August 2017 Mustang Sales

[bluebeastsrt]

I get what you're saying (I even made that same argument within this thread stating how I looked back a full year to find consistent sales drops per month) - but it goes way beyond a market saturation. In fact, it's likely based on the existing model coming to an end combined with many making long term plans for a S550.5 or S650, which is the argument being made all along.

Think about it - if it was purely based on market saturation, the current sales would be nearly 0 - you can't have a 35% decrease in sales monthly forever and have a sustainable product.

The argument here is that sales numbers being down in January 2017 are completely unrelated to the refresh coming out next month, when in fact they are completely related. While some people make impulse buys (ok, a lot), there are also a huge percentage of people (especially enthusiasts like this community) that plan purchases way in advance.

My suspicion is that November sales (or whenever the first full month of new refreshes hitting the lot are) will see a huge spike, with each month after being a small drop (5-10% ish), perhaps a bump back up in the spring months, and then the constant 15-35% drop each month their after until the 650.

Time will tell.

I'm betting the spike wont be as huge as you think. Unless 1000 extra cars is a huge sales bump to you? You have to remember us older owners were accustomed to 10K-12k sales a short time ago. The new price hike will be off putting to a lot of people that would have considered trading their 15-17 for the refresh. You see the exact same problem with the 5th gen Camaro to the Sixth when it came out. The sixth Gen Camaro is a MUCH improved car over the 5th gen. But visually. The cars are almost identical. So instead of seeing a massive increase in sale over the 5th gen. Public interest just wasn't there. I don't think you'll see a huge sales increase until the next gen Mustang hits the Market. I agree with you there will be an increase in sales when it hits the Market. But it wont be impressive. Most likely the trend will continue that all sporty car sales will drop off for the sake of truck and SUV sales as long as the price of gas hovers around 2 bucks a gallon.

Sponsored

 

[Steeda23]

The real irony here is that in just two short years there will be a similar thread between buying a leftover 2019 or spending more money for the brand new S650 when it hits the market as a 2020 model. Personally, I tend to plan purchases around major model changes so I special ordered a 2015 with the intention of keeping it 5 years and trading for an S650. That is unless something goes horribly wrong with the styling direction of the brand new car but I am optomistic at this point. In the meantime, the 2018 upgrades are all great but ~20% more than my loaded 2015 for the 2018 does seem significant (priced the way I would order the car, my 2018 build was over $50k which is also a phychological barier as I would look to buying special edition stuff like the upcomming GT500 once past that price point).

 

[AGM2018]

X-Plan only applies to cars on the lot, not orders. A kind dealer (if he knows you are a serious buyer) will order one to your liking. Very few do this, unless you are buddy buddy with the sales Manager or GM.

Hmm, there is nothing I have ever read, or seen, in X-Plan print with any Ford Partner (EAA, MCA, etc) that substantiates your statement. I have know many people who have ordered cars through Ford via X Plan (mustangs and other vehicles); they weren't "Buddy-Buddy" with the dealer or the Sales Manager. They either couldn't find what they wanted in the dealer's inventory or, in the case of many Mustang owners, wanted a specific build. If a customer has money, the dealer WILL ORDER what they want...especially if the customer pays a deposit, which may or may not be refundable. The worst case scenario is the dealer has a car to sell not ordered by their Sales Manager...and unless the car is a "weird build"...i.e. non-popular color and/or options, the car is going to sell. Perhaps dealers are more hesitant to order cars using X-Plan in your area of the country; however, in my area, I have never heard a dealer refusing to order a car using X-Plan AND honor all applicable rebates when the car is delivered. My friend ordered a 15 GT using X-Plan and his $750 Private Cash was going to expire before the projected delivery date...the dealer "locked the rebate in", as well as giving him ad additional $500 Ford Mustang Rebate when the car was delivered. Dealers want to sell cars to make money...if you find a dealer who doesn't, LEAVE the dealership and find a dealer who will wants your money!

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Trying to isolate a downward trend like this to a single factor, i.e., consumer saturation or pending new product release is +really+ silly. It's actually both reasons, or neither, it's other economic factors. Lots of other consumer markets that have model cycles have the same sort of ups and downs, and the answer is more complex than just Reason A.

 

[MustangJoe84]

All the theories about folks waiting for the next model affecting sales are interesting. However, Challenger sales are UP. A 10 year old design, and 3 years since the last refresh! Are some Mustang/Camaro customers jumping ship? I would consider one and have been a Mustang owner since 1998. Just sayin...

 

[Zodiac]

X-Plan only applies to cars on the lot, not orders. A kind dealer (if he knows you are a serious buyer) will order one to your liking. Very few do this, unless you are buddy buddy with the sales Manager or GM.

Wrong on so many levels.

X-plan does not only apply to on lot cars.

Any dealer will order a car for you. If they don't you need to find another dealer.

You don't have to be "buddy buddy" with anyone. Walk in, talk to the sales rep tell them you want to order a car.

