Bottom line is "overpriced" or not is basically a matter of opinion.

General concensus is that MSRP is just a guideline - manufacturer's asking price (just like what a seller is "asking" for their truck) - up to the buyer to haggle with the seller and arrive a mutually acceptable price.

And I see that some posts have segued into the "New vs Used" arguments.

There are some that would argue that any new vehicle is overpriced - that the hit on depreciation is so great when you drive off the lot that it never, ever, makes sense to buy new, and that sounds right, up to a point.

I would argue that new car buyers have all kinds of reasons for buying new - some like "new" and whatever status that gives them, some can't get/find what they want in used, some "don't want someone else's junk/headaches/discards/"fill in the blank", some people just have too much money to spend . . .whatever . . .

I would say that whatever factors differentiate new car buyers, the one common factor is that they all want 3 years/80,000 or more kilometers (60,000 miles or more), of vitually trouble free driving - that is the standard of most time/mileage warranties out there.

So no one drives a new car off the lot expecting to sell it the next day - yes it will depreciate, and a lot (very, very heavy front end loaded depreciation), but if expectations run true, that new owner doesn't really expect to sell before 3 or 4 years, so in their case, the depreciation is leveled out over that time - yes, still a hit, but not as heavy as some would have you believe.

So the next owner will be covering the cost of "wear and tear" items if they haven't been addressed - and will likely say, "well, it's getting old, things wear out" and pay out the costs; so what you saved on depreciation by buying it after 2 or 4 years, you'll be giving back in a higher than average cost of repairs in your next 3 or 4 years of ownership.

Which brings me to the next point I would like to present:

Why do you thing the government was paying all sorts of good money, and manufacturers giving rebates and incentives (all on paper at least), for people to bring in perfectly good used cars and then junk them?

Many of you have seen and heard of vehicles that were not only really affordable, but in many cases would have made great parts vehicles - would have kept your own trucks on the road for many years to come, but were instead scrapped/destroyed/mangled, with no hope of salvage.

The rebates and incentives to junk vehicles meant that there was no way they would ever reach the private/used car sales market - they were being "bought" to be junked, to keep them out of the private market, to keep new car production lines going, to "clean up the environment" by increasing a greater percentage of "emissions compliant" (read "new") vehicles on the road, to get people to buy new . . . and so on.

The rebates and incentives were way above "market" price; way above any kind of logical, sensible, realistic pricing.

Does anyone think that kind of pricing structure made any kind of sense?

So, overpriced or not?

New?:

If you haggle, compare it to your choices if you want a new "not full-sized truck" from the competitors (I'll refrain from the categories "compact" and "mid-sized" - you say "to-may-toe", I say "to-mah-toe" . . .) - not too bad comparably;

yes, old design, but balanced by "easy to work on" and reliable;

not great on gas for 4.0, balanced by lots of 4 cyls bought by fleet owners;

could be upgraded/made newer and more current, balanced by design costs amortized and paid for - still a profitable product for Ford;

MSRP seems kind of high, balanced by "well then, use common sense and bargain the price down to an acceptable amount" . . .

So, Overpriced? at new?

Not if you compare MSRPs, not if you understand the product, not if you know how to bargain . . .

Overpriced?

Used?:

Not if you've done your homework, not if you understand the product, not if you fit everything within your budget and know how to bargain . . .


So, what's the common denominator(s) when trying to arrive a fair price?


Now if you're talking about "asking price" and "selling price", well, that's a whole 'nother can of worms . . .

Sorry about the long post, it's an involved topic

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2003 Supercab Flareside
4 liter V6
4x4 FX4 Level I
5 speed Auto
4.10 LS Rear

I have a 4.0 5spd ;-)

You had some good points.... then it was just too much reading for me so I stopped.

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2008 XLT 4x4 - GRABBER ORANGE - 4.0 V6 - 5 spd
PNW CREW

You'll excuse me if i say your assumption is wrong, very wrong.

A sticker price is not an idea, it's the price the seller is asking.

