re: New SUV question

I can get A plan too, but I drive a Honda. Brother in law is Ex-FMC executive and sister still works for Ford in Detroit.

However, no Ford for me. Ever.

Here's the thing. What if your wife decides she doesn't like the Explorer after 6 months of driving it? Do you want to be stuck trying to sell it and you'll still take a loss on the truck even at $38K. If you lease, then you get a new SUV every 36 months, kind of like, renting with the option to buy. You can always pay off the residual at the end if you absolutely have to buy the Explorer, however, anyone that knows Finance would never do so. You're only paying for the depreciation over the term and you don't have to worry about selling the truck when you want a new ride. Now, since you have pricing already set with the Plan A buying program, you can go into the dealership to see what the invoice is in order to haggle a little more to get the best monthly payment. Sales tax is always rolled over on a monthly basis when you lease, as opposed to rolled over into the Principal amount of the loan upfront, which will save you money in the long run. Keep your money in the bank and put the least amount down to keep your monthly payment to where you want it. Always demand to have the dealership waive all the bullshite fees, like the security deposit if you have good credit. Before you sign, be sure to ask what bank the dealership uses on their leases. They usually hold a point or more on the APR depending on credit. Call the bank before you sign to make sure the dealership is not lying. If you have "Vanilla Credit" 720 plus beacon you hold all the cards.

Hope this helps.