OT - Agreed to purchase a new Focus tonight

[Jenn D]

Well, I love my ST, but my ST loves gas.



Since I work about 30 miles from work, the gas has been getting a bit outrageous. So, the husband and I went car shopping tonight. No, we are not replacing the ST or the Ranger. Instead we were looking to add a third vehicle. We needed a good mix of reasonable cost, safety, and of course style. Through my work I also get an x-plan, so we wanted to look at Mazda and Ford first.



We went to Mazda and looked at and test drove the Mazda 3. To start, they did not have what I wanted on the lot, nor did they make effort to find it. However, I still wanted to drive one, so I took one out. My first impression was "wow, this is small...". However, what a fun car to drive! It's got some spunk. But, I can't get over the size of the inside. Too small for my liking. It was fun though!



Next, we went to Ford to look at and drive the Focus. Knowing my local dealer, I called ahead today to see if they had what I wanted on the lot. Stupid me, I believed the guy when he told me they did. So, we head in there to look at the Foci (multiple Focuses). Low and behold they don't have a SINGLE 5-speed manual transmission focus. However, they made the effort to find me what I wanted. They found for me at a local dealer a 2007 liquid grey metalic Focus SE with safety package. Basically, exactly what I wanted. After about and hour of discussing the details, my husband and I decided to 'go home'. Fancy this....they found another $500 and it sealed the deal for us. We ended up agreeing to purchase it for $12,200. It will be delivered on Friday.



So the ST will soon be a boat toating weekend toy. I'm not complaining though, filling up at pump will feel a LOT better now.

 

[Gavin Allan]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Dave S 2]

Regular unleaded here hit $2.99 today.



So what did I do? I took ACTION. Bought a 2002 Honda ST1100 for back and forth to work. I'm jonesing on it cause it's been about 10 years since I had a road bike.



Thsnt was my sacrifice so that I could keep the ST.



Hope yours works out as well.



Good luck

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Don't complain the average low price out here in Calif. is $3.31. Probably lining the pockets of those morons in D.C.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

Sometimes I fantasize about buying a more mileage-friendly vehicle to compliment my Trac. But then I think to myself, I only have a couple of more years to pay it off and it'll be nice not having the monthly payments. But most of all I simply cannot afford another car, and if I could, the new car payments would hardly offset the money saved on better mileage IMO.



But congrats on your new Focus. I've always thought they looked good (well the current model anyway). Goodluck!

 

[Josh Langel]

Congrats on the purchase, Jenn.



I am also looking for a 4 banger that is great on gas.



I am also glad you decided to keep your Trac!

 

[Jenn D]

I'm not regretting anything nor do I want to sound like I'm complaining. I could afford to keep on doing what I was doing - driving the ST to and from work. I just wanted to be a little more economical with my money.



I just hope the dealership doesn't try to pull any crap between now and delivery. I am fully expecting the numbers to change or papers to accidentally get lost. I got copies of EVERYTHING, but I still don't fully trust this dealership. No big deal either way. If it falls though, I am no worse for the wear.

 

[Josh Langel]

You'll be fine.



Good color choice too. Be sure to upload some pics.

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

3.42 here in the Seattle area. Up 1.22 in one month.



Jenn D check out www.focaljet.com Ford Foci Forum. I'm a sponsor on that site as well.



Thanks,

SST

 

[FlipTrac_511]

Yeah, Relax Jenn. However I do remember feeling the exact same way when I got my Trac with X-plan and was asking lots of paranoid questions around here. Heheh, feel kinda silly about it now.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

I didn't mean to make it sound like you were complaining, I just was letting everyone know that it could be worse than $3 / gal. But, I am sure we're just ahead of the game and you'll catch up, or not. I look at your getting the Focus as pampering your ST so that it will last longer.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Here I am driving my Trac 13 miles one way to work with gas at $3.20/gallon while my 1996 Escort GT sits under the shade tree.



It doesn't bother me one bit. The Trac gets me 20 miles a gallon and the GT gets me 30 a gallon.



Not having headlights in my rear view mirror...priceless.





Tom

 

[WXMotorSports DecalsPartsAccs]

Gas prices are cheap compared to the 7.50 a gallon race fuel we will be using at the Portland SCCA Regional/National Event this weekend. I'll try to keep track of the 500 HP Turbo 240sx (2000 lbs) gas mileage...LOL

 

[Todd Z]

I can see if you bought a $500.00 beater but how long going from 15mpg to 25mpg would it take to pay off the car???



