Today at my local Ford dealer.... - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Bearman · 05-05-2003, 06:48

Went to my local Ford dealer to kick some tyres today. Saw a Phantom XR8 on the lot. It was open, sat inside and thought "if only....." I got out and a salesman came over and we started chatting. Said I'd love a BA XR in my driveway but no way known, can't do as I pointed to my AU1 XR6. I said that apart from still owing money on the AU I remarked it's probably only worth a kick in the arse. He agreed. He didn't even throw around a trade-in figure even though I left the door open to talk turkey. No arrogance on his part, he could see I was just a timewaster. Reading between the lines I'd say they don't want any AU's at all.

A mate of a mate wanted to get himself a BA XR8 ute. He offered his 3 year old (70,000Km) AU XL V8 with XR front, factory fitted LPG and 1 tonne suspension. He was told they didn't want it!! When pushed for a trade in price was offered $18K!! Needless to say, no BA for him.

This roughly correlates with my experience. Anyone else had this?

All this means is that I'll be keeping my AU till it's a worn out junker....

Devil CV8 · 05-05-2003, 14:57

Read my experience, I would have thought a ford dealer would try a bit harder to convert someone who has had 3 privately owned, paid for in cash, new Holdens, VX11SS,CV8,VYSS in 12 months....A lousy trade in offer put paid to a possible convert..looks like I'll wait for the gen4 in the commodore....

xacoupe · 05-05-2003, 15:27

doesn't take them long to get lazy and arrogant. You would think after all the lean years with the way the AU sold they would be hungry for more sales...

SRV8 · 05-05-2003, 15:38

Try another dealer, being in Melbourne you have plenty off choices. I have tried talking to the dealer in Geelong (*#@%$^&*��), then tried the Ballarat people, much better service & the support after sales is ok. You won't get away from the "" Ford won't cover that or thier all the same"" stories, although they will look like thier sorry for you when they say things like that.

Give em a ring on (03) 5336 1555 ask for Clinton in new sales & he'll sort things out for ya.

Mr Sparkle · 05-05-2003, 15:58

It's worthwhile to note that it's not always arrogance, but often "team orders" that dictate such farcical behaviour from a sales representative - ie. THOU SHALT NOT DISCOUNT!!!

Keep shopping around, push hard, and you should find a reasonable deal.

Aussie Pete · 05-05-2003, 16:33

Yeah. I see that sort of attitude from some dealers yet others are more keen. In your case the salesman was probably respecting your position and thought he would leave you until you were serious (i.e. had a better outlook and was ready to do a deal).

Having said that, AU is going to be a problem for a while. I remember a couple of years back seeing a storage area filled with traded EL Falcons. We're talking hundreds and hundreds. They were waiting for their turn under the hammer, however the auction house was storing them so as not to flood the market. Asking the staff I was told I could have bought one for next to nothing as dealers who were putting them on the sales listing were keen to convert to cash.

Looking at that scenario, why would a dealer want to trade a car for a reasonable cost when he is likely to have to join a queue to auction/wholesale the car (assuming he won't want to retail himself).

An example of resale in the wholesale game. T3 TE50, brembos, metalic paint, manual, 4000km - $46000. That was before BA V8s were released. God knows what they're worth now!

Hobbes · 05-05-2003, 17:47

Maybe the dealers are desperate to protect their margins as well? Coming off such a lean time with the AU, perhaps they are tryin to milk the BA for all it's worth ...

RATT · 05-06-2003, 02:01

Another interesting bit of news I found out today. A Holden dealer in Sydney's west has offered a customer $47990 drive away on a VYSS manual. The buyer was comparing BA XR8 with the SS and there roughly a $7000 difference between the two.

Myself and BOSSGT had a chat to David Flint at Eastern Creek on Sunday regarding a similar situation in Melbourne recently where a Y series R8 was $1500 less on road than a GT.
A GT is $59850+ orc vs the R8 at $68860+ orc. So you work it out...

Rodderz · 05-06-2003, 04:19

True...there are still alot of brand new 2002 made AU's out there unsold, sitting there. Resale not good but a ripper buy to those who want to keep it for a long time

On the other hand, talk to Holden valuers, who apparently are taking off a few grand on VT2-VX SS's in case of costs for rebuilds. Seems the problem will be ongoing