bbf2530

Hi all. :D For what it's worth, I tend to agree with what Grey states above. While my vehicles are under Warranty, I follow the Manufacturers Recommended Maintenance Schedule (oil changes every 7,500 miles/6 months). Nowadays with Ford and Mercury Powertrain coverage, that is 5 years/60,000 miles. Lincoln is 6 years/70,000. As far as I am concerned, the little money saved is not worth the possible Warranty ramifications. While a catastrophic engine failure due to an oil related problem is minuscule, if it does happen, it will be me against Fords lawyers. Neither Amsoil nor any other oil company will be sending their lawyers to help me plead my case, no matter what their advertising may say. Nothing beats properly performed maintenance and receipts if a major Warranty problem should ever occur. Once my vehicles are out of Warranty, then it is up to me. Until then, as Grey said, all the copies of the Magnuson-Moss act and literature from an oil company website will not be worth a dime. You will still wind up in front of an arbitrator or a judge pleading your case. Why give an Auto Manufacturer the ammunition they need to deny your claim. Just perform the Recommended Maintenance, keep your receipts and you are as good as gold. Again, just my opinion. I am more the play it safe type. Whatever anyone wishes to do with their car is their own business, and I certainly respect their right to ignore every word I or anyone else says. :yup: Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi rlassiter. :D Technically (no pun intended), "most" TSB problems are supposed to be observed in the vehicle before the fix is implemented. Also, your vehicle may have been produced after the TSB's were distributed, so the fixes may have already been implemented on the assembly line by the time it was produced, meaning your vehicle already has the update described in the TSB. You can always ask the Dealer to check for and perform any TSB fixes that may be outstanding on your vehicle (keeping in mind that there may not be any) before you purchase. Never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is they say no. Or they can perform any needed. Or they can inform you that there are none outstanding on vehicles with your production date. Then you can decide what you would like to do next. Hope this information helps. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi MKX2007. :D I did have it happen on my MKZ last summer. Windows were down for several hours in my driveway until I happened to go out and notice. However, when I discovered the error, I also realized it was my mistake that caused it. I had accidentally pressed and held the button by mistake as I was walking away from the car, and never looked back at it (which I normally always do, :shades: just to admire how good it looks)! Most likely, you probably made the same mistake. That is the probable scenario, being much more likely than someone else having the same frequency remote in your employee parking lot. Just keep your eyes open and be a bit more careful. Probably will not reoccur. If it does, take it to the Dealer. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Clayton. :D Too complex a question to answer simply. There are various Plans that cover various components of the vehicle, so therefore are obviously priced quite differently. The Plans are are also structured according to mileage and years of coverage desired. Way too many variables to give any sort of accurate estimate. Best bet is to research the various options, decide which Plan suits your needs the best, then shop around at various Dealers for the best price. You can also do some online shopping to save time, effort and gas. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Sanche. :D Checked Incentives for your Region, and as you stated there is only the $2,000 "Retail Customer Cash" and no "Competitive Vehicle Owner" Incentive. Really have no idea at this point why the Dealer is asking for the registration of your wifes Toyota. There should be no reason why it would affect the pricing for an Extended Service Plan. I can tell you that "pickup150" is correct when he states that you have until the end of your 3 year/36,000 mile warranty to purchase an ESP. Also, with all due respect to "Grey", there is no rule specifying that the price of an ESP goes up $100 after 1 year/12,000 miles. A Dealer may state that to pressure someone into purchasing the ESP with a new vehicle, but it is just a high pressure sales tactic. Additionally, you do not have to purchase the ESP Plan at the same Dealership where you purchase your car. You can shop around and purchase the contract at the Dealership that offers the lowest price. ESP pricing structure is similar to the pricing of the vehicle itself. The Dealer purchases a contract from Ford for a set price, and then resells it to you for a profit. And just like purchasing a new vehicle, the ESP price is negotiable. If the Dealer thinks you are an easy mark, they will overcharge you (just like a vehicle sale). If the Dealer thinks you will fall for the "We have to charge you an extra $100 after 1 year/12,000 miles", they will overcharge you. Essentially, I am stumped as to this entire "Toyota registration for a $120 ESP Plan". The price seems abnormally low, so I just do not know what to make of it. With the limited information at hand, all I can recommend is that you keep your eyes wide open during your negotiations and contract signing. Please keep us updated. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi TK. I would recommend you contact The Tire Rack LINK: Tire Rack or Discount Tire LINK: Discount Tire and ask them about their winter tire/wheel packages. You will get a much better deal, and more choices than the Dealer. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Sanche. Okay, let's try it this way: What is the name and ZIP Code of the Dealership you are purchasing from? Please post back with that information, and we will double check some information. In addition, is this extended service plan the "Ford ESP Plan"? Or is it some aftermarket, third party service plan? It makes a big difference. And again, there is no known valid reason that they would need the registration for pricing on an extended service plan. I am not saying it is impossible that there is some sort of ESP Incentive tied to the make of another vehicle owned by the purchaser (sounds even stranger when it is spelled out), it would just be something not many of us have ever heard of, and awfully odd. I can also add that $120 for an extra 2 years/39,000 miles on the Bumper to Bumper Warranty is a fantastic price. In fact, it is a price which is too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that seem too good to be true! Something just does not seem quite right here. Let us know that info. The "Add Reply" button is right next to the "Preview Post" button (if I understand your question correctly). PS - My name is not beerchug. That is the name of a smiley icon (two little smileys clinking beer glasses together) which obviously did not show correctly when I added it to my post. My forum name is bbf2530, or bbf if you wish.

