New 2017 Models below $20k BEFORE tax credit

[PlugInPerson]

Did you not end up buying that 2017 FFE out in Wisconsin? I still see it listed.

Wow, that's .... WOW! My plan has been to order a 2018 next month. But I gotta look into this. It's in Wisconsin and I'm on the coast of California ... u think 1000 would get it here?

https://www.autotransportdirect.com

Thanks for the info. They quoted me $970, which is very close to the cost of gas I'd spend driving there and back with a trailer. It's actually much less if you include the cost of hotels on a 7 or 8 day journey. I will go see my buddy at my local Ford dealer and see if he can step in and facilitate this.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Did you not end up buying that 2017 FFE out in Wisconsin? I still see it listed.

No, it's misrepresented. That 20k is after all the rebates (which can be applied to any local FFE also). I'm back to my original plan which is to pre-order a 2018 model.

For a brief moment this weekend I got very excited when I heard California might up the State Rebate from $2,500 to $10,000 on September 15th ... then the politicians pulled the money out of the bill. That would have been so outstanding! It wasn't meant to be though.

My friend who was buying a 2017 FFE this weekend put a hold on his plans when we heard they were raising the rebate ... but now they're not, so he's going to get the local Ford dealer to do a dealer-trade and get that car he wants a little closer. I think he's pulling that off today.

 

[brendenlow]

New to the forum and will be pulling the trigger on a FFE lease today, so I will be posting all my questions re: EV in the more appropriate threads, but wanted to share the deal I got in case anyone was interested.

Based in SC so I am finalizing an order from a dealer in NC who has two on their lot. Got the price down to 19,500 after some work with the dealer and $10k lease cash, $750 Ford Private Cash, and $500 Ford Drives U cash. Only paying the first month's payment plus delivery to my door which is $350 or so.

Lease payments shake out to 367.49/ month for 24 months or 8819.76. After the tax credit which should wipe out most of my tax liability for the year I am down to 1319.76 cost of ownership for 24 months which is approximately 54.99/ month.

I think it was a pretty good deal but any insight is always appreciated

 

[spirilis]

New to the forum and will be pulling the trigger on a FFE lease today, so I will be posting all my questions re: EV in the more appropriate threads, but wanted to share the deal I got in case anyone was interested.

Based in SC so I am finalizing an order from a dealer in NC who has two on their lot. Got the price down to 19,500 after some work with the dealer and $10k lease cash, $750 Ford Private Cash, and $500 Ford Drives U cash. Only paying the first month's payment plus delivery to my door which is $350 or so.

Lease payments shake out to 367.49/ month for 24 months or 8819.76. After the tax credit which should wipe out most of my tax liability for the year I am down to 1319.76 cost of ownership for 24 months which is approximately 54.99/ month.

I think it was a pretty good deal but any insight is always appreciated

I've never leased before so others please correct me, but when you lease a car, doesn't the dealer take the tax credit?

 

[brendenlow]

You are right! I must have misread the language in the tax code, but after review it is correct that the leasing company owns the vehicle and would get the credit

 

[spirilis]

You are right! I must have misread the language in the tax code, but after review it is correct that the leasing company owns the vehicle and would get the credit

Yeah I'm guessing that's where the $10K "lease cash" came from right?

 

[brendenlow]

You are right! I must have misread the language in the tax code, but after review it is correct that the leasing company owns the vehicle and would get the credit

Yeah I'm guessing that's where the $10K "lease cash" came from right?

Must be rolled into that pricing. I guess its back to the drawing board. I thought I found an angle and the lease cash was becasue they are not hot sellers in the NC Region. Bummer

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

You are right! I must have misread the language in the tax code, but after review it is correct that the leasing company owns the vehicle and would get the credit

Yeah I'm guessing that's where the $10K "lease cash" came from right?

Must be rolled into that pricing. I guess its back to the drawing board. I thought I found an angle and the lease cash was becasue they are not hot sellers in the NC Region. Bummer

I had similar numbers in my head when I called on the 20k car in the OP. That pipe dream came to a screeching halt when I talked to the salesman.

It looks like the best you can do is about $3k from Ford and another $1k during a sale. So you're $31k FFE drops to $27k... with 2k down you're looking at $250 a month for a 3 year lease and $9k residual. Then maybe another 1k down and another $250 a month for 3 more years and it's all yours.

Is a 3 year old FFE worth $9k?

Personally, the $1k sale discount isn't worth the range drop. Meaning Ford has promised range efficiency improvements in the 2108 model and that model will be rolling off the assembly line soon. I'd rather wait a few months, pay the extra $1k, and get 160 miles range per charge. * I'm totally making up that 160 mile number, but it's based on previous range gains not an official announcement.

 

[spirilis]

I had similar numbers in my head when I called on the 20k car in the OP. That pipe dream came to a screeching halt when I talked to the salesman.

It looks like the best you can do is about $3k from Ford and another $1k during a sale. So you're $31k FFE drops to $27k... with 2k down you're looking at $250 a month for a 3 year lease and $9k residual. Then maybe another 1k down and another $250 a month for 3 more years and it's all yours.

Is a 3 year old FFE worth $9k?

