Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Stories from the Sales Frontlines
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I agree with you about Crossfire. I fell in love with the looks but when I drove the non-supercharged version it just didn't quite do it for me. If it had had 50 more hp for the price, I think it would have been a hit. Handling was nice.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Yes for all of you non Ford for the most part import people it is very easy to cast your stones at me. Don't worry I am use to it
You all make some good points. But until you actually get out and drive the new products and form your own opinion and just not what you read or comparing to from past products you will never really know.
I would put the following up against anything the competition has to offer and feel confident it would hold its own or surpass.
F-Series (Duh)
Fusion
Edge
500
Mustang (there is no real competition)
Those 5 lines right there are as good as anything made. Up until they decide to start making the Taurus again next year they were going to put the 3.5L in the 500 which would have topped it off perfectly
Well, not exactly.
Here's my story. I bought (not leased) a Lincoln LS in 2000 & paid within a few percent of invoice. Not many years later there were multi-thousands being discounted off invoice. I'm told similar things happened with the TC and many other Ford (& other domestic) vehicles.
Why not just set the invoice at something resembling the market price (with the appropriate markup for sticker)? If the car can't compete, it won't sell. Move the price till it does. It's not rocket science, but I don't understand why the domestics use rebates to do it rather than a bona fide price change.
You can advertise bigger discounts for instance.
If a car is doing better in a particular market, you can cut the rebate.
As for what happened with your Lincoln,that happens to virtually all cars at some time or another.
Cars get stale and rebates are needed to moev them. Esp if they have been on the market for a few years.
Your experience isn't unusual and is aone of the arguments in favor of leasing.
Just that mere competence isn't enough anymore.
The F Series won't save Ford anymore, the Mustang is a niche car.
The bread and butter cars are just not that exciting.
The Fusion is a good car, but it needs more oomph.
The 500/Taurus is very bland and right now very underpowered.
Ford has ZERO presence in the minivan market.
Almost zero presence in the youth market.
SUV sales are declining.
You can go across the street to Mercury and get the same car.
It's not going to be easy to make a come back.
If the product is appealing and priced correctly (i.e. final price - see below). It does not mean that if there are no rebates there will be profit and success.
In current environment it is impossible to completely do away with rebates, as consumers grew conditioned to expect discount. So what does Honda (for example) do? Adds moderate incentives, ususally in reduced load or lease rates, dealer incentives or other "less damaging" to the image. Of course, their prices will reflect that, so overall cost remains pretty much the same as if there were no rebates/incentives. The can afford to inflate that price as consumers are willing to pay it.
Ford's/GM/Chrysler's problems is not that there are incentives as such - it's their magnitude. There is no way they can make money if there are 3 grand cash or equivalent rebates on 15-thousand dollar cars. Just no way.
Your listed cars may be good products, but if they don't sell or sell in gazillion units but below actual cost then nobody who matters (creditors, investors) will not care. Times of "who sold more" are long over. It's a different math today. It's who made more - read latest news from Toyota. They predict lower number of units sold with increased profitability and the investors rush in.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
One reason is so that dealers can use the list price minus sale price difference to help customers who are deeply buried in their existing Ford/GM/Chrysler to trade.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Why didn't you call ahead?
How do you expect to work with Internet department and regular salespeople at the same time?
One could think that such sophisticated company should be able to predict demand and price the product accordingly. Think about it: if there is 3 grand cashback on 15K car, it means that nobody was buying the car at initial price, i.e. they either are losing shirt now (initial price was reasonable reflection of their cost), or were too greedy at the first place and did not think consumers would pick up on it. Neither speaks well about them.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
However, we all still remember all the problems with the Tempo/Topaz, Taurus, Windstar, etc. I spent more nearly every YEAR on brakes on the last Topaz than I spent on the Olds in 85k miles.
Last year, my wife asked me if I **EVER** took my Oldsmobile in for service anymore? That came after two consecutive Mercury Topazes.
Here is a story bout a man named jed, poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed, then one day......... Oh your talking about car sales stories aren't you?
On Monday we had a Green pea who went to check out where we are building are new dealership. Down the road from it she saw a house on fire. She jumped out of her car at the same time some guy did. The guy kicked the door down and both of them ran into the burning building and rescued an older couple. She then ran back inside to try to save a dog. She grabbed a bed that was on fire and flipped it over and the dog was underneath. Just as she exited the building the roof caved in.
After the Fire Department and the media came she called the owner and said that she had a delivery coming in but had to run home and change clothes first.
You guys should get her a plague or something. It should say something like Life Saving Salesperson of the year.
