Chapman and Grainger - how do they do it?

[dmcg940]

I'm looking at ordering a new GT.

So I thought I'd check with my local dealer, and my salesman (who I've worked with before and is basically an honest person - for a car salesman) said that there's no way that these guys can do 3 or 4% below invoice in today's market, what with Ford cutting incentives, etc.

Anyone that has done business with Chapman or Grainger, or who work for other dealers, have any comments, suggestions, warnings?

Thanks.

Any of them CAN do it. They just chose not to in this market because they can get more per sale. Grainger ad Chapman are making a LOT more sales.

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[ScottyRyan2018]

My little car buying adventure as relates to Granger Ford.

I was bored and was thinking about looking for a new to me Mustang. I was looking at 2020/21 used and 2021/22 new. It had to be a GT Premium, A10 and hopefully 401A.

Shopped on-line, found several used 2020/21 Mustangs with 10,000 or less miles. Prices were high, sometimes really high. Meh.

Went to a no-haggle on price dealership I had bought from several times before. My sales guy has since retired but talked to his replacement. They were doing $500 off MSRP on all in-stock cars (just had a few 2021s left, no 2022s). Meh.

Talked about ordering and they said they would do INVOICE on an ordered 2022, but no mention of any additional $$ from Ford. Not bad. Asked if they had any wiggle room on the 2021s in stock and he said no, the price was the price, same with ordering a new one.

Went to another local Ford dealer who was advertising on CarGurus two NEW 2021 Mustangs, one had an MSRP of $52,345 and was selling for $49,789 ($2,556 off) and the other was MSRP of $51,390 and was selling for $48,890 ($2,500 off). Called, talked to a sales person, confirmed cars were there, said I was heading up.

Got there and I could swear the sales (kid) was so young he was skipping high school to sell cars. Anyway, he showed me the cars, then said they were selling them for MSRP. I pointed out the adds and he said their website is what is accurate and not CarGurus. I pointed out it was an add THEY PLACED. Horse hockey #1

Talked about ordering a new 2022. Their "ordering manager" said you cannot order new 2022s yet (Horse hockey #2) and it would be May before Ford would take the order and it would arrive late summer at soonest. Horse hockey #3. I left.

Had a text exchange the next day with the sales (kid) showing that they have been producing 2022s since early January and there are some on the ground. Still would not believe me and insisted you cannot order them yet. Horse hockey #4.

Had not been on this site a couple years mainly because currently driving another brand of hoopty. Logged back in, found the info on Granger. Message back and forth with @Zach@Granger , emailed an order, got a price back at 4% under invoice PLUS $1,000 back from Ford for customer order. MSRP of $49,720 and final selling price of $44,335 plus any additional rebates that may apply later (currently $5,385 off).

I text the sales guy from my former dealer who would have done invoice on a new car order. Told him of my Granger order and thanked him for his time. He piped up and said they could probably do that deal. I told him that if they could, he should have before as I do not play that game. I also asked him why he did not mention the additional $1,000 rebate from Ford for a customer order? No answer to that. Buh-bye.

Yeah, easiest deal I have ever done with @Zach@Granger . Just need to drive four hours to get it. Piece of cake.

The end

 

[Zach@Granger]

My little car buying adventure as relates to Granger Ford.

I was bored and was thinking about looking for a new to me Mustang. I was looking at 2020/21 used and 2021/22 new. It had to be a GT Premium, A10 and hopefully 401A.

Shopped on-line, found several used 2020/21 Mustangs with 10,000 or less miles. Prices were high, sometimes really high. Meh.

Went to a no-haggle on price dealership I had bought from several times before. My sales guy has since retired but talked to his replacement. They were doing $500 off MSRP on all in-stock cars (just had a few 2021s left, no 2022s). Meh.

Talked about ordering and they said they would do INVOICE on an ordered 2022, but no mention of any additional $$ from Ford. Not bad. Asked if they had any wiggle room on the 2021s in stock and he said no, the price was the price, same with ordering a new one.

Went to another local Ford dealer who was advertising on CarGurus two NEW 2021 Mustangs, one had an MSRP of $52,345 and was selling for $49,789 ($2,556 off) and the other was MSRP of $51,390 and was selling for $48,890 ($2,500 off). Called, talked to a sales person, confirmed cars were there, said I was heading up.

