Crazy Ford dealer

[Bonanza7]

Had some time to kill, so stopped by to look at the new Mustangs this week. I used to teach marketing, and the one question a salesman never asks is "Can I help you". It allows the customer to say no, something you never want to do. So I stopped in the dealership, and noticed nobody else was there looking at cars. A salesman came out and said "can I help you". Of course, being a former marketing teacher, that irritated me, so I said no. He went back in. I looked at the cars and they actually are really nice. Then I looked at the sticker price. Added to even the chapest was a $1,995 "performance package." The package was a wax job and the door edge guards. The same guards that come from the factory. On the Boss 302's, and they had plenty of them and Rousch cars in stock, was a $7500 "rarety" mark-up, on top of the $1,995 performance package. They had a lot full, so how "rare" are they? No wonder they are being outsold by the Camaro. That said, they are really nice cars.

[SUX2BU]

Reminds me of this.
http://jalopnik.com/5897921/would-yo...or-edge-guards

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By Ben Popken
Apr 2, 2012 1:30 PM





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Would You Pay $1495 For These $8 Door Edge Guards?

Reader Darrell was shopping recently for a new car and snapped a picture of the College Park Hyundai dealership in Maryland that's charging $1495 for dealer-installed door edge guards. "They were on every car on the lot," wrote Darrell. And at that price point, they better be filled with pearls and caviar drenched in panther blood.
Let's call and find out.
When I called College Park Hyundai's General Sales Manager, Sudip Gutpa, he was guarded and asked what I was investigating. I noted that the markup on the door edge guards seemed pretty high. "What's your point?" he asked. I pointed out that you could get door guards for $8 on Amazon, and I asked what his rationale was for the pricing.
"In the state of Maryland, it's legal to have dealer markup due to vehicle demand," said Gupta. "I suggest you call up 300 other dealerships around the Beltway."
"So it's your assertion that this is a common business practice?" I asked. Gupta said he wouldn't be the best person to talk to and that he doesn't set the sales policies. When I pressed him twice to transfer me to the person who would be best able to provide comment, he said the dealership was very busy and hung up.
I thought Gupta's idea to ask other dealerships sounded great, but 300 seemed like overkill. I dialed Pohanka Hyundai of Marlow Heights, 15 miles away from College Park. They said they would charge $100 for the door guards. When I told them how much College Park wanted to charge, the salesman said, "You serious? That's ludicrous. Please."
Nearby Ourisman Hyundai said they would throw them in for free. I asked them what they thought of College Park's price. "Wow," they said, "That's freakin' incredible."
I sent a summary of what I found back to Gupta at College Park Hyundai, cc'd to their marketing department, and asked if they want to add anything to their previous comments. No response so far.
With such a huge markup, College Park is able to advertise a lower base price and then make up for it with an inflated markup. Interestingly, on their Google review page there is a comment listed as being from the dealership owner that says, "We are under new mgmt as of Jan 2010. While we sell 140+ vehicles and service 800+ vehicles per month, we have work to do!" Well, if by "work" they meant cranking out a 200x markup for an ancillary part, then they are crushing it.
UPDATE: As several of you have pointed out, this is probably just an issue of bad spacing and line break choices on the door sticker. However, by phone and email we gave the dealer two chances to address their confusing sticker, and their response was to either say "the markup is legal," or to ignore us — which is a problem in and of itself.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by SUX2BU

Reminds me of this.
http://jalopnik.com/5897921/would-yo...or-edge-guards

• Top Stories

Full size



stealerships
By Ben Popken
Apr 2, 2012 1:30 PM





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follow jalopnik







Would You Pay $1495 For These $8 Door Edge Guards?

Reader Darrell was shopping recently for a new car and snapped a picture of the College Park Hyundai dealership in Maryland that's charging $1495 for dealer-installed door edge guards. "They were on every car on the lot," wrote Darrell. And at that price point, they better be filled with pearls and caviar drenched in panther blood.
Let's call and find out.
When I called College Park Hyundai's General Sales Manager, Sudip Gutpa, he was guarded and asked what I was investigating. I noted that the markup on the door edge guards seemed pretty high. "What's your point?" he asked. I pointed out that you could get door guards for $8 on Amazon, and I asked what his rationale was for the pricing.
"In the state of Maryland, it's legal to have dealer markup due to vehicle demand," said Gupta. "I suggest you call up 300 other dealerships around the Beltway."
"So it's your assertion that this is a common business practice?" I asked. Gupta said he wouldn't be the best person to talk to and that he doesn't set the sales policies. When I pressed him twice to transfer me to the person who would be best able to provide comment, he said the dealership was very busy and hung up.
I thought Gupta's idea to ask other dealerships sounded great, but 300 seemed like overkill. I dialed Pohanka Hyundai of Marlow Heights, 15 miles away from College Park. They said they would charge $100 for the door guards. When I told them how much College Park wanted to charge, the salesman said, "You serious? That's ludicrous. Please."
Nearby Ourisman Hyundai said they would throw them in for free. I asked them what they thought of College Park's price. "Wow," they said, "That's freakin' incredible."
I sent a summary of what I found back to Gupta at College Park Hyundai, cc'd to their marketing department, and asked if they want to add anything to their previous comments. No response so far.
With such a huge markup, College Park is able to advertise a lower base price and then make up for it with an inflated markup. Interestingly, on their Google review page there is a comment listed as being from the dealership owner that says, "We are under new mgmt as of Jan 2010. While we sell 140+ vehicles and service 800+ vehicles per month, we have work to do!" Well, if by "work" they meant cranking out a 200x markup for an ancillary part, then they are crushing it.
UPDATE: As several of you have pointed out, this is probably just an issue of bad spacing and line break choices on the door sticker. However, by phone and email we gave the dealer two chances to address their confusing sticker, and their response was to either say "the markup is legal," or to ignore us — which is a problem in and of itself.