Hi Sanche. :D There is absolutely no valid reason why the Dealer should need that information to give you an ESP Plan on a new Edge. Are you sure the Dealer is not asking for the Toyota Registration so that you can qualify for an additional Incentive/Rebate as the owner of a Competitors vehicle? There is such an Incentive/Rebate available in some regions, and you would need to provide a copy of the Competitive vehicle registration to qualify. I have a feeling this may be why they are asking for the Toyota registration. Ask the Salesman to explain exactly why he is requesting it. If I am mistaken, and he actually is asking for it concerning an Extended Warranty, there is no known reason they should need it for Extended Warranty pricing, and no reason you should provide it. Just as an FYI: Did you know that your Edge already has a 3 year/36,000 mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty, and a 5 year/60,000 mile Powertrain Warranty? Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi goatee. :D According to the Owners Manual and the information I have seen, the steering wheel climate controls (fan speed and temperature) were eliminated on the 2008 models. The 2008's now have cruise control buttons, audio controls, and "SYNC" controls (if equipped with "SYNC). The "Window Sticker" listing is probably a glitch due to lack of updating the proper information for the 2008's. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Trish. :D Does your SEL have the ATC (Automatic Temperature) Air Conditioning System? If it does, your system comes with the outside temperature display. You only need to press the "EXT" button on the A/C system. The temperature is displayed in the A/C system display, not in the Information Center under the Speedometer/Tachometer It is fully explained in your Owners Manual, pages 70-72 of the version I have. If you have the manual version (with the three rotating knobs). you are correct that it does not have the display. Good luck. :beerchug: PS - I know this may seem obvious to some, but we have had others not realize that they had an "EXT" button that displayed the outside temp in the past.

Hi blueedge1014. :D According to all information I have seen to date, you would lose "SYNC". To keep the steering wheel controls, you would need to get a wireless kit to replace the button signals. "SYNC" would still be inoperable. I do not believe it would affect the reverse sensing system. Not sure about the console usb. But as long as your new head unit was usb capable and had a rear a usb port, you could always rewire it if necessary. Again unfortunately, "SYNC" would be a goner. Maybe you should just start by replacing the speakers with something better. Maybe that will be enough to satisfy? Anyway, I am sure those with more sound system knowledge will chime in soon. Just thought I would let you know about "SYNC". Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi 808fordguy. :D Only mentioning this as an FYI because you asked: No aftermarket HID kits are legal for on road use in the United States (except for foglights). It does not matter if they are 4000k, 4300k, 5000k, 6000k etc etc. This is Federal regulations (DOT), and no State can modify them. The only HID headlights that are legal are those which come on a vehicle, from the factory. Having said that, I am not telling you not to do it, and wish you luck whatever you decide to do. Just understand that it is illegal to retrofit an aftermarket HID kit to your vehicle for on road, low beam/high beam use, no matter what the illumination (k) rating may be. Again, whatever you decide to do, good luck. :beerchug:

Hi altart. :D Did you (or the Dealer when they prepped your vehicle) happen to use a vinyl protectant/treatment like ArmorAll or something similar on the dashboard? If you did use a product like this on the dash it could be the cause of the glare, and you may want to clean it off and use something that has a lower gloss/shine. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi lifter59. :D This may seem like a silly question, but did you read the Owners Manual and the "SYNC" Manual instructions as to the proper procedures to synchronize your Bluetooth enabled devices to the "SYNC" system? As silly as it seems, the solution to these problems is "usually" very simple, and not a product defect. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Rockfish. :D You are very welcome. I'm glad you were able to work out a deal you were happy with. Best of luck with your new Edge! :beerchug:

