 I bought the Tribute almost one year ago for under $12K with 55K miles on it.  It is not perfect.  Wind noise is bad on the highway and the shifter is annoying, but everyone is amazed when I tell them what I paid.  It has a superb engine and transmission, handles great (better than my old Saturn coupe), and looks good.  It is not a luxury vehicle, but it is a great car.  I have not had any of the problems listed below like the door leather peeling.  I was a little worried by all the Ford parts.  I would prefer Mazda to build it on their own, but people looking for relatively cheap SUVs with awesome performance can't be too picky.  If you get it at a good price, buying the Tribute is a no brainer.