Wait for a post purchase refund check for price protection?

[A Sturdy Beast]

Yesterday I brought home my Maverick. The finance guy said I do have price protection, but he wouldn’t give me the $500 off the purchase price. Instead, he says I will get a check from Ford in 90 days. Is the price protection commonly done this way?

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[foulbeast]

This is how it worked for me. I got a check from the dealer about 90 days after purchase.

 

[A Sturdy Beast]

This is how it worked for me. I got a check from the dealer about 90 days after purchase.

Thank you! I have no previous experience with the dealer, so I had some small concern that I was about to get screwed.

 

[Last Truck Ever]

I could be wrong, but doesn't this help the dealer and hurt the customer, don't you pay tax on the price after tradeins and discounts and such, so you pay taxes at the higher sale price?

I also confess to not understanding why it seems this is the minority, that most dealers do not have the customer wait for this, or so it seems reading through comments here for some time now. Why is it "optional" at the dealer level to take it off or make the customer wait for yet another thing?

 

[Old Man]

Because the dealer bought the vehicle from Ford not the customer. Price protection is an incentive from Ford to have the dealer help the customer if it is the same customer that ordered the vehicle but they give the money to the dealer 45 - 90 sales after confirmed sale so bad or ignorant dealers may keep it.

 

[kenlusaka]

Yesterday I brought home my Maverick. The finance guy said I do have price protection, but he wouldn’t give me the $500 off the purchase price. Instead, he says I will get a check from Ford in 90 days. Is the price protection commonly done this way?

I was given the price protection discount on the day of delivery. It wasn't included at first - but when I asked for it - they reworked the numbers until the price protection and X-plan discounts were incorporated. My tax was calculated after the incentive and price protection were applied so I saved a little bit there.

On the other hand, the private offer/rebate of $2,750 (to offset the price increase from MY22 to MY23) was deducted post tax.

At least, that was my experience back in April.

 

[Grumpa]

I was given the price protection discount on the day of delivery. It wasn't included at first - but when I asked for it - they reworked the numbers until the price protection and X-plan discounts were incorporated. My tax was calculated after the incentive and price protection were applied so I saved a little bit there.

On the other hand, the private offer/rebate of $2,750 (to offset the price increase from MY22 to MY23) was deducted post tax.

At least, that was my experience back in April.

It is my understanding Ford dealer gets their $$ back in 45 days? Something sounds fishy!

 

[A Sturdy Beast]

I could be wrong, but doesn't this help the dealer and hurt the customer, don't you pay tax on the price after tradeins and discounts and such, so you pay taxes at the higher sale price?

I also confess to not understanding why it seems this is the minority, that most dealers do not have the customer wait for this, or so it seems reading through comments here for some time now. Why is it "optional" at the dealer level to take it off or make the customer wait for yet another thing?

You’re right, getting it on the day of purchase would have been better. It looks like it is the dealer’s option to provide it day of sale or make the customer wait. But as long as the check shows up I’ll be happy. After all, yesterday I brought home my unicorn XL Hybrid with a hitch and there were no stupid dealer add ons.

Assuming they don’t refund the sales tax, in my case it will only be about a $25 difference. They took my $500 Farm Bureau rebate on the spot with no complaint, so I guess it is my turn to not complain about a $500 price protection on my XL. As long as the check eventually shows up.

 

[A Sturdy Beast]

I was given the price protection discount on the day of delivery. It wasn't included at first - but when I asked for it - they reworked the numbers until the price protection and X-plan discounts were incorporated. My tax was calculated after the incentive and price protection were applied so I saved a little bit there.

On the other hand, the private offer/rebate of $2,750 (to offset the price increase from MY22 to MY23) was deducted post tax.

At least, that was my experience back in April.

I definitely noticed unexpected purchase price increase and asked about it. But he (finance) said I had protection but I’d have to wait for the check. Worst case, I wasn’t willing to walk away over $500. But I might have given them a scorched earth survey.

 

[jsus]

On the other hand, the private offer/rebate of $2,750 (to offset the price increase from MY22 to MY23) was deducted post tax.

The incentive/"private offer" is essentially a rebate from Ford passed through the dealership to you. Because of that, it's subject to how your state's sales tax laws handle rebates. Generally that means it's taxed - think about the old school "mail-in rebate", you usually don't get a tax refund on those.

Price protection applied at the time of purchase, however, is simply a "discount" on the purchase price (which is negotiable in normal times anyway). Thus, not generally taxed.

 

[Mabcim]

The rollover price protection is like a rebate, so that is after taxes.

The price protection, when prices go up within the same model year, is the price you pay. So that would be before tax. Dealer should honor the price when you ordered (for the current model year). Good dealers do that, mine did. So in that case, if they are sending you a check later, you are out the tax difference.

 

[Saltboy]

My dealer charged me exactly what was on the signed order I submitted. The 2023 price increase and D&D increase were not added on. My cost was five or six hundred less than sticker. They took off my Farm Bureau discount as well. I did not use xplan because dealer said that would nullify my price protection Rock Hill Ford in SC.

 

[KevCuRaoi]

I could be wrong, but doesn't this help the dealer and hurt the customer, don't you pay tax on the price after tradeins and discounts and such, so you pay taxes at the higher sale price?

I also confess to not understanding why it seems this is the minority, that most dealers do not have the customer wait for this, or so it seems reading through comments here for some time now. Why is it "optional" at the dealer level to take it off or make the customer wait for yet another thing?

Price protection is for the dealer, not the customer. Dealers don't have to offer it to customers.

Ford quite frequently doesn't pay dealers for price protection.... it is supposed to be automatic, but glitches happen, and they aren't easy to resolve.

Many dealers will only refund the customer after they get the funds from Ford. But many also will do this upfront.

 

[KevCuRaoi]

Yesterday I brought home my Maverick. The finance guy said I do have price protection, but he wouldn’t give me the $500 off the purchase price. Instead, he says I will get a check from Ford in 90 days. Is the price protection commonly done this way?

To be clear, you won't receive a check from Ford. You'll receive a check from the dealer.

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