Hi JenKley. :D Glad it all worked out in the end. Best of luck with the new Focus. Good luck! :beerchug:

Hi tiaquessa. :D Let me start off by saying that I respect every member of this forum (and any other), as long as they also treat myself and others with respect. Having said that, in all honesty you should not worry very much about what is posted here concerning pricing, by me or anyone else. This is not the place to get accurate pricing reports. We are a bunch of amateurs! :yup: Always be wary of those who tell you that "All of the Professionals are wrong and I am right!" A little research will show you that Professional opinion strongly varies from some of what has been posted here concerning pricing. Also, to put things in perspective, and with all due respect to members of this or any forum, a public forum full of non-professional advice (including my own) is not the place to get answers to questions like yours. There are sites out there that provide professional information, not tainted by personal bias or misinformation. Sites like these are good for certain things, not good for others. In a public forum like this, you will get some good advice, some bad advice (often well intentioned but still bad) and just some plain mean spirited advice. Some people will give an honest opinion, others sometimes have an ax to grind. This post of mine is not aimed at anyone in particular, so no one should feel that it is directed at them personally. I would ask everyone to please keep that in mind before they feel the need to come back and attack me, as I hope they would first realize that they are pointing the finger at themselves by doing so. Again, all I am saying is that any information provided here, by me or anyone else, should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it is free information, and like they say, "You get what you pay for". Good luck to all. :beerchug:

EDITED - Nevermind. Removed this information, and decided to tap out instead. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the information Phoenix. :beerchug: I corrected my pricing estimates.

Hi JenKley. :D You are making a mistake that many people unfortunately make. You are discussing "Trading-in" your vehicle to the Dealer. People need to understand that a Dealership is in business to make money, not give you the most money for your Trade. The Dealer wants to make a profit on the new car sale, and on your Trade-in, and they will. That profit comes out of your pocket. If you want to get the most for your money, go to a site like LINK: Kelly Blue Book and work up the value of your Edge for a "Private Sale" (just to show you how much you are ripped off in a trade, also work up the Trade-in value, and compare them to what the Dealer is offering). EDIT - Just quickly, I worked up the Private Party Sale value (in my ZIP Code, since I don't know where you are located) of a 2007 Edge SE, with no other options than an upgraded CD changer & Parking Sensors. The "Private Party" Sale value, in "Excellent Condition" is $20,985. As an FYI, the KBB "Trade-in" value (also in "Excellent Condition") would be $18,200. This gives you a general idea as to how much a Dealer will rob you on a Trade-in. Use the "Private Sale" value as a baseline to determine how much you want to ask for it in a Private Sale. Then clean up your used vehicle and put "For Sale" signs on it. Trading-in may be the easy way to do things, but the poor value you receive is the price you pay for the easy way out. I have always sold my used cars privately, and have never traded in a vehicle to the Dealer. I have always made a minimum of $2,500 more than the Dealer was willing to give me on the trades, even after factoring in any Sales Tax hit. I usually made a considerable amount more. However, I also keep my cars in excellent condition, and that also makes a big difference. If you would like more information on how to sell your vehicle on your own, feel free to ask. Good luck. :beerchug: PS - Just in case it is not obvious, if a seller can not find a private buyer, they can still trade their used vehicle into the Dealer for the same trade-in price originally agreed to. It's a no lose proposition.

