Hold ‘Em or Fold Em - GT v Mach 1 v ?

[Mspider]

It's killing me as I have my eye on a M1 that's currently at a dealership exactly as I'd order; but I'm going to wait until the S650 reveal in a couple weeks.

I would never have the strength to wait.

Sponsored

 

[bnightstar]

I would never have the strength to wait.

@Rated R put a deposit and cancel if the S650 is your desire if not get the M1. Simple.

 

[Rael]

... Would like a new Mach 1, but the prices are crazy. I am gonna wait for the s650 and hope prices return to something near normal.

I would never have the strength to wait.

I think current car prices--like gas prices--are the new normal. They might not come down.

Plus, current model Mustangs are already down 10 HP and 10 ft/lbs of torque looks like writing on the wall.

Conclusion: a Mach 1 on hand is worth at least two in the bush.

 

[Garfy]

After a debate concerning EV usage in Europe vs here in the US, I did a little digging on the topic.

Europe isn't awash in EVs like is claimed. They're big into hybrids, which they conveniently chose to label as EVs for arguments sake. But they're ICE's, none-the-less. When you read reports from Europe, hear Europeans bragging about percentage of EV usage in Europe, they mean hybrids.

Obviously most of Europe can't do solar power, and the EU has been shutting down every coal & nuclear electrical power generating plant they can for political reasons. And now they're gonna be fucked on Russian gas too.

Europe isn't getting rid of ICE vehicles. They have no choice but to keep them.

It's like my state where they consider the plug-in hybrids as EVs and get special EV license plates.

 

[speedknot]

Figure out how much the dealer is going to rape you on a new car. Here in NY, you’re looking at at least 10k over sticker and ordering anything is a struggle.

 

[MachSteady]

