Tired of dealer price gouging? Do something!!!

[mrfarmdog]

If Ford is indeed trying to make some Bold Moves, then they must be rethinking every part of their business...

 

And surely that must include dealer relationships with the end customer. Us!!! However we can not expect them to monitor these sites for feedback. We need to provide it directly to Ford.

 

My request is for everyone that wants a Shelby GT500 or other car that has a dealer horror story to send a note to Ford by using this link

 

https://www.ford.com/en/support/EmailUs.htm

 

Select VEHICLE SALES / ADVERTISING as the topic.

 

Copy the text below and use as the first part of your email

-----------------------------------------------

TO: Board of Directors (Ford Motor Company)

 

SUBJECT: Loyal Customer Relationships at RISK!

 

Board Members

 

I am an loyal customer of Ford products...(fill this ection

 

 

(enter your own personal stories here)

 

Sincerely

(enter name here)

(enter phone here)

 

----------------------------------------------------

If anyone feels open enough to post your email here in this thread I would like to see the kind of feedback we are giving Ford, obviously this is an option as privacy must be respected.

 

Thanks to everyone that participates!

 

 

 

Here is my letter

 

--------------------

To: Board of Directors – Ford Motor Company

 

Subject: Loyal Customer Relationships at RISK!!!

 

Board of Directors

 

My name is XXXXXXX and I have been a loyal customer of Ford products since 1978. Over the past 28 years I have owned 8 Ford vehicles so I consider myself a very loyal customer.

 

I am writing regarding the exorbitant dealer markups and unethical activities related to the sale of the 07 Shelby GT500s. I interact with people every day that would like one of these cars and would gladly pay MSRP for one but they are not given the opportunity to do so due to tactics being used by dealerships to price gouge buyers. All this does is hurt the image of Ford, at a time where you can not afford any bad press. In addition, take into consideration that these customers are LOYAL Ford fans, many of which have defended your brand and repeatedly purchased your products.

 

The appeal of the Mustang has always been that it was affordable and fun. The MSRP for the Shelby GT500, while high is still within many fans budgets. Price gouging by the dealers removes the car (and the dream of owning one) from the reach of many of your loyal customers and hurts the Ford brand you have spent 100 years creating through alienation of your loyal customers.

 

Please help us keep owning a Mustang fun. Keep them affordable and make sure dealers adhere to pricing standards. In return you will earn the trust of thousands of Ford fans and loyalty to your brand.

 

Sincerely

XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX

 

PS – 07GT500 on order (reluctantly paying above MSRP after calling 50 dealerships in 5 states). After 8 cars and a 28 year loyalty to your brand this is how I am rewarded.

[cobraguy12]

If Ford is indeed trying to make some Bold Moves, then they must be rethinking every part of their business...

 

And surely that must include dealer relationships with the end customer. Us!!! However we can not expect them to monitor these sites for feedback. We need to provide it directly to Ford.

 

My request is for everyone that wants a Shelby GT500 or other car that has a dealer horror story to send a note to Ford by using this link

 

https://www.ford.com/en/support/EmailUs.htm

 

Select VEHICLE SALES / ADVERTISING as the topic.

 

Copy the text below and use as the first part of your email

-----------------------------------------------

TO: Board of Directors (Ford Motor Company)

 

SUBJECT: Loyal Customer Relationships at RISK!

 

Board Members

 

I am an loyal customer of Ford products...(fill this ection

(enter your own personal stories here)

 

Sincerely

(enter name here)

(enter phone here)

 

----------------------------------------------------

If anyone feels open enough to post your email here in this thread I would like to see the kind of feedback we are giving Ford, obviously this is an option as privacy must be respected.

 

Thanks to everyone that participates!

Here is my letter

 

--------------------

To: Board of Directors – Ford Motor Company

 

Subject: Loyal Customer Relationships at RISK!!!

 

Board of Directors

 

My name is XXXXXXX and I have been a loyal customer of Ford products since 1978. Over the past 28 years I have owned 8 Ford vehicles so I consider myself a very loyal customer.

 

I am writing regarding the exorbitant dealer markups and unethical activities related to the sale of the 07 Shelby GT500s. I interact with people every day that would like one of these cars and would gladly pay MSRP for one but they are not given the opportunity to do so due to tactics being used by dealerships to price gouge buyers. All this does is hurt the image of Ford, at a time where you can not afford any bad press. In addition, take into consideration that these customers are LOYAL Ford fans, many of which have defended your brand and repeatedly purchased your products.

