Thinking about getting a 2021 limited max stealth edition. I’ve got two used options nearby for almost the same price ($51k certified vs $50k not certified). The certified one has about 36k miles, and the non-certified one has around 19k. I like the idea of fewer miles, but I keep hearing that I’d need an extended warranty anyway. Leaning towards the certified one. What do you think?
You should check Ziegler for extended warranty prices. It’ll probably cost you two or three thousand depending on how long and how many miles you want covered.
This could give you some leverage to negotiate on the one without a warranty.
By the way, those prices seem a bit steep. It’s a nice trim and low mileage, but these are 4-year-old models, and the 2025s are already out.
@Sidney
Good to know. That price range for Ziegler is right in line with what I’ve seen. I’ll definitely use that to negotiate.
Just to share my experience, I was looking for an Expedition with around 50k miles earlier this year. I ended up buying a 2020 limited with 73k miles that was certified pre-owned. It was more miles than I wanted, but it came with a warranty and was priced at $33k, so I went for it.
Turns out the transmission had issues (6th gear was rough), and they had to rebuild it and fix some leaky gaskets. Warranty covered it all, and the service guy said it would’ve been about $10k. It’s still under warranty for a few more years, and I’m hoping it holds up after that.
If I were you, I’d go for the gold certified one.
@Payton
Thanks for sharing your story! I hope it keeps running smoothly for you.
Have you asked if they offer a “super gold certified” version or something? Dealers always have new names for stuff.
If the non-certified 2021 is already out of warranty (and it probably is since we’re in November), I’d pick the Gold Certified one and then add an extended warranty through Ford.
I wouldn’t drive a Ford off the lot without some kind of warranty. My Ford Explorer was a certified pre-owned, and I’ve had about $8,000 of work done under the warranty. I like Fords, but buying one used without coverage feels too risky.
@Rowan
Thanks for the advice!
That seems to be the consensus—get a warranty no matter what. I called Ziegler earlier about the non-certified one, and it would fall under the 41/41 plan (41 months and 41k miles). An 8-year, 100k-mile plan (starting from its 2021 original sale date) was quoted at $2,410. That’d give us about 5 years and 82k miles of coverage. We might go for a longer plan since we drive 10-12k miles a year. Just need to negotiate the sale price to offset that cost.
@Remy
For $2,410, getting a few more years of peace of mind sounds like a good deal. I’d ask the Ford dealer to pull the service history on that car to see if any major repairs have already been done. Also, make sure the oil changes were regular—check CarFax too.
Don’t do it. My 2018 has been a total money pit. If you’re set on it, make sure to get an extended warranty that covers the transmission, cam phasers, and turbos. All three will fail eventually if they haven’t already, and fixing them is very expensive.
I bought ours in 2022 without knowing about these problems, and we’ve spent $20,000 on repairs so far. Still need to fix the cams and turbos. Learn from my mistake.