I was in the same boat in June, contemplating whether to replace my 97’ GT with a new Mustang GT or Mach 1. I ultimately went the Mach 1 route and don’t regret it. Is it a night and day difference from a same-year GT with all the performance pack bells and whistles? Not necessarily. But I’ve been having fun upgrading the wheels (SVE handling pack replica wheels in graphite), the interior (Hurst pistol grip shift handle, carbon fiber dash overlay, etc.) and now the car is tailored perfectly to me. I went to a classic car show recently, happened to park very close to all the classic cars, and watched people drift toward my car and cluster around it throughout the day. It definitely seemed to get the thumbs up from all the classic car owners and classic car enthusiasts, validating the sentiment I had for the car. I love the way it looks and drives (and wasn’t a fan of the previews of the Mustangs on the horizon) and that’s all that matters. That said, to get this car for the price I wanted I essentially had to become a shark with ovaries. I looked up specs on every Mach 1 in my color for sale within 500 miles, emailed multiple dealers and pressed them for their absolute lowest price and got their quotes in writing via text or email, then took that info to the local dealer to use as my bargaining chip. I made it clear that if they didn’t beat the best offer I’d received then tomorrow I’d be making a day trip to drive further than preferred to bring home my new car. Or as I put it: “In the next 24 hours I’m going to have a Mach 1 in my garage. I’m just here to figure out which dealership’s plates are going to be on it.” He was extremely reluctant to lower the price beyond a couple grand, but once I pulled up the emails and he knew exactly where I’d be buying the car if he didn’t make this sale today the price suddenly began to plummet. With the window closing on the Mach 1 a lot of dealers are gauging people on the price because there are people panic-buying one so they don’t miss out. I was willing to buy either the 2021 or 2022 model so I had stats for all the best prices in my state at my fingertips and that was a godsend. Once he realized I’d drive the car off the lot that day if he sang the right song and that if he didn’t I already had my plan B ready to enact (I even had an appointment the next day to see the best price Mach 1) things moved quickly. At first he stammered, “But your other lowest price option is four hours away.” He tried to insist his more expensive option was worth the extra money because it saved me “hassle.” Me: “So most people are only willing to drive a few zip codes over for their dream car? That’s a shame.” When he watched me make a quick phone call to the other dealer as he talked to his manager confirming my appointment with the other dealership and that my boyfriend would be driving me to the dealership so that I could “drive the 2021 off the lot tomorrow” his eyes doubled in size and I heard him hiss at the manager “I need an approval to beat the price of _____ dealership and I need it quick. We can move the Mach 1 today if you sign off on this.” The manager argued with him for 10 minutes (I heard it and it was extremely heated), finally relented, and I got my car for the lowest price in 20 counties. Cut to me in the driver’s seat of my new Mach 1 after signing the papers and getting ready to drive it off the lot for a price that would give me wiggle room to do some fun mods. As the salesman was going over some final features of the car with me, he got a phone call and took a few steps away from the car to answer it. I could hear the voice on the line say: “Hey, it’s Brad. You showed me the Mach 1 earlier and I’ve decided I’m all in. You win—we’ll do full sticker price. I’m on my way to sign the paperwork so hold tight.” The look on the dealer’s face when he realized he’d missed out on an extra $10,000 by twenty minutes was a look I won’t forget. With a flat voice he said, “Sorry, dude. We just sold it and she’s about to drive it off the lot.” “What do you mean she?!” the voice on the phone screamed. There was a torrent of curse words and some very unique combinations of said curse words until the dealer apologized and hung up. He turned and looked at me like a $10,000 bill about to blow away. I drove the last 2022 Mach 1 that dealership would ever receive off the lot (I’ve checked—they haven’t carried one in any color since that day, and neither have most of the other dealerships in my county). The point of relaying this story is that while I feel the car is 100% worth it and I have zero regrets, I strongly recommend having a battle plan at the ready to make sure you don’t get screwed. Dealers are taking advantage of the fact that the model’s run is coming to an end and that stock is extremely limited. I would have had to drive very far to get the car for the price I wanted if the dealer hadn’t panicked and matched my best price. But all the research, email haggling with faraway dealers so that I had offers to show my local dealer, and having a Plan B at the ready helped me drive the car off the lot for the price I wanted. It also didn’t hurt that I visited the dealership at the time of month when most salespeople are scrambling to hit their sales goals. It is possible to avoid the insane markups if you’re willing to do the work. Get quotes from dealers in areas that aren’t population dense and therefore don’t get as much foot traffic. If I’d stuck to Orange County, CA all the prices would have been similarly outrageous and I would have had no bargaining chip at my dealer. But expanding my search to Northern California helped give me dramatically different offers. The car I would have purchased if the dealer hadn’t hit my target was 4 hours away and that would have been worth it to me for a car I plan on keeping a very long time. But remember: you don’t have to be willing to drive X many hours each way—you just need to convince the dealer you would. The Mach 1 is my everyday driving car but it’s a damn fun one. I volunteer in the Big Brothers/Little Sisters of America program and it made me smile when my little said she brags to her friends that she gets to ride in a “super badass race car” every week. The kids in her neighborhood always cluster around it and ask for rides. It garners tons of compliments wherever it goes but more importantly I love driving it. It’s more unique looks would mean nothing to me if it also didn’t give me a fun daily driving experience. So if you’re drawn to the Mach 1 then I say go for it—just be ready to do a full blitzkrieg on the dealership when you’re ready to pull the trigger.