Got there and I could swear the sales (kid) was so young he was skipping high school to sell cars. Anyway, he showed me the cars, then said they were selling them for MSRP. I pointed out the adds and he said their website is what is accurate and not CarGurus. I pointed out it was an add THEY PLACED. Horse hockey #1

Talked about ordering a new 2022. Their "ordering manager" said you cannot order new 2022s yet (Horse hockey #2) and it would be May before Ford would take the order and it would arrive late summer at soonest. Horse hockey #3. I left.

Had a text exchange the next day with the sales (kid) showing that they have been producing 2022s since early January and there are some on the ground. Still would not believe me and insisted you cannot order them yet. Horse hockey #4.

Had not been on this site a couple years mainly because currently driving another brand of hoopty. Logged back in, found the info on Granger. Message back and forth with @Zach@Granger , emailed an order, got a price back at 4% under invoice PLUS $1,000 back from Ford for customer order. MSRP of $49,720 and final selling price of $44,335 plus any additional rebates that may apply later (currently $5,385 off).

I text the sales guy from my former dealer who would have done invoice on a new car order. Told him of my Granger order and thanked him for his time. He piped up and said they could probably do that deal. I told him that if they could, he should have before as I do not play that game. I also asked him why he did not mention the additional $1,000 rebate from Ford for a customer order? No answer to that. Buh-bye.

Yeah, easiest deal I have ever done with @Zach@Granger . Just need to drive four hours to get it. Piece of cake.

The end

Thanks for the opportunity

 

[ScottyRyan2018]

Thanks for the opportunity

I wish all my car buying experiences were this easy and straight forward

My favorite experience (sarcasm) was going into a dealership I had bought from before. I had a trade. When it came time to value the trade the used car manager came up, gave me the usual song and dance about how much they wanted my car. I looked at him and the sales guy and I said if you are going waste my time and come back with a wholesale trade offer ( they were not even close to invoice on the new car) I’m going to walk. Sure as sh*t, he comes back with wholesale. I got up and walked out. Buh-bye.

 

[Hook88]

I am new to the forum, and had placed my order about the time I joined. I live in Ocala Florida. I find my local dealership experience pleasant and like most that I work with but I think they are having plenty of success selling cars without significant discounting. They typically have the dealer extras marking their cars up about $1,400 over MSRP. Plus their dealer fees are close to $1,000.

I stumbled across Mullinax Ford in Central Florida. They had pretty excellent Google reviews and without any trouble at all allowed me to order my new Mustang GT convertible for MSRP and no dealer fees. In addition they proactively told me about the $1,000 rebate for ordering new. So I jumped on it, being $3,400 less than what my local dealer charges, and I get a custom order with exactly what I want.

Mullinax only required a $100 refundable deposit and said they would gladly sell the car if I changed my mind. I don’t know this is the case but I got the feeling that it was somehow advantageous for the dealership to have folks place custom orders to either move more cars or get more on the lot. Obviously I could be mistaken.

The main reason I’m sharing this is this might be a good option for those that live in Florida. I’m not sure I would save much money ordering a car in Idaho or Pennsylvania (that’s my understanding of where Granger and Chapman are).

Mine is scheduled for a late April production so I can’t comment yet about the entire process. But so far it has been very positive. My local dealer wouldn’t touch what Mullinax is offering so that seemed reassuring.

I think the only area where I have a little anxiety is how my trade experience will go. I’ll either be trading my 2017 EcoBoost convertible (45,000 miles) or driving home two cars and selling it on my own. I’d rather trade it so that I save on taxes and can put the paid off car and some extra cash down on the purchase but we will see.

 

[BimmerDriver]

I am new to the forum ... ordering a car in Idaho or Pennsylvania (that’s my understanding of where Granger and Chapman are).

I think the only area where I have a little anxiety is how my trade experience will go. I’ll either be trading my 2017 EcoBoost convertible (45,000 miles) or driving home two cars and selling it on my own. I’d rather trade it so that I save on taxes and can put the paid off car and some extra cash down on the purchase but we will see.

A) Welcome to the forum!
2) Iowa, not Idaho (although that makes little difference, as they are both fly-over states, LOL)
iii) Trade-ins are always fraught with uncertainty. Might I suggest:

- get a quote from Carmax and Carvana first
- email them for a non-binding estimate before you make the trip

Congrats on the new car!

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