2005 Ford GT - ebay auction for the right to buy - Page 3

RobBeddington · 02-19-04, 06:31 PM

Forddealer - $12,500 over list sounds like a reasonable deal to secure a $139,500 car, especially if it's a "must have", and not too greedy from the vendor's point of view when you consider the other "deals" we've seen.

Here's another Ebay auction for the 'Right to Buy' from a Ford Dealer. It's already hit the $30k+ mark and the reserve's not been met - again, let's see if this auction, unlike the others, runs its course.

And yet another "Right To Buy"

Rob

**J What?** · 02-19-04, 06:57 PM

I am sorry. Car dealers are the most honest, forthright and upstanding businessmen on the planet. Forddealer,Pleeease, your breaking my heart. I agree with JR, why don't you just sell 200 raffle tickets at $1000 each.

EarlAbsher · 02-19-04, 09:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I am sorry. Car dealers are the most honest, forthright and upstanding businessmen on the planet.

[/ QUOTE ]he he
You made a funny [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Ron Earp · 02-19-04, 09:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I. As far as the new GT, Ford cant tell me for sure if I will get one or not. So I went to someone I know will get 2 and am paying him $12500 over msrp just to make sure I will get to own one - just gotta have it!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sadly, this will happen again and again, many times with non-enthusiasts who want the newest toy while those that really desire and would use the car (track it!) can't get one (don't take this personally Forddealer, just an example and not directed at you). The well-connected can get them while mere mortals can't get a lead on one. I fully understand charge what the market would bear but I seriously applaud the dealers who would charge MSRP because to do otherwise would go against their morals.

I could sell the GT40, Lotus, and take some cash from the bank, rent Sydney, and I'd have enough. But I wouldn't even know where to begin to purchase one. I suppose I could go list my name at the dealer, but since I purchase my cars used I've got no capital there. I'm sure my name ends up at the bottom, or worse, off the list. Got to be connected.

And Volker - your obervation about one owner of all dealers is VERY common in the US. In my own area, about 1000000 in size, Leith owns just about all the stealerships - VW, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, Jeep, MB, and more. The others, Ford, etc. are owned by a different group. Seems common here but not very "open market".

Iron Sheik · 02-20-04, 02:04 AM

Ford Dealer, Chevy Dealer, BMW dealer,,,,"used car dealer",

My heart goes out to you [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] NOT [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

If your dealership goes out of business, there is another job that may be a PERFECT match, "drum roll"

TELEMARKETING [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Ohhhh, by the way, I am on the DO NOT CALL LIST [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

P.S PLEEEEEEASE don't take this personally, I dislike all car dealerships equally [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

gt40.freak · 02-20-04, 09:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
And Volker - your obervation about one owner of all dealers is VERY common in the US. In my own area, about 1000000 in size, Leith owns just about all the stealerships - VW, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Jaguar, Jeep, MB, and more. The others, Ford, etc. are owned by a different group. Seems common here but not very "open market".

[/ QUOTE ]

Ron,
thankfully it isn't that bad here in Germany at the moment - most companys do not agree when dealers want to sell other brands. So you can find more and more dealers who offer re-imported cars from other manufacturers - e.g. a Ford dealer offers re-imported VW cars, a Mitsubishi dealer also has Hyundai SUV's and so on.

Something general to this thread: It seems some people have their problems with car dealers in general - it may be understandable if you consider that buying a car is always combined with some emotions. What I personally don't like is to make them all equal. Of course there are some of them who act all others than customer-related and think only about making profits for themselves.
But that's something you can find in every business range - and nobody who got some bad quality sausage from a butcher's one time would say all butcher's are stupid, greedy and cheating their customers! So why treating car dealers that way? I know a lot of them try to make their job as good as possible for both sides - for customers and their own, and if there's a problem with a car it's very often not caused by the dealer itself, but by the factory - and the dealer gets a beating for it....
Selling goods is sometimes a very hard job, and it's nearly impossible to satisfy every customer - but I think most sellers try their best to do this and if a mistake happened, they also do all they can to make up for it.

I am proud that I have something like a good partnership with most of my customers (I'm NOT selling cars...) - and if I make a mistake, in 99% of all cases I get the chance to correct it. But this behaviour needs unbiased people and some goodwill from both sides, and I'm sure that there are also car dealers who act this way - if they get a chance to prove it.

This is a long posting. and I'm sorry if some expressions are unusual or hard to understand - please consider that english is not my mother tongue.....

Regards,
Volker

Mike Dozier · 02-20-04, 01:39 PM

Volker

Your post is very well understood and most of us understand
there are good and not so good in all groups.

Actually, I think relations between new car dealers and the general public has improved quite a bit over the years.
The cars are better made...so the number
of "lemons" has declined. Also, the Internet has made it
more difficult for dealers to charge wildly different
prices for the same vehicle to different buyers.

On the bad side, there has been a lot of consolidation
of smaller dealerships into giant dealerships.
This allows lower prices due to volume...but personal
relationships are pretty much gone.

