Was I Taken For A Ride?

[Long Time Ford Guy]

There's an old saying: if you buy a car from a friend, he will no longer be your friend. That being said, I just want to make sure my "friend" didn't pull a fast one on me at the time of sale. I always hated buying a car anywhere, my entire life, because I enter the dealership just knowing I will be lied to (and believe me, I caught more than one salesman lying in the past). Anyway, I just purchased a 2025 Maverick base model, the one that looks like a white fleet style vehicle, the esthetics of which, believe it or not, I actually prefer. The sticker was about $29,500 and it was so new it wasn't listed in inventory. No frills.

It started this way: the night before, at a friend's house, the "pitch" was "Oh yeah, I can get you a Maverick for about $22,000.-$25,000 You trading in your truck (a 2020 Dodge Ram Warlock with 41,800 miles, great condition)?" he asked. I said yes. He did a quick lookup on his phone and said, "Oh! We can give you about $28 $29 k for your truck!" Swell, I was on my way for a new car purchase.

Next morning, oh how the story had changed! "I was wrong about your truck, sorry. I accidentally looked up a much more expensive version of your truck and thought it was your model." Uhhhh huh. Okay, I looked past that. Then, when I saw the sticker, it was $29,500. So I asked "I thought you quoted 22 to 25!" He replied, "I just found out we're not discounting these!" Okayyyyyyyy. So, he put the deal on the table: my trade in plus 7K. I countered with my trade in plus 5k. He counter offered my trade in with 6K. I took it. So, I drove off the lot with a 2025 Maverick that cost me sticker price with 6K cash down and 23,500 for my 2020 Ram.

QUESTION: Is this guy my friend? (He said they gave me the "deal" on my trade in).

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[commadorebob]

Don't account to malice that which can be attributed to incompetence.

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

Don't account to malice that which can be attributed to incompetence.

So then HE was bamboozled by HIS sales manager?

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

I am beginning to think I didn't get a bad deal nor a good deal. Just an "ok" deal. Should I have not hoped for my friend doing the best deal for me in the first place?

 

[commadorebob]

He might have just been wrong. But as you said, don't buy from friends since it messes with your objectivity. I have the same rule with family. I want to reserve the right to be pissed off at them without making Thanksgiving awkward. So, I simply do not engage in commerce with close friends or family.

If you still have the VIN, you can look up the trade-in value of your old truck on KBB. If it is close and you paid sticker, then you weren't technically "taken for a ride." You likely just spent more than planned.

Chalk that up to "stupid tax" and learn for next time.

 

[Maverick123]

Should have checked with another dealer to get a 2nd quote on your Dodge's actual value

Without that, it's tough to say how good or bad the deal is.

PS: your "friend" should've been able to get you SOME discount. I got a pretty good discount off mine even though I special-ordered it in prime season when nobody else was giving ANY discounts whatsoever. There's always a bit of leeway in the pricing

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

He might have just been wrong. But as you said, don't buy from friends since it messes with your objectivity. I have the same rule with family. I want to reserve the right to be pissed off at them without making Thanksgiving awkward. So, I simply do not engage in commerce with close friends or family.

If you still have the VIN, you can look up the trade-in value of your old truck on KBB. If it is close and you paid sticker, then you weren't technically "taken for a ride." You likely just spent more than planned.

Chalk that up to "stupid tax" and learn for next time.

Yeah, I suppose so. I did the math: $23,500 for my 2020 Dodge Ram and $6K cash down. That covers the $29,500 sticker price.. Who do I keep seeing deals for this Maverick model NOT at 29,500 but, closer to 25-26K?

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

Should have checked with another dealer to get a 2nd quote on your Dodge's actual value

Without that, it's tough to say how good or bad the deal is.

PS: your "friend" should've been able to get you SOME discount. I got a discount off mine even though I special-ordered it in prime season when nobody else was giving ANY discounts whatsoever. There's always a bit of leeway in the pricing

I believe he might have mentioned a $1,000 rebate somewhere in there. OH, and he said I was getting a "deal" because it was the last day of the month and they had to move ten Mavericks before end of shift.

 

[Cherokee]

I am beginning to think I didn't get a bad deal nor a good deal. Just an "ok" deal. Should I have not hoped for my friend doing the best deal for me in the first place?

Your friend can do nothing other than what he is allowed to do by the dealer.
It’s a done deal, move on.

What I don’t like about your, ‘deal’

$29,500 for a base XL,
$$4,000 more for an XLT
My Loaded Lariat was $36,000

These numbers mean nothing but trade in value and used value will fall faster on an XL than more loaded models.
Your ok but getting out of that XL, we’ll just be ready to get Gob smacked.

Now go enjoy your Maverick.

 

[commadorebob]

No idea. Maverick starts at $28K and Ford currently isn't offering any deals on Maverick. So, anything less than that has to be dealer-based deals.

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

I just checked the J.D. Power website which indicated I received a high trade in value price for my pickup. So, I guess my question really happens to be: should I have paid sticker?

