T
TexasTBird
UPDATE EMAIL ADDRESS
Well, Friday May 10th, I finally signed the papers to get my Bird. I picked it up from the dealership last Tuesday after they installed the alarm and such. But my experience on that Friday is worth retelling for anyone looking for a Bird around the Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas area.
Back in August last year I had orignally placed my blue/blue/black TBird order with Village Ford of Lewisville for $42,995 (4k over original MSRP, with a 2k deposit) Later Village for got bought out by Sam Packs auto-group and becaome Ford Country Lewisville. Well I took everyone's advice and shoppped around anyway to see if I could find one for cheaper. (and thanks again y'all) After trying many many dealerships within a good 50+ mile radius, Town East Ford offer to undercut, first at $41740 (2k over adjusted MSRP) Ford Country Lewisville, then countered again offering $40,995, After relaying info Town east went to $40,500 which Lewisville ended up matching. Since I already had the order and deposit with Lewisville anyway (and they are alot closer) I left a message with Town East saying I would probably be going with Lewisville. However, Town East called me back again that Friday morning and counter again at straight MSRP $39,740. Town East did have the advantage of having one on the lot right then whereas Lewisville would have to trade one out with another dealership which couldn't be done until the next day (if they could at all, which they would not know until that afternoon, otherwise I would have to wait another week or two for my order to arrive.) So, I called Lewisville back again and told them what was up and that Town East countered again at MSRP.
I decided to take that Friday afternoon off.
I was gonna make the purchase with someone that day. I wanted to give the Lewisville dealership and chance to contact me again, merely because going with them would be more conveinant for me, and that although unconfirmed, it was very likely that they would be able to do the dealer trade to get a TBird that matched my order.
By 2:30 that afternoon however they still had not called me back, so I drove off to Town East. I was about 30 minutes or less away from walking over to the finance department when Ford Country Lewisville finally called me back. They offer to match at $39740, and I informed them that I was at Town East already going over details, but had not yet made a final sale. Ford Country Lewisville then threatened that if I did not purchase from them, that my original deposit
of $2,000 would not be refundable. That pissed me, so for the time being I politely told them (even though I wasn't thinking polite things) that I would consider that, and the sitiuation and call them back before the end of the day. Why did that piss me of so much, because from the beginning even though it was Village Ford at the time, I understood that my Deposit was not any binding future purchase agreement, and that should I cancel for any reason I would recieve a full refund. In fact the day before on Thursday, after re-negotiating and the price was at $40,500 (which I wanted to get in writing, and at the time I thought that Town East had bowed out) I made clear that this is what I understood my deposit to have been and how I expected it to be now.
So now, sitting in the Town East Ford Dealership, almost ready to get my TBird, I was faced with getting burned for $2,000 from Ford Country Lewisville. I do not believe Ford country Lewisville would have had any legal recourse to not refund my money (since they had not yet actually provided any service or delivered any product) The people at Town East said this also, althogh maybe they just didnt want to lose a sale. Regardless though, I didnt want to get burned and I didn't want to have to get into a legal hassle either. It would have been much easier for me to simply buy it from Lewisville. After that threat however, I really did not want to. Fortunately, one of the Managers at Town East knew several of the Managers at Ford Country Lewisville because he once worked for Sam Pack's Auto-group. He helped me out greatly because he knew exactly who to call to insure that I would still get my refund. He also told me that it was standard policy at Sam Pack's auto group that all deposits are non-refundable, his opinion was that it was a lousy way to do business, and said It was one of the reasons he left them. After the threat I got from them while being mislead to believe otherwise, I shared that opinion also. I still wanted ot be more sure though so he told me who to get ahold of, and I drove back over to Lewisville and got a signed statement saying I would receive my refund by the next Monday. So with that in hand, I went back to Town East and finished the deal where I left off and got myself a Blue Thunderbird premium, with a Blue hardtop, and Black Interior for $39,740.
VIN: 1FAHP60A22Y116398.
So the point of this, Total Kudos and recommendations to Town East Ford in Mesquite Texas, and I warn everyone AWAY from ALL Sam Pack's Auto Group Dealerships, which include Ford Country Lewisville, Five-Star Ford (Grapevine?), Lee Jarmon Ford Carrollton... There are more than just those, but I cannot recall their names or locations.
