Advice on Build and Pricing

[jsphlynch]

I'll check into this. I know my way around under a hood, for the most part, but I'm a bit more skeptical about installing something that could fail pretty catastrophically if I don't do it right. That said, I've thought a lot of things were too complicated until I tried them, so thanks for the suggestion!

Check out this post:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...ler-hitch-installation-2019-ford-ranger.5137/

Super easy. Took me less than an hour, and that includes deciding part way through that I wanted to use threadlocker, so I had to run to the store to get some. Depending on what you're towing, you might also need a wiring harness to have the right plug (stock without tow package is a 4-pin flat connector), but there's plug and play options available.

I've done ~3000 miles of towing, and no catastrophic failure yet!

Glad to hear there's another Hoosier who's had to look for this setup. I'd love to have the 4x4, of course, but there's really no reason for me to, especially at that price point.

It was immensely frustrating. The sales guy actually didn't even know the locker was a standalone option, and the computer system wouldn't let him search nearby inventory using it as a search criteria. Biggest difference between your search and mine is that I was looking for an XL with 101a. Scouring dealership websites I could only find 3 with the rear locker within 100 miles of me! In the end I got 4x4 instead, as my local dealer had one that had been on the lot for several months that I was able to get a really good deal on.

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[VAMike]

-Also, am I undervaluing any of the other FX2 features? Is it worth the extra $175 based on my preferences?

No, it's mostly an appearance package that's not fully equivalent to the FX4 package in terms of underbody protection. If you don't care for the appearance, just get the locker.

 

[greypilgrim76]

No, it's mostly an appearance package that's not fully equivalent to the FX4 package in terms of underbody protection. If you don't care for the appearance, just get the locker.

Nothing besides the locker seems important to me, and I've heard from some people (including earlier in this thread) that I might actively dislike the offroad suspension on the highway, which'll be most of my driving.

 

[Motorpsychology]

Looks like a very practical build. Very similar to what I was looking for before I found mine. Since you're already looking getting some of your "wants" taken care of after-market, I do want to point out that you could save some cash by forgoing the trailer tow package and instead adding an aftermarket receiver and wiring harness. I do think the factor receiver looks a little better than than the Curt and Drawtite options, but I was able to get the Drawtite for a little over $100 and install it in my driveway.

She could be right. One thing that I found when looking for mine is that the stand-alone rear locker is somewhat of a unicorn in Indiana. You can probably find a "better deal" by finding a nice dealer stock vehicle that they're having trouble getting rid of, but you'll surely have to make some compromises on the options, especially with such limited stock of trucks with the rear locker option

This is the part that worries me about your deal. Maybe people who special-ordered a truck can chime in with their experience, but for factory rebates I think you get whatever is Ford is offering when you formally buy your vehicle (so when you sign the papers after it arrives). I'm certain that you will not be able to double-dip by taking the current incentive and adding on whatever comes up later.

Pretty sure they won't.

You might be able to get them to discount additional equipment. Before I agreed on a price for mine (which I was buying via X-plan, so the dealership was limited on how they could sweeten the deal), they offered me a bed extender at half price. My guess is that would have meant they would have been selling it to me at about their cost, so it wasn't really costing them anything to add this as an incentive. Maybe you can similarly negotiate in some of these extras that you're planning on adding anyway?

I ordered mine in February and I will receive either the rebate that was in place then or whatever rebate is in place when it is delivered mid-May, whichever is higher. Your best deal during the model year usually is on an ordered vehicle. The dealer pays no interest on it unlike all of their inventory. Model year-end is the best time to buy an existing vehicle as there is usually the most factory to dealer incentives in place at that time, and the highest consumer rebates.
Invoice on new vehicles is less in real dollars and far less as a percentage than it was back in the 80's and 90's when I was selling cars. The manufacturers are controlling final pricing more thru rebates and private offers these days.

 

[AdamHarris]

I cared nothing about ordering and looked online at existing inventory until I found one as close as possible to exactly what I wanted. Lucked out w a 2920 Xlt FX4 sport ap.pkg that had been on the lot for 96 days. I think the fact that it was listed as an fx2 online but was actually an fx4 helped it not sell (at least not to anyone viewing it on the web). Got it for 33,500 OTD not counting tax. They defiantly don’t sit there and get more expensive as the msrp on this one was 39,800.

 

[greypilgrim76]

So I've got a bit of new info and a couple of new questions. (Thanks for all the feedback so far!)

First, I found this on Ford's website under their custom-order FAQ:

This seems to confirm that you can use either the incentives at time of order or swap them out for new ones when the truck arrives.

Second, I also found this on Ford's custom-order page:

So I read this as saying that I can get an additional $500 incentive for custom-ordering a Ranger. Is that how everyone else reads it, or am I missing something? ("Exclusions apply. See dealer for complete details," of course, makes it seem less than rock-solid, but I'm assuming it's still likely this would work?)

