Going for it

[JohnnyB]

I have a price of $30,541 before tax. This includes CD changer, trunk organizer and $2000 rebate. I think it's a great price for this car. Car is on the dealer's lot and was built in Aug 2002. 6 miles on the clock....... Will visit the dealer later this week......

[bozobill]

Wow! I wouldn't wait 'til later in the week. Go put your $500.00 deposit on that puppy now!

[Logan]

Awesome! Good deal Johnny!

[piglet]

Do not pass go and do no collect $200's.

If you are reading this you are wrong. Got get it!!!!!

[JohnnyB]

Gonna do it. Thanks for the support!!!!!!!!

[modular46]

My local dealer is advertising $29,995 ($2000 rebate) with 7 MMs in stock. I do not know what options are included in that price. I suspect it has none and the "two option" cars are going for about $30,500.

I paid $32,060 before the rebate, mine has both options.

So your dealer is right on at the price quoted, waiting is usually a good thing!

[MAD-3R]

Well, those of us who jumped at it early. Got jumped.

[cyclone03]

First I love this car.
I knew as soon as I got mine (less than a month ago BTW)it would go on sale.
I got a good deal on mine so I'm not going to complain,too much.
But the truth is I think the new sale price is what the car was worth all along.
I felt the $34.995 price was about $5000 too high,so $29,995 is where this car should have been all along.
My dealer still has 15 on the lot,so I don't think buyers in south TX like this car too much.Maybe it's the black paint?

[bnvus]

My dealer still has 15 on the lot,so I don't think buyers in south TX like this car too much.Maybe it's the black paint?

To many unemployed GM plant workers from back in the hayday of the Caprice/Impala SS plant. (sorry had to go there)

[Smokie]

Back in July $34,400 out the door with both options seemed like a good deal. It don't look so good now.:eek:

[SHAGGY]

For all you folks complaining about how much you paid versus what you can pay now, dont forget all the fun times youve had with YOUR car over the last few months. Personally, im happy to have been driving my MM for the last 3 1/2 months, it was worth the extra$1000 or two. As I have stated in other posts, sometimes the joy of having a vehicle and a good relationship with the dealer is worth more than a few bucks. Unfortunately all the people that are going out and offering dealers lower and lower dollar figures are just driving down the value of our cars further and further.

[VaderSS]

""To many unemployed GM plant workers from back in the hayday of the Caprice/Impala SS plant. (sorry had to go there)""

I'm sure they are building more trucks with much higher profits at Arlington than they ever were with the B/D bodies. I still wish they were making them, but I don't think anyone lost there job over the switch.

Just got back from Arlington Sunday, pretty darn impressive...

[03 Merc]

Shaggy,

Man are you preaching to the wrong choir! :D Your first point is well taken.. I have been enjoying my car longer even as the price point decreased.....

But then I personally waited until the dealer was willing to take X-plan and then bought...When I first saw the MM, at sticker plus $3K "Adjusted Market Value", I told my salesman to call me when they would take X-plan.. it took 4 weeks for them to call me.. Would it have been worth $6K for an extra month of ownership? Not to me..if other folks are willing to pay a premium to be the first on the block I wish them well, it's neat to be that once in a while..

Remember the PT Cruiser pricing at first??? Folks here in Atlanta stood in line to pay $3-5K over sticker!!, for a Neon! (Great Marketing by Chrysler) Now if you look at the current resale value of a PT Cruiser it is not any better because the dealers intially got away with full sticker and over...for that matter substitute VW Beetle or any car you wish that is mass produced, at a estimated 15K units annually I think the MM qualifies..... For this reason I personally do not buy,for a minute, we are "just driving down the value of our cars further and further." by working the best deal we can get. Used car values in two or three or 10 years will not reflect the opening sales pricing...unless the model is a disaster..

BTW I am also in Sales...Telecommunications Software (Look at that mess if want a rotten market)... I also sold motorcycles (new and used) part time, as commissions only, at a dealership... Sales is about relationships, respect and trust, not 100% price or product..IMHO. As much as the dealership has annoyed me in the past , I would do anything I could to give my salesman a hand because he has earned my respect and trust... I understand your comments, in this thread and the others, but I do not agree with them....