If you're able to negociate, the seller still makes a profit. When you drive off the lot with a ranger and 6500$ in your pockets in rebates, you really think ford is taking a loss? You think dealerships are non-profit organisations?

Dream on.

I think you might have misread north44's meaning.

Yes, the dealer is going to make a profit even with the rebates and so on. What I think he was saying is that if a Ranger is over priced is subjective to the prospective buyer.

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Sgtsandman's Work in Progress
2011 Ranger XLT, 4X4, 4 door Super Cab. 4.0L, 5 Speed M50D-R1HD, 3.73:1, 8.8" open differential, Jason Pace cap
2019 Ford Ranger STX FX4, Super Crew, 2.3L Ecoboost, 10 speed automatic, 3.73:1 with rear locker, Leer 100XR cap

You may think a painting is good looking, and i won't.

I might like a song that you won't.

1+1 will always make two, no matter the opinions.

If the dealership stays in business, and actually grows from selling cars with rebates up to 6500$ from regular prices, people need to wake the fuck up and smell the profit.

Of course they are going to make a profit. So is a used car dealership. What is the point of a business but to make a profit? If they aren't, they are going to shut the business down. The owner, sales people, service people, mechanics and so forth got to make a living and put food on the table too.

__________________
Sgtsandman's Work in Progress
2011 Ranger XLT, 4X4, 4 door Super Cab. 4.0L, 5 Speed M50D-R1HD, 3.73:1, 8.8" open differential, Jason Pace cap
2019 Ford Ranger STX FX4, Super Crew, 2.3L Ecoboost, 10 speed automatic, 3.73:1 with rear locker, Leer 100XR cap

Who gives a shit about used cars, there's no msrp on them, totally off-topic.

As for dealerships needing to make profit, pretty sure i know better than most of the members here about overbillings and unworked hours. Charging 100$/h when most shops will charge 50-70, and then promoting the house brand over better quality parts at the same price or more. Don't tell me dealerships need to put food on the table, they have plenty of people dumb enough to buy into the brainwashing.

Ford didn't take the bailout, offered massive rebates of up to 40% on vehicles, and ended making a profit. Cmon man, you think they printed the money?

Except for the fact the dealership charges $100 an hour for a technician that's been through the program (same thing we did at my old job) as opposed to Joe's Repair Shop who doesn't need to prove he knows shit to anyone and can still charge $50-$70 an hour.... I avoid the dealership when it comes to parts because I know that's overpriced, but sometimes the labor is worth paying just to know the job is right and to have a warranty on the work/parts....

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2008 XLT 4x4 - GRABBER ORANGE - 4.0 V6 - 5 spd
PNW CREW

I paid 4500 for mine it only had 69k miles on it so I got a good deal of course it helped the guy was a retired marine that didn't care for profit anymore lol.

My family always buys used only Truck that has been new in our family was my dads 2010 Sport Trac he paid a pretty 30k in cash but he loves it and I do too

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2003 4.0L V6 Ford Ranger Regular cab

Modifications----> 20% side windows, 5%% Tinted rear window and front windsheild strip, , Diamond plated bed extender, Explorer sport Dome Light, Sony headunit, White Face Explorer Gauge Cluster.

I didn't realize I kicked you in the groin. You might want to put some ice on that...

Exactly. Though there are quite a few shops around here that charge $80-$100 an hour shop rate as well. Thus why I've learned how to do my own work. Pretty much the only thing I don't to is a compete tear down or exhaust work. Exhaust work still costs the same and it will take me a lot longer than a shop. Tear down, well I just don't have the space and all the necessary tools...

__________________
Sgtsandman's Work in Progress
2011 Ranger XLT, 4X4, 4 door Super Cab. 4.0L, 5 Speed M50D-R1HD, 3.73:1, 8.8" open differential, Jason Pace cap
2019 Ford Ranger STX FX4, Super Crew, 2.3L Ecoboost, 10 speed automatic, 3.73:1 with rear locker, Leer 100XR cap