Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Stories from the Sales Frontlines
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The 1987 bird was aerodynamically restyled and had a redesigned front end that featured flush-mounted headlights and a new grill.
As a result of redesigning, the roof line was swept back, the rear deck-lid was raised, and the taillight were redesigned.
Other changes included the dropping of the Elan model and the release of the Thunderbird Sport and the Thunderbird LX. The Thunderbird Turbo coupe was still the top of the line and was putting out an awesome 190 horsepower when outfitted with the five-speed manual transmission and 150 horsepower when outfitted with an automatic.
Thanks again: What can Ford do for us around zip 02481?
This is assuming a 60 month term with decent credit.
You can get a $1000 rebate or 2.9%. The rate goes down a point as you lower the term, i.e 48 or 36. So on 36 you can get .90%. If you are a Plan buyer (A/Z/D/X) you get an additional $250 rebate.
There there are a slew of specialty rebates if you qualify. College Grad, American Quarter Horse, Handicap Modifications, New York Auto Show, Military Appreciation, if your friend waits till September and goes and walks in the Race For Cure in NYC she can get an additional $500 rebate for participants.
Perhaps I will get one of those autographed four squares!
-Moo
We had this guy one time who looked like he was going to make it so we told him to go ahead and start writing letters to his friends and family to let them know where he is.
Well he hand writes a letter and ask if there is any one here to type them (pre-computer days).
We tell him, ya we got a guy here that is all he does, he sits in a little trailer out back. Just take Mr XXX your letter, the stationary, the envelopes, and your address list and he will type the letter, address the envelopes and mail them for you.
So this guy goes up there and we sneak out side the window of the trailer. The first 45 seconds is this kid explaining how he wants it typed and ask Mr. xxx to double check the spelling and punctuation.
The next thing you see is this box of envelopes and stationary come flying out the door and Mr XXX telling this kid to get the %^$# out of his office, just going off on him and this kid saying, but Mr. XXX, but Mr. XXX they said. Mr. XXX chewed his [non-permissible content removed] all the way back to the showroom right up to the sales desk cussing him every step of the way.
Man I wish I had thought of something like that for new people I worked with.
If they didn't have the engine troubles it would have been a great hit. The concept was great but the reliability was non existent.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
And, for the record, Toyota had released the MR2, which was a far superior car in every way. Of course, I'm biased (mint 1992). In fairness, Toyota seems to have found the mid-engine two-seat market pretty fickle, too. It's a niche market, look at Lotus, Porsche and Ferrari.
I do see the occasional Fiero and Fiero GT on the road, but they invariably have one headlight frozen in the "up" position. Their tendency to catch fire was what made them an exciting car to drive, not blazing acceleration or top speed.
Gogiboy
While it was a niche market I wouldn't use Lotus, Porsche or Ferrari as a comparison. While those cars are well outside the reach of the average person the Fiero was priced well within the ability of most people to buy.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
On the other hand if they caught fire maybe they did have "Blazing" acceleration. I'm sure some marketing exec could do a lot with that. :lemon:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Since clapping by its very definition requires two hands. . . ."
This is a fairly clever reference to something that's been in the vernacular long enough that Google is mostly useless (I just checked). Suffice it to say that if this is the first time you've heard it, welcome to the world.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think cdnpinhead is simply mystified (as am I) that any of us are actually commenting on the "one hand clapping" koan.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
More than one: My first brand-spankin' new car was a bright red Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo 5 speed. Fun car, not one problem in the four + years I drove it. Not to mention those mysterious Mazda MX-6 Turbo sticks on the dealer's lot which the salesperson insisted did not exist. Which started me posting here!
Thanks for the info, I'll pass it along.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Now, let's talk credit life insurance protection... :shades:
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
WHAT????
There have been LOTS of turbo cars w/ manual trannies.
Volvo.Mercedes,Saab,Ford,Nissan,Mazda,Renault,Mitsubishi,Subaru,prob plenty I'm leaving out.
It was a commuter car, not a sports car. It had the Iron Duke 2.5 or the 2.8 v6, the rear suspension was Chevy Citation suspension backwards and the front suspension was from a Chevette.
I don't recall hearing about motor problems with them in general, mostly electrical and suspension issues. They had plastic body panels like the later Saturns would until recently.
They actually seemed more stable than their main competitor a the time. I think I have a MT or R&T from 1988 with a Fiero "Formula" vs MR2 Supercharged showdown. We used to call the 1st generation MR2s "frisbees" at autocrosses and track events (a name later given to S2000s).
Just hit the "Replying to:" link a couple times to get to the original story regarding laurasdada and the humble sales girl who helped him out!
"Hey, GG...you haven't been in for awhile. How about helping an old friend out and dropping by the showroom and buying something?".
Well, I'm certainly content with my current vehicles, but I was on my way to get some Greaters ice cream (Cincinnati favorite), so I did stop in, just to say "hi" along the way.
Well, the GM knew what he was doing. Right there in the middle of the showroom was a Shelby Mustang GT 500. Even though I told the GM I wasn't in the market, he knows how to get me excited.
GM-"Wanna go for a ride?"
GG-"I'm not in the market, but if you're offering, I'm driving"
They pull the Mustang out of the showroom and the GM and I are off to buy ice cream. This car is a beast. I'd prefer a 'vette, as its much more refined and handles better (and subjectively, is better looking), but there's not much on the street in stock form that could challenge the GT 500.
