Paging 00EXPO!!!
#1
07-10-2002, 10:42 AM
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Baltimore
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Paging 00EXPO!!!
(Sorry, I don't have your email anymore.)Your boost guage went out this morning. Should be there tomorrow or Friday. I sent it priority and she said that it doesn't take long going up to PA. Let me know when you get it. jkyankee00@yahoo.com 
#4
07-12-2002, 01:49 PM
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Baltimore
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I think I'll keep the Lightning. I went to Ford yesterday and got into it with a sales guy. First off, they have a window sticker in the 2003 Cobra...$34,900 (or something close to that). But then, in pen, they write "Dealer markup...$10,000". 
So I tell the sales guy that walked up to me, "This is what I want, but that sure as hell isn't what I want (and I pointed to the markup tag). He said that's what all the dealers are doing. By this time another guy comes up and butts in..."You've been in here before haven't you". I said yes, but you guys wanted to give me $12,000 for a $20,000 Cobra so I went to Towson." He said "So you want another Cobra? What do you want to pay over?". I said "That's the dumbest question I heard in a long time". He got kind of offended and said "It's not a dumb question, that price is negotiable so I asked what YOU would want to pay over". So I said "Think about what you just said....how much do I WANT to pay over. I don't WANT to pay anything over. NOBODY does." He said "They sure do, there have been hundreds sold already." I said "Yes, but did they WANT to pay that much? No, but they settled for it. I don't WANT to pay anything at all over. " So he goes "Then you won't be driving a Cobra out of here". I said "If I do, it won't be because of your excellent customer service skills." He said he couldn't help me anymore and looked to a woman at the back of the car and asked if he could help her. I said "Only if she wants to pay $30,000 for a Focus", and I left.
Sorry for the "dramatic dialogue" but that's the story line.
So I tell the sales guy that walked up to me, "This is what I want, but that sure as hell isn't what I want (and I pointed to the markup tag). He said that's what all the dealers are doing. By this time another guy comes up and butts in..."You've been in here before haven't you". I said yes, but you guys wanted to give me $12,000 for a $20,000 Cobra so I went to Towson." He said "So you want another Cobra? What do you want to pay over?". I said "That's the dumbest question I heard in a long time". He got kind of offended and said "It's not a dumb question, that price is negotiable so I asked what YOU would want to pay over". So I said "Think about what you just said....how much do I WANT to pay over. I don't WANT to pay anything over. NOBODY does." He said "They sure do, there have been hundreds sold already." I said "Yes, but did they WANT to pay that much? No, but they settled for it. I don't WANT to pay anything at all over. " So he goes "Then you won't be driving a Cobra out of here". I said "If I do, it won't be because of your excellent customer service skills." He said he couldn't help me anymore and looked to a woman at the back of the car and asked if he could help her. I said "Only if she wants to pay $30,000 for a Focus", and I left.
Sorry for the "dramatic dialogue" but that's the story line.
#5
07-15-2002, 08:14 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: North of Dallas, South of Frisco
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I can top that-
I went to the local Cadillac Dealership in PLANO, TEXAS to show my wife all of the Escalades they have on the lot, brand new with the billet grills, Brembo brakes, 22" chrome rims, etc. etc.
My sister and I went two weekends ago, I was looking at the new Q-45 when we both saw those Escalades. Very nice trucks. The sticker said $55,000.00- I thought man, that's not bad considering the base Escalades are like $49-51K. Not in the market that day, I drove off before a salesman could rush me.
Over the past week, I started itching a little, figuring I'm not really losing since my wheels won't fit the 2003 Navigator or Expy, I won't feel bad about letting my rims go, if I can step into an Escalade already hooked up, sitting on 22's. I grabbed the ol' lady and we headed to the dealership.
Most of the ones I saw last weekend were gone bye-bye, but they had an Arctic White pearl one there, sitting on 6 spoke Chronme 22's. Very nice...
I got out, and sure enough, it was $55,000. I figured on a lease, with 44% residual after 36 months with no money down, $855/month. About $105.00 more than I wanna spend, but that's academic.
Anyhoo, we walked around to the front of the car and what did we find? A dealer addendum. Total sticker Get ready yall.......
$85,000.00
I almost wet my pants laughing. The audacity of these dealerships! Yes, the escalade was nice, in addition to standard equipment, it had:
Brembo brakes
22" chrome wheels
305/45/22" tires.
Supercharger
Billet grill
Window tint
The salesman was approaching at about 40 feet, as we pulled off.
