Challengers bringing $20k over sticker

[Mark B. Morrow]

Let the mark up madness begin.

 

http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/06/autos/chal...sion=2007120714

[BlackHorse]

A mark up of 50% of the price of the car. LOL. If you are one of those first buyers you better plan on either keeping your Challenger a loooong time or plan on taking a real bath on the trade in or resale value.

[TomServo92]

Dealers are only part of the equation. They wouldn't be asking for these ridiculous markups if there weren't idiots willing to pay it just to be the first one on the block have that big hemi powered penis sitting in the drive way.

Edited December 9, 2007 by TomServo92

[Anthony]

From the above article:

 

Last year, Ford Motor Co (Charts, Fortune 500). experienced a similar reception when it introduced Shelby GT500, a version of the popular Ford Mustang with a supercharged 500-horsepower engine under its bulging hood.

 

As with the Challenger, bidders on eBayMotors.com agreed to pay $20,000 over the car's sticker price of about $44,000.

 

Even now, buyers still typically pay about $16,000 over the sticker price for that car, and slightly more than that for the convertible, according to Kelley Blue Book. Ford produced about 11,000 Shelby GT500s this year.

 

Ford charges dealers about $40,000 for each Shelby GT500. Any additional profit from customers goes to the dealership, not to Ford. Since dealers are independently owned and operated companies, they can't be forced to honor a manufacturer's suggested price.

 

Ford has not raised the sticker price of the car, in part because its low retail price is part of the car's mystique, said Ford spokeswoman Whitney Drake.

 

Also, increasing the sticker price might only raise the ultimate cost to customers even more, she said.

 

"There's nothing to say that if we did raise the MSRP, the dealers wouldn't still charge more," Drake said.

 

I thought read on other threads that the GT500 was going for sticker now?

[Furious1Auto]

Dealers are only part of the equation. They wouldn't be asking for these ridiculous markups if there weren't idiots willing to pay it just to be the first one on the block have that big hemi powered penis sitting in the drive way.

They have to keep them in the drive way or the power of the HEMI will blow their substandard tranny! Good thing they offer a lifetime warranty, because if it is driven the owner will need it!

[jpd80]

The Challenger is a nice car but paying $16K or $20K over an already inflated sticker price is nuts!

 

If Ford brings out a quad cam 5.8/6.2 litre Boss Mustang, would they ask $40K for it?

Or would make monkeys out of Chrysler at dealerships?

[Furious1Auto]

The Challenger is a nice car but paying $16K or $20K over an already inflated sticker price is nuts!

 

If Ford brings out a quad cam 5.8/6.2 litre Boss Mustang, would they ask $40K for it?

Or would make monkeys out of Chrysler at dealerships?

I would hope not but someone here reported they expect $77,000 for a fully equipped F-350 King Ranch, after that nothing surprises me!

[silvrsvt]

The Challenger is a nice car but paying $16K or $20K over an already inflated sticker price is nuts!

 

Asking that amount over for any car is stupid!

 

It just shows how many people have more money then brains or more money then they really need to have and blowing 20K on a car is nothing to them

[96 Pony]

Asking that amount over for any car is stupid!

 

It just shows how many people have more money then brains or more money then they really need to have and blowing 20K on a car is nothing to them

 

Typical. When Thunderbird came out they were getting $10-$15k over invoice as well.

 

But then, of course, Ford screwed up the introduction and a year later they could be had slightly under invoice.

 

Doesn't appear that Chrysler is screwing up the introduction but a year from now they can be had at invoice. I'll wait.

[kevinb120]

A mark up of 50% of the price of the car. LOL. If you are one of those first buyers you better plan on either keeping your Challenger a loooong time or plan on taking a real bath on the trade in or resale value.

 

Seriously! You should see the trade in/book #'s on SRT-8 Chargers now, you can get a perfect low mileage one for just over 20k at Manheim. Ouchy.