 

[Mikepol2]

I was in the same boat in June, contemplating whether to replace my 97’ GT with a new Mustang GT or Mach 1. I ultimately went the Mach 1 route and don’t regret it. Is it a night and day difference from a same-year GT with all the performance pack bells and whistles? Not necessarily. But I’ve been having fun upgrading the wheels (SVE handling pack replica wheels in graphite), the interior (Hurst pistol grip shift handle, carbon fiber dash overlay, etc.) and now the car is tailored perfectly to me. I went to a classic car show recently, happened to park very close to all the classic cars, and watched people drift toward my car and cluster around it throughout the day. It definitely seemed to get the thumbs up from all the classic car owners and classic car enthusiasts, validating the sentiment I had for the car. I love the way it looks and drives (and wasn’t a fan of the previews of the Mustangs on the horizon) and that’s all that matters. That said, to get this car for the price I wanted I essentially had to become a shark with ovaries. I looked up specs on every Mach 1 in my color for sale within 500 miles, emailed multiple dealers and pressed them for their absolute lowest price and got their quotes in writing via text or email, then took that info to the local dealer to use as my bargaining chip. I made it clear that if they didn’t beat the best offer I’d received then tomorrow I’d be making a day trip to drive further than preferred to bring home my new car. Or as I put it: “In the next 24 hours I’m going to have a Mach 1 in my garage. I’m just here to figure out which dealership’s plates are going to be on it.” He was extremely reluctant to lower the price beyond a couple grand, but once I pulled up the emails and he knew exactly where I’d be buying the car if he didn’t make this sale today the price suddenly began to plummet. With the window closing on the Mach 1 a lot of dealers are gauging people on the price because there are people panic-buying one so they don’t miss out. I was willing to buy either the 2021 or 2022 model so I had stats for all the best prices in my state at my fingertips and that was a godsend. Once he realized I’d drive the car off the lot that day if he sang the right song and that if he didn’t I already had my plan B ready to enact (I even had an appointment the next day to see the best price Mach 1) things moved quickly. At first he stammered: “But your other lowest price option is four hours away.” He tried to insist his higher-priced option was worth the extra money because it saved me “hassle.” Me: “So most people are only willing to drive a few zip codes over for their dream car? That’s a shame.” When he watched me make a quick phone call to the other dealer as he talked to his manager confirming my appointment with the other dealership and that my boyfriend would be driving me to the dealership so that I could “drive the 2021 off the lot tomorrow” his eyes doubled in size and I heard him hiss at the manager “I need an approval to beat the price of _____ dealership and I need it quick. We can move the Mach 1 today if you sign off on this.” The manager argued with him for 10 minutes (I heard it and it was extremely heated), finally relented, and I got my car for the lowest price in 20 counties. Cut to me in the driver’s seat of my new Mach 1 after signing the papers and getting ready to drive it off the lot for a price that would give me wiggle room to do some fun mods. As the salesman was going over some final features of the car with me, he got a phone call and took a few steps away from the car to answer it. I could hear the voice on the line say: “Hey, it’s Brad. You showed me the Mach 1 earlier and I’ve decided I’m all in. You win—we’ll do full sticker price. I’m on my way to sign the paperwork so hold tight.” The look on the dealer’s face when he realized he’d missed out on an extra $10,000 by twenty minutes was a look I won’t forget. With a flat voice he said, “Sorry, dude. We just sold it and she’s about to drive it off the lot.” “What do you mean she?!” the voice on the phone screamed. There was a torrent of curse words and some very unique combinations of said curse words until the dealer apologized and hung up. He turned and looked at me like a $10,000 bill about to blow away. I drove the last 2022 Mach 1 that dealership would ever receive off the lot (I’ve checked—they haven’t carried one in any color since that day, and neither have most of the other dealerships in my county). The point of relaying this story is that while I feel the car is 100% worth it and I have zero regrets, I strongly recommend having a battle plan at the ready to make sure you don’t get screwed. Dealers are taking advantage of the fact that the model’s run is coming to an end and that stock is extremely limited. I would have had to drive very far to get the car for the price I wanted if the dealer hadn’t panicked and matched my best price. But all the research, email haggling with faraway dealers so that I had offers to show my local dealer, and having a Plan B at the ready helped me drive the car off the lot for the price I wanted. It is possible to avoid the insane markups if you’re willing to do the work. The Mach 1 is my everyday driving car but it’s a damn fun one. I volunteer in the Big Brothers/Little Sisters of America program and it made me smile when my little said she brags to her friends that she gets to ride in a “super badass race car” every week. The kids in her neighborhood always cluster around it and ask for rides. It garners tons of compliments wherever it goes but more importantly I love driving it. It’s more unique looks would mean nothing to me if it also didn’t give me a fun daily driving experience. So if you’re drawn to the Mach 1 then I say go for it—just be ready to do a full Blitzkrieg on the dealership when you’re ready to pull the trigger.

that was entertaining.

