Iiari Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hi everyone, Now that I know the Active Motion seats are in play from a delivery standpoint, I've starting my shopping process in earnest and I though I would share what's going on with posts to the forum. Whatever happens, I'm planning on sharing my experience with Lincoln and thought I would track everything for the record here. If you're interested, read on. If not, ignore this forum topic... So, after specing my desired MKZ hybrid on the configurator, I've started by choosing 7 dealers in my region (many combined Ford/Lincoln outfits) and have sent all of them emails detailing the exact MKZ specifications I would like to order and asked them for quotes for a specific duration and milage lease with zero down. I specified that email was the way, for now, I wanted to communicate. I contacted all of these dealers via their pages on the Lincoln website, which is standardized for all of them. Here's how it's going so far: 7/7 sent back automated responses saying they'll get back to me, as I did sent my first emails after business hours. The next day, thus far by early afternoon, 3/7 have sent follow-up emails. 2 of those 3 (Dealers #4 and 6) were templated emails of the standardized Lincoln website listing vehicles at the dealer, and I replyed to those indicating I was interested in a quote and ordering, not on-lot vehicles. 1 of the 3 (Dealer #3) response was customized to my request. Actually, two salespeople from this dealer emailed me and the sales manager of that dealer already sent (less than 24 hrs later) a survey for me to do to make sure I was given a quote (I haven't been yet). One of those salespeople tried to call me also despite indicating I wanted to use email for now... And that's it for less than 24 hours later. I'll let you all know how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 how about posting your specs here, Iiari?&Have you tried the online concierge?&here's a new Lincoln facebook site that might be helpful(?)for your consideration:https://www.facebook.com/LincolnClient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 6, 2013 Author Share Posted October 6, 2013 (edited) how about posting your specs here, Iiari? & Have you tried the online concierge? & here's a new Lincoln facebook site that might be helpful(?) for your consideration: https://www.facebook.com/LincolnClient I didn't want to go through the Lincoln site because, well, they want me to... I wanted to go directly to the sources and see how things go. I'll post the details of what I'm ordering and the specifics later to maintain the integrity of my own ongoing process, but once we get close to the end, I'll list my full specs (if for no other reason than I'll likely ask you all what you think of the deal). Quick Update: I don't have time to post a blow by blow, but I'm pretty impressed so far. I have 4 of 8 dealers (I added one more) that have given me monthly lease numbers. The MSRP's are more or less in line with the configurator, the lease prices are more or less in line with what TrueCar and other sites say people are paying for my spec'ed vehicle on average, and the monthly numbers are on average about %15 better than what the configurator was listing. So far, so good. Excepting one dealer, no one has yet given me full details (first month payment with taxes and fees, residual, money factor, etc) and I'm waiting on those. As you'd guess, the best offer so far is from aggressive dealer #3 (on the downside, they're savaged on their Yelp reviews). On the downside, most dealers haven't gotten my spec'ed list of options precisely right despite giving them the list with Lincolon's order codes, with most leaving out the Active Motion seats. I'd have to go back and check, but I think 2 dealers haven't yet gotten back to me at all aside from their automated replies and I'm waiting for offers from about 2 more, including my preferred dealer. I'll keep you all in the loop. Edited October 6, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marginal Economist Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Can they lock in a lease payment on an order? Lease residuals will change each quarter - you need to order before Q4 ends or the residual will drop. I'd just go to your preferred dealer at this point, show them your current quotes and research, and order your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 Can they lock in a lease payment on an order? Lease residuals will change each quarter - you need to order before Q4 ends or the residual will drop. I'd just go to your preferred dealer at this point, show them your current quotes and research, and order your car. Good points, I'm not sure. Q4 ends December 31st and I'm hoping this process will be done by week's end, so I should be OK. My guess is they are sliding these things anyway, throwing out the numbers and making it work by sloshing other variables around... Regarding your second line, my "preferred dealer" (such as it is, I don't have a strong preference, and I didn't even ask my closest dealer as I've been very unimpressed with them) was one of the last to contact me, and I let them know the numbers from others, so we'll see. I'm expecting a lot of emails tomorrow. While everything has been professional so far, I'm afraid of the football being yanked away at the last second and things changed when I'm ready to sign on the dotted line. So a question for all of you: If hypothetical dealer A has the best offer but terrible online