Wish I could find a Ford that was worth the price...

[StageLeft]

I'm trying to keep the payments around 300-350 per month, and I can put a few grand down if I need to, but I'd prefer not to.

Locally I can get a 2011 Camry for $185/month lease with $1800 out of pocket (to cover tax, first payment, acquisition, etc.).

Compare to an Altima it's $200/month with that $1800 down PLUS another $2000-2500.

Another place has NO money down whatsoever and a 2011 camry for about $250/month.

NOTHING right now can compete with Toyota's lease rates, no brand nobody.

22K for a Focus or Sentra is nuts.

It's buss-$(*$ crazy is what it is.

 

[NoCreativity]

Falloutboy bought a '10 fusion with appearance package as well as sun and sync for 22.3K. I'm sure you could do similar.

His thread.

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

Well yea but no one with a brain would buy that car.

lol someone in town just picked one up. He's in league with the local Honda circlejerk.

 

[Occ]

Mazda 3 is a Ford....it cost less than that too.

Actually, around here at least Mazda3s tend to be more expensive than equivalent Ford Foci.

 

[CraigRT]

Buy used? New cars are dumb. They depreciate like 50% over a lease term (some cars, not all)

 

[exdeath]

I saw Ford + $22K and '03/04 Cobra was naturally the first thing to pop into my head 😉

 

[lupi]

i just wish the fusion hybrids weren't so much higher priced and absent all the regular fusion discounts.

 

[Jeff7181]

Well, I neglected to get back in touch with the salesman and one of the last things we talked about was that we were approaching the base model Mustang price with the Focus. He left me a voice mail today telling me he has one on the lot if I'd like to come test drive it... so I'm going to try to get out there Thursday after work.

 

[TraumaRN]

i just wish the fusion hybrids weren't so much higher priced and absent all the regular fusion discounts.

Cuz generally they sell pretty quickly, and it's a lower volume product. My dealership received 2 in stock a week and a half ago, they are gone already. Best way to get a 'discount' on a Fusion Hybrid is a be able to get A/X/Z plan. My dad retired from Ford so I was able to get mine just a few hundred above invoice on what should have been a 33.5K car after tax/title was $28,050 after tax/title. Plus I got it when they were doing the 3,400 dollar tax credit still.

Even getting X-plan(friends and family discount) papers helps it's like 1,200 or 1,500 off.

 

[rancherlee]

22K is in the well equipt Fusion catagory and the I4 fusion will get damn near the same real world fuel economy as a a focus. The new 2011's are showing up so the remaining 2010's are selling at a good price right now. With X-plan I can pick up a 175hp I4 SEL with sport appearance package for 22k AND get the 0% financing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Well yea but no one with a brain would buy that car.

Why not? I've driven one and they are fun to drive, great 6 speed gearbox, loves to rev, and it handles well. The interior is nice and it comes with leather and a sunroof for $23k.

Honestly, the only drawback to this car is the fact that idiot ricers like to a) steal them, and b) mod them.

 

[speedy2]

I don't like any Ford right now. And their commercials only talk about(hype) the SYNC and sunroofs. If that's all your going to talk about on your cars, I'm not interested. For me a fancy radio and a hole in the roof isn't what makes one car better than another.

 

[PricklyPete]

I don't like any Ford right now. And their commercials only talk about(hype) the SYNC and sunroofs. If that's all your going to talk about on your cars, I'm not interested. For me a fancy radio and a hole in the roof isn't what makes one car better than another.

Yes...but for a lot of drivers...and almost all women...those are exactly the things that do make one car better than the other.

The Mustang 5.0 is really the only car that excites me in the Ford lineup...not really liking the styling of any of their other cars. That being said, the new ecoboost motors are nice, the 3.5/3.7 V6 is great, the 5.0L V8 is awesome, and some of their new designs look impressive (Focus). If they can just work on the design of their cars, I'd be happy to drive a Ford.

 

[Arkaign]

Why not? I've driven one and they are fun to drive, great 6 speed gearbox, loves to rev, and it handles well. The interior is nice and it comes with leather and a sunroof for $23k.

Honestly, the only drawback to this car is the fact that idiot ricers like to a) steal them, and b) mod them.

