We were considering a 2011 Equinox (trading in DW's 2006 which was not towable) as a new toad. We qualify for the GM employee plan. I was very disappointed in the employee price and the trade in value given us at the GM dealer. The 06 Eq had just over 30,000 miles, was top line with AWD, leather, sunroof, etc. The dealer was over a $1k under blackbook wholesale rather than at the top. This was on a 2011 Eq LTZ with the 4 cylinder and FWD - not the 6 cylinder and AWD we wanted.
Went down the street to the Ford dealer to have a look as they were advertising employee prices for all buyers and ended up buying 2 new Ford products. The Equinox went in on a 2011 Escape AWD Limited that DW is very pleased with. The discount 80% more than the GM discount!!!! We got a better trade value for the Equinox but they still made out like bandits as it was such a cream puff that it was gone in a flash at lots of $$$ above what they gave us (moral - next time we sell privately if they are cream puffs again).
I was going to swap my 2007 Tahoe LTZ (our toad) for a Caddy SRX - but the discount for employees on a loaded SRX they had was a trivial amount over the Equinox discount. Ended up driving a 2011 Lincoln Mk X with every option available and enjoyed it but felt we needed one of our two to be larger. Tried the Flex and was amazed at the job they did in designing and building it (it is towable but we won't be putting plates on it). I got a 2010 Flex AWD Limited in diamond white (hers is white suede) that has the fancy glass roof, nav system etc. Discount was double good because it was a holdover 2010. With a struggle they eventually placed a decent value on the Tahoe (only 39,000 miles on it - and it had everything including Nav, bu camera, tv screen, etc). It was sold to an employee of the dealer in no time at all. The PITA on selling privately is that you don't get the sales tax reduction for the trade so it cuts into the benefit.
The Blue Ox baseplates for the Escape arrived on Friday from RVUpgrades along with the mag lights (I used a BO light bar that went into the receiver of the Tahoe but don't have a receiver on the Escape yet). Now we have to put the baseplates on ("we" means my engineer son who is in the auto mfg biz - with me supervising
). He did the Tahoe plates. His company had parts on the front end of the 07 Tahoe so he was very knowledgeable in that area and with respect to the Escape/Tribute he spent 6 weeks in Japan with Mazda on design of components so he does know the front end - "fingers crossed."
How did you find baseplate installation on the Escape? Was it as described in the BO instructions (which have not changed for 2011)? [If you used BO plates.]
I've got to get the Ford dealer to lower the transmission fluid to the "towing level" and give us a service invoice showing it was done. It is pretty clear to me from the manual that if one does not make sure the fluid is at the proper level Ford could well deny warranty claims on the transmission. This is the only part that appears to be a real PITA.
Don
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