reviews, but hypothetical dealer B is, say, $15 more per month but has a great reputation, should I go with A or B? Remember, this is just to buy the car, I'm probably going to get service elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Harris Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Here is my opinion. Reviews when it comes to dealerships are usually rated in 2 different categories. Service vs. Sales. So which is it rated poorly in? Next point, how big of a dealership is it?? Do they have the most allotment of cars which will get the car u want to the dealership quicker or as quick as all the others or is it a small dealership who it may take an extra month because of a lower priority? Lastly, if the sales reviews are bad, I would probably take them, but at the same time be cautious as hell about all the paperwork and the inspections before you drive off the lot. May be more hassle with the cheaper dealership but I'd rather take that then throw away roughly 450 dollars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 This is why I love having access to X plan and a great salesperson. I just figure out what I want, call him and either pick it up or order it. Back in February I found the Fusion I wanted at another dealer (only one with the color/features I wanted at the time), called and asked if he could get it. 36 hours later I was driving it home. We never even discussed price. It was great...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) This is why I love having access to X plan and a great salesperson. I just figure out what I want, call him and either pick it up or order it. Back in February I found the Fusion I wanted at another dealer (only one with the color/features I wanted at the time), called and asked if he could get it. 36 hours later I was driving it home. We never even discussed price. It was great...... I wish I had that kind of arrangement and, if all goes well here, hopefully it'll become that for me in the future... Another question for everyone: When I'm emailing them to clarify deals, they're emailing back saying, "Oh, just call our sales manager, and he'll help you further." All the advice sites I read say to avoid this like the plaque, that there shouldn't be anything to discuss, that they at this stage should just be able to email you a quote with details. What think all of you? I don't want to call and haggle with 8 dealers... Edited October 7, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 (edited) Here is my opinion. Reviews when it comes to dealerships are usually rated in 2 different categories. Service vs. Sales. So which is it rated poorly in? Next point, how big of a dealership is it?? Do they have the most allotment of cars which will get the car u want to the dealership quicker or as quick as all the others or is it a small dealership who it may take an extra month because of a lower priority? Lastly, if the sales reviews are bad, I would probably take them, but at the same time be cautious as hell about all the paperwork and the inspections before you drive off the lot. May be more hassle with the cheaper dealership but I'd rather take that then throw away roughly 450 dollars Great perspective, and one I'll definitely keep in mind. Much appreciated! Oh, yeah, a question also: How do I know how big a dealer is and where they are in the allocation pool? Frankly, I'm in no rush, and an extra 3-4 weeks to wait would be worth saving $400 a year... Edited October 7, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 You can't really tell how much allocation they have although you can make a good guess based on the size of their inventory. Unless it's a really really small dealer allocation should not be a problem on a MKZ. Yes, they should be able to give you a price quote by email without calling the sales mgr. This would normally be in terms of invoice ($200 over invoice, $500 over invoice, etc.). Before I had X plan I would call and ask for the sales mgr and ask them point blank what they wanted. Most would tell me immediately. Back in 1993 I was looking for a 2wd 4 door Explorer XLT but they were selling like hotcakes. The sales mgr at one dealer said flat out $800 over invoice. I said I was hoping for $500 and he said he would easily do $500 on an Eddie Bauer, a 2door or a 4WD model but not on a 2wd 4 door XLT because they were in short supply. Honest and quick - no more than 5 minutes. Then there were others who would not give me the price right away and I just hung up and crossed them off the list. So in that regard talking to the sales mgr is good because they have the final say on pricing anyway. Just be sure to also find out the doc fee and any other fees that may not be included. Doc fees can range from $75 to $600 (otherwise known as Additional Dealer Profit). With X plan they're capped at $100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entropy Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 ...avoid this like the plaque,...... Dang, you sound just like my dentist! (i couldn't resist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 You can't really tell how much allocation they have although you can make a good guess based on the size of their inventory. Unless it's a really really small dealer allocation should not be a problem on a MKZ. Thanks for the advice overall. Not sure how to judge this, but of the 4/8 dealers who have given me quotes so far, all stock around 32 MKZ's. Two of them have hybrids on the lot (5 at one, 3 at another) and