[Traveler]

I can honestly see why some would want one of the first of any particularly new model. It wasn't all that special, but I remember when I was fortuate enough to get a brand-new 1994 Mustang GT in January '94. They had only been out for approximately a month when I bought mine. I was one of the first to have one of the new bodystyle Mustangs. It felt good. Of course, then again, I didn't have to pay through the nose, however.

 

People who buy something like this should realize that in doing so, they are only paying to be first and gauge how important that is to them. We know that with any car, they will depreciate to some degree and hopefully those that can afford to pay the hefty premiums understand that.

[silvrsvt]

But then, of course, Ford screwed up the introduction and a year later they could be had slightly under invoice.

 

Yep Ford didn't have a good launch till the Mustang and 500 came out...over 4 years :banghead:

[kevinb120]

I thought the 500 marketing sucked from day one not to mention the Fresstyle(pardon the pun), NOBODY coming in had any idea of what they were. The Fusion was a little stale at first too but now they are quite the regular on people's shopping lists, we get a LOT of traffic on them. Another recent success is the Expy, believe it or not, they fly off the lot with regularity-regardless of gas prices, and with little advertizing. I think we sell more of those then Exlporers lately(Edge and Taurus X get all the mid-size attention here). Idiots pay 5000% proffit margin's on Coach purses or Nike products even at a discount store. Funny enough people who pay over sticker for cars brag about how much they did even years later. 'Expensive' is a relative term.

[Mark B. Morrow]

Back in 1984, I bought a Dodge Daytona Turbo Z. Every dealer in the Tampa/Clearwater/St.Pete area had an $800 to $1,200 Added Dealer Profit Addendum to the sticker. In addition to that most had rust proofing and paint protection on the cars right off the carrier to pump up the profit even more. After searching for a few weeks I found the exact car i wanted (Black 5 speed) at a small dealer in Tarpon Springs that had been sitting on the floor for a few months. The Tarpon Springs area had lots of customers for trucks and "Granny" sedans but not much call for sporty cars. I was able to get it for $500.00 under sticker.

 

In the days before the internet dealers were much more tied to their neighborhood. I can't imagine that happening today on a hot car.

[Michael Reynolds]

Understanding that this is a limited edition model, I kinda figured this would happen. At a cost of entry of almost 60K, I'd rather look at a C63 or M3.

[05fordgt]

Understanding that this is a limited edition model, I kinda figured this would happen. At a cost of entry of almost 60K, I'd rather look at a C63 or M3.

 

Michael, and you don't think the new M3 won't be marked up over MSRP? I know of a few stores in my area that will mark them up. Plus, from what I have read, that car should start around $62,000 without any real options and can go over $70,000 with a good amount of equipment.

[Deanh]

From the above article:

I thought read on other threads that the GT500 was going for sticker now?

close......just a tad above, but no longer ludicrous....

[Furious1Auto]

Asking that amount over for any car is stupid!

 

It just shows how many people have more money then brains or more money then they really need to have and blowing 20K on a car is nothing to them

silvrsvt I sat in a brand new Shelby GT today and also a Shelby GT500, both were priced $10,000 over sticker. While the salesman was talking I sighted the mark up, and told him tha I would never pay over sticker never! I told him that I should get an employee discount, and he said not on this car. I told him that he could keep his car were it has been sitting for the last 4 months while I've been in and out for service. The b-tch is that the GT was nicer than the GT500 in one respect, the original 65'-67' Shelby GT's were hand signed on the glove compartment by Carol Shelby! Now I don't expect being an old man for him to get in to everyone and repeat what he did 40 years ago, but the GT has a plaque mounted on the dash with his signature and a production number for it's package and the GT500 does not! So in essence you are not getting the treatment with the higher priced GT500 that you do with the GT while still being expected to pay significantly more! ( I am aware of the powertrain upgrade ) Both packages were overpriced by the dealers hand! What happened to fair trading products?

[Moby Vic]

Yeah, 500 horsepower but no signature? Worthless! That signature is probably good for five tenths in the quarter....

[suv_guy_19]

silvrsvt I sat in a brand new Shelby GT today and also a Shelby GT500, both were priced $10,000 over sticker. While the salesman was talking I sighted the mark up, and told him tha I would never pay over sticker never! I told him that I should get an employee discount, and he said not on this car. I told him that he could keep his car were it has been sitting for the last 4 months while I've been in and out for service. The b-tch is that the GT was nicer than the GT500 in one respect, the original 65'-67' Shelby GT's were hand signed on the glove compartment by Carol Shelby! Now I don't expect being an old man for him to get in to everyone and repeat what he did 40 years ago, but the GT has a plaque mounted on the dash with his signature and a production number for it's package and the GT500 does not! So in essence you are not getting the treatment with the higher priced GT500 that you do with the GT while still being expected to pay significantly more! ( I am aware of the powertrain upgrade ) Both packages were overpriced by the dealers hand! What happened to fair trading products?

 

 

What should Ford do, stop selling them?

[2005Explorer]

If some people think the Mustang is an overweight pig...then what is this Challenger going to be???

[Furious1Auto]

What should Ford do, stop selling them?

I would think the serial plate would be available in the GT500, and that Ford would have tight control over retail pricing!

Edited December 17, 2007 by Furious1Auto

[Mark B. Morrow]

I would thing the serial plate would be available in the GT500, and that Ford would have tight control over retail pricing!

 

 

Ford can't control what dealers sell the cars for at retail. The Monroney sticker is only the Manufacturer's SUGGESTED Price. Once the dealer gets the car from Ford they can do anything they want with it.

[96 Pony]

I sat in a brand new Shelby GT today and also a Shelby GT500, both were priced $10,000 over sticker. While the salesman was talking I sighted the mark up, and told him tha I would never pay over sticker never! I told him that I should get an employee discount, and he said not on this car. I told him that he could keep his car were it has been sitting for the last 4 months while I've been in and out for service.

 

Wow, my psychic brother.

 

I too went to my "friendly" Ford dealer yesterday to check out the GT500. Some fat assed salesman came running out of the showroom in an instant, his checkered polyester coat flapping in the breeze (no - I am not making this up).

 

So after listening to him singing the virtues of it (keep in mind it was locked - he didn't even bring the keys to let me check out the interior!) I asked if the MSRP was what it was being sold for. He then, of course, started off on his spiel about how it was limited edition, yadda, yadda, yadda and the the cost was MSRP + a $10k "market adjustment."

 

I am very proud of myself at this point, because I did not go off on him, nor let him know that I know Mustangs like the back of my hand. I just patted him on the shoulder and said, "See that?" pointing to my '02 Thunderbird. "THAT is a limited edition car. And I did not pay a "market adjustment" for it, nor will I ever. Especially when it is not a convertible." And with that, I trotted off.

[Furious1Auto]

Wow, my psychic brother.

 

I too went to my "friendly" Ford dealer yesterday to check out the GT500. Some fat assed salesman came running out of the showroom in an instant, his checkered polyester coat flapping in the breeze (no - I am not making this up).

 

So after listening to him singing the virtues of it (keep in mind it was locked - he didn't even bring the keys to let me check out the interior!) I asked if the MSRP was what it was being sold for. He then, of course, started off on his spiel about how it was limited edition, yadda, yadda, yadda and the the cost was MSRP + a $10k "market adjustment."

 

I am very proud of myself at this point, because I did not go off on him, nor let him know that I know Mustangs like the back of my hand. I just patted him on the shoulder and said, "See that?" pointing to my '02 Thunderbird. "THAT is a limited edition car. And I did not pay a "market adjustment" for it, nor will I ever. Especially when it is not a convertible." And with that, I trotted off.

Good man, sounds like what my father would have said!

Edited December 17, 2007 by Furious1Auto