 

The appeal of the Mustang has always been that it was affordable and fun. The MSRP for the Shelby GT500, while high is still within many fans budgets. Price gouging by the dealers removes the car (and the dream of owning one) from the reach of many of your loyal customers and hurts the Ford brand you have spent 100 years creating through alienation of your loyal customers.

 

Please help us keep owning a Mustang fun. Keep them affordable and make sure dealers adhere to pricing standards. In return you will earn the trust of thousands of Ford fans and loyalty to your brand.

 

Sincerely

XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX

XXXXXXX

 

PS – 07GT500 on order (reluctantly paying above MSRP after calling 50 dealerships in 5 states). After 8 cars and a 28 year loyalty to your brand this is how I am rewarded.

 

 

So buying 8 Fords in 28 years entitles you to MSRP for the hottest product going? Interesting, did'nt know that.

[Guest evilchris]

So buying 8 Fords in 28 years entitles you to MSRP for the hottest product going? Interesting, did'nt know that.

 

 

Are you a dealer?

[mrfarmdog]

So buying 8 Fords in 28 years entitles you to MSRP for the hottest product going? Interesting, did'nt know that.

 

 

I don't view it as a personal entitlement so I apologize if it came across that way. That was not my intent at all. More a proposed company strategy designed to keep loyal customers happy. I would gladly wait my turn for a car if there were pricing standards adhered to and I have personally lost one car due to questionable ethics by dealers. Regardless... I voiced my opinion and I hope others do as well. And while I doubt that my letter will ever get to the board room I can only hope it will.

[RUFDRAFT]

Don't buy any car above MSRP. Easy. That will drive the message home. Let them sit on the ground a while.

[yamahar1]

Don't buy any car above MSRP. Easy. That will drive the message home. Let them sit on the ground a while.

That would be nice, but on another thread, some dealer told a guy that they were only making 5,000 GT500's and only for 1 year, so the guy paid like $80,000 to get a collector's piece. Snakes in the car dealership. (not the plane)......I am either waiting for next year, or will break down and settle for an '07 vertible GT. I can settle for that. Don't flame me for my bad English Rufdraft guy, my wife bitches at me enough.....later.

[RUFDRAFT]

Have you ever seen me correct anyone's grammar?

 

Perhaps once or twice.

 

Relax, bro. When I'm here - I'm a car guy.

[BadTony]

can you feel the love in here?

[Joe G]

I am writing regarding the exorbitant dealer markups and unethical activities related to the sale of the 07 Shelby GT500s. I interact with people every day that would like one of these cars and would gladly pay MSRP for one but they are not given the opportunity to do so due to tactics being used by dealerships to price gouge buyers. All this does is hurt the image of Ford, at a time where you can not afford any bad press. In addition, take into consideration that these customers are LOYAL Ford fans, many of which have defended your brand and repeatedly purchased your products.

 

PS – 07GT500 on order (reluctantly paying above MSRP after calling 50 dealerships in 5 states). After 8 cars and a 28 year loyalty to your brand this is how I am rewarded.

Sorry mrfarmdog... you have good intentions with this, but you shot yourself in the foot. You, like most here, hate ADM's and "exorbitant dealer markups", but in the end you tell Ford that you folded and paid ADM anyway.

 

You can't have it both ways... either do pay or don't pay. But you can't write to the B.O.D. where, in the end, you admit through your actions, that people will still buy even if they don't like it.

 

Don't buy any car above MSRP. Easy. That will drive the message home. Let them sit on the ground a while.

Listen to Prof Ruf... he is wise (and a bit looney... but mostly wise).

[RUFDRAFT]

oh, awatters -

[yamahar1]

Have you ever seen me correct anyone's grammar?

 

Perhaps once or twice.

 

Relax, bro. When I'm here - I'm a car guy.

 

I ain't undurstandin ewe dudE, plisse pASS my anuthur BUD pleaze.....

[jrichard]

For all my defense of ADM, I think it's great to write and let Ford know ADM upsets you if that is the case.

 

Much more important than ADM, I think Ford should hear loud and clear about the truly unethical practices surrounding GT500 sales: breaking deals, misrepresenting production levels or years of production, etc. Ford can monitor and control these items....and such unethical behavior has the potential to have a much larger impact on Ford's bottom line.

 

So, though some might have issue with the sample letter presented, it's important to let Ford know what upsets you and what the consequences are. Who knows, maybe Ford will get the message here. The important part is that the folks interested in the GT500 are often folks that other people seek for advice...because we're generally "car guys." And if we stop recommending Ford, the impact is much larger than the loss of our individual business.

[yamahar1]

For all my defense of ADM, I think it's great to write and let Ford know ADM upsets you if that is the case.