the other two have none at all. Any way I should interpret this or not really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 If they have that many allocation won't be a problem. The ones who have hybrids may just be keeping the price too high whereas the others may be selling them more reasonably so they're all sold out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 (edited) Hi everyone... As an update to my MKZ search and ordering update, let's jump to the most important news, I finally picked my dealer and placed my order! Yeah! I'm one of you! I'm taking a bit of a risk, as I'm ordering my Hybrid in the Dark Side exterior color that I've haven't yet seen in the metal, but I'm so underwhelmed by the other colors and I know I like most dark hues, so I decided to take the risk. I definitely won't see myself coming and going if nothing else. I also specified the Hazelnut interior color (which I love). As far as options, I went with the Preferred Package, Technology Package, ActiveMotion seats, single panel sunroof (the panoramic didn't appeal to me), rear sunshade, cargo net, and all season mats. In the process of deciding on the MKZ, I had previously decided in the middle of my search process that for now I'm going to hold on to my flashed, 320+ HP '08 Saab Turbo-X AWD manual rocket wagon. It's nearly paid off, over 100K miles, and keeping it takes the pressure off me to get a sport sedan, get an AWD vehicle for snowy days, or get soemthing for utility. I was originally going to sell it. Keeping it, however, allows this lease purchase to just be all about my daily commuting grind and my MKZ won't have to be a "do it all" vehicle. It just has to keep me as comfortable as possible as efficiently as possible for 90 minutes per day. The MKZ hybrid will do this spectacularly and was the obvious choice. To be honest, if I wasn't keeping the Saab, I might have gone with an ATS, or a used CTS-V wagon might have been really compelling, but after the driving the CTS-V I wasn't as smitten as I thought as I would be (and it's less fun and less fast feeling than my Saab)... It wasn't always obvious, though. I was initially thinking about getting a "do everything" vehicle. I had decided that the American makes had sufficiently compelling product for me to support US makers after years of Saabs, BMW's, and MB. I previously had Tauri SHO's and SVT Contours as well, and felt burned by Ford after they abandoned those brands, so this is a return of sorts. While initially looking for a "do it all" car, I drove the MKZ with and without panoramic roof, the Caddy ATS and a used 2011 CTS-V. I also drove a Lexus ES (just to make sure I wasn't crazy in looking at the MKZ). I also had seat time in a Buick Verano Turbo and very briefly in a 300 SRT. I didn't drive a Fusion, but one dealer had one all but sitting next to a MKZ so I would go back and forth. If anyone has any comparative questions, let me know. Driving all these cars so close to one another, I stil think the MKZ is incredibly impressive and competitive and that the automotive press is brand-blinded and on crack... As far as my dealer emailing experience following up from my above posts, here's how it went: My lease price is about $1000 less than Truecar said people are paying on average for my MKZ as outfitted... My 24 mo, zero down monthly lease rate is an impressive 18% less than the Lincoln configurator listed and happily less than I was budgeting... I approached 11 Lincoln dealers in the Northeast over a 4 state area total in the end... Of those 11, nearly all replied by my emailed request for a quote but only about 5 gave me an actual number. When I requested further details (factor, lease price, fees, etc), only 3 of those really came through, and 2 of those only after repeated prompting and emails on my part. Most dealers would email me back saying they could only go further only if I came into the dealer or if I "call the dealer manager." Uh, no... My closest, preferred 2 dealers didn't give me numbers at all. I had to call and beg them to give me a quote over the phone and both were very noncompetitive, with my closest dealer giving me the least competitive number of them all. They also argued everyone else's deals "had to be them making errors." Amazing... Monthly leases varied dramatically, as much as $120 separating the high and low number, but 3 of the 7 I had numbers from were clustered on the low end, which was good and reassuring... So that's my tale. I'll email Lincoln a more detailed report of my experience. If anyone is looking for who the really good, competitive, responsive Lincoln salespeople are online in the NY/NJ metro, message me through this site and I'll let you know. I'll also suggest who to avoid. In the Mass/RI NE area, I had some good salespeople, but no competitive pricing at all. I really look forward to eventually getting my car and reporting back! Edited October 26, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicKeyZ Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I really look forward to eventually getting my car and reporting back! Congrats and welcome to the club. I guess you're now DOOMED on the scrap heap with the rest of us rubes :fear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 ...I'm ordering my Hybrid in the Dark Side exterior color that I've haven't yet seen in the metal, but I'm so underwhelmed by the other colors and I know I like most dark hues, so I decided to take the risk. I definitely won't see myself coming and going if