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Best practices to actually get a Focus RS

64K views 107 replies 35 participants last post by  chicagofire 
#1 ·
So I've never done this before. This will be the first car I've been interested in before it has been released and also the most limited production vehicle I've been looking at.

So... How do I get one?
Should I contact a dealer in my area, and should I pick the largest volume Ford dealer I can find?
Is it historically correct that the larger volume dealers will get first pick or get more of a car like this?

Will I have to pay sticker price (or even over sticker price)?
Will there be incentives like cash back or 0% financing?

I've also never ordered a new car, bought a few new cars right off the lot/showroom.
What do I need to know to order what I want, and what happens if I don't want it when it comes in?
 
#2 ·
If you really want one find the SVT dealer in your area put down a deposit when they open the ordering books order and there you go yours. Now having said that if I don't like the car or price or need my deposit back I can get it but I am first in line to order at my dealership. They figure they might get two or three if they are lucky.
 
#3 ·
Once more is announced, (ie. price, timeframe, etc.) go have a talk with your local dealership. If you ask me, right now it really doesn't matter if you have your name down on anything or not, but that is my opinion, others will disagree. Yes, larger volume dealers typically will get more and/or they will get them sooner than other dealerships.

Ford typically doesn't offer any incentives on specialty vehicles. They started off that way with the ST only offering some of their purchasing plans with it, but no incentives. They soon changed that when they couldn't get them off the lots quick enough. But I would not expect any incentives to be offered.

I have a feeling this car is going to be a lot like buying my Raptor was. Yes, you can purchase them off the lot, however you will be paying a premium. If you order one, don't expect to get it too deeply discounted, but I wouldn't ever pay over MSRP for it, you can ALWAYS find a dealer that will sell for MSRP or less. My gut tells me invoice + 500 is going to be a pretty good deal on this car. Order the first day the order banks open up (probably watch this site to find out). If you are there day one and have a deposit in hand, more than likely you will bypass anyone that is on the "list" in front of you. Expect to wait for this thing, Ford will build some cars for dealer inventory and others for customer orders, typically run 1 is a lot more dealer stock. Even after production started on the 2012 Raptors, it took me 5 months to get mine and that was even after having a pretty large argument with the area manager for Ford to get the order chosen for build.

As far as what happens if you don't want it when it comes in? A reputable Ford dealer would just refund the deposit and sell it for more on the lot.

So in recap:

1). No incentives will be offered more than likely.
2). Order day 1 when the order banks open up.
3). Expect to wait as orders are fulfilled.
4). Expect close to MSRP for price, but don't pay over it.
5). Enjoy the car when it comes in!
 
#4 ·
It is too hard to say how it is going to go with the RS besides not easy. I have a good working business relationship with my dealer, and I'm hoping this will be enough to get a good honest price with out markup. I will pay up to 500 over MSRP but that's its. I'm good at negotiating but it only works if they need a sale, I don't think the RS will have a problem or slow down until 6 months after they start getting them over here.
 
#6 ·
I've bought five Fords from the same dealership in the past decade. Having a relationship with the owner and his head of sales, I hope to pay below sticker. I was the first to order a ST from them, hell they didn't even know what it was until I told them. They priced it at an X plan price for me before X plan was made available. In the end, their quoted price was 200 below what the X plan would have been.

I have no intention of paying over sticker. I've been a loyal customer. Loyal to the dealership and the brand. If they try to gouge me, then I'll take my business to another dealership, but I don't think they will. If fact, I have a friend that want's a RS and will order right along side me. Hell, I might set up a group buy depending on allocations.
 
#8 ·
2nd year is a good option, but the late release has me thinking about the first year. I would like to purchase in April, the ST will be turning 3 at that time. I'm thinking of at least waiting 6 months after they hit showrooms, but that may be longer depending on demand or at least waiting until I can get one for MSRP.
 
#16 ·
Great thread, answers a lot of questions I had. I think the more logical choice would be to wait until the year 2 RS comes out and see all the reviews/shakedowns of the car as well as working out the bugs. However, the little boy in me doesn't want to be logical I just want to plop money down, sell my ST and get into a day one RS haha!
 
#18 · (Edited)
I work at a Ford Dealership, and I've called all the others(locally) outside of my company, and talked with a few Ford reps...at this time there is no official "Waiting List" for the Focus RS yet.
General Manager says the "Dealer's List" people are getting on is just basically a call list for when they do open up a waiting list, or they become available.

I can only take all that info at face value myself, so do with that information whatever you will...
 
#19 ·
As long as dealers honor the lists they are making I suppose it doesn't matter. I just wouldn't take it as a guarantee of getting an RS if you are on one. There is no ordering info out yet and who knows about allocations. I would say if you plan on getting an RS when the first hit shores, go to a few dealers and get on their list, hopefully this way you will have some back ups if the RS becomes a unicorn at first.
 