 

[Mspider]

I think current car prices--like gas prices--are the new normal. They might not come down.

Plus, current model Mustangs are already down 10 HP and 10 ft/lbs of torque looks like writing on the wall.

Conclusion: a Mach 1 on hand is worth at least two in the bush.

People always fall into this mindset that something bad happens and things will never be the same again. Gas prices and inflation have went up and down over the years. The 1970s were a perfect example.

I predict supply problems will go away, gas prices will go down, and auto companies will have to work for your business within the next few years. But yes its just a opinion and a guess.

 

[jpro]

All you got to do is ask. I bought two Mach 1s below MSRP during the height of stupid pricing. I was upfront and honest, said I wasn't gonna pay a dime over MSRP and didn't budge. It wasn't a needed item for me, so if they told me no, wasn't a big deal.

Man, wish I had your luck. I've got my eye on one in Arizona (I'm in Vegas) and it has an MSRP of $56k. The dealer listed it for $69,900 (LOL). I told them I'd pay MSRP and that I didn't need the car. They laughed. Same car is still for sale, reduced over time to $58,988. I just contacted them again today to offer MSRP. Still not budging. The cost to carry that thing for months has to have cost them a boat load. Should have sold it to me months ago but alas, it sits collecting dust.

 

[B4RK3R]

Man, wish I had your luck. I've got my eye on one in Arizona (I'm in Vegas) and it has an MSRP of $56k. The dealer listed it for $69,900 (LOL). I told them I'd pay MSRP and that I didn't need the car. They laughed. Same car is still for sale, reduced over time to $58,988. I just contacted them again today to offer MSRP. Still not budging. The cost to carry that thing for months has to have cost them a boat load. Should have sold it to me months ago but alas, it sits collecting dust.

Yeah there was one I looked at in upstate NY, grabber blue which is what I really wanted at the time, listed for 64k. I was willing to pay it so when I reached out to them, the price magically changed to 73k for a non-HP car. I just said no thanks. I noticed a day or two ago the car was still listed on their website with a reduced price of 61k lol. Should have just sold it to me for their asking price.

 

[JUNQDAWG]

