And it wasn't the car that disappointed...

I encourage all of you in the market for a car to not only shop the big dealers, but seek out the small ones as well. Every time I walk into a big dealer I always manage to find a sales manager with the cockiest friggen attitude when it comes time to deal. I'm always up front when buying a car, whether its for me or helping someone else, and I always ask for the best deal, no hassle, no haggle up front. I will not buy the car today, and I will shop your price. Now, I have sold cars for over 3 years. When people come up to me and expect this, its what I deliver...whether its a GTO or a Sunfire.

Now, I'd never driven a Fox body 5 speed, and people have mentioned on here Ford was more or less giving them away. I figured with a GTO still out of my price range, the Grand Prix driving the wrong wheels with 2 few cylinders, and the '05 Mustang being ugly IMO, why not try the last of the old ones? So I went to the biggest Ford dealer in the area, and they have one left...a red GT stick. Perfect. I drive it, and it drives like a Mustang. Not bad.

So I do my bit, tell them what I want, and wait...and wait....and wait some more. I hear the salesman in the office with the manager, laughing away. Then the manager comes out and asks me to name my price to buy it today. Of course I explain I will not buy it today and that I am shopping to compare and will quite possibly buy the best deal. Now, at this point as the salesman, thats what I do for my customers. Being a small dealer, we have to. This guy? He informs me the price is MSRP minus the rebate unless I have an offer in mind...I offer him basically what I guessed to be invoice minus the rebate minus about $1,500 just to rattle him a little for being so obnoxious. The salesman a few minutes before offered me the car for invoice minus rebate minus $2,000! But of course, he has to check with his manager. So I assume that means $2,000 dealer cash, hence my offer. As for this sales manager? He tells me he has to think about it and get back to me.

All I wanted was a price on a car that is more or less undesireable to 98% of his shoppers as of next month. How hard is that? If this is the way the big dealers are (and they all seem to be), go support your little family-owned one. The ones I know don't pull crap like that. I now understand why the place I work for part-time continues to keep a strong repeat customer base. I'm sure nearly everyone on here is used to buying cars like this, but for me, its an eye-opening experience to see why people always like dealing with us...

As for the Mustang itself, I got back in the GP and discovered 2 less cylinders and FWD really isn't such a bad thing, after all

 

I hate big dealers. Clown at the last chevy dealership I was at didn't know what a C5 was.

 

Hey I've got a question for you. Is it true that you can get a better deal at the end of the month? The last 3 cars over the past 7 or 8 years that I have bought have been purchased on the day before the last day of the month or the last day of the month. And I've always gotten the deal I wanted.

 

Slap a lil blower on it and its damn fun!

Miss my RWD though! Soon as I'm done witht his school thing I'm ganna be out looking for my '95 LT1 project car!

 

fox body? I thought the Fox body was the 79-93 stangs?

 

30thZ28,

It is possible to get a better price on a NEW car at the end of the month if the dealer needs to meet their objective with GM, Ford, etc. If they're below objective chances are they'll be more willing to move units. Otherwise, I don't see any other necessary reason why its better at the end of the month, but if it works for you, keep it up

stars,
I've driven a ton of GTPs over my almost 4 years at the dealer, and indeed, GTPs are nice Very nice One reason I bought my GT is because I REFUSE to drive a 4 door, and my GT was the only coupe in Western MA at that point. I wasn't working at the dealer for a little while and grabbed the first coupe I could find assuming I wouldn't end up back there part time, and I hated my Grand Am with a passion. Also, the difference in fuel mileage and being able to use regular in it is nice when you drive it 25k+ miles a year, too...but yes, GTPs are very nice I'll be sticking with my GT though for likely a long, long time...

Caps,
By referring to Fox body I should have said Fox CHASSIS. Body style actually has nothing to do with it...but I've typically heard the cars referenced as Fox bodies.

 

in regards to the end of the month thing, jason's got it on the new car thing (obviously)
but can't you get a good deal on used also because they gotta pay to keep it on the lot or something?
i think that's how i got my rs for about a grand less than what they were asking

 

At YEAR END, yes, you are correct, depending on the situation. Dealers are taxed on the inventory they have at calendar year end. The less inventory they have, the less they pay. At month end though? I don't think there is more of a push to sell a car on April 31 vs. May 1, in all honesty. Where I work at least, there is no such push....

 

hmm...well that's what i remember hearing
thanks for the insight
i could really care less now as seeing how i think i got a good price on it
and the fact that i won't be buying a new or used car for quite some time