Quote:
Originally Posted by shank0668
1976 trans am  |
I had one of the limited edition black with gold pinstripes and tinted T-tops Trans Ams like that one pictured (but without the door edge guard strips). My '69 SS396 Chevelle had been stolen in late 1975 and I had negotiated a fair price on a silver '76 Trans Am but had not ordered it yet, when I saw the black and gold limited edition unveiled at the 1976 Chicago Auto Show and learned there would only be 2200 made. I went to my dealer and told him I wanted that instead of the silver Trans Am and offered to pay the price I had negotiated plus the full list price for the limited edition option package. The dealer agreed and I ordered it the day after the Chicago Auto Show closed (the first day it could be ordered).
Just to show you that markups have been around forever, when my car came in at the dealer four months later, they tried everything they could do to get me to take a different 1976 Trans Am. There was a very slight ding in the driver's door, and they deliberately delayed fixing it so they could continue to try to get me to take a different Trans Am. Why? Because the limited edition Trans Ams with the T-tops were then selling for $5K over MSRP
if you could find one. They could have made an extra $5K on a $7K car. How would you like to see a 70% markup on the new Camaro SS?
By the way, there is a new ZR-1 'vette advertised in the current issue of AutoWeek for $175K or best offer. Even assuming it has the full option package and lists at $117,500, that's a 65% markup over MSRP!
Another by the way, the original limited edition Trans Am on display at the Chicago Auto Show had raised
gold lettered tires on it. The gold lettered tires were part of the limited edition package description, too, but were never produced for the 2200 Trans Ams.