Congratulations to her and the other hero. It's always great to hear of success stories like this.
Sounds like you have a 'keeper' in that Greenpea. I guess your store has a dress code policy that she didn't want to break.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
How many people won't glance at a rack at the normal price, but stop to look at the one marked 40% off? Well, it is common to take an item that you hope to sell for $20, mark it at $40, then put a big 1/2 off sale! sign, and end up selling it for $20.
I think the same thing happened with cars (at least some domestics). Buyers became accustomed to rebates, and in some cases they are needed to help get financing. So if a Foci is "worth" 13K retail, maybe it just sells better if they price it a $15K and slap on a 2K rebate?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
-thene
Wow!
I have a guy picking up a Range Rover tomorrow that is a lease for almost 1,700 dollars a month. The highest lease I have ever seen for a Range Rover was 3,000 dollars a month. That was a special case though as it was a nearly 100,000 dollar cap cost and he was leasing it for 22,000 miles a year.
In short term retailers may actually love big mfr. incentives, as they give them pricing flexibility and potential jackpot scores. The money goes mostly out of the supplier's pocket, not theirs. That can create some amazing sales stories, can't it
Long term they may be hurt, as supplier's trouble will spill to theirs, eventually. However, it may take several years before the after party hangover hits.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
So though allot of there business plans have been very successful over the years now that they are getting a taste of running towards the top of the board is like and to hold those positions they are turning to the way of the Domestics.
Just an observation on my part in are trade area.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Rewind 10 years and replace Nissan with Ford and Japeneese with Korean. It is the same road we went down.
You don't actually believe those ads, do you?
2018 430i Gran Coupe
My point exactly. Are business plan did not work and you would think they would learn. My point was that the majority here belive only the domestics are the only ones capable of making mistakes.
Ford thought they were bullet proof once to.
I've instructed Tidester to start removing all off-topic posts. Which by my count is in the neighborhood of 11,127. :sick:
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!
HIP HIP HOORAY!!!
please - more sales stories please!!! there are a ton of other places to talk about the merits of one time payment leases and GAP and all that other crap...
-thene
I actually agree with you!
I actually agree with you!
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
The bean, I've printed your post and taped it to my computer monitor. The next time my wife tells me to "get off of that Edmunds site"...with cast iron skillet in hand, I'll point to your post and say, I'm just trying to change the world for the better... and here's the proof. You just can't argue with written documentatiion can ya?
A buddy of mine who is SM at a toyota dealer up the street from me had a pretty heroic day about a year ago this time. he was at the sales desk when a big crowd gathered out the front door. at the same time one of the sales guys came in and said call a ambulance it's a emergency there is a woman who fell on the ground. A mid forty year old woman who was shopping with her daughter had collapsed and stopped breathing. My buddy who was the SM knew CPR and had to administer it. After a few tries he revived her and they ambulance showed up to take her to the hospital. The daughter ended coming back and buying the car after a couple of days. It made the news paper and all the news channels. the dealership got some good PR. It just goes to show you anything can happen at a dealership.
-thene
Well, that's one survey where one would expect a perfect score.
Hope this daughter showed her appreciation by buying at MSRP.
I have a Mazda 6 with the "manu-matic" transmission, and I think I've only used the 'manu' part maybe three times just for fun. So it stays in "D" mostly.
I thought the same thing to and asked him... they did get a perfect score But I don't what they sold it for. Good thing is he'll definately get repeat business.
Yeah, you're right I've just finished counting them too and half of em are yours. :surprise:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
That's the way to go Jipster, tell your wife some other woman thinks you're right
Oh, just to keep on topic: A few years ago I wander into a domestic dealer who had a large used car lot looking for a pick-up for 10K or less.
I tell the salesman what I want and asked him if he has anything that cheap. He says "I got just what you want" and leads me out to the lot.
What he shows me is a Cargo van for $19995. I asked if he had heard a word I said and he answered "I thought maybe you would go for this". After I said no it was like he went into a trance and just walked away and left me in the lot. I don't think his heart was in his job.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
If Edmunds is willing to cover my expenses I'd be more than happy to go watch and I'll report back to all.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Just last month, our store brought in a guy from the Fire Department and a bunch of us got CPR certified and in my case re-certified. It had been a long time for me and methods have changed. a lot more chest compressions and fewer breaths than we were taught before.
I carry a first aid card and a CPR card and I hope I never have to use them.
Hell, I'll pay your expenses but you gotta take pictures! :P
oldfarmer, somes dishes work really well in that cast iron skillet with my skull indentation. Kinda works like the, "George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine".