Stories from the Sales Frontlines

isellhondas

I might try that on the rear tailight panel of the Reatta.

I know McGuires makes a kit too but they sell for around 40.00.

mac24

Most of the 32 customers who reviewed it liked it so it's probably not too much of a risk, especially if you can pick it up at a store rather than paying to have it shipped.

Most said it did a great job, took a little longer than they thought, and it was important to follow the instructions even though they were poorly written.

cdnpinhead

that a hundred years is "only" seconds from whenever, just a lot of them.

Only minutes from (fill in the blank) says nothing. See above.

PT Barnum said it best, but there's no point in repeating.

explorerx4

I would start with something mild like a quick detail product.
If that is not satisfactory, move onto something stronger.

8sparkplugs

This dealer does show there sales team. On the home page, scroll down a bit and under sales it says, meet the team. Joel is not included in that area. Not sure if he moved on or moved up.

driver100

This dealer does show there sales team. On the home page, scroll down a bit

Thanks, I found it....when I did the link the first time it went to the cars for sale section so I missed the Home Page entirely.

I think it leaves a friendly impression, showing the sale people. But, no Joel, I hope he has a better position somewhere.

oldfarmer50

"...no elbow grease is required..."

Using a buffer? That's cheating.

I think all of those kits just use very fine grit sandpaper for the most part which you could buy yourself much cheaper. I paid about $16 for a kit that probably had $1 worth. I saved the instructions which listed the grit # so next time I'll just buy the sandpaper.

I'll use a buffer too.

driver100: Your headlight lenses only get cloudy if you keep your cars a long time (8-10 years). It's not a social disease.

driver100

driver100: Your headlight lenses only get cloudy if you keep your cars a long time (8-10 years). It's not a social disease

There was a time when I used to own 8 -10 year old cars and I don't recall getting "Yellow Lens". I do recall a few headlamps rusting out, or stones putting a whole in them.......but, I don't recall them going yellow, and if they did, I don't think I would worry about it enough to buff it out! But, that's just me.

oldfarmer50

Oil prices have dropped almost 20% in two weeks. Get that screaming truck deal quick, before the tide turns and the dealers remove all the incentives.

If oil keeps dropping like this, soon you'll be able to get a free Prius with the purchase of a Starbuck's latte mocha.

imidazol97

>grit # so next time I'll just buy the sandpaper.

I bought the Permatex kit. It has waterproof emerycloth in 2500, 2000, 1500, and 1000 grits. Use water to lubricate your sanding and lots of elbow grease. Then afterward coat with a plastic protector to retard ultraviolet deterioration.

I used this on my 1998 leSabre headlights.

>isellhondas

Is the Reatta rear panel covered by a clear panel of plastic? It might work with the same result as headlights! But it may be a softer plastic.

Personally I'd try the ScratchOut from the box stores. I noticed that the yellow ScratchOut bottles for smoothing clearcoat paints had an added label that they work for yellowed headlight scum. I tried the bottle I had at home and it seemed to help on my leSabre headlights.

jmonroe

I heard those garden weasels are pretty good.

We have a ‘weasel’ around here although he ain’t the common "garden" variety type.

OK web guru, lets see if you can find something on the web about that one. :shades:

jmonroe

isellhondas

The Reatta has kind of a smoked rear panel that covers the tailights that go totally across the rear of the car although a couple of the bulbs are burned out.

Really gives the car a cool look at night when all of the lights are lit. I'll try something gently since that rear panel would be hard to replace if I mess it up.

verdugo

This dealer does show there sales team. On the home page, scroll down a bit and under sales it says, meet the team. Joel is not included in that area. Not sure if he moved on or moved up.

He moved to the Finance side, so he wouldn't be included with the sales team. I always enjoyed his posts. Hope he's doing really well.

jmonroe

He moved to the Finance side, so he wouldn't be included with the sales team. I always enjoyed his posts. Hope he's doing really well.

He was in Finance but the last I heard here from Joel was that because sales were starting to pick up again (a couple years ago) he was thinking of getting back into sales.

Wherever he is I hope he’s doing well.

jmonroe

gogiboy

"Your headlight lenses only get cloudy if you keep your cars a long time (8-10 years). It's not a social disease."

Farmer--reminds me of that old joke about what the difference is between love and herpes. Herpes lasts forever.

Gogiboy

im_brentwood

Resale value.

Gold? Brown? Blue? Green? Red?

White ones are worth as much as $2k more, but RXs without Navi are very tough to get rid of.

mako1a

Pearl White RX 350 without Nav...I'll take it.
I've spent years loading my Garmin Nuvi with favorites.
It moves with me car to car so no need for Nav.

Brentwood, I've been looking for a Mustang. Like this at this price>
2012 Mustang.