We have 3 Chevy dealers in Phoenix who are just as bad. Advertise REALLY low prices, and when you get there, they never heard of the ad, have insane doc prep fees, dealer prep fees, add air fees, advertising fees, up yours fees and by the time they are done, you could have flown accross the country, bought one at full retail and driven it back and saved money!

[yzrider58]

Originally Posted by Bonanza7

We have 3 Chevy dealers in Phoenix who are just as bad. Advertise REALLY low prices, and when you get there, they never heard of the ad, have insane doc prep fees, dealer prep fees, add air fees, advertising fees, up yours fees and by the time they are done, you could have flown accross the country, bought one at full retail and driven it back and saved money!

Yeah I bought a new Avalanche up at Freeway and there was quite a bit of stuff they were trying to get me buy in the finance office. Although I got my Camaro over at Van Chevy and they didn't try to sell me anything but the car.

Oh and is your name Bonanza cause you fly a Bonanza?

[Coltrane]

Originally Posted by Bonanza7

Had some time to kill, so stopped by to look at the new Mustangs this week. I used to teach marketing, and the one question a salesman never asks is "Can I help you". It allows the customer to say no, something you never want to do. So I stopped in the dealership, and noticed nobody else was there looking at cars. A salesman came out and said "can I help you". Of course, being a former marketing teacher, that irritated me, so I said no. He went back in. I looked at the cars and they actually are really nice. Then I looked at the sticker price. Added to even the chapest was a $1,995 "performance package." The package was a wax job and the door edge guards. The same guards that come from the factory. On the Boss 302's, and they had plenty of them and Rousch cars in stock, was a $7500 "rarety" mark-up, on top of the $1,995 performance package. They had a lot full, so how "rare" are they? No wonder they are being outsold by the Camaro. That said, they are really nice cars.

I'm glad you didn't teach English.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by yzrider58

Yeah I bought a new Avalanche up at Freeway and there was quite a bit of stuff they were trying to get me buy in the finance office. Although I got my Camaro over at Van Chevy and they didn't try to sell me anything but the car.

Oh and is your name Bonanza cause you fly a Bonanza?

I will have to go to Vans. yeah, I used to be a part owner of a '53 V-tail. Loved that bird, but we had constant cooling problems with the rear cylinders. finally, one of the other partners was taxiing, and the gear collapsed. Ended that bird! I am a CFI, and just do instructing for friends and those needing Flight Reviews.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by Coltrane

I'm glad you didn't teach English.

Nope.. Never had any interest in teaching that. Besides, this is not a forum on literature. Short, to the point.

[ffrcobra_65]

Every dealer does it, not just Ford. Get over it.

[Scrappy Doo]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

Every dealer does it, not just Ford. Get over it.

THIS

Don't take a shot at Ford just because you found an idiot dealer.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by Scrappy Doo

THIS

Don't take a shot at Ford just because you found an idiot dealer.

No problem with Ford. Great company. I was taking a shot at idiot dealers as a whole, using this mega idiot as an example.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

Every dealer does it, not just Ford. Get over it.

Not EVERY dealer does it. Only idiot ones, who don't train their salesmen

[yzrider58]

Yeah Bonanza's are great planes. Sorry yours bit the dust. Wish I could own one, but I'm looking to Mooney now since their fast and burn 9.5 gph. CFI down here as well but also not my full time job.

You might find some interest in this thread.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213050

Just a bunch of plane nuts on a Camaro page.

[Cristoff]

Originally Posted by ffrcobra_65

Every dealer does it, not just Ford. Get over it.

EXCEPT FOR THE GET OVER IT PART, THIS IS A COMPLETELY UNTRUE STATEMENT.

Not all dealerships charge a mark up over MSRP, over charge for products or services, or try to rip the public off. Some do, but not all.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by yzrider58

Yeah Bonanza's are great planes. Sorry yours bit the dust. Wish I could own one, but I'm looking to Mooney now since their fast and burn 9.5 gph. CFI down here as well but also not my full time job.

You might find some interest in this thread.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213050

Just a bunch of plane nuts on a Camaro page.

I want one of those Citations. When I win the Powerball. Where do you do your re-cert for CFI? I am doing the AOPA one in Phoenix June 2-3.

I have a friend who just sold his Mooney 20C. Nice plane, but his old lady complained too much about the cost. Funny, now he spends half his time up in Utah at his cabin. Leaves her here.