 

[bluebeastsrt]

Trying to isolate a downward trend like this to a single factor, i.e., consumer saturation or pending new product release is +really+ silly. It's actually both reasons, or neither, it's other economic factors. Lots of other consumer markets that have model cycles have the same sort of ups and downs, and the answer is more complex than just Reason A.

Agreed LOL but historically I think we can all agree. That the best sales years are usually in the front end of the cycle. And it's totally normal for sales to fall off thru the production cycle. Do to numerous reasons. Now if your a Camaro owner. And your First year of sales for you sexy new generation car. Are about equal to the last year of sales on the previous gen car. I'd be worried. :shrug:

 

[jasteffen]

Also 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds vs GT350 4.1 seconds

Give your head a shake if you think anyone is going to run a 3.9 to 60 mph in a 2018 mustang GT .That propaganda will get this fools $$$$

 

[B4Sunrise]

Details matter

Go ahead and get nickel and dimed to death. It's your money.

i don't believe you have really looked into this at all, if you want to build a 2018 up to the same specs as a 2017 - you can and it's priced about the same. About the same price and with a much more powerful 5.0L, a strong manual, a better clutch, and you'll find out it's better balanced than the 2017. Sure the performance pack is more expensive however, there really isn't a need to get that unless you're tracking it, and that is the only place the current car is second to the Camaro. Beyond that Ford basically is letting those that want to option it up - do that. The Mustang is still a great value they are going to kill it with the 2018!
It's funny when the ridiculous car rag's christened the 2016 Camaro COTY, some here panicked, it turns out the Mustang was always the better car, and now it's the far better car. People ask why do sales number matter? We are seeing it right here, Ford gave back the success of the S550, dig in a bit you'll see the 2018 is every bit the value the 2017 is.

 

[TomcatDriver]

i don't believe you have really looked into this at all, if you want to build a 2018 up to the same specs as a 2017 - you can and it's priced about the same. About the same price and with a much more powerful 5.0L, a strong manual, a better clutch, and you'll find out it's better balanced than the 2017. Sure the performance pack is more expensive however, there really isn't a need to get that unless you're tracking it, and that is the only place the current car is second to the Camaro. Beyond that Ford basically is letting those that want to option it up - do that. The Mustang is still a great value they are going to kill it with the 2018!
It's funny when the ridiculous car rag's christened the 2016 Camaro COTY, some here panicked, it turns out the Mustang was always the better car, and now it's the far better car. People ask why do sales number matter? We are seeing it right here, Ford gave back the success of the S550, dig in a bit you'll see the 2018 is every bit the value the 2017 is.

Only if you consider about $2K to be "about the same price".

 

[B4Sunrise]

We can argue price justification all we want, but the sales numbers state the facts: When given the option between a current model and a soon to be released refresh, buyers overwhelmingly select the refresh. A few months after the 2018 has been released, sales numbers will settle back down to normal values.

I honestly disagree with you, what Ford has done is open up the Mustang to luxury buyers, it's entering a new market and so I expect it'll achieve higher average monthlies than the current model. I read about this, the changes to the updated Expedition/Navigator, the Bronco, the Ranger, the state of their electric car development and bought in. Ford has been R&D'ing the heck out of it and they are going to be rocking it in a year or so - grab on this rocket's about to launch.

 

[ForTehNguyen]

whhooaaa 25 ponies that a will bet on issues with direct port injection. not bashing the 18 but id take my 16 over a new 18 every day of the week just in looks

Lexus had a 3.5 DI/PI engine since 2006, reliable engine. Many other manufacturers have been using DI/PI engines

 

[gmichaelj1]

All the theories about folks waiting for the next model affecting sales are interesting. However, Challenger sales are UP. A 10 year old design, and 3 years since the last refresh! Are some Mustang/Camaro customers jumping ship? I would consider one and have been a Mustang owner since 1998. Just sayin...

My theory is that Challenger stuck with an attractive design, while Mustang and Camaro kept chasing novel design.

Challenger is working with a consistent "look" while Mustang and Camaro flail - design wise.

Sure is interesting that Challenger's sales have grown consistently since 2009, and is at about the same level as both Camaro and Mustang

 

[bluebeastsrt]

My theory is that Challenger stuck with an attractive design, while Mustang and Camaro kept chasing novel design.

Challenger is working with a consistent "look" while Mustang and Camaro flail - design wise.

Sure is interesting that Challenger's sales have grown consistently since 2009, and is at about the same level as both Camaro and Mustang

You do understand. That since 2009 both Ford & GM have sold about a gillion more Camaros and Mustangs than the attractively designed challenger right??? The pretty little graphs and pie charts on page one of this thread might point out that flailing designs. Seam to sell better.:shrug:

 

[thehunterooo]

You do understand. That since 2009 both Ford & GM have sold about a gillion more Camaros and Mustangs than the attractively designed challenger right??? The pretty little graphs and pie charts on page one of this thread might point out that flailing designs. Seam to sell better.:shrug:

Those numbers are lies too! Take out those fleet sales!!!

Sponsored