Now, I could go out and fix my Expy up with everything that Escalade has on it, and then some, for way less than $30K.
I know the SC was about $3,000, maybe $4,500 installed. Rims & tires probably $4,000- Tinting, $199.00 Chrome Billet Grill $137.00 installed. Now, unless Brembo Brakes and that wood package costs $23,000 installed- somebody's gonna get screwed-badly. (It will not be me.)
What's worse, Kelley Blue Book will not rate it any higher than a fully loaded Escalade when trade-in time comes...
Side note: My buddy went to look at a Viper GTS two years ago. Sticker Price. $69,995. Sales Price, $99,995. I asked the salesman, what's with the $30,000 mark-up? He said "Market adjustment"- I said what's that mean? He said, "It means somebody in this area will pay $30K extra to get it."- I knew what it meant, I just wanted to hear him say it out loud. They are knowingly and willfully getting over on people.
Every hot car gets marked up- It wasn't too long ago that $14,000 PT Cruisers were selling for $21,000. If you can't wait, they'll screw ya. Remember the Honda S2000? Estimated price $26,000- was selling for $32-36,000- (IF YOU EVER SAW ONE ON THE LOT.)
I haven't even gone to see how much the Mercury Marauder and Nissan 350ZX are marked up over the sticker.
Remember when Acura NSX's were $60,000 selling for $90,000 in the early 1990's? Note- People are still paying over sticker for Honda Odyssey's. A local dealer tried to sell a colleague of mine an Odyssey EX Leather for 3K over sticker due to limited availability....
The legacy continues......
My sister and I went two weekends ago, I was looking at the new Q-45 when we both saw those Escalades. Very nice trucks. The sticker said $55,000.00- I thought man, that's not bad considering the base Escalades are like $49-51K. Not in the market that day, I drove off before a salesman could rush me.
Over the past week, I started itching a little, figuring I'm not really losing since my wheels won't fit the 2003 Navigator or Expy, I won't feel bad about letting my rims go, if I can step into an Escalade already hooked up, sitting on 22's. I grabbed the ol' lady and we headed to the dealership.
Most of the ones I saw last weekend were gone bye-bye, but they had an Arctic White pearl one there, sitting on 6 spoke Chronme 22's. Very nice...
I got out, and sure enough, it was $55,000. I figured on a lease, with 44% residual after 36 months with no money down, $855/month. About $105.00 more than I wanna spend, but that's academic.
Anyhoo, we walked around to the front of the car and what did we find? A dealer addendum. Total sticker Get ready yall.......
$85,000.00
I almost wet my pants laughing. The audacity of these dealerships! Yes, the escalade was nice, in addition to standard equipment, it had:
Brembo brakes
22" chrome wheels
305/45/22" tires.
Supercharger
Billet grill
Window tint
The salesman was approaching at about 40 feet, as we pulled off.
Now, I could go out and fix my Expy up with everything that Escalade has on it, and then some, for way less than $30K.
I know the SC was about $3,000, maybe $4,500 installed. Rims & tires probably $4,000- Tinting, $199.00 Chrome Billet Grill $137.00 installed. Now, unless Brembo Brakes and that wood package costs $23,000 installed- somebody's gonna get screwed-badly. (It will not be me.)
What's worse, Kelley Blue Book will not rate it any higher than a fully loaded Escalade when trade-in time comes...
Side note: My buddy went to look at a Viper GTS two years ago. Sticker Price. $69,995. Sales Price, $99,995. I asked the salesman, what's with the $30,000 mark-up? He said "Market adjustment"- I said what's that mean? He said, "It means somebody in this area will pay $30K extra to get it."- I knew what it meant, I just wanted to hear him say it out loud. They are knowingly and willfully getting over on people.
Every hot car gets marked up- It wasn't too long ago that $14,000 PT Cruisers were selling for $21,000. If you can't wait, they'll screw ya. Remember the Honda S2000? Estimated price $26,000- was selling for $32-36,000- (IF YOU EVER SAW ONE ON THE LOT.)
I haven't even gone to see how much the Mercury Marauder and Nissan 350ZX are marked up over the sticker.
Remember when Acura NSX's were $60,000 selling for $90,000 in the early 1990's? Note- People are still paying over sticker for Honda Odyssey's. A local dealer tried to sell a colleague of mine an Odyssey EX Leather for 3K over sticker due to limited availability....
The legacy continues......
Last edited by Bighersh; 07-15-2002 at 08:21 PM.