta that I owned when I was in High School... lol. I guess Ford did their homework and they really wanted to appeal to a new market of Ford owners... here we are. Now just get me my Explorer already