 

Much more important than ADM, I think Ford should hear loud and clear about the truly unethical practices surrounding GT500 sales: breaking deals, misrepresenting production levels or years of production, etc. Ford can monitor and control these items....and such unethical behavior has the potential to have a much larger impact on Ford's bottom line.

 

So, though some might have issue with the sample letter presented, it's important to let Ford know what upsets you and what the consequences are. Who knows, maybe Ford will get the message here. The important part is that the folks interested in the GT500 are often folks that other people seek for advice...because we're generally "car guys." And if we stop recommending Ford, the impact is much larger than the loss of our individual business.

 

Can I have Bill Ford's home address? :devil: Does he live in Michigan, I could drop it off at his house Maybe we could discuss this issue in person, I am sure he has time for a past and future customer of his company, right?

[90GT]

Writing to Ford unfortunately isn't going to change things. Any SE Stang that Ford releases be it a Boss, Shelby, Mach 1 or any other is going to have an ADM. Ford doesn't control the dealers. If you have to be the first one to have the car on your block then your going to pay a premium. If you can wait and let the hype die down then you will find the car you want at the price you want to pay. It's all a waiting game.

[ColdwaterHotrod]

Here’s a thought before I go to bed….. I think we need to “RUFDRAFT” (yeah, I said Rufdraft) a petition with thousands of signatures protesting how bad a lot of us or someone we knew was treated at a Ford dealer when inquiring about any vehicle or even the Shelby GT500 & remind them of the PowerPoint presentation to dealers about not price gouging the customer in fear of getting a bad image from loyal buyers. We can even have Master Rufdraft himself write it up?

 

What do ya think?

 

 

Writing to Ford unfortunately isn't going to change things. Any SE Stang that Ford releases be it a Boss, Shelby, Mach 1 or any other is going to have an ADM. Ford doesn't control the dealers. If you have to be the first one to have the car on your block then your going to pay a premium. If you can wait and let the hype die down then you will find the car you want at the price you want to pay. It's all a waiting game.

 

Someone posted a topic here about what GM is doing right on the Saturn front with it's Hot seller & telling dealers that if they charge more than MSRP then any hot model sellers vehicle will not be going to them but to other honest dealers.....I say it's about time someone looks out for the little guy & Ford should too!

[90GT]

Here’s a thought before I go to bed….. I think we need to “RUFDRAFT” (yeah, I said Rufdraft) a petition with thousands of signatures protesting how bad a lot of us or someone we knew was treated at a Ford dealer when inquiring about any vehicle or even the Shelby GT500 & remind them of the PowerPoint presentation to dealers about not price gouging the customer in fear of getting a bad image from loyal buyers. We can even have Master Rufdraft himself write it up?

 

What do ya think?

Someone posted a topic here about what GM is doing right on the Saturn front with it's Hot seller & telling dealers that if they charge more than MSRP then any hot model sellers vehicle will not be going to them but to other honest dealers.....I say it's about time someone looks out for the little guy & Ford should too!

 

 

 

I agree with you about looking out for the little guy. I'm so pissed off at these greedy dealers that I'm so close to saying the @#@# with it and order a base GT with the FRPP supercharger kit and handling pack. This way I would have a car that makes 400 rwhp, has decent handling and no BF charge. Actually I think Ford has rebates on the regular GT's now so that makes it even more tempting. I know the rebuttle is you will void your warrenty but think about this. If Shelby can offer the Shelby GT with the same packs and still have the 6 year 60k coverage then one could argue the regular GT should too as long as the parts are installed by the dealer at the time of purchase.

[yamahar1]

Someone posted a topic here about what GM is doing right on the Saturn front with it's Hot seller & telling dealers that if they charge more than MSRP then any hot model sellers vehicle will not be going to them but to other honest dealers.....I say it's about time someone looks out for the little guy & Ford should too!

 

 

 

I thought that was illegal, or so people are saying to try to defend the scumbags dealers, so you mean Ford could tell dealers to stop the gouging.....I knew it, those guys got me , I actually believed them. They mention some federal laws or something, but I know there is always a way around everything. The truth will come out, thanks for the info Coldwatter, I am pissed

 

I agree with you about looking out for the little guy. I'm so pissed off at these greedy dealers that I'm so close to saying the @#@# with it and order a base GT with the FRPP supercharger kit and handling pack. This way I would have a car that makes 400 rwhp, has decent handling and no BF charge. Actually I think Ford has rebates on the regular GT's now so that makes it even more tempting. I know the rebuttle is you will void your warrenty but think about this. If Shelby can offer the Shelby GT with the same packs and still have the 6 year 60k coverage then one could argue the regular GT should too as long as the parts are installed by the dealer at the time of purchase.

 

If you go with the Rousch Supercharger, I think they still validate the warranty for 3/36,000. You might want to ask Rufdraft, he seems to be the info source for that stuff :bowdown:

 

 

 

He is my Jedi Master, Obiwan, not Yoda. I don't think he is short and green. I think I might do the same thing as you and just go with the regualar GT and mod it out. No ADM....At least now, they were raping that car too last year.. Scumbags. Oh, bye the way, nice car '90 GT. I like those year ranges, and before that also up to like '88 or '89. Nice looking cars. Low tech now compared to what we have, but those looked nice. Later

[owenkelley]

This topic has been debated here for months! The fact is, anytime there is more demand than supply, there are going to be ADM's. Ford is not the only manufacturer that is plagued with this. Just watch, when the Challenger is finally released there will be huge ADM's on that, and the Camaro will be the same way, at least the performance versions. If you don't want to pay over MSRP then wait until they hit the used market. There will be a bunch of low-mileage pampered GT500's on the used market when the "Next Big Thing" is released in a year or so. Some people are tucking these away thinking they are going to be worth a bunch of money down the road, well they had better plan on sitting on them for 20 or 30 years, because this car is not like the original Shelbys, they are building a bunch of them in comparison to the originals. If you want a "brand new" GT500, get ready to pay ADM. If you want to wait until next year you may be able to pay less ADM, but I bet that MSRP will be higher because Ford is definitely seeing the interest that this car is generating. You can always go out and buy a new GT Mustang and probably pay less than MSRP, but that is because that is where the market is on those cars today, but when they first came out, if you wanted one, in most markets you had to pay ADM's on those as well.

[RUFDRAFT]

Sounds like another trip with the Excursion!

 

While I'd be honored to draft a letter to Ford, I really think that patience is the key here.

 

Dealers are playing on some of our "need to have" attitudes.

 

This isn't the first or the last attempt at ADM's.

 

Any dealer who thinks they can ask over MSRP (most all) will.

 

This seems simple to me. Do not buy a car over MSRP.

 

Prices will fall.

 

If you have a deal over MSRP - cancel.

 

Do what I'm doing - buying a GT and "build" it yourself.

 

Then - in a year or so - watch what happens to the asking prices of 500's.

 

With a warrantied Roush blower and some gears - you'll be very close to the 500's numbers.

 

Patience. They're going to build enough to go around - just wait for them to hit the ground.

 

90GT - In the spring of '03, people were paying ADM's for Mach 1's. In Sept of that year, I bought one for $4k under MSRP. Patience.

[Alloy Dave]

Have you ever seen me correct anyone's grammar?

 

Please correct mine via pm whenever I make a mistake. It makes me a gooder writer.

 

Dave

[yamahar1]

Ford is definitely seeing the interest that this car is generating.

 

 

Yeah, what about the negative interest that this is generating also, they see only the good things or what? I love the optimism at Ford. :happy feet: We play all the games in this great free market (for the most part, not this part) system, don't we.

 

Sounds like another trip with the Excursion!

 

While I'd be honored to draft a letter to Ford, I really think that patience is the key here.

 

Dealers are playing on some of our "need to have" attitudes.

 

This isn't the first or the last attempt at ADM's.

 

Any dealer who thinks they can ask over MSRP (most all) will.

 

This seems simple to me. Do not buy a car over MSRP.

 

Prices will fall.

 

If you have a deal over MSRP - cancel.

 

Do what I'm doing - buying a GT and "build" it yourself.

 

Then - in a year or so - watch what happens to the asking prices of 500's.

 

With a warrantied Roush blower and some gears - you'll be very close to the 500's numbers.

 

Patience. They're going to build enough to go around - just wait for them to hit the ground.

 

90GT - In the spring of '03, people were paying ADM's for Mach 1's. In Sept of that year, I bought one for $4k under MSRP. Patience.

 

 

 

Hey Rufdraft, I found a brown line on my seat tonight......Should I smell it, or lick it, or what? Could be chocolate, right?

[RUFDRAFT]

Dave....hmmm.....bite me?

[jrichard]

Sounds like another trip with the Excursion!

 

While I'd be honored to draft a letter to Ford, I really think that patience is the key here.

 

Dealers are playing on some of our "need to have" attitudes.

 

This isn't the first or the last attempt at ADM's.

 

Any dealer who thinks they can ask over MSRP (most all) will.

 

This seems simple to me. Do not buy a car over MSRP.

 

Prices will fall.

 

If you have a deal over MSRP - cancel.

 

Do what I'm doing - buying a GT and "build" it yourself.

 

Then - in a year or so - watch what happens to the asking prices of 500's.

