We leased a 2024 Ford Bronco Sport from Steve Marshall Ford in Nanaimo, BC. What followed wasn’t a misunderstanding — it was a structured process that concealed costs, buried financing options, and withheld critical information. If you're a first-time buyer — or just trying to get a fair deal — read this first.
This didn’t happen by accident. Here’s how it’s designed to work — and how it worked on us.
On April 8, 2025, we agreed — in writing — to lease a 2024 Ford Bronco Sport for $40,000. That number never made it into the final paperwork. What we got was a $43,695.50 lease with no breakdown, no explanation, and no way to track where the extra charges came from.
We asked about Ford’s advertised 0% and 0.99% financing. We were told they weren’t available — but we were never shown our approval, credit tier, or why we didn’t qualify.
We were sold insurance during the lease process. We later found out the dealership was paid a $600 referral fee — never disclosed, never mentioned.
No accessory list. No opt-in sheet. No itemized breakdown. Just numbers rewritten in the finance office while we were being handed birthday cake and told it was all standard.
This isn’t about one dealership. This is about how Ford lets its dealers build trust with distractions — and bury the cost before you know what happened.
We gave Ford Canada a chance to respond. We filed detailed complaints. We followed up. They got our names wrong. They sent generic replies. And then they went quiet.
This wasn’t one bad dealership. This was a bad deal, passed all the way up the chain — and ignored.
Ford Lies. Ford Doesn’t Care About First Time Buyers.
Dealerships don’t lie outright. They build trust — then hide the numbers.
1. Price Switch Without Disclosure
A $40,000 agreed price was replaced with $43,695.50 in the final lease. No accessory list. No breakdown. No explanation. Just a new number inserted into the contract.
2. “That Financing Doesn’t Apply to You”
Ford promotes 0%, 0.99%, and First-Time Buyer rates. But in the finance office, you're told you don’t qualify — with no paperwork, no tier approval, and no explanation.
3. Hidden Add-Ons You Never Agreed To
“Bundles” and fees are buried in the numbers — $1,995 here, $899 there. They don’t show you a menu. They don’t ask you to opt in. They just add them, and wait for you to sign.
4. Insurance Sold Like It’s Standard
The finance office introduces a “convenient” insurance add-on. What they don’t tell you is that they get paid for it — in our case, a $600 referral fee, never disclosed.
5. Distract, Delay, Normalize
While the numbers are being rewritten, they offer you birthday cake. They joke. They talk volume. They make it feel casual — because that’s when you stop asking questions.