An actual, honest, thorough review of Rodman Ford from a first time car buyer:…read more
I've been saving for a truck for awhile now. In the meantime, I've shared a car with my parents since I first had my license. Needless to say, I was long overdue for a vehicle of my own. I'll briefly detail my experience, who I worked with, and what I took away that I feel will be helpful to share with others who consider purchasing from Rodman Ford.
Rodman came recommended to us by a relative of ours (their business is based on referral and their sales staff is non-commissioned). I felt compelled to seek a deal with them because my father purchased a used 2012 Ford Edge Limited from them in October '18, and they treated him with care and respect (which I appreciate deeply given his advanced age). I was referred to Craig Rodman, one of the Dealership President's sons. Unfortunately, he had personal matters to attend to (which I don't fault him for obviously), so he had Matt Deleo assist me in his absence after our initial contact.
As previously mentioned, this was my first auto buying experience. I'd researched for months on what to say, what to ask, how to handle sales tactics etc. I went in alone for my first meeting with Matt on Monday (7/8), admittedly unnerved by the prospect of a stereotypical car buying experience. In short, Matt's a great dude. At points I was aware I was being sold to, but it wasn't the tacky, overenthusiastic BS that a bad used car salesman feeds customers. Matt took his time with me. I'll admit I'm a gigantic stickler for details, and once I know what I want, it's all but set in stone. After I beat him over the head with what I wanted in a truck, I felt like he really took the time to tailor the sale to my best possible satisfaction. He's a great communicator, reachable and responsive, and will find you an answer if you ask him something he doesn't know; a genuine dude you'd wanna have a beer with after signing the dotted line.
I initially wanted to purchase new, but those hopes were dashed once we ran the numbers. Matt had my taste in trucks nailed down within minutes. He brought around a used 2017 F-150 STX 5.0 that they had purchased 5 days prior from a private owner. It had mostly every feature I had hoped for, while leaving me enough room to make it my own with aftermarket additions. As soon as I gave it a proverbial kicking of the tires, I knew it was mine.
Here's the rub: they charge you $880 if you don't finance through one of their finance managers. You don't necessarily have to use Ford Credit (it stinks), but it is what it is. They're running a business, and I get it. Their explanation was to the effect of "it enables us to list our prices aggressively compared to other dealers" (paraphrasing). I'm aware it's meant to compel you to use their finance guy, it's a tactic like anything else and I at least commend them on being transparent about it. The fee ended up being a moot point for me since I ended up financing through them anyway. If you do end up having to pay the $880, maybe ask for a sun shade or some floor mats as a consolation. They're reasonable and they'll work with you, I promise.
I originally had secured financing through my credit union at their lowest rate, but their finance manager I worked with, Scott Ames, implored me to let him run the numbers because he knew he could beat it. He did, by 1.29%. Lesson learned: evaluate all your options, be adaptable. Scott's a retired Marine and it shows. He's gruff by nature, but a good man and a fantastic resource. He'll tell you what you need to hear straight up. No hook, no spin, no fuss. I prefer a straight shooter, and Scott embodies that principle.
I was honestly floored by how adaptable the staff was. They'll bend for you. I mean, they should anyway since you're forking over tens of thousands of dollars. But they really will make concessions and reasonable accommodations for you, all you have to do is ask.
To summarize, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of my transaction from start to finish. Everyone I dealt with from the receptionist, to sales, to finance was friendly, accommodating, and personable. I went into this expecting the worst. I even printed out the Wikipedia entry on "bait-and-switch" and brought it with me tucked into my portfolio in case any funny business arose (sorry guys). Thankfully, it didn't even cross my mind during the sale. Seriously - don't put a ton of stock in the one-star grievances on here. People get pissed when they spend $30,000+ (or plan to) and things don't go exactly their way. I'm not saying lay down and let a dealership trample you, but it's important to remember that they're humans like you and I, and sometimes sh*t happens. People will sometimes use this as an outlet for those frustrations and write things in anger. Fortunately, I'm not one of those people, and Rodman earned every word of my praise. I'll hopefully be dealing with them for a long, long time.