Man Goes To Ford Dealership. Then A Saleswoman Asks If He Wants To 'Swap Keys.’ It’s Not Just Him’

A man went to a Ford dealership needing a vehicle with better gas mileage, and the saleswoman offered to swap keys with him. 

In a TikTok with over 46,100 views as of this writing, Tuesday Brannock (@tuesdayb5) reveals what vehicle the dealership offered the man in exchange for his truck. 

“Have you guys ever heard of a dealership saying, 'Swap keys?'" Brannock begins.

The Ford saleswoman shares about a time when her dealership straight up swapped keys with a customer.

“Had a customer come in that had a paid-for trade-in. It was a 2022 F-150 Lariat, paid for. They come in, and they’re needing something a little better on gas. We literally swapped keys,” she shares. 

So, what exactly did the dealership offer in exchange for the Ford F-150?

“We got their truck, and they got a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder,” she reveals.

The saleswoman then asks the audience if they would ever swap keys with a dealership.

“If you guys have a vehicle that’s paid for, have you ever considered coming to a dealership and swapping keys?” she asks. 

‘Pathfinder for a F150? Nah......’

Viewers in the comments section were in disbelief and thought the trade was unfair. 

“That was a horrible trade for the F150 folks. And for a Nissan? Nah,” one TikTok commenter wrote. 

“That was a [expletive] deal for the ford owner,” a second added. 

“Pathfinder for a F150? Nah......” another commented. 

While other viewers mocked the swap key idea and offered older cars that are fully paid off. 

“I have a 1998 F150 with 200,000 miles on it. I'll swap keys, and it's paid for,” one wrote. 

“I got a 2007 F150 XL standard cab 4.2 liter V6 221,000 miles paid off, what can I swap?" a second shared. 

“My husband has 08 Nissan Sentra over 200,000 miles. We need a midsized truck, preferably a Tacoma or frontier,” another commented. 

Gallery: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat: Review

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Is A 2023 Nissan Pathfinder For A 2022 Ford F-150 A Fair Trade?

Negotiating the out-the-door price when buying a car can be the most difficult part of the buying process. The dealership is a business and hasn’t necessarily earned the best reputation for taking care of customers when sales tactics like bait-and-switch are used. One car buyer even hired a professional negotiator to avoid dealing with dealership negotiations. 

So, when hearing about a dealership key-swapping a Nissan Pathfinder for a Ford F-150, many viewers believe this was another case of a dealership taking advantage of a customer. At first glance, it does seem like an unfair trade, but Brannock insisted it was a good swap for them. 

Brannock addressed commenters who were saying it was an awful trade for the F-150 owner. 

“They were an older couple and they needed something easier to get into! They got a top of the line pathfinder! It was a good swap for them,” Brannock commented. 

According to Kelley Blue Book (KBB), a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder’s current resale value is $24,300 with a trade-in value of $19,850. KBB reports that a 2022 Ford F150’s current resale value is $19,600 with a trade-in value of $15,700. 

However, this is just considering the Ford F-150 base model, and Brannock did mention that the F-150 in question is the Lariat SuperCab edition. The 2022 F-150 Lariat’s current resale value is $35,900 with a $30,200 trade-in value.

Of course, there are more factors that come into play, such as mileage, the market, and if there are any upgraded features. When just looking at the current resale values alone, the dealership definitely won this key swap. 

Gallery: 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek

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When Should You Trade In Your Car?

According to Progressive, these are the best reasons to trade in your vehicle. 

1. The Car Has Value: Car value will be based on the year, model, mileage, depreciation, and overall market. Value can fluctuate depending on the season and market. Generally speaking, the longer you wait to trade in, the less value the car has. 
2. A New Car Is Needed: Life changes such as starting a family or having a new commute for work can lead to wanting a new car. Additionally, just a simple switch for new upgraded features can also be a reason.
3. The Car Has Been Fully Paid Off: By trading in the car once it’s been paid off, the seller can receive positive equity from the trade. When it’s not paid off, the trade-in will be considered negative equity if the car is worth less than what is owed. 
4. Before Warranty Expires: In most cases, the vehicle will have a higher resale value before the warranty expires. The majority of new cars will come with a three-year or 36,000-mile new vehicle warranty and a five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
5. At the End of the Month, Quarter, or Year: Dealerships set monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals so that they are willing to budge in your favor to secure a deal. This negotiation may be more favorable to lock in the trade-in sale. 

Motor1 has contacted Brannock via email and phone. This post will be updated if she replies.