Price War in Massachusetts

[Vicky]

:) I wish I had waited for these prices. Oh well live and learn.

Two dealers in Mass are having a price war. The lowest I have seen is $30,277 plus O% financing.

Are other dealers in other states doing the same thing?

It looks like now is a good time to buy.

[SHAGGY]

Everybody wants a price war to drive prices down. For all of you out there who already have a MM, why do you want to start something that will just drive the value of your vehicles down. Being in the car business with L/M for 13 yrs, my best suggestion is go in and work a price that you and the dealer are BOTH happy with. For me, i would much rather spend a FEW dollars more and be happy with the purchase than have to battle, fight tooth and nail, play the waiting game....and finally get a car for $150 less than i could of paid a week ago. Also, I recently bought a new big screen TV that I paid $100 more from a guy that was really helpful, all the other stores had a bunch of jerks working there. Sometimes its worth a couple of bucks for good service, you never know when you made need some help from your salesman.

[mtnh]

re: shaggy; spoken like a true car dealer droid... you didn't even get the intent of Vicky's message, did you? Typical. That strategy may work out in your favor, but for most of us, we cannot even stand the thought of bringing our cars back to a dealer for service, so we tend to shop by price. The less we see of car dealerships, the better.

[MAD-3R]

Easy mtnh. no need to beat the guy for working at a dealership. I tend to agree with you about not wanting to go back to a dealership except with a jerry can of ga...

ANYWAY, I did have a good experience with my dealer, and if they are MOD friendly or hell, if they are mod tolerent, I'll be back to them.

[SHAGGY]

Dear mtnh, just so you know, not only do i work for L/M, i also bought the first MM that we had arrive in our lot, AND I paid $34,000 for mine knowing that if I waited a few months i could get my owner to allow me to purchase it for a much lower price. Maybe you dont get my point....WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING TO SAVE YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, I HAVE BEEN ENJOYING MY MM, I HAVE JUST OVER 5,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAVE LOVED EVERY MILE IVE PUT ON IT! That was my point, i didnt even put my dealership name, so there was NO WAY i could benefit from anything i said in the previous post. As far as the "car dealer droids" you speak about, unfortunately there are some a*&^*les in the business, but over my lifetime i have found them in every line of business, not just the car business. There is no doubt that a few bad apples have ruined our reputations, butgo to a dealership with an open mind, you may find that there are still some good people in this business, and I pride myself to be one of them. I dont think a 2% profit on a 34000 vehicle is too much, not when i just paid a 400% markup on the lettuce i just bought, a 800% markup on the last pair of shoes, etc etc. The auto business is still a BUSINESS, there to make a profit, but take a look at the NYSE, check out the automakers, and tell me how profitable you think theyve been lately.

[b4z]

No flame war please.
Things are pretty cool around here.

[WJSOLOMON]

Originally posted by b4z:"No 'Flame' War, please. Things are pretty cool around here."

Did he Say his Dealership was in Key West, Florida?

Now you've possibly started a "Flame" War - with such a potenially provocative "Gay-Bashing" remark! :eek: :eek:


Hey Dudes (and Dudettes) - this IS still America, and everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

I tend to agree with the Gentleman, after all of those years of experience in the Automobile Business, he's learned that - as with most Major purchases - you usually only get what you pay for, in terms of Pruduct Value, and Service, and Personal Satisfaction, after the purchase.

All of that having been said, remember that if you happen to step on a Snake, they have a tendencey to protect themselves, strike back, and bite ya'.

It's America - Live and Let Live!


;) :cool:

[mtnh]

The whole problem, as I see it, is that the dealers are setting these prices, the manufacturer is watering them down with rebates, so what is the problem, anyway? Some car salesman stepping in here and stating that the prices are getting too low, devaluing our cars. The prices are set by the dealer, not the customers. Some of us will wait for the best prices, others don't care about it that much. Myself, I asked and received a car at X-plan price (I am eligible as a Ford business partner, I work for the company that hold a large software contract on software that helps Ford run its operation) on July 30, so I paid a little over $32K for a MM with all options. That is my MO, I never pay much over invoice, while I know that the dealers get at least their holdback (based on list price). There is still plenty of money to be made on these cars, but overall, it is a buyer's market, so the dealers must lower their prices to sell the cars. Maybe in some markets, there is still a tendency to to pay closer to sticker, but it's not happening in many. peeing and moaning about customers driving down the prices and thereby lowering our vehicles' values is just hogwash, plain and simple. Vicky merely asked if all dealers were suffering from a glut of MMs, and were lowering their prices. Vicky sure didn't make the dealers do that, the market conditions did.

WJ, I sure don't know what you're talking about... :)

Didn't mean to start a flame war, sorry if it sounded that way.

[WJSOLOMON]

Originally posted by mtnh: "..............WJ, I sure don't know what you're talking about... :) Didn't mean to start a flame war, sorry if it sounded that way."

Hey Guys, I was just trying to take some of the apparent growing tension out of a few of the Original Post's responses, and was just kidding about the "Key West / Gay / Flame" (as in 'Flaming Gays from Key West') thing.

Having been raised in the Car Business, and worked in Sales for close to Ten Years, my personal opinion is that while the Automobile Manufactures / Dealers try and "Inflate" the Asking Prices of their Vehicles, it's actually up to the Buying Public to determine what the Final Mean-Average Selling Prices will ultimately be, by what they're willing to pay for them.