 

With a warrantied Roush blower and some gears - you'll be very close to the 500's numbers.

 

Patience. They're going to build enough to go around - just wait for them to hit the ground.

 

90GT - In the spring of '03, people were paying ADM's for Mach 1's. In Sept of that year, I bought one for $4k under MSRP. Patience.

 

 

A voice of reason.

[yamahar1]

Dave....hmmm.....bite me?

 

Who is Dave, you two have something going?

[Alloy Dave]

Dave....hmmm.....bite me?

 

On which cheek?

[68fastback]

I agree with you about looking out for the little guy. I'm so pissed off at these greedy dealers that I'm so close to saying the @#@# with it and order a base GT with the FRPP supercharger kit and handling pack. This way I would have a car that makes 400 rwhp, has decent handling and no BF charge. Actually I think Ford has rebates on the regular GT's now so that makes it even more tempting. I know the rebuttle is you will void your warrenty but think about this. If Shelby can offer the Shelby GT with the same packs and still have the 6 year 60k coverage then one could argue the regular GT should too as long as the parts are installed by the dealer at the time of purchase.

 

 

fyi... The Roushcharger doesn't void your warranty and preserves total powertrain warranty for 3/36.

 

.

[mrfarmdog]

Sorry mrfarmdog... you have good intentions with this, but you shot yourself in the foot. You, like most here, hate ADM's and "exorbitant dealer markups", but in the end you tell Ford that you folded and paid ADM anyway.

 

You can't have it both ways... either do pay or don't pay. But you can't write to the B.O.D. where, in the end, you admit through your actions, that people will still buy even if they don't like it.

Listen to Prof Ruf... he is wise (and a bit looney... but mostly wise).

 

 

Hey Joe (wasn't that a Hendrix song?) you have a good point. My letter was not well positioned. It was an attempt to address two things. ADM / gouging, and unethical business activity. I am an optimist at heart and believe that people with a cause can make things happen.

 

As far as ADM is concerned I don't like the ADM but I want a car so I am paying it. I found the cheapest I could and made a deal. As a result of the process I can tell you 49 dealerships where I will not buy my next Ford. And actually the one I am getting my car from I will not purchase another car their either due to the way I have been treated. I did however find one dealership in my search that sold all of their cars for MSRP and they will be the first dealership I call regardless of what my next Ford is. They won my trust and will get my business because of the way they handled the whole process. My opinion is if enough people complain then it will get noticed and perhaps change will happen.

 

Regarding unethical activities of dealers I truly hope everyone files a complaint regardless of whether they were treated wrong or know of someone that was. If you know of someone that was treated badly then encourage them to complain and complain yourself as well. It is the only way that the collective consumer can invoke change. Then the next time you purchase a car from Ford you may not have to deal with this fiasco.

 

Due to my poor positioning I feel the need to apologize for even starting this thread. Never-the-less my intentions were good and I have submitted a complaint. So I will end with this comment... If you have a complaint but are not willing to complain to Ford, then all you are looking for is sympathy and it will most likely happen to you or someone you know again in the future.

[68fastback]

Yeah, what about the negative interest that this is generating also, they see only the good things or what? I love the optimism at Ford. :happy feet: We play all the games in this great free market (for the most part, not this part) system, don't we.

 

 

I think the ADMs, while annoying, are of less interest to Ford than the lying, misrepresentation, shill-brokering, deal-renegging and the down-prioritizing of MSRP/near-MSRP orders some dealers are engaging in. Somehow some dealers feel it's ok to engage in most any practice they can get away with. Illegal and unethical activities can garner redress by Ford under the franchise agreement -- but only if they know about it. I think these are the letters/e-mails that Ford needs to hear about because they have ways to pinch such dealers.

 

.

[jrichard]

I think the ADMs, while annoying, are of less interest to Ford than the lying, misrepresentation, shill-brokering, deal-renegging and the down-prioritizing of MSRP/near-MSRP orders some dealers are engaging in. Somehow some dealers feel it's ok to engage in most any practice they can get away with. Illegal and unethical activities can garner redress by Ford under the franchise agreement -- but only if they know about it. I think these are the letters/e-mails that Ford needs to hear about because they have ways to pinch such dealers.

 

.

 

+1

[yamahar1]

+1

 

OK, what is Bill Ford' mailing address. I can even go by his house, where does he live? Probably 2 hours from me in the rich suburbs of Detroit somewhere, right,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sounds like we need the Excursion, problem is, it will cost as much as the ADM to drive that tank from North Carolina to Michigan to set Ford straight, right Rufdraft? Oh well, he is off eating those ribs, drinking some budveiser I guess ,