Dosaba Ash

Hi all,

My '18 XLT Sport Screwcab has arrived at the dealership yesterday. I am scheduled to go in and sign the financing ppwrk tomorrow and take delivery. I feel I negotiated a good price and got a good deal on my trade in. Incidentally, I asked the dealership if they would level the truck for me and they recommended that I have it done at www.dsicustomvehicles.com , so that it would not void my warranty. DSI also includes its own powertrain warrantee called "Liftshield". Before I negotiated the trade value of my Nissan Frontier with the dealership, I had it detailed extensively. The detailer told me that they do a lot of work for new car dealers - undercoating, paint protection etc & that if I wanted all that stuff, I could save money by declining those dealer add ons and go to him directly.

This got me thinking - it's been a while since I've purchased a new vehicle (I had my Nissan for 9 years) and I'm not sure I'm prepared to deal with the Finance Manager as I am concerned that I may inflate the price of the truck with useless add ons. So my questions to you are:

1. What "add ins" should I avoid when dealing with the finance manager? I think they'll offer GAP insurance, tire/wheel protection,paint protection, undercoating, security etching...what else? Is any of this stuff worth the price?
2. Does anyone have experience dealing with another shop outside of Ford, to do the undercoating, paint protection?
3. Will a leveling kit really void my warranty unless I get DSI to do it? If so, why does DSI offer additional warranty?

Just an FYI - I'm in sales myself, but I learned a long time ago that there is no bigger sucker for a sales pitch, than a salesperson. Because, deep down, we are rooting for the salesperson. I also learned, to win, you need to be prepared. Hoping you guys can help me in that regard!

Thanks,

Sasha

GMC to Ford

1. What "add ins" should I avoid when dealing with the finance manager? I think they'll offer GAP insurance, tire/wheel protection,paint protection, undercoating, security etching...what else? Is any of this stuff worth the price?

Avoid all of the add-ons unless they are free. GAP coverage can be purchased through your insurance company. It is a necessity if you are not putting down enough money to cover depreciation and stay ahead of it with loan payments. Otherwise, it is a complete waste of money.

2. Does anyone have experience dealing with another shop outside of Ford, to do the undercoating, paint protection?

Dealerships rarely send a truck out for paint protection, Scotchguard or under coating. The lot boy working in the car wash bay usually applies those treatments without any experience and you get overcharged. Find an aftermarket guy who knows what he is doing if interested. Less reputable dealers have been known to use hair conditioner with lanolin to get you a show room shine. Some dealerships will send out a new vehicle for things like Zeibart and show the upcharge on a dealer add-on sticker.

3. Will a leveling kit really void my warranty unless I get DSI to do it? If so, why does DSI offer additional warranty?

Leveling kits do not immediately void the suspension warranty, but may make it hard to claim issues like ride complaints, etc. The remainder of your warranty stays intact even if they deny a suspension related claim. If you install a leveling kit, a company who provides a separate warranty is the best option (BDS, Rough Country, etc.).

jbone36

I personally say no to all those extras. In my experience, with the exception of a spray-in bedliner, all the 'add-ons' were way overpriced and favored the dealer considerably. Like GMC said, GAP coverage will be available from your insurance company and will most certainly be cheaper and easier to claim.

At my local GM dealers, if a buyer wants paint / rust protection, the dealer will send the vehicle to a local shop that does undercoatings, rustproofing, and paint protection. This is well advertised on the sales floor, so I would ask your sales rep who would be doing that work. It wouldn't hurt to call up that detailer and get an estimate before making your decision.

Most importantly, if you decide to accept any add-ons through your dealer, do NOT let them roll it into your financing. Make Dave Ramsey proud and pay cash.

Eduskator

1. What "add ins" should I avoid when dealing with the finance manager? I think they'll offer GAP insurance, tire/wheel protection, paint protection, undercoating, security etching...what else? Is any of this stuff worth the price?

All. They make a HUGE profit out of these. My 5y/100k ESP was listed at 2500$ and I ended up getting it for 1000$. (Cost = 950$ I believe). I denied everything else. Members on this forum have even better deals, and I do believe you can buy a genuine Ford ESP through another company than your dealership. http://fordcanadawarranty.ca/ for instance. You should give them a call to obtain a quote!

2. Does anyone have experience dealing with another shop outside of Ford, to do the undercoating, paint protection?

Your truck is made out of aluminum, why would you need rust protection? The frame is still made out of steel, but I've seen 2015s with no rust at all underneath. Do you plan on keeping it for a long period? If you want to play safe, I'd suggest that you get it undercoated at Krown as soon as you get your truck. Surface must be 100% clean to obtain a good protection.

3. Will a leveling kit really void my warranty unless I get DSI to do it? If so, why does DSI offer additional warranty?

Absolutely not. A leveling kit is just a front 2'' strut spacer. It will put more stress on the suspension component, but chances are that you will never experience any issues. I have a 5 year old Tacoma with a 3'' front strut spacers & 2'' rear blocks that's still running like new. To deny a warranty job, dealer must prove that your aftermarket mod is the cause of the failed part, which is unlikely. Go ahead with the level, and don't worry about the warranty stuff.

Dosaba Ash

Thank you all for your help!

I managed to get out there without the extended warrantee, security etching, tire protection. I let the Finance Manager know that I wasn't keeping the truck more than 3 years and wouldn't be driving more than 20k/year. He said to me, "but you drove your truck for 9 years!!". I said, "Yes - but I only had 135k km and never a major issue. No thanks." When I said no to the security etching, he looked at me like I was nuts - "are you serious??!" Then finally he said, "Your probably not going to be interested in this tire protection policy." Nope.

So, I got the price I wanted, the trade value I wanted and the terms were good. Cannot complain! Time to enjoy the truck!

jbone36

VIN etching has got to be the biggest scam around as of late.

Eduskator

Yah... The finance part of the buying process is called the ''skip the bullsh*t'' step. lol I remember them trying to sell me a 1000$ remote starter on my CPO Lexus IS250... ''Yeah but, it's a genuine Lexus product''. I got one installed for 200$ the week after.