Consumer Confidance, our National Economy, and Barometers like the Stock Market, Unemploment Numbers, Interest Rates, Sales of Hard Goods, etc., can all play a part in what the Publics' willingness will be to pay for these Cars. Competition in the Market Place is a Great Leveler, as well.

When you consider what it costs today's average New Car Dealer to just turn the key in the front door each day, then to spend each day fighting with the Factory over Costs and Market Share, and the Customers who feel like they're being overcharged in the Parts, Service, Sales Departments, how would one keep from getting 'Burned Out' after so many years? We need to give them their fair due - it's a tough job!

Our role as consumers is a pretty easy one, we hold the power to buy or not buy, and how much we're willing to pay for these "Toys".

History and my own personal experience tells me that both the Factory and the Dealer understand this "Balence Act", better than some of us may think.

These are hard times with increased overhead costs for both the Factory and Dealers - what with Increased Union Pressure for Higher Wages / Benifits, and Higher Insurance Premiums for the Dealer, thanks to 9-11.

Do I like the fact that the average guy building my MM probably makes more than I do, as the Buyer?

If I can't stand the "Heat", I can always walk out of the "Kitchen", and find something else to sustain myself down the street.

We remain the Safest and most Durable "Piggy bank" in the World. While the rest of the World suffers through occasional bouts of "Pneumonia", America will suffer a "Common Cold", from time to time.

Eventually, the DJIA will return to Post War Levels above 10,000, and we'll all eventually move on and forget these tough, tight times.

In the meantime, grab yourself a MM, and have some fun!

:) ;) :cool:

[Todd Green]

I believe i what Shaggy is promoting. I also make a living from educating the consuming public on premium products and service to support the price. If price was the only issue in every purchase Professionals such as Dennis Reinhart would'nt exist.

With that said I would never pay the lowest price for any product. When you do you only recieve cost advantages in the front while sacrificing expected service when you need it most. Yes you could fight with the person you took advantage of in the first place. But I find it more benificial to have everyone on my side when I need them most.

Find someone in the middle. The lowest will give you the most problems and the highest is to fat.

BTW to all those who budget your way into this vehicle. Mine will only have 3-5000 per year on it. In 20 yrs. It will only have 50-60000. And will have every OEM and after market option that has proven itself worthy on it. I will not let it go to the lowest bidder bank on that!!!!!

The most important thing is to enjoy live it is short and you only have 1 chance at it.

[b4z]

The domestics are having a real problem with this as the actual transaction price is not even close to MSRP.
This has a deleterious affect on resale.

In June '01 I bought a new Chevy IMpala. Msrp was 25.5K Once I included rebates and loyalty bonuses it was 21.1K

That same car is now 27.6K. A $1000 increase per model year.
And IMpala sales are now off from the year before.

They need to get realistic about their MSRP and not go for the big kill when times are good.

I don't think a fully loaded Impala with Sport and sunroof is a 29-30K car. Obvioulsy the public doesn't either.

I just wonder what would have happened with Marauder sales if it had been a 31-32K MSRP car?
Which is what they are selling for now.

[JohnnyB]

I think it is better to pay a "fair price" for the car and maintain a good relationship with the dealer. Now, if a salesman tries to tack on a $3,000 market adjustment over the MSRP and he finds a customer who pays it, more power to the salesman. Good for him.... However, if consumers balk at the markup, then the laws of supply and demand take over and the price will ultimately decrease as the cars remain unsold. It's that simple.

As far as the stock market is concerned, those of us who are invested in stocks will have to ride out the current slump and wait for the rebound. History repeats itself and stock prices will eventually rise. Now may be a good time to jump in. Ford stock fell below $7 yesterday, and I doubt they are going out of business. If you like Ford cars, then you should like the stock also........

[tomt41]

I would like to say that this site is awesome and the value of the conversations and information is incredible. You cannot buy the info you get on this site about pricing, modifications and service. Keep it up guys- To get back to value- I posted under another topic about Ford and the car industries problems and that now pricing and economic pressures have put the ball in the consumers court.
When we make a purchase we buy what we perceive as value. Value is a different metric for different people and it includes time of purchase , cost of goods and service. For instance, Joe Blow buys a MM at $3k over sticker the first day out. That feeling of being the first , of getting all the looks, and driving that car was well worth the $5k extra he spent and he has recieved a what he percieves as good value for his money. Now some of us may think he has rocks in his head for spending that kind of dough for what we deem a small reward and of course would not find value in that type of purchase. Etc, Point made. Me- I would rather drill them and squeeze every dime out of them that I can. Knowing full well, that I won't- They have to eat too- And despite all their posturing, Dealers always make money when selling a car. And someone else will come along and get a better deal. But at some point we do have to agree on a price. Happy shopping-going this weekend

[jessejames]

The Boston Herald has a dealer advertising at $28,995.00...Yikes!

[b4z]

Gotta be a demo or used.

[03 Merc]

Straight from E-bay...read down a way and it shows the dealer has 9 available at $29,995.00......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1868100428



Shaggy,

I thought Ford was trying to stop dealers from using E-bay or the like auctions on it's new cars...

[WJSOLOMON]

Originally posted by 03 Merc:"Straight from E-bay...read down a way and it shows the dealer has 9 available at $29,995.00....http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1868100428 - Shaggy - I thought Ford was trying to stop dealers from using E-bay or the like auctions on it's new cars...


In desperate times, desperate men do desperate things, just to keep their heads above water.

Compost happens,from time to time, as we see in K-Marts demise.

Those out there that want a Bargin, offer $29 K, and see what the response is.



:cool: