24 / 48 Hour Test Drive

[Sogorman]

Has anyone heard or seen any opportunity to have a 24/48 hour test drive of the FFE? I have also been looking to see if any rental companies in the phoenix area are renting them but so far have not had much luck.

Sean

 

[user 3729]

I asked a Houston dealer to let me borrow one for 24 hours and they agreed to set it up, but I never ended up taking it. My wife hated the idea.

In any case, I told the dealer I wanted to pick it up on a Thursday evening and return it the following evening, so I could see how it worked with my family's routine, car seats, etc. They were pretty motivated, having several cars on their lot for quite a while and had yet to sell an EV. I'm not sure every dealer would be willing to do this, but it's not unusual.

 

[jeffand]

If you are serious about purchasing a FFE I would first visit the FORD website to check out any incentive programs. Not doing so could be a costly mistake. Also scope out were you are going place the level 2 charging station. If you look along the top edge of the window sticker you will find the production date code. The longer the car has been on the lot the more likely they will go for a lower price.

 

[user 3729]

I would not buy a car that has been sitting on a lot for very long in Phoenix. The battery TMS doesn't run if the FFE isn't plugged into L2, so there is a good chance you'll get a car with heavy battery degradation just from baking on a dealer lot.

 

[Jasper7821]

I bought my 2013 in Tucson and it sat on the lot for 7 months. Besudes the SSN warnings the battery life is great. Usually says around 80-85 mile range after charge.

 

[JTCalif]

[...] If you look along the top edge of the window sticker you will find the production date code. The longer the car has been on the lot the more likely they will go for a lower price.

Window sticker from ours shows no such along top (just part of the VIN), but does have string of characters along mid-bottom edge ... ending in "05 30 12".
Assuming that means May 2012, would be just over 2 months before we got it (new).

Note: from hassle trying to buy an FFE then, learned repeatedly about delay getting them shipped from Michigan to California. (Ours came by rail, it shows.)
Point: long time between production and purchase COULD have been spent (partly) sitting somewhere near the factory, not at the dealer. (Not guess about weather / sun there.)