Hi Rockfish. :D No there are no details or individual line items. The Invoice price I gave you is the true Invoice Price, directly from the Ford AXZD-Plan website. In the past, Edmunds "Invoice Pricing" for the options and option packages (I assume that is what you mean by "line items"?) have been relatively accurate. It is the additional "cost of doing business charges" which Edmunds does not include (explained in the quotes I included from Edmunds below). The quote I copied and pasted from Edmunds describing their "Invoice Price" explains it best. Here it is again: "The invoice price does not include any fees that may be charged by the manufacturer to dealers in a particular area of the country, such as local advertising fees, dealer association fees, or docking and storage fees. Edmunds.com does not track or provide such local fees." In fact, further into the full quote, Edmunds explains how a buyer should use the "True Market Value Price" (TMV) they have developed, as it is a more accurate benchmark than the "Invoice Price" they have listed. Here is that quote, copied and pasted: Accordingly, determining the dealer's actual net cost is difficult even for seasoned automotive insiders. This is why we developed the Edmunds.com True Market Value® (TMV®) pricing system, which is our determination of what other consumers are actually paying for the vehicle. The TMV® accounts for the effect of all of the manufacturer's extra charges as well as the dealer's hidden subsidies, and we believe it is the most important price to know when negotiating your purchase. In other words, Edmunds "Invoice Price" does not include certain costs which are part of every manufacturers true "Invoice Price", because they do not have access to the information and do not know the actual cost/values. Their "Invoice Price" is just a partial estimate. Those quotes are just the first and last paragraphs of a long explanation in which Edmunds tells their readers that the Invoice Price they give is essentially only an estimate and not completely accurate (Base and option prices are accurate, total is close but incomplete). They go into much more detail on their website. Unfortunately, most people do not click on the link for the full explanation and proceed on the false assumption that it is accurate. In general, we have discovered that the Edmunds "Invoice Price" (estimate) is usually approximately $200-$400 low, according to vehicle and other variables. I apologize for being repetitive, but I am trying to explain in as complete a manner as I can, and figure better safe than sorry. In addition, if my explanation is sort of fuzzy, perhaps reading the full explanation at the Edmunds site would be clearer? Trust me, the Invoice Price I quoted in my earlier post is the correct Invoice Price from the Ford AXZD-Plan website, down to the penny. Ford knows their exact Invoice Price, Edmunds is just a close estimate. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Rockfish. :D Yes. This has caused confusion many times in the past. The "Edmunds Invoice Price" is an estimate. It does not include certain charges which can vary from vehicle to vehicle, and Edmunds does not have access to. If you read into the fine print on the Edmunds site, this is explained. Here is the first paragraph of that explanation, copied and pasted from Edmunds (the full explanation is much longer): "The invoice price does not include any fees that may be charged by the manufacturer to dealers in a particular area of the country, such as local advertising fees, dealer association fees, or docking and storage fees. Edmunds.com does not track or provide such local fees." The Invoice Price I quoted is the exact Invoice Price from Ford. It is correct to the penny. Hope this information helps. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi Rockfish. :D Well, here is what I can tell you: That Edge has an MSRP of $27,140. The "Invoice Price" is $26,051. There are currently two Incentives on that vehicle. $1,500 Retail Customer Cash and $400 Bonus Customer Cash. These Incentives are currently set to expire on 3/31/08. Invoice minus those Incentives (if you can qualify for both) would be $24,151. You should use this as your baseline price for negotiations. Here is my opinion. If you can get within several hundred dollars of that $24,151 figure (Invoice Price minus Incentives), you would have achieved an "Excellent" price. So if you can get your pricing before TT&L down to $24,300-$24,400 or so, you can assume you have a good deal. Of course, the closer to $24,151 (or lower if you can get it :shades: ) the better. Also, when I say $24,300-$24,400 I mean including all Fees and Charges except TT&L. Do not let them give you a "lowball price", then discover that they tack on $500-$1,000 in extra Fees to the "lowball price". This is a favorite tactic of many/most Dealers. Please understand that this is only my opinion, and there are other variables that need to be taken into account which I can not predict. For example, I notice that Dealer has fewer Edge's in stock than is normal, and that is the only 2008 SE they have in stock. So perhaps demand is high in your area. Or maybe it is just a small Dealership? I don't know. These are variables that I cannot predict, but can affect negotiations. I am sure others will have their own opinions concerning your question. Let us know how you make out and good luck. :beerchug:

Hi rmmpe. :D Here are the instructions for replacing the tail light bulbs from the Owners Manual (page 89 of the 2008 online version): Replacing tail/stop/turn/sidemarker/backup lamp bulbs The tail/stop/turn/sidemarker/backup lamp bulbs are located in the same portion of the tail lamp assembly, one just below the other. Follow the same steps to replace either bulb: 1. Make sure the headlamp switch is in the OFF position and then open the liftgate to expose the lamp assembly bolts. 2. Remove the two bolts from the lamp assembly. 3. Carefully remove the lamp assembly away from the vehicle by pulling the assembly straight out to expose the bulb socket. DO NOT TIP THE LAMP ASSEMBLY SIDEWAYS. 4. Rotate the bulb socket counterclockwise and remove from lamp assembly. 5. Pull bulb straight out of socket and snap in the new bulb. 6. Install the bulb socket into the lamp assembly and rotate clockwise. 7. Carefully install the tail lamp assembly on the vehicle by securing the lamp assembly with two bolts. Were you possibly tilting the assembly sideways (since the directions specifically say not to)? If you removed the two correct bolts, I would assume you just need to finesse the assembly a bit more to get it out. Let us know how you make out. Good luck. :beerchug:

Hi kalphoto. :D It would definitely seem like a good deal, now that we know they did not squeeze you on the annual mileage. Also, I completely understand how Leasing is the better choice for some people, and certainly respect your decision. Like I said, who cares what I think! Best of luck! :beerchug: