"Variance" (Variance)
06/18/2016 at 14:44 • Filed to: ford, shelby, gt350, mustang, stealerships
5
17|
"Variance" (Variance)
06/18/2016 at 14:44 • Filed to: ford, shelby, gt350, mustang, stealerships | 5
| 17 |
So, after a few years of waffling on what car to buy, I finally decided that I’d quite like to own a 2017 Shelby GT350. Unfortunately, it would seem that the majority of Ford dealers seem content to tack ridiculous markups on these vehicles, even while 2016s sit on lots unsold.
Just when I thought I’d found a lead, I ended up falling victim to the ‘ole bait-and-switch at Crossroads Ford Lincoln in Frankfort, KY. I’ve been communicating with an internet sales rep since Tuesday, and was told that they had an available allocation that I could order against for MSRP. I made the >1 hour drive down this morning to put in the order and leave a deposit, only to be told that they wanted $10k over MSRP.
I resisted laughing in the guy’s face and telling him that I could list off at least 10 cars sitting on dealer lots unsold because of $5k+ markups.
Little do they know, I work for Toyota and know a ton of people in the neighboring Lexington and Georgetown areas that I will now be advising to avoid them like the plague.
Yeah, I’m a bit salty.
E90M3
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 14:52 |
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You should have just said GTFAC and left
extraspecialbitter
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 14:52 |
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How much more would it cost to order it straight from Ford?
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Variance
> extraspecialbitter
06/18/2016 at 15:00 |
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You can’t order directly from Ford. Everything goes through the dealer, whether you’re buying a car sitting on their lot, or doing a custom order on one of their allocations.
In this situation, the dealer had an unordered allocation that I was going to submit a custom order through. Rather than sell me the resulting car at MSRP and making a quick ~$4k profit, they want to charge $10k over MSRP for the “privilege” of using that allocation, giving them a ~$14k profit on the sale.
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extraspecialbitter
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:02 |
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I meant custom ordering. Gives the feeling of ordering straight from Ford.
FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:03 |
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Would they also mark up if you’d order a car through them? Shit like this should be illegal.
Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:04 |
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and... this is why nobody’s feelings are hurt when Tesla gives dealerships the middle finger and just sells direct.
Dru
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:06 |
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There seem to be dozens on eBay for nearly MSRP.
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Variance
> FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
06/18/2016 at 15:09 |
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This was specifically for a custom order. They had an allocation sitting unused that I was going to order to my preferences. They essentially wanted $10k to let me use it. Dealers are only given a limited number of GT350 allocations a year, so they like to scalp on them.
JR1
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:25 |
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Dealer markups can kiss my ass
LongbowMkII
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:32 |
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There’s quite a few ford dealers in central ky. Jack Kain is a smaller one that’s often overlooked.
Any dealer that puts their website on the rear window (crossroad)is to be avoided on principle anyways.
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LongbowMkII
> extraspecialbitter
06/18/2016 at 15:33 |
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But then it's delivered to a dealer, who you then buy it from.
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extraspecialbitter
> LongbowMkII
06/18/2016 at 15:38 |
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I understand that everything goes through a dealership. It was a badly worded sentence.
Frenchlicker
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 15:49 |
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And dealerships wonder why people hate them.
Steve in Manhattan
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 16:38 |
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I believe I read a similar story here (about a high-end Mustang) a few months ago. This isn’t 1968 - there’s Yelp. And lots of other ways to put out the word about shitheads like this. As long as you tell the truth, they can’t touch you - truth is an absolute defense against defamation (libel and slander).
And if you deal fairly with a customer, especially an enthusiast, they’ll come back. I bought two cars from Anton Motors in MD (before they went belly up). My dad (no enthusiast) still ordered maybe ... 3 Impalas and a Bel Air from a Chevy dealer in Silver Spring, MD? And there’s a Honda dealer in Bethesda MD I’d buy a car from anytime I needed one. Tysons Toyota also did me a solid on a 4x4 longbed.
The car lover’s memory is long.
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Variance
> Steve in Manhattan
06/18/2016 at 16:53 |
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Yeah, I did a little snooping and sent an e-mail to what I think are the Sales Manager, General Manager, Vice President, and Owner, expressing my displeasure at not only the markup, but the deliberately false information that caused me to waste my time driving down there. I’m going to give them a couple days to respond, then blast the shit out of them on any public review website I can.
The killer is, my division is moving its offices down to Georgetown (20-30 minutes from this dealer) about a year from now, so had they actually gone through with this, I would have become a local, potentially repeat customer. However, now I will never return, I will strongly encourage anybody I know to do the same.
I’m generally a nice guy, but if you wrong me, I can be spiteful as hell.
d15b
> Variance
06/18/2016 at 19:14 |
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The money is in your pocket. Just be patient, lol.
PS9
> Variance
09/11/2016 at 18:44 |
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“Tell me more about how dealers protect customers...”