[SHAGGY]

No Problem Merc, thats whats great about America, we can all have our own opinions. As i said in a different thread, when the MM first came out I bought it from my own dealership, paid $34,000 despite the fact i knew i could by it cheaper once the initial demand was met, and have no regrets at all about it. I now have over 5,000 miles, and despite the fact i could have saved a couple of thousand by waiting, I have been able to enjoy it all this time, so whats a little extra $$, lol. And i definately agree, and preach to my salespeople, sales are all about relationships, if you dont treat the people the way you would want to be treated you dont deserve them as customers.

[BISHOPSS95]

I always go into a car dealership with the understanding that I am not there to make friends. It is about money and a car and thats all. I you want to be my friend, lets talk after. If you want to make a killing look at the next guy. I am going to get the car at the cheepest price.

I have been asked to leave a dealership more than once. I have had the keys hidden. I have played the waiting game but on my terms (I ordered a pizza from the salesman's phone). I do not trust any salesman durring the deal. Its all about money, my money.
Wayne the relationships you talk about are false. After the deal maybe, but in the heart of negoation<sp> all bets are off.

Hell when I bought my F150 I found two identical trucks on two dealers lots. Went to one and got my best price. Went to the second and got the same price. Called the first and told him where I was at and the same price. He asked what it would take to get me back. I said $500. He said OK. I then looked at the second salesman and said goodby. The second salesman said are you going to walk over $500. I said sure thing. He then matched the price. I call the first salesman back to tell him that I had the same deal here. Again the question, what would it take. $500 dollars I said and the process started again. I saved over 2K that day. Made no friends. But I was buying a car.

The same could be used for a MM because they are all the same.

[03 Merc]

Bishop95SS,

My Post:
"I personally do not buy,for a minute, we are "just driving down the value of our cars further and further." by working the best deal we can get."

Your Post:
"I am going to get the car at the cheepest price. "

Looks the same financially to me.....how you get there is your choice...

[modular46]

I refuse to let the fact that I may paid more for my Marauder than the guy who waited... interefere with the enjoyment of my Marauder! Life is like that sometimes you pay more sometimes you pay less. I got a great deal at the time from a dealer I trust who would've given a rebate had one been available.

[MAD-3R]

Modular46, I agree. I just wish I had waited even a little bit longer.
Oh well. When the ship sails, all bills are paid. No regrets.

[03 Merc]

I whole heartedly agree.. You can wait forever, for whatever, if you chose to do so...or you can enjoy life...personally I am going North Georgia mountain cruising this weekend...

[tomt41]

Bishop - you are right on. Its all a game. And right now the game has changed where the advantage is to the purchaser. Supply and demand. Dealers are stuck with inventory, Ford is on the ropes, with talks of even ending up like Lucent. Check their bond prices. Ford paper trades like crap. They are in big trouble. Healthy companies and industries don't offer 0% financing. They need to move merchandise and quick. Why do they do it? Liquidity. -
But I am going to take someones advise on this site- as I am shopping for a MM now- and offer that 29995 figure to my dealer. If they dont bite- then I wait till December- we'll see

[MAD-3R]

Ford isn't going anywhere. Hell, the government bailed Chrysler out, and they were only number 3. almost everyone stock is crap, but it will get better. As for the 0%, they are trying to generate flow. They will sell at a loss, just to move metal. If they sell 10,000 (just a number) units in a month at a small loss, but can say "WE SOLD 10,000 UNITS" Their share holders will be happy. It's just a mater of moving inventory.

[tomt41]

The Chrysler bailout was 22 years ago. Dick Cheney was a Wyoming representative who vehemently opposed the federal guarantee of loans to bail Chrysler out. The world has changed. Does Ford fold? If they were about to- would the govt step in-? Who knows? As a bond trader, I would say you are correct-they probably will survive but man is it shakey! Short term paper trades upwards of 8%. Dont even consider the stock price- it is meaningless. The point is pricing in the auto industry is coming in and the endline consumer can take advantage of this with larger than normal discounts and favorable financing schemes. Thats all-And your right, It won't always be like this. I Hope(sic)

[tetsu]

I had already been waiting almost a year for my Marauder. I don't think I couldve taken waiting until now to buy.

Johnny

[tomt41]

Ok- took the plunge- $30500 with the rebate . CD player and trunk organizer included. And its 1/2 mile down the road. Pick it up Tuesday. Cant wait-

[b4z]

THe domestics are offering heavy incentives for one reason:
Union contracts.
They don't have the ability to close plants or layoff workers without paying through the nose.
There is way too much production capacity right now.