Dealer to Avoid - James Ford in Half Moon Bay, CA

[jramaccio]

I've been lurking around this forum for a while and reading about ADMs and deposits and the fact that the good dealers charge for neither one.

I finally submitted a reservation earlier today for an EcoBoost XL in Area 51, with Co-Pilot360, sliding rear window, and full size spare.

I got a call about 30 minutes later from James Ford in Half Moon Bay. Let me preface that I checked their website and not a single car had an Additional Dealer Markup so I thought I could avoid any nonsense, but I was wrong.

I forget the saleman's name but he asks me if I have any questions. I explain that I'm on a couple of forums and I have no questions and just want to submit the order. He asks "what did you order? " I explain I reserved exactly what I wanted in the request and ask "you don't have it?" He plays dumb and says oh maybe my boss got the request, but then immediately starts listing my order and options. Why he played this game is beyond me, but it gets better.

I also explained that my reservation was an X Plan reservation. He says, "what's that?" At this point I'm completely floored that a Ford employee doesn't know, but in retrospect he was playing dumb all along. So I tell him X Plan price is about 2% below MSRP.

He starts to him and haw. He says yeah "this is kind of tough we only make about $500 per truck/order the way Ford set it up."

He tells me that usually they ask for additional dealer mark up of $2000, (then whispers) but since I'm local they could do it for an ADM of $500. Then he says maybe you want to think about it and come back with a different number since they'll be putting in the order with a high priority and watching it along the way.

I literally needed to take a shower after hearing all of the sleazy car sales talk and BS.

I told him I'd think about it and get back to him, but didn't tell him I would share with the maverick truck club forum.

So in short, this was my experience with James Ford in Half Moon Bay, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area locale.
Others may have different experiences but this was mine.

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[WesM]

Makes me really happy that some of the good dealerships like Chapman are on the forums and I live close enough that I can pickup the truck from them. I went into a new car dealership once... lets just say they lived up to their reputation.

My brother is a car salesman and tried to tell me his dealership has a $5k markup on almost all vehicles... It may very well have that, but I wont be taking my business there!

 

[CoryDallas8123]

I've been lurking around this forum for a while and reading about ADMs and deposits and the fact that the good dealers charge for neither one.

I finally submitted a reservation earlier today for an EcoBoost XL in Area 51, with Co-Pilot360, sliding rear window, and full size spare.

I got a call about 30 minutes later from James Ford in Half Moon Bay. Let me preface that I checked their website and not a single car had an Additional Dealer Markup so I thought I could avoid any nonsense, but I was wrong.

I forget the saleman's name but he asks me if I have any questions. I explain that I'm on a couple of forums and I have no questions and just want to submit the order. He asks "what did you order? " I explain I reserved exactly what I wanted in the request and ask "you don't have it?" He plays dumb and says oh maybe my boss got the request, but then immediately starts listing my order and options. Why he played this game is beyond me, but it gets better.

I also explained that my reservation was an X Plan reservation. He says, "what's that?" At this point I'm completely floored that a Ford employee doesn't know, but in retrospect he was playing dumb all along. So I tell him X Plan price is about 2% below MSRP.

He starts to him and haw. He says yeah "this is kind of tough we only make about $500 per truck/order the way Ford set it up."

He tells me that usually they ask for additional dealer mark up of $2000, (then whispers) but since I'm local they could do it for an ADM of $500. Then he says maybe you want to think about it and come back with a different number since they'll be putting in the order with a high priority and watching it along the way.

I literally needed to take a shower after hearing all of the sleazy car sales talk and BS.

I told him I'd think about it and get back to him, but didn't tell him I would share with the maverick truck club forum.

So in short, this was my experience with James Ford in Half Moon Bay, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area locale.
Others may have different experiences but this was mine.

Sorry to hear that. Long McArthur in Salina, KS is the real deal. MSRP, $299 fee, free delivery(not dealer to dealer), and 100% responsive to every request. Ordered late July and they submitted with priority code 10 without question.

There are others saying someone in PA offering 4% under invoice. Sounds great too.

In 2021 there is 0 need to order local in my opinion. Especially if you’re being pushed around.

Best of luck!

 

[CoryDallas8123]

Makes me really happy that some of the good dealerships like Chapman are on the forums and I live close enough that I can pickup the truck from them. I went into a new car dealership once... lets just say they lived up to their reputation.

My brother is a car salesman and tried to tell me his dealership has a $5k markup on almost all vehicles... It may very well have that, but I wont be taking my business there!

Crazy to hear how the new car market has been flipped 100%.

When I was a kid, 90’s, my dad taught me to never pay MSRP now MSRP is the standard and if you pay over you’re the sucker.

Just crazy. I miss the good ole days that I never got to experience.

 

[WesM]

Crazy to hear how the new car market has been flipped 100%.

When I was a kid, 90’s, my dad taught me to never pay MSRP now MSRP is the standard and if you pay over you’re the sucker.

Just crazy. I miss the good ole days that I never got to experience.

Yeah I have never seen something like this before. I never bought a new vehicle before, but with the prices used are selling at, the maverick actually makes sense to buy new.

 

[jramaccio]

Sorry to hear that. Long McArthur in Salina, KS is the real deal. MSRP, $299 fee, free delivery(not dealer to dealer), and 100% responsive to every request. Ordered late July and they submitted with priority code 10 without question.