Finally, some exhaustive searching for deals online has led me down the rabbit-hole of PCOs. I feel like I've gotten a good sense of how arbitrary and random they can be, so I'm not going to ask anyone here to explain all the ways to possibly get them. I think I've put everything in place that I can to get a snail-mail or email PCO, but if any of you get the elusive "pop-up" that lets you enter someone else's info for an instant PCO (and if you're not going to use it, of course), please feel free to let me know and I'll happily pass my info on to you to see if it'll work for me.

Thanks again for all the advice so far. It's gone a long way toward convincing me my basic build is sound, and that the deal I'm closing in on is a good, if not necessarily spectacular, one.

 

[greypilgrim76]

So I read this as saying that I can get an additional $500 incentive for custom-ordering a Ranger. Is that how everyone else reads it, or am I missing something? ("Exclusions apply. See dealer for complete details," of course, makes it seem less than rock-solid, but I'm assuming it's still likely this would work?)

Update: I checked with my salesperson and she said that yes, this offer does apply and stack with other incentives. Even better, it's taken off the price pre-tax, so for me, it's really a $535 price reduction!

 

[greypilgrim76]

Final(ish) update: so after going back and forth with the salesperson and pricing a variety of trucks on their lot, on other lots, and ordered directly from Ford, here's what we've settled on:

XLT SuperCrew 4x2
Cactus Gray
302A Package
Trailer Tow Package
Sport Appearance Package
Technology Package
Locking Rear Differential
$35,554.50 OTD

Honestly, I had no intention of getting anything other than the base 300A XLT with the tow package and rear locker, but the more I saw what I could add less than $50/month added to the payment, I decided that for the first time in my life I'm going to get a vehicle with all the options I actually want and then drive the wheels off the thing. As far as I can tell, I'm getting it at 10% off MSRP, which doesn't seem bad considering that most other dealerships around here I talked to are selling their trucks at MSRP due to a stock shortage. Maybe not a deal I'll tell my kids about, but one I can definitely live with while I'm paying it off.

Thanks, all, for your advice as I sorted through my options. I'm sure I'll be jumping into other threads with other questions, but I'm really looking forward to posting a pic when the time comes!

-Chris

PS--The salesperson says they'll honor any valid PCO when the truck arrives, so if anyone gets that magical pop-up and doesn't need it, just let me know and I'll send my info your way. (And, of course, if the same happens to me after I get the truck, I'll be happy to share it!)

 

[Trustable]

Final(ish) update: so after going back and forth with the salesperson and pricing a variety of trucks on their lot, on other lots, and ordered directly from Ford, here's what we've settled on:

XLT SuperCrew 4x2
Cactus Gray
302A Package
Trailer Tow Package
Sport Appearance Package
Technology Package
Locking Rear Differential
$35,554.50 OTD

Honestly, I had no intention of getting anything other than the base 300A XLT with the tow package and rear locker, but the more I saw what I could add less than $50/month added to the payment, I decided that for the first time in my life I'm going to get a vehicle with all the options I actually want and then drive the wheels off the thing. As far as I can tell, I'm getting it at 10% off MSRP, which doesn't seem bad considering that most other dealerships around here I talked to are selling their trucks at MSRP due to a stock shortage. Maybe not a deal I'll tell my kids about, but one I can definitely live with while I'm paying it off.

Thanks, all, for your advice as I sorted through my options. I'm sure I'll be jumping into other threads with other questions, but I'm really looking forward to posting a pic when the time comes!

-Chris

PS--The salesperson says they'll honor any valid PCO when the truck arrives, so if anyone gets that magical pop-up and doesn't need it, just let me know and I'll send my info your way. (And, of course, if the same happens to me after I get the truck, I'll be happy to share it!)

I dont know if you have any family members or friends who work for Ford, but if your not the haggling type (I am not), you can get xplan pricing or a plan if you have family that works for Ford. For xplan the easiest way is to just know of someone that works for Ford, could be a friend, neighbors brother, something like that. The other way is to join Mustang Club of America, which gives you xplan for 25 bucks. But the 10% off msrp sounds like x plan as well, sounds like you got a decent deal no matter what you choose!

 

[greypilgrim76]

I dont know if you have any family members or friends who work for Ford, but if your not the haggling type (I am not), you can get xplan pricing or a plan if you have family that works for Ford. For xplan the easiest way is to just know of someone that works for Ford, could be a friend, neighbors brother, something like that. The other way is to join Mustang Club of America, which gives you xplan for 25 bucks. But the 10% off msrp sounds like x plan as well, sounds like you got a decent deal no matter what you choose!

Yeah, if my math comes out right, my deal actually comes in just a hair under X-Plan pricing. (Though I'm an English teacher, so there's never a guarantee that my math comes out right.)

 

[Trustable]

Yeah, if my math comes out right, my deal actually comes in just a hair under X-Plan pricing. (Though I'm an English teacher, so there's never a guarantee that my math comes out right.)

Ha ha! Thankfully someone in my family has always worked for Ford, so I've done A plan. I just picked up a couple of things about X plan back when I was on the bronco6g forums and all in on the Bronco. Boy, how that changed... Maybe one day! Glad you were able to put in an order though and get pricing figured out!

 

[greypilgrim76]

Truck ordered!

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