Mel Hambelton Ford - Maverick markup experience

[silo]

FYI, also posted this on reddit /r/FordMaverickTruck

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Since I've put up critical feedback, I'll balance the universe a bit...

TL;DR - Mel Hambelton Ford in Wichita, KS does not—and, as far as I was told, has never—mark up their Mavericks (nor, apparently their Broncos). Ask for Rudy.

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Long Version
Rudy, salesperson for Mel Hambelton Ford, posted to his account on Facebook Marketplace that he had an XLT Hybrid available:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/345434701493182/

...I messaged, he responded quickly with details. I was initially put off by two things:

- $2K deposit
- $495 door edge protection and front window tint

Setting those to one side, within the hour, we'd discussed pricing, pickup timing and we'd negotiated the amount of my trade. The process was not rushed, but very efficient.

$2K Deposit
The $2K deposit was quoted but never factored in for my scenario as they didn't ask for it. Presumably because I was able to pick the truck up the very next morning. (CORRECTION: Rudy replied that they didn't take the deposit because '...we e-signed you to lock the vehicle down for you.') That being the case, I never found out if it was refundable. Your mileage may vary here.

$495 Door Edge Protection, Front Window Tint
Near as I can tell, if you don't want door edge protection or your front windows tinted you have to say it early (like when the truck is rolling off the semi). If you think these items are useful (or if you don't catch it in time) know that their installers do a very good job. Mine has both and both look factory. You're getting some value there.

I'll start with the:

Pros
- Mel Hambelton does not charge over MSRP, whether dealer order or special order (my window sticker was a 'Special Order'; presumably abandoned — I didn't ask)
- Rudy, my salesperson was friendly, knowledgable, responsive and no-nonsense
- Ryan, the finance person was efficient, knowledgable and, while still while still doing his job, was not pushy
- their detailing, PPF and tinting work was very good; the truck was in perfect shape;

Cons
- their doc fee is high at $752.50
- their hold deposit is high at a quoted $2K (don't know if this is variable, or if its refundable)
- they appear to add a door edge PPF and front window tint automatically ($495)
- they do install the front license plate bracket (which may be standard, but I would have preferred it be left off)

Regrets
None. If I had one reservation, it would be that I didn't quite get what I wanted for my trade. But, one rarely does, and there are many factors that go into that (market, vehicle, negotiating skills, etc.), so I've left that out of the 'cons' section. This is always a consideration.

Conclusion
I have no insight into current Maverick availability at Mel Hambelton, whether special order or dealer order, nor do I know anything about what might be in the pipeline. Availability is likely a crap shoot like any place else.
I do know that they were knowledgable, efficient and fair on price. Frankly, in this market, they don't have to be any of those things. I also know that if I buy another Ford, I'm calling them first. Thanks Rudy.

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[TheWizziard]

I am happy that you got what you want at a price you were willing to pay.

For me $495 door edge protection and front window tint may be "getting some value" but not near $490 worth of value.

I don't mind a dealer or service provider trying to up-sell but I find mandatory add-ons disgusting and immoral. Not so bad if a dealer is up front about them. But there are numerous threads here where Maverick buyers have waited over a year for their truck to arrive and are told when they pick them up that the vehicle includes mandatory add-ons such as nitrogen, window etching, etc., etc., .....................

 

[prsncat]

FYI, also posted this on reddit /r/FordMaverickTruck

--------

Since I've put up critical feedback, I'll balance the universe a bit...

TL;DR - Mel Hambelton Ford in Wichita, KS does not—and, as far as I was told, has never—mark up their Mavericks (nor, apparently their Broncos). Ask for Rudy.

--------

Long Version
Rudy, salesperson for Mel Hambelton Ford, posted to his account on Facebook Marketplace that he had an XLT Hybrid available:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/345434701493182/

...I messaged, he responded quickly with details. I was initially put off by two things:

- $2K deposit
- $495 door edge protection and front window tint

Setting those to one side, within the hour, we'd discussed pricing, pickup timing and we'd negotiated the amount of my trade. The process was not rushed, but very efficient.