I grabbed my plates today, and Town East still has another blue/blue/black, as well as a Yellow and Red TBird.
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TexasTBird
Back in August last year I had orignally placed my blue/blue/black TBird order with Village Ford of Lewisville for $42,995 (4k over original MSRP, with a 2k deposit) Later Village for got bought out by Sam Packs auto-group and becaome Ford Country Lewisville. Well I took everyone's advice and shoppped around anyway to see if I could find one for cheaper. (and thanks again y'all) After trying many many dealerships within a good 50+ mile radius, Town East Ford offer to undercut, first at $41740 (2k over adjusted MSRP) Ford Country Lewisville, then countered again offering $40,995, After relaying info Town east went to $40,500 which Lewisville ended up matching. Since I already had the order and deposit with Lewisville anyway (and they are alot closer) I left a message with Town East saying I would probably be going with Lewisville. However, Town East called me back again that Friday morning and counter again at straight MSRP $39,740. Town East did have the advantage of having one on the lot right then whereas Lewisville would have to trade one out with another dealership which couldn't be done until the next day (if they could at all, which they would not know until that afternoon, otherwise I would have to wait another week or two for my order to arrive.) So, I called Lewisville back again and told them what was up and that Town East countered again at MSRP.
I decided to take that Friday afternoon off.
I was gonna make the purchase with someone that day. I wanted to give the Lewisville dealership and chance to contact me again, merely because going with them would be more conveinant for me, and that although unconfirmed, it was very likely that they would be able to do the dealer trade to get a TBird that matched my order.
By 2:30 that afternoon however they still had not called me back, so I drove off to Town East. I was about 30 minutes or less away from walking over to the finance department when Ford Country Lewisville finally called me back. They offer to match at $39740, and I informed them that I was at Town East already going over details, but had not yet made a final sale. Ford Country Lewisville then threatened that if I did not purchase from them, that my original deposit
of $2,000 would not be refundable. That pissed me, so for the time being I politely told them (even though I wasn't thinking polite things) that I would consider that, and the sitiuation and call them back before the end of the day. Why did that piss me of so much, because from the beginning even though it was Village Ford at the time, I understood that my Deposit was not any binding future purchase agreement, and that should I cancel for any reason I would recieve a full refund. In fact the day before on Thursday, after re-negotiating and the price was at $40,500 (which I wanted to get in writing, and at the time I thought that Town East had bowed out) I made clear that this is what I understood my deposit to have been and how I expected it to be now.
So now, sitting in the Town East Ford Dealership, almost ready to get my TBird, I was faced with getting burned for $2,000 from Ford Country Lewisville. I do not believe Ford country Lewisville would have had any legal recourse to not refund my money (since they had not yet actually provided any service or delivered any product) The people at Town East said this also, althogh maybe they just didnt want to lose a sale. Regardless though, I didnt want to get burned and I didn't want to have to get into a legal hassle either. It would have been much easier for me to simply buy it from Lewisville. After that threat however, I really did not want to. Fortunately, one of the Managers at Town East knew several of the Managers at Ford Country Lewisville because he once worked for Sam Pack's Auto-group. He helped me out greatly because he knew exactly who to call to insure that I would still get my refund. He also told me that it was standard policy at Sam Pack's auto group that all deposits are non-refundable, his opinion was that it was a lousy way to do business, and said It was one of the reasons he left them. After the threat I got from them while being mislead to believe otherwise, I shared that opinion also. I still wanted ot be more sure though so he told me who to get ahold of, and I drove back over to Lewisville and got a signed statement saying I would receive my refund by the next Monday. So with that in hand, I went back to Town East and finished the deal where I left off and got myself a Blue Thunderbird premium, with a Blue hardtop, and Black Interior for $39,740.
VIN: 1FAHP60A22Y116398.
So the point of this, Total Kudos and recommendations to Town East Ford in Mesquite Texas, and I warn everyone AWAY from ALL Sam Pack's Auto Group Dealerships, which include Ford Country Lewisville, Five-Star Ford (Grapevine?), Lee Jarmon Ford Carrollton... There are more than just those, but I cannot recall their names or locations.
I grabbed my plates today, and Town East still has another blue/blue/black, as well as a Yellow and Red TBird.
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TexasTBird
