My husband and I are young, but mature beyond our years! We went to Thompson Ford just looking at vehicles and they quickly began handing us keys to anything we wanted to drive! They related to us on personal levels about everything (e.g. budgets, income, family, etc.). We became very comfortable very fast. We didn't go to the dealership to buy or trade, but soon began considering the thought (and signing the papers...). We own a 2005 Ford Escape worth about $16, 800 (KBB) to $18, 600 (NADA) on trade in and between $21, 000 (KBB) to $23, 000 (NADA) for retail (which is what they can turn around and sell it to you for) depending on the company the dealership uses to determine used car value.
They showed us a 2004 Ford Explorer with 45k miles on it (It was bigger than our little Escape or we never would have considered it for the miles!) They brought us into an office and kept running back and forth between another guy in charge of finances giving us 'monthly payments' to negotiate with. When we wanted something else we would write it on a paper and the salesman would run it back to the other guy, I'm not kidding!!! It was back and forth for hours! Finally we agreed to a 'monthly payment' and began signing papers. After thinking about it we said it was too much and we wanted to go home. Then they started lower the 'monthly payments' again. I wondered how they were doing this so I asked what exactly they were financing us at and what interest rate. They told us that state law prohibited them from telling me that until we got into the financial office.
After getting into the financial office they were trying to sell us the vehicle for $3, 000 more than it's retail value worth, give us a trade-in of $15, 000 (almost $3, 000 less than it's trade-in value), and had us at an interest rate of 9.76% when we qualified for like 6.3%. I understand that they have families to feed too, but that is just ridiculous! Like I said you a**h***s, I'm young, but mature beyond my age!!! We left the dealership without signing the contract and never looked back! Some of the people their are very nice and helpful and I feel bad for wasting their time, but in the long run I have to do what's best for me! Please do your homework before going to this dealership. Try kbb.com or nada.com and get the used car value for your vehicle and the retail value for their vehicle before negotiating or signing ANYTHING!