I think the bad rap is because it was a lesser, watered-down performer than the Integra Type R that it was given the Honda/Acura FF performance baton from. It was a nice looking, decent driving car, but it didn't get particularly good gas mileage and it gained over 300lbs on the 'Tegra. As can be imagined, with only 140tq, the added weight was not welcomed by the Honda fans whose claim to fame was the lightweight Civics/Integras. Not cheap either, and this was at a time when competing FF cars started really getting on Honda's ass. For the price of a Type S RSX, you could get a SRT Neon or SVT Focus and put down better handling, braking, and acceleration, although obviously sacrificing a few things. I hate Neons, and am pretty indifferent to all 'tuner/high-output' FF cars these days. But the RSX was canned for a reason, it just wasn't competitive enough for people to buy them anymore.

 

[Slew Foot]

This also.

22k is nearing MS3/base GTI/WRX etc range. Spending that much on a econobox is nuts, hell I think my roommate paid 21k for his Accord EX 4 cyl.

Your brother paid less than that.

 

[SparkyJJO]

$22k I'd get myself a 5th gen Camaro V6 for not much more.

I know, totally different vehicle type, but just sayin' 😛

 

[Jeff7181]

I have a feeling I'm going to end up buying my Altima at the end of the lease. I got a price quote from the salesman today on the Mustang and it's nearly $25k... all they have on the lot is automatics with the rapidspec 101A package. Unless he knocks a few grand off the price, it's more than I'm willing to pay.

 

[lupi]

Cuz generally they sell pretty quickly, and it's a lower volume product. My dealership received 2 in stock a week and a half ago, they are gone already. Best way to get a 'discount' on a Fusion Hybrid is a be able to get A/X/Z plan. My dad retired from Ford so I was able to get mine just a few hundred above invoice on what should have been a 33.5K car after tax/title was $28,050 after tax/title. Plus I got it when they were doing the 3,400 dollar tax credit still.

Even getting X-plan(friends and family discount) papers helps it's like 1,200 or 1,500 off.

I have the plan, and there are a handful around on each of the half a dozen or so nearest lots so lack of quantity here is not a problem. Although they are almost all the 33K variety with the 502 package.

How did you get the price on yours so low, the plan price on those is still just under 30k.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Loaded economy cars doesn't make sense in the first place, due to the obvious that you've already noticed : it brings you into the range of cars that are dominantly superior, like the '11 Stang V6.

The current Sentra is pretty underwhelming. The CVT, just like the one in the Rogue, is not a winner. The 5-speed in both the Focus and the Sentra is pretty good though. The real fail with the Sentra is the weight and handling. It feels heavier than the Altima, and the rear suspension is something called Torsion beam axle, and it's just total ass. It's okay for puttering around town, but it's garbage when you compare it to Civic, Focus, even the Corolla.

I expect Nissan might significantly update the Sentra next-gen, who knows. Next-gen Civic should be here soon as well.

I have a Focus Coupe (08), and I deliberately got the lightest/simplest/cheapest one I could find. The drivetrain doesn't get any better with the SE/SES, the stock stereo is pretty good (ipod jack + mp3 playback), I don't need NAV, I don't like cheap leather, and power windows/locks seem almost pointless on a compact coupe. About the only thing I would have liked in the options was the moonroof, but I'd probably rarely use that.

Have you actually drive a Sentra SE-R?
I can't stand the look of the new ones, but My 02 Spec V kicked all kinds of ass for an "econbox". Back then there wasn't another 4-banger "econobox" on the market that could compete at the price point.
I don't know what the new ones get power wise, but mine made 175HP/185TQ stock. Not to shabby for a N/A 4 banger. The car handled like it was on rails and had no problem getting up to 140MPH.

 

[Jeff7181]

Have you actually drive a Sentra SE-R?
I can't stand the look of the new ones, but My 02 Spec V kicked all kinds of ass for an "econbox". Back then there wasn't another 4-banger "econobox" on the market that could compete at the price point.
I don't know what the new ones get power wise, but mine made 175HP/185TQ stock. Not to shabby for a N/A 4 banger. The car handled like it was on rails and had no problem getting up to 140MPH.

The new Spec-V is 200 horsepower (180 torque). The regular SE-R is 177 horsepower (172 torque).

 

[LucJoe]

I mean, I find plenty of cars I like, but for the price they're just not competitive. 2010 Ford Focus SES with a 140 HP engine, auto trans, SYNC and moon roof and a few other options... quoted about $22k. Found a 2010 Nissan Sentra SE-R with 177 HP engine, CVT and the rest standard also for $22k. Sure it has SYNC, sure it has a moon roof, but the Sentra has a better transmission (IMHO - I have an Altima with a CVT now and I really don't want a traditional automatic again) and more power.

Maybe I'll test drive a base model V6 Mustang and see how I like that since it's right around the same price.

Wow! Maybe your negotiation skills aren't up to snuff? I bought a 2009 Focus SES 2 door, manual, with most options except leather. Sticker 19,060. Got him all the way down to 13,7 +ttl. But this was near the bottom of the auto industry slump (March 2009).

Don't trick yourself into thinking he quoted you his best price 🙂 The Focus is a prime car to get a deal on now, with the new model just around the corner.

 

[Jeff7181]

Wow! Maybe your negotiation skills aren't up to snuff? I bought a 2009 Focus SES 2 door, manual, with most options except leather. Sticker 19,060. Got him all the way down to 13,7 +ttl. But this was near the bottom of the auto industry slump (March 2009).

Don't trick yourself into thinking he quoted you his best price 🙂 The Focus is a prime car to get a deal on now, with the new model just around the corner.

Maybe not... he wouldn't budge though. I told him what price I was looking for and he kept showing/quoting me cars 4-5k above. I told him I thought the Focus wasn't enough car for $22-23k so I wasn't interested in that if he couldn't get any lower.

I test drove the Mustang and then started talking price and all he wanted to do was tell me how rare the $25k Mustang he had on the lot was. Pulled up a half dozen other ones for $28k. So I told him that was out of my price range and he didn't want to work with me so I left.

Stopped by the Nissan dealer to see what deals they had going and to schedule my 30k mile service. Talked to a salesman first and it turns out they had a deal going on where they'll wave the last three payments of my lease (I only had three payments left) and I got $3500 towards another car as part of a loyalty deal. So... I exchanged my 2008 Altima Coupe 2.5S w/convenience package for a 2010 Altima coupe 2.5S w/convenience package, oil changes and tire rotations included for the duration of the lease for $50 per month less than I was paying on my '08.

Is it lame that I got the exact same car I had before? 🙂

 

[sdifox]

Maybe not... he wouldn't budge though. I told him what price I was looking for and he kept showing/quoting me cars 4-5k above. I told him I thought the Focus wasn't enough car for $22-23k so I wasn't interested in that if he couldn't get any lower.

I test drove the Mustang and then started talking price and all he wanted to do was tell me how rare the $25k Mustang he had on the lot was. Pulled up a half dozen other ones for $28k. So I told him that was out of my price range and he didn't want to work with me so I left.

Stopped by the Nissan dealer to see what deals they had going and to schedule my 30k mile service. Talked to a salesman first and it turns out they had a deal going on where they'll wave the last three payments of my lease (I only had three payments left) and I got $3500 towards another car as part of a loyalty deal. So... I exchanged my 2008 Altima Coupe 2.5S w/convenience package for a 2010 Altima coupe 2.5S w/convenience package, oil changes and tire rotations included for the duration of the lease for $50 per month less than I was paying on my '08.

Is it lame that I got the exact same car I had before? 🙂

as long as you are happy with it, why not.

 

[Arkaign]

Have you actually drive a Sentra SE-R?
I can't stand the look of the new ones, but My 02 Spec V kicked all kinds of ass for an "econbox". Back then there wasn't another 4-banger "econobox" on the market that could compete at the price point.
I don't know what the new ones get power wise, but mine made 175HP/185TQ stock. Not to shabby for a N/A 4 banger. The car handled like it was on rails and had no problem getting up to 140MPH.

Yes, as a matter of fact I quite liked that previous gen. I haven't driven a Spec V, but I tried out a regular SE-R in '04 or so, and it was a well put together good driving vehicle, and it definitely outgunned that horrid Civic Si of the time, the hunchback model.

The new gen is an entirely different story. They made the very common move during this time to pork the thing up, it's over 400lbs heavier than the preceding gen. Worse, unless you opt for the Spec-V, you're stuck with a CVT for the regular SE-R. The problems with the torsion beam rear suspension setup are aggravated with extra weight, so you have a lot of body roll even on the enthusiast models, while the regular ones handle on their side view mirrors.

At the price, I definitely would have considered the '02 model among the best in class, and a very worthy sport compact. The new ones in comparison are laughable, particularly when the competition has massively improved.

Check out this review, $22k tested SE-R (the Spec V's are almost always $25k+), tell me what kind of sense that makes against WRX, Speed3, Cobalt SS, GTI, etc?

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/18/review-2010-nissan-sentra-se-r-is-a-tall-order/