nothing else. I also specified the Hazelnut interior color (which I love). As far as options, I went with the Preferred Package, Technology Package, ActiveMotion seats, single panel sunroof (the panoramic didn't appeal to me), rear sunshade, cargo net, and all season mats... slightly-belated CONGRATS, Iiari!! that will be GORGEOUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Great color combination! It's exactly what I plan to order if I go with the MKZ. Please post photos once you get it. Would you mind sharing what your lease payment came in at, or at least a ballpark figure? The numbers I was quoted last week sounded a bit higher than what I was expecting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Great color combination! It's exactly what I plan to order if I go with the MKZ. Please post photos once you get it. Would you mind sharing what your lease payment came in at, or at least a ballpark figure? The numbers I was quoted last week sounded a bit higher than what I was expecting. Without tax (which varies from place to place and which, in the state I'm leasing, needs to paid up front) the best offers I received for a zero down 24 month lease varied from about $610 to $640 per month. The highest ranged from about $680 to about $720 (sadly, my preferred dealer), again without tax. The higher offers (with one exception) come from the dealers with the least local competition. The online configurator listed a price of $740 per month without tax. Send me a PM here if you're interested in more details. Edited October 30, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks for the information. I was quoted just under $600 a month including tax for the Hybrid with Preferred and Tech Package on X-Plan 2yr/24k, so that doesn't sound too far off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Well, I now have a VIN and have been informed that my car will be done at the factory around the New Year. If you recall, I ordered "Dark Side" as my exterior color sight unseen, as I wasn't impressed by any of the other colors and save for black I prefer to order my cars in actual colors rather than shades of white or grey or silver. Well, today I got to see "Dark Side" for the first time on an MKS at a local dealer. It's an interesting color, not at all what I expected, and not really at all what it looks like on the website configurator. In direct sunlight, it's actually a very dark green, but unambiguously green. Really, and not at all what I expected. Now, interestingly, in non-direct light, it starts to look dark blue-green, while in shade or lower light it looks dark blue, and in the darker light it looks black. Amazingly, as on the car I was looking at, which had parts of the car that were in direct light and had parts of the car in the shade of an object, you could see all of these manifestations of the color at the same time. Pretty intense. None of these, though, look like the deep, dark blue of the website configurator. They should color it in that dark blue-green to be more accurate. I'm sure I'll still enjoy it, because if nothing else it's fascinating to see its various manifestations in different light, I Iike dark colors overall, and I wasn't in love with any other hue. But if you're very particular about your colors, I'd advise you to see it before you order as the configurator doesn't really give you a good idea and it doesn't really photograph accurately as well... PS: If you google online, there are some posters on some Ford boards I've now seen today who get some accurate photos of the color swatches from display boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I ended up buying a Sunset/Dune from stock that otherwise had exactly the equipment I was going to order. When I saw Dark Side at the dealership on a cloudy day, I had a hard time differentiating it from the black car sitting next to it. Yesterday it was sunny and I saw one in a parking lot and instantly recognized it from the metallic green color. Agreed that it looks nothing like the online rendering and if you don't like green you might not like it, but I think it's very pretty in the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Sunset would probably have been my second choice. There was a sunset MKZ sitting next to the dark side MKS and is a great, vibrant color. I really do like the look of dark side, but think Lincoln should change the appearance on the website, which makes it look more like what other makers have called midnight blue (which I love). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 So, my MKZ now has a date to leave the factory of Dec 28th. Now, I will have to take time off in advance to go pick up the car. Being VERY conservative here, what does everyone recommend I estimate for factory delivery to a Northeaa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iiari Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) So, my MKZ now has a date to leave the factory of Dec 28th. Now, I will have to take time off in advance to go pick up the car. Being VERY conservative here, what does everyone recommend I estimate for time of delivery to a northeast dealership? Thanks! Edited December 4, 2013 by Iiari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timf Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I'd anticipate 3-4 weeks after it leaves the factory. Plan for the end of January if you want to be conservative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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