 

[Suzukiridr14]

There's an old saying: if you buy a car from a friend, he will no longer be your friend. That being said, I just want to make sure my "friend" didn't pull a fast one on me at the time of sale. I always hated buying a car anywhere, my entire life, because I enter the dealership just knowing I will be lied to (and believe me, I caught more than one salesman lying in the past). Anyway, I just purchased a 2025 Maverick base model, the one that looks like a white fleet style vehicle, the esthetics of which, believe it or not, I actually prefer. The sticker was about $29,500 and it was so new it wasn't listed in inventory. No frills.

It started this way: the night before, at a friend's house, the "pitch" was "Oh yeah, I can get you a Maverick for about $22,000.-$25,000 You trading in your truck (a 2020 Dodge Ram Warlock with 41,800 miles, great condition)?" he asked. I said yes. He did a quick lookup on his phone and said, "Oh! We can give you about $28 $29 k for your truck!" Swell, I was on my way for a new car purchase.

Next morning, oh how the story had changed! "I was wrong about your truck, sorry. I accidentally looked up a much more expensive version of your truck and thought it was your model." Uhhhh huh. Okay, I looked past that. Then, when I saw the sticker, it was $29,500. So I asked "I thought you quoted 22 to 25!" He replied, "I just found out we're not discounting these!" Okayyyyyyyy. So, he put the deal on the table: my trade in plus 7K. I countered with my trade in plus 5k. He counter offered my trade in with 6K. I took it. So, I drove off the lot with a 2025 Maverick that cost me sticker price with 6K cash down and 23,500 for my 2020 Ram.

QUESTION: Is this guy my friend? (He said they gave me the "deal" on my trade in).

He's a car salesmen. The rule is to get you into the dealership, show you something you want, then "set the hook" and start reeling you in. That's exactly what he did. "NO he's not your friend!

 

[lajlmt]

There's an old saying: if you buy a car from a friend, he will no longer be your friend. That being said, I just want to make sure my "friend" didn't pull a fast one on me at the time of sale. I always hated buying a car anywhere, my entire life, because I enter the dealership just knowing I will be lied to (and believe me, I caught more than one salesman lying in the past). Anyway, I just purchased a 2025 Maverick base model, the one that looks like a white fleet style vehicle, the esthetics of which, believe it or not, I actually prefer. The sticker was about $29,500 and it was so new it wasn't listed in inventory. No frills.

It started this way: the night before, at a friend's house, the "pitch" was "Oh yeah, I can get you a Maverick for about $22,000.-$25,000 You trading in your truck (a 2020 Dodge Ram Warlock with 41,800 miles, great condition)?" he asked. I said yes. He did a quick lookup on his phone and said, "Oh! We can give you about $28 $29 k for your truck!" Swell, I was on my way for a new car purchase.

Next morning, oh how the story had changed! "I was wrong about your truck, sorry. I accidentally looked up a much more expensive version of your truck and thought it was your model." Uhhhh huh. Okay, I looked past that. Then, when I saw the sticker, it was $29,500. So I asked "I thought you quoted 22 to 25!" He replied, "I just found out we're not discounting these!" Okayyyyyyyy. So, he put the deal on the table: my trade in plus 7K. I countered with my trade in plus 5k. He counter offered my trade in with 6K. I took it. So, I drove off the lot with a 2025 Maverick that cost me sticker price with 6K cash down and 23,500 for my 2020 Ram.

QUESTION: Is this guy my friend? (He said they gave me the "deal" on my trade in).

Run! Go to a reputable dealer!

 

[commadorebob]

I just checked the J.D. Power website which indicated I received a high trade in value price for my pickup. So, I guess my question really happens to be: should I have paid sticker?

Sticker is about what you are paying on Maverick nowadays. Especially for XL.

 

[Long Time Ford Guy]

Your friend can do nothing other than what he is allowed to do by the dealer.
It’s a done deal, move on.

What I don’t like about your, ‘deal’

$29,500 for a base XL,
$$4,000 more for an XLT
My Loaded Lariat was $36,000

These numbers mean nothing but trade in value and used value will fall faster on an XL than more loaded models.
Your ok but getting out of that XL, we’ll just be ready to get Gob smacked.

Now go enjoy your Maverick.

I appreciate your candor. I usually keep cars ten years or more (my 2010 Toyota Rav 4 Sport runs like it just drove off the new car lot! Fit, finish and steering still tight as a drum! Paint is in bad shape but the engine and drive train handle brand new! Then again, I serviced the thing every 5K miles!). As for my new Maverick, well, I didn't need a new car since my 2020 Dodge Ram Warlock (6 cyl, 41,800k miles) looked and drove just fine. However, the better gas mileage with a four cylinder engine beckoned me like the Sirens in Greek mythology so I bought the Maverick. You know, with the exception of the computer powered auto features, I love the way this thing drives and handles. If I don't pay attention, the speedometer sneaks up past 75!

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