Local dealer won't order it or sell it at that price. Can I get it from Katy, TX, but have it delivered here instead of TX? Is it even legal? I'm cash, no trade.

mako1a

Brentwood, here's another example that's not a 1500 mile demo.

Same deal applies, just want it in VA, not TX and it needs to be anything but silver or black. (right now it looks like it needs a color applied).

2012 Mustang with Shaker 1000

mac24

Can I get it from Katy, TX, but have it delivered here instead of TX? Is it even legal?

LOL... I don't know where 'here' is, but I can't see you being locked up for moving a car from one part of CONUS to another.

Would it make the price prohibitive to fly out and drive it back?

driver100

We have a ‘weasel’ around here although he ain’t the common "garden" variety type.

Guess you are referring to our friend, "snakeweasel". I tried to find some information about snake weasels but there doesn't seem to be such an animal, err, reptile, or whatever.

Not sure how he got his name, not sure I want to know. :P

driver100

Really gives the car a cool look at night when all of the lights are lit.

Your post reminded me, my favorite tail lights are the sequential lights on T-Birds.....I wish they would still make those.

driver100

Brentwood, here's another example that's not a 1500 mile demo.

A guy bids $3800 on a $39,000 car :confuse:

isellhondas

Except that is a 1960 Thunderbird and the sequentials first showed up on the 1965's.

Very cool but very primitive. Well, not primitive at the time. An electric motor ran across some contacts and these would mess up after awhile and it took the right guy to fix them.

If you were sitting still in the back seat, radio off etc, you could hear the unit work.

im_brentwood

My guess is they have a regional rebate, OR the local dealer has no interest in a sale at that price.

TX-VA? Shipping should be under a grand.

im_brentwood

I had em on my 69 Cougar.. they acted up and I replaced them with electronic modules.

They look fantastic IMO.

im_brentwood

I had em on my 69 Cougar.. they acted up and I replaced them with electronic modules.

They look fantastic IMO.

oldfarmer50

"...have it delivered here..."

I'd be happy to go down there, pick it up and drive it to you. I'm a great driver but only so-so on directions. Might take me a year or three to actually get to your house.

oldfarmer50

"...2012 Mustang..."

I'm confused on the list price of that car. The sticker on the ad says the price before options is $38K+. On the Ford website the list for a GT premium before options is $33,400.

What gives?

cfg1

Are you looking at the convertible?

mako1a

It's way more complicated than that.

The Ford site (build it yourself) lists all kinds of stuff you can't really get.

Two color leather seats, Shaker 1000, etc.

Build a Mustang

You have no choice but to go all out to even get some choices.
That's why GT Premium + is all she wrote unless you want a stripper.

Ford is making a BMW sound like an incredibly good deal! Ya hear that, Henry?

mako1a

I know you addressed oldfarmer, but you have to

get a convertible to get some options as well.

Personally I do NOT want a convertible. Dealers order them

plain jane or all out. That's the way Ford set up the order form.

mako1a

OR the local dealer has no interest in a sale at that price
That's right. No sales that net less than $4k profit.

Local dealers are all hunkered down for Depression II.

They have plenty of cheapie junk and hi MPG tiny cars. Cruze, Malibu,
Fiesta (or whatever the bottom Ford is these days).

I went to Shelor today. Largest Ford dealer within 50 miles of me.
He has 3 Mustangs. All with ADM. 2 stick V8s and 1 V6 A/T stripper for $26k.

snakeweasel

Not sure how he got his name, not sure I want to know.

Because as a kid I had the reputation of being as slippery as a snake and could weasel out of just about anything.

Now you know and it's stuck in your head. :P

oldfarmer50

"...convertible..."

Ah, yeah, that was my mistake.

oldfarmer50

"...No sales that net less than $4k profit..."

It wasn't too long ago that Ford couldn't give their cars away. Now that they improved their line-up they are going to rape the buyer?

That's a great way to end up at the bottom again. :mad:

snakeweasel

or stones putting a whole in them.......

A whole what?

I can't believe the grammer/spelling police missed that one.

explorerx4

My mom just bought a 2011 Ford Fiesta. Trading in her 2003 Malibu.
It's a Candy Red hatchback and has some interesting features like heated cloth seats and push button start/stop.

driver100

Except that is a 1960 Thunderbird and the sequentials first showed up on the 1965's.

You're right, the signals actually came out on the 66 models. The 58 shown above was made from a kit, which is available from lots of sites. These use new electronics, so won't have the problem you described with noisy switches.

I still like the idea...here it is on a 66, and apparently the 69 Imperial used them for one year.

Here's the 66 T-Bird;

driver100

slippery as a snake and could weasel out of just about anything.

Thank you, I always wondered...........................

driver100

or stones putting a whole in them.......
A whole what?