$2K Deposit
The $2K deposit was quoted but never factored in for my scenario as they didn't ask for it. Presumably because I was able to pick the truck up the very next morning. (CORRECTION: Rudy replied that they didn't take the deposit because '...we e-signed you to lock the vehicle down for you.') That being the case, I never found out if it was refundable. Your mileage may vary here.

$495 Door Edge Protection, Front Window Tint
Near as I can tell, if you don't want door edge protection or your front windows tinted you have to say it early (like when the truck is rolling off the semi). If you think these items are useful (or if you don't catch it in time) know that their installers do a very good job. Mine has both and both look factory. You're getting some value there.

I'll start with the:

Pros
- Mel Hambelton does not charge over MSRP, whether dealer order or special order (my window sticker was a 'Special Order'; presumably abandoned — I didn't ask)
- Rudy, my salesperson was friendly, knowledgable, responsive and no-nonsense
- Ryan, the finance person was efficient, knowledgable and, while still while still doing his job, was not pushy
- their detailing, PPF and tinting work was very good; the truck was in perfect shape;

Cons
- their doc fee is high at $795
- their hold deposit is high at a quoted $2K (don't know if this is variable, or if its refundable)
- they appear to add a door edge PPF and front window tint automatically ($495)
- they do install the front license plate bracket (which may be standard, but I would have preferred it be left off)

Regrets
None. If I had one reservation, it would be that I didn't quite get what I wanted for my trade. But, one rarely does, and there are many factors that go into that (market, vehicle, negotiating skills, etc.), so I've left that out of the 'cons' section. This is always a consideration.

Conclusion
I have no insight into current Maverick availability at Mel Hambelton, whether special order or dealer order, nor do I know anything about what might be in the pipeline. Availability is likely a crap shoot like any place else.
I do know that they were knowledgable, efficient and fair on price. Frankly, in this market, they don't have to be any of those things. I also know that if I buy another Ford, I'm calling them first. Thanks Rudy.

This is a thorough and excellent write-up. Please make sure you submit a dealer recommendation using the Google Form (https://forms.gle/gK17RYmh7GLhMkH6A) so MTC members know to visit this dealership. Put a link to this thread in the memo field please.

 

[colinl]

Looks like you're in KC; I hope you enjoyed your visit to Wichita. What I hear is that you bought a hybrid off the lot at Mel Hambelton and paid MSRP, plus a slightly inflated but, in my opinion, not terribly overpriced protection package. I didn't buy either of my Mavericks from Mel Hambelton, but I'm familiar with them *and* I did pay $795 doc fee for trucks purchased at Rusty Eck and Don Hattan. So, I'd remove the $795 from your list of cons; that's typical.

Front door tint on the open market in Wichita is $80-120. Door edges $40-50 if someone will do it by itself; PPF shops typically want at least a hood edge and door cups to go with it.

So, that all sounds good, and it's far better than anyone in California would have been able to get locally.

 

[silo]

I am happy that you got what you want at a price you were willing to pay.

For me $495 door edge protection and front window tint may be "getting some value" but not near $490 worth of value.

I don't mind a dealer or service provider trying to up-sell but I find mandatory add-ons disgusting and immoral. Not so bad if a dealer is up front about them. But there are numerous threads here where Maverick buyers have waited over a year for their truck to arrive and are told when they pick them up that the vehicle includes mandatory add-ons such as nitrogen, window etching, etc., etc., .....................

UPDATE: I asked Rudy about special order add-ons. He replied:

'Not on special orders but when they become available to sell to someone else the ad-ons[sic] automatically get added.'

Broadly I agree. I should have emphasized the 'some' in 'some value' in my post. Mark-ups and add-ons are separate categories, but at the very least add-ons provide something, which stands in opposition to a mark up that provides absolutely nothing at all.

As for mandatory 'special order' add-ons, that practice is particularly aggressive. I don't know what Mel Hambelton's policy is on mandatory add-ons for special orders. My sense of it is that they don't have one and that they honor the agreed upon special order price with no add-ons. I can ask Rudy.

