Understanding that you are limited by X Plan, but no plan requires you to purchase blindly. While I use to sell Lexus, perhaps these will help you as well as others who are not limited to the Fleet Manager.
1) Go to ford.com (or whatever brand) and search dealers in your area - which you probably already know. Exit out to each dealer's website and do an inventory search, which can usually drill down to new-ignore year-f150-cab-engine. You may actually see one spec'd to what looking for on X plan which raises a different issue - if in stock will the fleet manager 'claim' it to move inventory. May want to avoid initial tire kicking at that dealership.
2) GO to the dealerships that have your vehicles to tire kick. IMPORTANT - either park off-site and walk on or park in the parts/service area and in either case enter through those areas and walk into the showroom. Just tell them you are in service and they will leave you alone. If however, you strike up a conversation with someone, even take a test drive, AND YOU LIKE THEM, keep them in mind when ready to make a deal, specifically looking them up. Doesn't really work that way with X-Plan, but would with others.
3) When ready to make a deal (other than X-Plan) contact the person you feel comfortable with rather than just 'showing up.' While it differs from each dealers, salespeople typically work on an "Up" system, meaning they are "Up" for the next person who walks in then they go to the back of the line to wait their turn - but service, parts and other business with the dealership doesn't count against the "Up". Also, if you leave to 'think about it' and return to actually buy, commission payment typically goes to whomever hands over the keys so the dealer doesn't have to worry about splitting and settling arguments among sales staff. That is why it is important to coordinate with that person you had/have a relationship with. Believe me, other sales persons will snake a deal that was 95% complete in a heartbeat, handing you the keys and collecting 100%.