A whole hole.

mako1a

Now that we have snake "telling it like it is",

maybe we can find out the correlation between

snake and jipster. Are you two the same person?

The similarities are uncanny.

snakeweasel

snake and jipster. Are you two the same person?

Nope, me and jipster are two different people, just like me and you are two different people. However I am everyone else who posts here.

BTW how are jipster and me similar?

isellhondas

Sorry but your info is incorrect.

1965 was the first year T Birds had the sequentials and the TBird you showed in the first post was a 1960 model.

Don't remember them on the Imperails but so few were sold I probably never saw one in action.

isellhondas

Look what I bought.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/2532587788.html

Surprisingly, it looks like a car with 50,000 miles inside and out. Great history. So. Calif car.

Son pays half the car and half the expenses.

Typical BMW.

Air bag light on. Seller says it's been on for five years like that makes it OK. He's sure it's "something minor".

Got a warning message..." Washer fluid is low" - It was
Another message..." Coolant is low" It wasn't but I topped it off. Message remains.

Original radio has been replaced with an expensive Sony that will take a Rocket Scientist to explain how to work it. Screen lights up like a slot machine with every color of the rainbow and gives every available option and there are LOTS of them.

Son will figure it out in ten minutes I'm sure.

Stock Market go's down 635 points and I buy another car???

roadburner

Does the SRS light go off after a couple of minutes? If so, it's probably the seat belt buckle. As for the low coolant message, a guide to troubleshooting the sending unit can be found here.
And have your son join BMW CCA.

oldfarmer50

"...look what I bought..."

Keep it up, you'll end up with more old cars in your driveway than me. Let me know when you get the itch for a 1984 Corvette, I can hook you up.

I was wondering how you evaluate these high milage older cars? What do you look for that tells you this one isn't a lemon? Do you take a mechanic with you or are you able to judge for yourself?

If you had to, how much would you spend to fix up one of these cars?

Oh, and as to buying another car in this economy, look at it as a place to sleep when the stock market goes down to zero.

driver100

Look what I bought.

Very nice. There aren't many 97s that look as nice as that bimmer. Now you and your son can experience "the feel of the road", especially if all those service lights keep coming on.

Now that you aren't the seller and you're on the other side of the fence, you are enjoying the fun of being a buyer. And, all this from a guy who doesn't care what kind of car, what color of car, what equipment is on the car, he is driving, etc.

driver100

You are correct, the first sequential tail lights were on the 65 T-Bird. The one pictured was a 66.
The 1st picture was a 60 T-Bird that had sequentials added from a kit which you can order, and is fairly popular for cars like Mustangs....maybe it would suit a Reatta.
Here is a chart, and I have to say, you really know your tail lights;
Cars factory-equipped with sequential rear turn signals:

1965-1971 Ford Thunderbird

1967-1973 Mercury Cougar

1969 (Chrysler) Imperial

2010 Ford Mustang (I didn't know about this one)


More info about sequential tail lights;
sequential tail lights

graphicguy

Craig.....NICE CAR! Can't really go wrong at the price, regardless of the minor things that need to be fixed.

MAKO....why not just order a new Mustang the exact way you want it from the factory? I know the last one I bought about 7 years ago, I ordered mine. It took a while to find a dealer who would do it, but I bought one on my friend's x-plan. At the time, dealers were saying they were getting over MSRP for them. They eventually started calling me to tell me they were ready to deal. By then, it was too late.

Just to have a little fun with one of the dealers, I visited after a phone call they made to me stating they were giving "great deals" on Mustangs.

As I told them, "8 months ago, you said there was no way anyone would sell one to me at my offer (about $100 above invoice on an X-Plan). I ordered it at that price and got it 3 months later. I drove it in. It's sitting in front of your store. Now, you say you would have beat that deal?"

I smirked and left.

In short, someone, somewhere will make a skinny deal. It's easier to do on an ordered car since they don't have to carry it on the lot. Just have to look around.

If you want one bad enough, I've got a Ford guy in my neck of the woods that will order one for you all day, every day, at X-Plan.

oldfarmer50

"...Why not just order a new Mustang...skinny deal...easier to do on an ordered car..."

Boy, I wish that was true but in my experience dealers would rather poke their eyes out than order a car for you. Back in 2008 I had every lie and excuse thrown at me to avoid ordering a car. The only place that seemed willing was a Pontiac dealer who must have been desperate for ANY sale.

I know the sales guys have explained the reluctance but there have to be other reasons I just don't understand. I even suggested to one dealer that I would pay the agreed price up front if he would order and he lied to me that 2008 production had ceased (a/o Jan, 2008).

There have to be other motivations to sell what's on the lot or do a dealer trade. If you have a place that will order for you AND give you a good deal, hold on to him tight.