As a recent customer who's had to navigate the rebate maze, I'd also vote to eliminate the rebates. While I love the product, and in the end feel I got good value for the money, the haggling over the rebates left a bad taste. In the end, I was left defending a $500 rebate with a dealer with whom I had (and hope still have) a good relationship. On a +$40K cost, we were left haggling over $500, 1% of the deal.
The scenario becomes more frustrating when you look at the incentives based on financing. If you look at this months advertised F-150 incentives, you are led to believe that you can get a 2.9% loan for 36 months (assuming good credit and approval) along with a $1000 rebate. However, in the small print, there are many qualifiers, including that you need to talk to your dealer for details, and terms may very by region.
In my case, this translated into, "You only get the $1000 if the rate is 5.9% and you agree to keep it for 90 days. If you want the 2.9%, the rebate is only $500." In the end, you will pay the money. I understand this. It's business. But the fact that none of these "rules" are clear or available ends up making it feel like a shell game, and in the end it seems the dealer can shape the rules to the end price needed.
Again, I understand the need for a dealership, and Ford, to make a reasonable profit, and I'm sure in a business plan somewhere, the bottom line number is defined. Just don't make it so mysterious, frustrating, and seemingly devious, to get there.