Flying to car tomorrow - Delivery advice, 1st post

Hi Folks,

Heading out tomorrow to see the car which is a new '18 GT premium auto with PP, active exhaust and nav. Since the dealer is out of state and first time seeing the car wanted to check with you to see if you have any delivery advice especially when it comes to inspecting the car. Want to make sure I don't miss anything that maybe you guys might have caught / wished you had caught when you took delivery of your cars. Also if there are any accessories you think are must haves - I'm thinking wheel locks, back mats, trunk mat (the rubber thing)....I will drive this car daily through all seasons, already looking at winter tire / wheel setups.

Wanted one of these cars since I was 15 years old. Turned 50 last Thursday and not getting any younger. Got a performance package car as it will see an occasional autocross or track day, the wife and I were BMW club members for a few years and at least know how to go through $1k in tires over a weekend.

I'm hoping all of this works out, have deal finalized, just need to show up with bank check and I'm good. Friend saw car yesterday and sent some pics. If these guys don't flake out on something I will be driving back home all day Sunday - wish me luck and thanks in advance for any advice.

Nothing in particular to look for, other than the over-all condition of the car. As far as accessories, you and your wife are the people to answer that question. Keep in mind there are far better accessories for your money from the after-market than from some dealership.

Be aware that a new set of OEM tires for you car will probably me more like $1500 installed.

Cancel your flight

The most obvious things on the S550:
-Trunk/hood/door gaps on the body.
-Paint drips on the edges of trunk/hood.
-Leaking oil pan gasket
-Driveshaft vibrations around 40-60mph

OP, since coming from out-of-town, what did you expect to fix there if you did catch something? Doubtful dealer will shoe you in for panel alignment or paint problems. Have your friend inspect the car for you as if it where his/hers and get back to you.

No need to waste money on cheap dealer-sourced accessories.

Make sure they actually have the car you want.

I would tell the salesman to provide banana for scale. Would suck to get there and the salesman be like, "Oh, well we don't have that exact one... But we do have this other <insert car here>".

Sales people would never do anything like that though... Never.

KevinG said:

The most obvious things on the S550:
-Trunk/hood/door gaps on the body.
-Paint drips on the edges of trunk/hood.
-Leaking oil pan gasket
-Driveshaft vibrations around 40-60mph

Click to expand...

That's helpful and appreciate it much. As far as accessories go I have a bit of an allowance to work with and anything other than basic stuff, ie floor mats, etc I would seek out elsewhere. Friend lives in the town and saw car yesterday. Like you guys I'm very particular about my cars and have bought several new vehicles however only one out of state before and that's why I'm trying to be extra cautious - if there are any other specifics on what to look for / beware of please let me know.

Thanks again!

Attached are a couple of checklists I have used in the past.

I agree with control4userguy: have your friend run through the checklist ahead of time. And to take some advice from uabeng, I would also have your friend make sure that the dealer has the exact car (VIN) you agreed upon.

The only useful accessory I have bought from a dealer is the Ford (Mustang) trunk mat (Part no: FR3Z-6111600-AA). I got it for $99.99 plus tax. I shopped around before I found a deal through a local Ford dealer.

My Mustang came with All Weather Floor Mats (included on the factory window sticker), which are pretty sturdy. I would get either them or WeathertTech mats - whichever are less expensive.

Good luck!

My Mustang came with the Ford all weather mats, they're ok, but the WeatherTech are much better and offer significantly more coverage and protection to the carpet. A must have, especially if it's a daily driver.

Also, if you drive the car year round, check out Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires. They're an all-season tire that performs very well, even in summer temps. They have more warm weather traction than I did with my stock summer Pirelli's. I planned to have a set of both summer and winter tires, but these perform both task nicely. Then you could get a more track focused set specifically for the track.

The only thing to look at is the body for dents, panel fit, paint and the interior for dings.
Everything else is covered under the 3/36 warranty at any Ford dealer.
Lee

Make sure no panels are broken. My ecoboost had a bad driverside rocker panel from the factory or maybe the dealer did it idk, just make sure if there is damage its acknowledged so its covered. Also look in the grill make sure nothing is hanging down. I had an aero piece hanging just came unclipped. I'm sure everything will be fine. I just had a minor amount of bad luck but all worked out.

Picked it up today and could not be happier. Flew to Atlanta this AM and whole process went a lot quicker than I thought it would. Worth traveling to Kennesaw GA to see Cody at Tidwell Ford. Once I figure out how to attach pics will post a few.

Glad to hear things went well.


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Make sure there are no possums in your engine bay.

TC :ford:

I cant imagine flying somewhere to get a car.

Congrats on your purchase OP