MikeD

GregE · 02-21-04, 04:00 PM

I answered an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle today indicating a Ford dealer in northern California had gotten their allotment and when I asked about price...... are you ready?

$400,000 and he wanted to keep the car in his show room for a few months.

Any reasonable dealers out there? I'll pay over MSRP for a Ford GT. email me. I am serious.

EarlAbsher · 02-21-04, 08:25 PM

California dealers are always number one in sticking it to the customer.

What they have 'new' customers don't realize is that you can buy a car out of state, and for a very small fee, have it courtesy delivered to a California dealer. The Ca. dealer will do the prep.

Happens with Corvettes all the time. You can go out of state to the more ethical dealers, get thousands off the MSRP, and have a courtesy delivery for about $250.

RobBeddington · 02-23-04, 04:04 PM

This auction, apparently from a Ford main dealer, reached over $85,000 for the Right to Buy and, like the other similar auctions, was cancelled early.

Bids for latest "Right to Buy"

IMHO, Ford must be stamping on these dealers. There's no doubt that any dealer with an allocation will be able to command high prices way over list (3 bidders on this auction alone bid more than $75,000 for just the Right to Buy), but, for whatever reason, Ebay appears too visible for any deal to come off. The subtle "under the counter" approach may well work better.

It will be very interesting to see how many 'real' GTs make it onto Ebay when the first examples hit the road.

In the meantime, IMHO and unless they have a very good reason, anyone bidding $85k on something not yet built from an Ebay seller with zero feedback and little other evidence of ownership needs help.

Rob

Doody · 02-23-04, 04:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Ford must be stamping on these dealers

[/ QUOTE ]

why do you think that? this text is from the official Ford GT FAQ located at http://www.fordvehicles.com/fordgt/f...t=1&bhqs=1

[ QUOTE ]
Q: We hear that some dealers are already charging higher than sticker price for the vehicle. Does Ford encourage dealers to sell at any particular price?

A: Federal law requires manufacturers to provide an MSRP for every vehicle. Under dealer franchise agreements and state law, manufacturers cannot control the selling price of a vehicle. Dealers modify vehicle prices, either higher or lower than MSRP, based on market conditions and customer demands.Certainly, the new Ford GT is in high demand. The price a dealer gets reflects the value a customer finds in a vehicle and is willing to spend.

[/ QUOTE ]

my ininitial interpretation of this language was along the lines of "bring your favorite lube with you". [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

doody.

RobBeddington · 02-23-04, 05:08 PM

Hi Doody

I don't think anyone has a problem with pricing product to meet market forces, Ford included. I think the problem arises when there is no car yet to sell. From what I've seen of these Right to Buy auctions to date, there's been no hard evidence or documentation that these cars exist. Incorrect VIN numbers, incorrect specs (automatic?), and library images of the original GT Concept don't convince me.

Forddealer's deal for $12,500 over list from a reputable contact (to be paid when he receives the car) is, IMHO, a great deal. However, an instruction to pay $25,000 within 14 days of an Ebay auction, with the balance on completion, to buy a car that may be available some time in the distant future is not so great, especially from a reputable dealer.

It's some coincidence that all bids for these auctions have been cancelled, and that the auctions have been closed off early.

Cheers.

Rob

Doody · 02-23-04, 06:41 PM

ahhhh... i gotcha. my impression was that these auctions were being run by ford dealers themselves. that clearly is not the case based on your post. i concur - those listers/sellers must each have quite a pair [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

doody!

sfreader · 02-24-04, 12:08 AM

One of the larger dealers in this market has made a standing offer to other dealers to buy at $50,000 over sticker. He has found only one so far.

Keith

sfreader · 02-24-04, 12:20 AM

Oh, I meant to ask if any of you had noticed the Ebay listing that isn't really an offer to sell anything, by a UK buyer who is looking for someone in the US to sell him a GT?

Keith

Doody · 02-25-04, 09:36 AM

this one is clearly from a ford dealer (or it's possible it's a total scam):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2462753105

it'll be interesting to see if ford stomps on these guys.

$25K deposit due within 24 hours of auction close. $25K start. no bids.

auction went up early tuesday morning.

doody.

EarlAbsher · 02-25-04, 11:22 AM

Palmetto Ford in Charleston

Lynn · 02-25-04, 01:36 PM

The post I put on the New GT For Sale forum is somewhat interesting. I did an ID search on the poster and found out it is a guy named Mark Kaplowe. If you want to find out who he is checkout his website. Click on "Voice Overs" and then click on his name to get a bio. It does say he is an "auto dealer of sorts."

Lynn

RobBeddington · 02-25-04, 05:30 PM

Doody wrote:

[ QUOTE ]
this one is clearly from a ford dealer (or it's possible it's a total scam):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2462753105

it'll be interesting to see if ford stomps on these guys.

$25K deposit due within 24 hours of auction close. $25K start. no bids.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doody, looks like someone stomped on it - all bids cancelled and the auction ended early - and they are an official Blue Oval dealer.

Lynn, the auction you spotted, like all the others, ended early with the same story. Perhaps there's a threat that their allocation will be withdrawn by going down this route.

???

Rob