Personally, the $1k sale discount isn't worth the range drop. Meaning Ford has promised range efficiency improvements in the 2108 model and that model will be rolling off the assembly line soon. I'd rather wait a few months, pay the extra $1k, and get 160 miles range per charge. * I'm totally making up that 160 mile number, but it's based on previous range gains not an official announcement.

I'm a bit dubious about that range improvement, when this document spells out the 2018's having the same size battery-
http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2018/2018_FocusElectric.pdf

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

I'm a bit dubious about that range improvement, when this document spells out the 2018's having the same size battery-
http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/brochures/2018/2018_FocusElectric.pdf

Yes, I can see what you mean. BUT ...

"Going green has a whole new meaning now that Ford has unveiled the new 2018 Focus Electric. And when we say new, we mean it, because the 2018 Ford Focus Electric features an all-new Outrageous Green Metallic exterior color option as well as an all-new optimized driving range. What that means for you is that the new Ford Focus Electric will be more stylish than ever before with a driving range that blows away the 2017 model year version."
http://www.brandonford.com/blog/2018-ford-focus-electric-new-exterior-color-and-driving-range/

In 2017 the battery went from 23KWh to 32.5KWh, and the range jumped from 76 to 118 miles. Increasing range without increasing battery size would mean a drastic improvement in efficiency. So my 160 mile guess doesn't seem likely.

Still, any improvement in efficiency would be an improvement. With all the other electric cars going past 200 miles is seems Ford is sucking fumes.

The current 2017 model has an estimated range of 96 freeway miles. My one-way commute to work is 23-26, miles depending on the route. Even if I stick with the shortest route that's 92 miles in 2 days. That's cutting it pretty close if I want to charge at work every other day. I could just charge at work every day but I don't know how much of a PIA that will be.

 

[Texas FFE]

Increasing range without increasing battery size would mean a drastic improvement in efficiency.

I was also very sceptical that there would be significant range increase for the 2018 FFE but then I read that the battery of the 2018 Nissan Leaf has the same form factor (read it's the same shape) as the 2017 Leaf battery, now I'm not so sure. I can't imagine myself upgrading from a 2017 FFE to a 2018 FFE but it would be nice to know I could put in a larger capacity battery if I ever have to replace the battery in my 2017 FFE.

 

[packers]

thanks for this information

 

[damania]

Increasing range without increasing battery size would mean a drastic improvement in efficiency.

I was also very sceptical that there would be significant range increase for the 2018 FFE but then I read that the battery of the 2018 Nissan Leaf has the same form factor (read it's the same shape) as the 2017 Leaf battery, now I'm not so sure. I can't imagine myself upgrading from a 2017 FFE to a 2018 FFE but it would be nice to know I could put in a larger capacity battery if I ever have to replace the battery in my 2017 FFE.

By the time you area ready to replace the battery we will already be at 300 miles

 

[damania]

I'm seriously hoping there is a FREE range increase in the 2018.

 

[triangles]

I'm seriously hoping there is a FREE range increase in the 2018.

Not to crush your hopes but according to this the '18 FFE is pretty much identical to the '17 FFE

 

[damania]

Leaf will sell way more then. And 3 will be attractive. You suck Ford.

 

[Smoking_Rubber]

Leaf will sell way more then. And 3 will be attractive. You suck Ford.

I agree! I can't see myself in a Leaf, but now I'm thinking about a Model 3. I tossed that out there last night: Wife says NO. I'm going to keep at her a bit longer. October 1st I'm ordering a FFE or a Model 3. She doesn't want me to buy anything right now and the Model 3 won't be on the shelf for at least a year so she might go for that compromise.

If I could get a SUPER cheap lease payment on a '17 FFE, I'd probably do that for 3 years AND order a Model 3. If my payment was under $200 I would carry the FFE for the back end of the lease while buying the 3. Since the FFE would be a lease, Ford would technically take the rebate and I'd still be eligible for the rebate on the 3 (assuming there are any rebates left). And assuming my wife doesn't read this forum lol.

 

[jmueller065]

Leaf will sell way more then. And 3 will be attractive. You suck Ford.

Of course the Leaf will sell way more: It is and was never Ford's intention to sell a lot of FFE's. We're all beta (and some of us alpha) testers. Its basically a hand built prototype car--even today.

Keep in mind that if you start a FFE lease todayish by the end of the lease Ford's 300 mile EV SUV should be ready (granted if that even still is a thing as it was announced by Fields and he is gone now). Presumably they will want to sell more of those than FFE's...or perhaps not LOL.

 

[triangles]

Does anyone know what happens to the FFE after they shut down the Michigan Assembly Plant to retool for the Ranger and Bronco. Will they make them in Flatrock or will they make them in China with the rest of the focuses? Or is it the end of the line for the FFE?

 

[jmueller065]

Does anyone know what happens to the FFE after they shut down the Michigan Assembly Plant to retool for the Ranger and Bronco. Will they make them in Flatrock or will they make them in China with the rest of the focuses? Or is it the end of the line for the FFE?

My speculation is that it will be the end of the line for the FFE as that time frame also corresponds with the magical 300 mile EV SUV promised by Fields.

Counter to that, however, is the fact that China is really pushing hard for EVs and thus maybe the FFE will survive.