There are others saying someone in PA offering 4% under invoice. Sounds great too.

In 2021 there is 0 need to order local in my opinion. Especially if you’re being pushed around.

Best of luck!

Thanks

 

[jramaccio]

Yeah I have never seen something like this before. I never bought a new vehicle before, but with the prices used is are selling at, the maverick actually makes sense to buy new.

Same Here

 

[06Warrior]

I would of told him to stick the “ADM” where the sun don’t shine and that I would happily take my business elsewhere.

I hope these stealerships go out of business quick.

Im using Chapman with 4% below invoice pricing. If I have to fly up and drive it back I will. I’ll give my business to a company that deserves it.

 

[mrrk47]

I've been lurking around this forum for a while and reading about ADMs and deposits and the fact that the good dealers charge for neither one.

I finally submitted a reservation earlier today for an EcoBoost XL in Area 51, with Co-Pilot360, sliding rear window, and full size spare.

I got a call about 30 minutes later from James Ford in Half Moon Bay. Let me preface that I checked their website and not a single car had an Additional Dealer Markup so I thought I could avoid any nonsense, but I was wrong.

I forget the saleman's name but he asks me if I have any questions. I explain that I'm on a couple of forums and I have no questions and just want to submit the order. He asks "what did you order? " I explain I reserved exactly what I wanted in the request and ask "you don't have it?" He plays dumb and says oh maybe my boss got the request, but then immediately starts listing my order and options. Why he played this game is beyond me, but it gets better.

I also explained that my reservation was an X Plan reservation. He says, "what's that?" At this point I'm completely floored that a Ford employee doesn't know, but in retrospect he was playing dumb all along. So I tell him X Plan price is about 2% below MSRP.

He starts to him and haw. He says yeah "this is kind of tough we only make about $500 per truck/order the way Ford set it up."

He tells me that usually they ask for additional dealer mark up of $2000, (then whispers) but since I'm local they could do it for an ADM of $500. Then he says maybe you want to think about it and come back with a different number since they'll be putting in the order with a high priority and watching it along the way.

I literally needed to take a shower after hearing all of the sleazy car sales talk and BS.

I told him I'd think about it and get back to him, but didn't tell him I would share with the maverick truck club forum.

So in short, this was my experience with James Ford in Half Moon Bay, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area locale.
Others may have different experiences but this was mine.

Did you find another dealer to place your deposit?

 

[jramaccio]

Yes I found Putnam Ford in San Mateo and they seem to be honest. They quoted the X Plan price and sent me an itemized quote.

 

[jramaccio]

They also did not ask for a deposit of any kind. They needed me to sign the deposit form but no payment info was entered

 

[Maybe It's Maverick]

Yes I found Putnam Ford in San Mateo and they seem to be honest. They quoted the X Plan price and sent me an itemized quote.

It's a little further from you, but Future Ford in Roseville has been good to me so far. They said no mark up for pre-ordered Mavericks and the invoice reflected that.

Edit: They did ask for a refundable $500 deposit, which I was okay with.

 

[Emily-Perkins]

I actually had a similar experience where the "build manager" asked what I wanted for my build (I had built and reserved it online and they scheduled a time for me to come in and finalize) I looked at him and told him he should have my build already and asked who I had given my build to. I informed him that it was online on the ford website and that I had selected this dealership as the one I wanted to order through (closest available : maybe a mistake) He told me he didn't have it, at which point I stated that it would be absolutely stupid for Ford to have a build tool on their website and to submit it to a dealer, if they weren't actually going to send it to them. At which point he was "finally able to find it" in the system. Then tried to tell me I couldn't get the 17" wheels I wanted and that it would only allow the 18" wheels. Again I called his BS and.. you guessed it.. "The system must have been acting up because it wouldn't let me select the 17" option, but it worked that time"

Contemplating putting in another reservation else where since this dealer doesn't seem to know his stuff.

 

[BDennis]

Be sure that you ensure that there are no dealer add ons like paint and fabric protection, blinking brake lights, nitrogen filled tires………

 

[jramaccio]

I actually had a similar experience where the "build manager" asked what I wanted for my build (I had built and reserved it online and they scheduled a time for me to come in and finalize) I looked at him and told him he should have my build already and asked who I had given my build to. I informed him that it was online on the ford website and that I had selected this dealership as the one I wanted to order through (closest available : maybe a mistake) He told me he didn't have it, at which point I stated that it would be absolutely stupid for Ford to have a build tool on their website and to submit it to a dealer, if they weren't actually going to send it to them. At which point he was "finally able to find it" in the system. Then tried to tell me I couldn't get the 17" wheels I wanted and that it would only allow the 18" wheels. Again I called his BS and.. you guessed it.. "The system must have been acting up because it wouldn't let me select the 17" option, but it worked that time"

Contemplating putting in another reservation else where since this dealer doesn't seem to know his stuff.

I think the dealer is playing games with you and trying to upsell. Generally speaking in my experience you'll probably see more tricks come your way.

As BDennis mentions above like paint protection/nitrogen tires. I have a feeling that the "paperwork fee" at this dealership will be in the 100s of dollars when it comes time to settle up.

If your gut is giving you an uneasy feeling you should look elsewhere.

That's what I did

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