#20 ·
Hello all, noob here to the focus forums. Really hoping I can trade in my fr-s in a year with a downpayment and be able to walk out the door with one. I've been wondering though, I know they won't be made in huge numbers like the normal focus, but I think it won't be too hard to get one because it is kind of a niche car. I'm not knocking that by any means, but I think the average non-enthusiast isn't going to see the validation of spending 35k+ on the RS when for cheaper they can get the ST or for the same price get a mustang gt. I actually had a salesman look at me like I was crazy when after test driving the mustang GT I asked if they had any focus st's in stock. He kept trying to sell me on the gt on how the ST didn't compare, is crappy compared to the mustang. I kind of looked at him sideways at that point, maybe he was just trying to make a hard sell on the GT. Here in SA theres a decent tuning scene but it's really obvious its a huge mustang gt/chevy camaro city. I think with some research I should be able to hunt 1 RS close by hopefully for non rape price. sorry for the rambling guys!!
 
#43 ·
There will always be People saying "Its just a Focus"
Well, for car enthusiasts thats just hard to believe that there are people who arent able to recognize that there is a huge difference between a RS and a standard Focus.

I always ask to myself, if there are people unable to see a difference between an RS and a standard Focus, how will they feel when they are in a VW Store.
Lets say there are 3 "Golfs". A normal Golf, a GTI, and a Golf R.
The prices for a fully loaded Golf R is just ridiculous. In Germany you can take a Focus and a Fiesta ST for the same price.
Most people really cant see a difference between the Golfs.

But I think everyone is smart enough to recognize that there must be a difference between a standard Golf or Focus and higher priced car like the R or RS.
 
#44 ·
Haha! This will always be said. Many current members drive a Ford Focus ST and are waiting to get into a Ford Focus RS. Both of which are Foci with a bit more punch.
 
#45 ·
A true car enthusiast, a true Ford / Focus enthusiast knows better, knows that it not "just a Focus" as if there is something wrong with that. I'm on my third Focus. My first was a 01 ZX3. I liked it so much I bought another, a 2012 Titanium, and then the ST.

Just as others have pointed out, the WRX and STi are known by enthusiast and people who want them go looking for what they want. I have a buddy that has a Subaru and he pretty much puts gas in it and turns the key. He is completely unaware that they offer a performance model of his car, hell, he didn't even know he had a CVT transmission in his car, and he doesn't care. If you explained to him why a STi was more expensive and offered more performance, he would care, because he isn't an automotive enthusiast, he just wants to get from point A to point B.

What puzzles me, (and maybe because its because my interest lean heavily toward fast Fords) is I've never heard anyone say "it's just a" about any car other than the Focus. Somehow that it's a Ford Focus as it's underpinnings is a bad thing?

When this car comes out, it will set the bar, and I think there are a lot of people who will say "that there is one of them Ford Focus RSs!"
 
#46 ·
#52 · (Edited)
I drove one run in an stock ST, loved it. Was about a 1 second off (60+ second course) a national driver that was practicing in a Street "built" ST, though I did DNF it didn't help, wrong side of the cone to line up the next section so it slowed me more than helped. I would have try hard to get to the right side of the cone but was not sure the car would make it so I choose to let out and went to wrong side rather than risk hitting a cone in a "student's" car. Time was much better than I was getting in the MR2 that day. But I'm more use to FWD. Hoping to get a full day in an ST this year sometime. Still wanting the RS... just have to wait.
 
#55 ·
We'll all have to painfully wait and see. If the price is too much I think I'll wait out Ford and the local dealerships for a deal. I have a fully functional FoST that currently instigates displays of speed at more than one traffic light. This morning is a prime example of this since I had an imposter in a decaled Roush Mustang with a single exhaust that just didn't have that V8 warble when then driver rev'd the engine. Wish I would have had a GoPro on hand to see the expression when I pulled and never looked back. It was bad enough that they took the next exit to save their embarrassment. A few feet later coming into post saw a Civic Si that wanted to rev a bit. Crazy.
 
#57 ·
Interesting perspectives in here. I promise not to beat this poor dead horse too long. :)

My experience is that not many people are typically going to ask what kind of car you drive unless they are an enthusiast. Usually I don't have any problems answering that I drive an "ST" because I hang out with lots of track enthusiasts (some of them instructors) who have a lot of respect for the platform. For the non-enthusiast types, I just kind of mumble that I have a little Ford hatchback. These are typically the uninformed types that are more worried about which luxury brand they need to have to keep up with the Jones's.

I'm also of the mind that you shouldn't have to pay above MSRP for ANYTHING practical. I was patient and shopped...and shopped...and shopped for my PB ST3 with every major option for $25.5k. I think (or hope rather) the RS will be negotiable after a bit. I struggle to go instantly upside down on a new car so if dealers are no willing to work a deal, I'll just unfortunately do without. I seriously doubt that will be the case though. Sadly, I personally think that there is just too much "muscle car" mentality in this country.
 
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