GM said he'd sell it for $39,000. Considering these cars allegedly were snapped up in short order upon introduction, I was surprised my local Ford dealer had one.....and was willing to sell it with no ADM and under MSRP.
The GM said that the store was holding it's own with F-150 and Fusion sales and selling every Escape Hybrid and Mustang convertible he could get his hands on, everything else was pretty tepid as far as sales were concerned. I bet he had 50 Exploeres & Ford 500s and another 35 Expeditions on the lot gathering dust.
He said he had to let some of the sales folks go, and combined the remaining sales force into one unit...selling both used and new cars (they used to be seperate entities. He also said used car sales are what is keeping the dealership afloat.
No sale was made with the GT 500 Shelby, but the ice cream was good.
Sounds bout right. Any momentum the 500 had gained was lost when they announced they were coming back with the Taurus next year.
We are still drawing $10K over for our Shelby's though and are in the process of hiring folks for the summer time. I do feel his pain on the Explorers and Expeditions. They eat up Floor Plan/Hold Back quick at $35-$50K a pop. Always happens when the gas prices spike. Once folks get used to it they will pick back up again.
He said he's getting a lot of tire kickers on it, but he can't get them through F&I. This Ford place is primarily a work truck store. I don't know how much of their customer base would be willing to pony up MSRP, let alone $10K over MSRP for the Shelby. I know in different parts of the country, the Shelby's are getting $10K over.
The GM did say he gets 6 or so internet inquiries on it every week. Every time he gets a live one, he runs into the same issues....it's a teenager, and/or someone who can't get financed. He said he thought it would move in a few days. It's been sitting there for about 3 weeks.
It was a nice night, weatherwise, last night. The store was dead, though.
I told my son if his Hyundai starts to nickle and dime him (he just dropped $800 in it for brakes, rotors, timing belt, tuneup, radiator flush, oil change), he might want to look at a Fusion. I haven't driven one, but for the price, that's not a bad car at all for a young driver as best I can tell.
Regarding gas prices, I know many of you will chastise me for driving what I drive, but I'm getting 15 MPG in town and 20 MPG on the interstate with my Tahoe. I'm actually fairly pleased with that.
I don't let gas prices bother me either. The difference between $2.50 and $3.00 a gallon for me is like $33 a month. Thats based on me driving around 12K per year. I will pay $33 more in gas a month to drive what I want.
that differencing trick is tricky.
The GT500 is wayyy overpriced for what it is. A one dimensional car.
The vette is a much better all around car,although the GT500 is better looking.
I'm cryin, I'm laughing so hard!
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
It has just come down from on high that all used car deliveries get only ONE QUARTER of a tank for gas. No more full tanks for used car deliveries the cost is just too much.
How many cars do you usually have and how often do you buy??
It's my guess that the salespeople will fill the tank themselves; and also be scanning the want ads for a position that allows them a little more dignity.
If it was a 'BHPH' I could understand it, but Land Rover!!!!
Range Rovers are seen as status symbols,and people tend to pay more for a status symbol.
I've owned 3 Vette's and I think the current one looks like a ba$tahd.
The GT has a classic look.
Touchè. If I end up doing something like buying a used G35 from the local Infiniti dealer and they delivered it with a quarter tank of gas, I would be annoyed. Luxury dealers, new or used, shouldn't show obvious signs of penny-pinching.
To me, it would send a clear message to not get my car serviced there. I can only imagine the quality of the oil they use for changes.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The only vehicle we have problems holding gross on is the LR3 and there are many reasons why that is a problem vehicle.
We even do well on the LR2 taking into consideration that there isn't much gross profit in that car to begin with. There is only $2,200 to $3,500 of gross in a LR2 depending on equipment but we do a good job of holding onto most of it.
Care to share? I see a lot of them on the roads around here, and not many at the dealership I'm close to. They seem to have a lot of the big boys though...just curious.
what do you think of it?
orr.... maybe to keep on topic ... what do your customers tend to think of it? (???)
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
So it's not that gas prices are hurting the used car profit margins, it's that management has made a decision that's dumb in more ways than usual? Makes you look cheap, the company look cheap, annoys the customer etc., etc.?
that differencing trick is tricky.
No thats just me. Hell I blow more then that on a trip to Lowes or a Sunday BBQ..
Well its pretty simple to me. Quit loading up in trades to make front end gross on the new
Oh it is a little of both. The good grosses on the new car side do make the used car grosses look worse but our used car profits should be higher. I don't remember what the industry average is for used car gross, Volvomax probably knows, but I know we are under it by a fair amount. There is a lot of used car competition in our neck of the woods so everyone is in the same boat as far as that goes. Then our low volume on the new car side negatively effects our used car side because we get fewer trades to deal with.
The ones we get are nice but we don't get enough of them.
I agree it is a bad decision but there is nothing I or the people directly above me can do about it.
So, if I go out and get a 35 MPG economy vehicle, @ $4/gal I might save $166/month on gas. Might be enough to make me think more about what I get when it is time to replace the Trooper.
Isn't it funny how that is. The guy buying the $70K used Land Rover to drive to his lake house in the mountains on weekends feels slighted if he does not get a tank of gas, but the poor ole guy busting his [non-permissible content removed] for $9 PH who can only afford a $4300 used Escort does not bat an eye when you explain why he is not getting a tank of gas.
I always used the test drive trick when I sold. If I knew I had a Cod Lock sale, regardless of how much gas it had I would go to the desk before the test drive and tell them it was on dead empty and needed to go on a demo. That was usually good for $15 to $20 right there.