 

[silo]

Looks like you're in KC; I hope you enjoyed your visit to Wichita. What I hear is that you bought a hybrid off the lot at Mel Hambelton and paid MSRP, plus a slightly inflated but, in my opinion, not terribly overpriced protection package. I didn't buy either of my Mavericks from Mel Hambelton, but I'm familiar with them *and* I did pay $795 doc fee for trucks purchased at Rusty Eck and Don Hattan. So, I'd remove the $795 from your list of cons; that's typical.

Front door tint on the open market in Wichita is $80-120. Door edges $40-50 if someone will do it by itself; PPF shops typically want at least a hood edge and door cups to go with it.

So, that all sounds good, and it's far better than anyone in California would have been able to get locally.

Good to know, that's useful — thank you.

Regarding doc fees, I've had direct experience with anything from $155 (southern Iowa) to $595 (east Kansas City area), roughly in the same geographic region, so $795 seems high in my particular context. I'll leave my comments in place and let your comments provide the additional context.

 

[Mav_RICK]

FYI, also posted this on reddit /r/FordMaverickTruck

--------

Since I've put up critical feedback, I'll balance the universe a bit...

TL;DR - Mel Hambelton Ford in Wichita, KS does not—and, as far as I was told, has never—mark up their Mavericks (nor, apparently their Broncos). Ask for Rudy.

--------

Long Version
Rudy, salesperson for Mel Hambelton Ford, posted to his account on Facebook Marketplace that he had an XLT Hybrid available:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/345434701493182/

...I messaged, he responded quickly with details. I was initially put off by two things:

- $2K deposit
- $495 door edge protection and front window tint

Setting those to one side, within the hour, we'd discussed pricing, pickup timing and we'd negotiated the amount of my trade. The process was not rushed, but very efficient.

$2K Deposit
The $2K deposit was quoted but never factored in for my scenario as they didn't ask for it. Presumably because I was able to pick the truck up the very next morning. (CORRECTION: Rudy replied that they didn't take the deposit because '...we e-signed you to lock the vehicle down for you.') That being the case, I never found out if it was refundable. Your mileage may vary here.

$495 Door Edge Protection, Front Window Tint
Near as I can tell, if you don't want door edge protection or your front windows tinted you have to say it early (like when the truck is rolling off the semi). If you think these items are useful (or if you don't catch it in time) know that their installers do a very good job. Mine has both and both look factory. You're getting some value there.

I'll start with the:

Pros
- Mel Hambelton does not charge over MSRP, whether dealer order or special order (my window sticker was a 'Special Order'; presumably abandoned — I didn't ask)
- Rudy, my salesperson was friendly, knowledgable, responsive and no-nonsense
- Ryan, the finance person was efficient, knowledgable and, while still while still doing his job, was not pushy
- their detailing, PPF and tinting work was very good; the truck was in perfect shape;

Cons
- their doc fee is high at $795
- their hold deposit is high at a quoted $2K (don't know if this is variable, or if its refundable)
- they appear to add a door edge PPF and front window tint automatically ($495)
- they do install the front license plate bracket (which may be standard, but I would have preferred it be left off)

Regrets
None. If I had one reservation, it would be that I didn't quite get what I wanted for my trade. But, one rarely does, and there are many factors that go into that (market, vehicle, negotiating skills, etc.), so I've left that out of the 'cons' section. This is always a consideration.

Conclusion
I have no insight into current Maverick availability at Mel Hambelton, whether special order or dealer order, nor do I know anything about what might be in the pipeline. Availability is likely a crap shoot like any place else.
I do know that they were knowledgable, efficient and fair on price. Frankly, in this market, they don't have to be any of those things. I also know that if I buy another Ford, I'm calling them first. Thanks Rudy.

Was the MSRP pricing available to all or to you individually because you had a trade they wanted?

 

[silo]

Was the MSRP pricing available to all or to you individually because you had a trade they wanted?

As mentioned, he posted it wide on FB, available to all. Nothing special about me or my trade. To quote his FB post:

'NEW 2023 FORD MAVERICK HYBRID MSRP+FEE+TAX WILL SELL EXTREMELY FAST'

 

[Mav_RICK]

As mentioned, he posted it wide on FB, available to all. Nothing special about me or my trade. To quote his FB post:

'NEW 2023 FORD MAVERICK HYBRID MSRP+FEE+TAX WILL SELL EXTREMELY FAST'

Excellent. I hope that’s a sign that supply has finally caught up with demand. I think you did very good. Congrats on your new Maverick!

 

[silo]

Excellent. I hope that’s a sign that supply has finally caught up with demand. I think you did very good. Congrats on your new Maverick!

We shall see, it could very well be. At the very least, perhaps everyone should start thinking even harder about their willingness to pay mark-ups at this point...

 

[silo]

Looks like you're in KC; I hope you enjoyed your visit to Wichita. What I hear is that you bought a hybrid off the lot at Mel Hambelton and paid MSRP, plus a slightly inflated but, in my opinion, not terribly overpriced protection package. I didn't buy either of my Mavericks from Mel Hambelton, but I'm familiar with them *and* I did pay $795 doc fee for trucks purchased at Rusty Eck and Don Hattan. So, I'd remove the $795 from your list of cons; that's typical.

Front door tint on the open market in Wichita is $80-120. Door edges $40-50 if someone will do it by itself; PPF shops typically want at least a hood edge and door cups to go with it.

So, that all sounds good, and it's far better than anyone in California would have been able to get locally.

Correction on the doc fee. I overstated it at $795, it's actually $752.50. (I should have looked at my own paperwork.)

 

[Onceaneagle]

Kansas tint law requires 35% or more light transmission on side and rear windows and on the windshield only above the AS1 line, and be nonreflective. Police have light detection meters, will ticket, and force removal. BTW, tinting is an expensive ADM joke, as it only darkens the glass for privacy. What you want is nano ceramic window film, not tinting, which cuts the UV up to 97% or more depending on what you pay for, protects the interior, and keeps the vehicle cooler. I have it on my F150 and will never get another vehicle without having it professionally installed. Four years, no peeling, no bubbles, no streaks, no interior fade, no cracked leather seats or dash, noticeably cooler in summer. Whole truck was $650 total for XPEl nano @ 95% UV protected with an "eyebrow" at the top of the windshield.

 

[colinl]

Kansas tint law requires 35% or more light transmission on side and rear windows and on the windshield only above the AS1 line, and be nonreflective. Police have light detection meters, will ticket, and force removal.

you picked a really strange thread to reply to, being 2 years old and mostly irrelevant to this or whatever point you were hoping to make.

I have had 20% tint on my front doors on every vehicle I've owned the past 25 years and never been ticketed or forced to remove it. I currently have a windshield brow on my Bronco that is slightly past the AS1 line.

 

[Onceaneagle]

you picked a really strange thread to reply to, being 2 years old and mostly irrelevant to this or whatever point you were hoping to make.

I have had 20% tint on my front doors on every vehicle I've owned the past 25 years and never been ticketed or forced to remove it. I currently have a windshield brow on my Bronco that is slightly past the AS1 line.

Points: Sorry I wasn't clear. The post I responded to mentioned a Ford dealership in Wichita that still puts window tint (and door edge guards) on all new vehicles to increase their profit. First, that questionable practice is still relevant to current buyers because they should not pay for that or any ADM, if they did not want it. Second, window tint is not the same as window film, as I explained above. Tint is for privacy, film is for UV protection. Look up the XPEL website, for details. I use XPEL nano ceramic film and it is awesome stuff. Third, the Kansas State police have pulled over not just residents but also out of State vehicles because of tint too dark to see inside, especially windshields. Cars I know of are from California or Arizona. Don't know if they got tickets or warnings but I have seen police in Wichita parking lots with light meters giving out citations.

 

[colinl]

I would definitely agree that a driver is taking a risk whenever driving with window tint that exceeds state law, but the way you said it strongly suggested it would be a problem in Kansas, and my significant experience is that it is not. if you get a ticket for speeding and you have 5% limo tint, yes, expect a citation.

if you're just driving around, no, you certainly will not get stopped for it. even the limo tint. hell kansas isn't even stopping people for expired tags anymore, which I strongly disagree with.

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