Went by the dealer to talk about 2018 mustang

This 65 year old retiree has never owned a car that was built to my specs. I always bought from inventory and settled for a color that wasn't my first choice or for options that I didn't want.

I'm ordering this time, perhaps late 2017 or in early 2018. It'll be a GT convertible, 6 speed, active exhaust, spoiler delete, spare tire, and the black accent package. Those features are etched in stone. The PP and Magneride are cost prohibitive and overkill, especially on a convertible that will never see track use or street racing. No other options or packages are desired or excite me. I'm on the fence between the standard 400A and 401A.

I'm interested in just two colors....Crimson Red and Kona, with CR getting the slight edge. Once I can see a convertible in that color I'll make my choice.

If I pay a bit more by ordering, so be it. I'm getting what I want.

amk91 said:

In the developed nations/markets within Europe and Asia, it is typical for cars to be ordered though and "not on the lot", unlike here where we are mostly forced to go off of dealer inventory.

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That is correct. In Europe there is no such thing as dealer lots. Apart from the fact that there is no room for them, even if there was land is so expensive that they would by definition lose money on every car they stock.

Dealers over here have a showroom with a hand full of cars (usually only 1 or 2 per model), bigger dealers might have one or two drivable demo cars and maybe a few stock cars sitting behind their building, but almost every customer car is custom ordered. It's completely normal here to wait 2 to 12 months for a new car to arrive at the dealership. Sales of showroom models does occur, but is relatively rare.

To us the whole concept of flocking huge dealer lots with massive amounts of unsold cars is very strange. When we buy a new car we want a new car, fresh from the factory. Not one that has been sitting outside on a lot, tortured by the elements and having been test driven by gawd knows who. It's quite amazing how cultures can be different in these things.

Ericc B said:

To us the whole concept of flocking huge dealer lots with massive amounts of unsold cars is very strange. When we buy a new car we want a new car, fresh from the factory. Not one that has been sitting outside on a lot, tortured by the elements and having been test driven by gawd knows who. It's quite amazing how cultures can be different in these things.

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Do you also like them significantly more expensive than they can be ?

Where do you think your european cars sit before they get delivered ? Where do majority of the people in Europe park them overnight ? Don't they sit and rot out on the streets for next 10 years ?

That large inventory and sales volume drives prices down and literally does nothing to the cars themselves. Yes, the cultures are quite different and you're paying way more due to this difference.

kz said:

Do you also like them significantly more expensive than they can be ?

Where do you think your european cars sit before they get delivered ? Where do majority of the people in Europe park them overnight ? Don't they sit and rot out on the streets for next 10 years ?

That large inventory and sales volume drives prices down and literally does nothing to the cars themselves. Yes, the cultures are quite different and you're paying way more due to this difference.

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And this just might explain, why Americans get cars for much cheaper. It all comes together now.

I'm American and this is exactly how I've always felt. I custom ordered my last car 12 years ago, and I ordered a new GT that should be delivered next month.
Not sure why people are in such a hurry that they settle on the color, options, etc, on their second largest lifetime purchases (after a house) just to get it RIGHT NOW.

Plus, for cars on the lot, I always wonder if there's some flaw that has kept previous shoppers from buying it. Like the Sean Connery line from Untouchables: "If you're afraid of getting a rotten apple, don't go to the barrel, get it off the tree."

Ericc B said:

To us the whole concept of flocking huge dealer lots with massive amounts of unsold cars is very strange. When we buy a new car we want a new car, fresh from the factory. Not one that has been sitting outside on a lot, tortured by the elements and having been test driven by gawd knows who. It's quite amazing how cultures can be different in these things.

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Not to derail post, but how much can you deal on special orders??

chipmaker said:

Not to derail post, but how much can you deal on special orders??

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I would say not a lot when the lots are still full of 2017 models. However, some dealers are better than others about this.

bootlegger said:

I would say not a lot when the lots are still full of 2017 models. However, some dealers are better than others about this.

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There's no cost to a dealer ordering this way other than time - i.e. they don't get full price until delivery and some risk since most states allow you to take back a deposit.

Larger dealers usually will not have an issue with custom orders or shipping your car in from another lot - you should not lose a lot in price if you press them.

well, I am not getting a 2018 I will get a 2017 GT Premium CS Convertible in Yellow or lightning blue.They are both the same. Depends on which is available when the time comes. I thought about it and I don't feel comfortable spending 54k+ on a car I might trade in for a 2020 or 2021 model. And who knows I might love my 2017 and keep it till they run all the kinks out of the new model