I think you just wanted a new car and MPG is the "reason" or "excuse" you got it....



I have nothing against any one getting a new car, by all means, but using mpg as the reason or excuse is silly to me....



Plus your still keeping the ST, so i see only a multi car discount possible...



Congrats and good luck with the new car....



Todd Z

 

[Jenn D]

Tom, if my ST were getting me 20 miles to the gallon, I probably wouldn't have considered even doing this. As of right now, my ST has been averaging 16 miles to the gallon in a mix of city and mostly highway driving. Highway driving in Orlando, FL is a different beast than anywhere else. It's worse than city driving. Imagine....tourists slowing down at every offramp to see if it's their exit, not knowing which toll lane to be in, and slowing down to gawk at the big sign with disney ears on it, esentially doing everything I can to clog up roads.



I live in unincorporated Orlando (between the city and Cocoa Beach) and work across the road from Sea World (I could see shamu from my old desk on the 7th floor) which is on the way to Disney. I encounter this who scene twice daily. Needless to say, 28 mpg city/35 mpg hwy will probably cut my fuel useage in half. Thus practically paying for itself.



Again, thanks for all the input. SST, I'll have to check out that site once the deal is solidified and I have keys in hand. I'll take some pictures too. I don't want to say I'm excited because I don't want to count the eggs before they are hatched, but Friday seems so far away.

 

[Jenn D]

Todd, I completely see your point. And yes, we did want a new car and this is a reason for it. If things work out like we have planned, this will ultimately put us at an advantage in a few years.



For what the ST was costing me in gas a month, for an additional $50 a month, we get the new focus with full warranty and all the gas for it. $50 a month for a new car? I don't mind at all. Piece of mind is good thing. Plus, the ST will be paid off in less than a year and that will leave only one car payment, which as stated above is only $50 a month in the scheme of things.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Jenn,



That price is within $100 of the 5-speed Focus SE that I am picking up new tonight. They shouldn't pull a fast one on you. That's pretty much the invoice price less all the rebates.



For me, it was better to forego $500 in incentive cash from Ford Credit instead of using their yucky 60 mo rate of 8.9%. Since I have a good credit score (over 830) I was able to secure 5.99% for 60 months, which saved me in the total financing costs and total costs vs the Ford financing and $500 rebate.



Work the numbers. Depending on your finance rate and how much you put down you might want to "give back" $500 of incentives.



If you go NOTHING down, which is what I did, the break-even finance rate for 60 mos is 8%. Anything you get under that from Ford (you won't I suspect) it's worth keeping the $500, anything over (more likely) it's better to get outside financing...assuming you can beat 8%, which you should be able to.



My real concern is if I should get gap insurance, but I don't think I will. The fact that I am $3000 below MSRP and with low interest means I am unlikely to ever be in negative equity...most definately shouldn't be after a few months (yes, I know, the first year is interest heavy on the payments).



TJR

 

[Jenn D]

Actually, TJR, I got them to "throw in" the additional $500 cash back for financing through ford, even though I'm not financing through ford. I have excellent credit, thought not quite as good as yours (in the high 700's), as well, and got 6.2% through my credit union. All-in-all, we got the full $3000 in rebates without the crummy 8% ford financing, which is what I was pushing for.



However, I am a little leary right now. I checked the inventory of the dealer that my dealer said they were getting it through, and it is not listed in the inventory. Ford's site lists it, but not the dealer. This makes me think that the vehicle that was "promised" to me is no longer available. If this is the case, I am not going to be a happy camper. I'll keep my fingers crossed though.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Jenn,



We are avg. 19 mpg city/hwy w/ a 3:73 rear end and manual tranny. We achieved that by adding a CAI (AirAid), single-in / duel-out exhaust (Flowmaster 70 Big Block), throttle body (ZabTeck), and most importantly an SCT XCalibrator 2 w/ an 87 performance tune (taking lead out of foot) and a tune for towing. Almost forgot to mention Royal Purple synthetic oil in the engine, tranny and rear differential helped with hp and mpg too.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Good luck Jenn. Did you physically see the Focus? How much less then MSRP are you getting the vehicle for?



TJR