I was in the same boat in June, contemplating whether to replace my 97’ GT with a new Mustang GT or Mach 1. I ultimately went the Mach 1 route and don’t regret it. Is it a night and day difference from a same-year GT with all the performance pack bells and whistles? Not necessarily. But I’ve been having fun upgrading the wheels (SVE handling pack replica wheels in graphite), the interior (Hurst pistol grip shift handle, carbon fiber dash overlay, etc.) and now the car is tailored perfectly to me. I went to a classic car show recently, happened to park very close to all the classic cars, and watched people drift toward my car and cluster around it throughout the day. It definitely seemed to get the thumbs up from all the classic car owners and classic car enthusiasts, validating the sentiment I had for the car. I love the way it looks and drives (and wasn’t a fan of the previews of the Mustangs on the horizon) and that’s all that matters. That said, to get this car for the price I wanted I essentially had to become a shark with ovaries. I looked up specs on every Mach 1 in my color for sale within 500 miles, emailed multiple dealers and pressed them for their absolute lowest price and got their quotes in writing via text or email, then took that info to the local dealer to use as my bargaining chip. I made it clear that if they didn’t beat the best offer I’d received then tomorrow I’d be making a day trip to drive further than preferred to bring home my new car. Or as I put it: “In the next 24 hours I’m going to have a Mach 1 in my garage. I’m just here to figure out which dealership’s plates are going to be on it.” He was extremely reluctant to lower the price beyond a couple grand, but once I pulled up the emails and he knew exactly where I’d be buying the car if he didn’t make this sale today the price suddenly began to plummet. With the window closing on the Mach 1 a lot of dealers are gauging people on the price because there are people panic-buying one so they don’t miss out. I was willing to buy either the 2021 or 2022 model so I had stats for all the best prices in my state at my fingertips and that was a godsend. Once he realized I’d drive the car off the lot that day if he sang the right song and that if he didn’t I already had my plan B ready to enact (I even had an appointment the next day to see the best price Mach 1) things moved quickly. At first he stammered, “But your other lowest price option is four hours away.” He tried to insist his more expensive option was worth the extra money because it saved me “hassle.” Me: “So most people are only willing to drive a few zip codes over for their dream car? That’s a shame.” When he watched me make a quick phone call to the other dealer as he talked to his manager confirming my appointment with the other dealership and that my boyfriend would be driving me to the dealership so that I could “drive the 2021 off the lot tomorrow” his eyes doubled in size and I heard him hiss at the manager “I need an approval to beat the price of _____ dealership and I need it quick. We can move the Mach 1 today if you sign off on this.” The manager argued with him for 10 minutes (I heard it and it was extremely heated), finally relented, and I got my car for the lowest price in 20 counties. Cut to me in the driver’s seat of my new Mach 1 after signing the papers and getting ready to drive it off the lot for a price that would give me wiggle room to do some fun mods. As the salesman was going over some final features of the car with me, he got a phone call and took a few steps away from the car to answer it. I could hear the voice on the line say: “Hey, it’s Brad. You showed me the Mach 1 earlier and I’ve decided I’m all in. You win—we’ll do full sticker price. I’m on my way to sign the paperwork so hold tight.” The look on the dealer’s face when he realized he’d missed out on an extra $10,000 by twenty minutes was a look I won’t forget. With a flat voice he said, “Sorry, dude. We just sold it and she’s about to drive it off the lot.” “What do you mean she?!” the voice on the phone screamed. There was a torrent of curse words and some very unique combinations of said curse words until the dealer apologized and hung up. He turned and looked at me like a $10,000 bill about to blow away. I drove the last 2022 Mach 1 that dealership would ever receive off the lot (I’ve checked—they haven’t carried one in any color since that day, and neither have most of the other dealerships in my county). The point of relaying this story is that while I feel the car is 100% worth it and I have zero regrets, I strongly recommend having a battle plan at the ready to make sure you don’t get screwed. Dealers are taking advantage of the fact that the model’s run is coming to an end and that stock is extremely limited. I would have had to drive very far to get the car for the price I wanted if the dealer hadn’t panicked and matched my best price. But all the research, email haggling with faraway dealers so that I had offers to show my local dealer, and having a Plan B at the ready helped me drive the car off the lot for the price I wanted. It also didn’t hurt that I visited the dealership at the time of month when most salespeople are scrambling to hit their sales goals. It is possible to avoid the insane markups if you’re willing to do the work. Get quotes from dealers in areas that aren’t population dense and therefore don’t get as much foot traffic. If I’d stuck to Orange County, CA all the prices would have been similarly outrageous and I would have had no bargaining chip at my dealer. But expanding my search to Northern California helped give me dramatically different offers. The car I would have purchased if the dealer hadn’t hit my target was 4 hours away and that would have been worth it to me for a car I plan on keeping a very long time. But remember: you don’t have to be willing to drive X many hours each way—you just need to convince the dealer you would. The Mach 1 is my everyday driving car but it’s a damn fun one. I volunteer in the Big Brothers/Little Sisters of America program and it made me smile when my little said she brags to her friends that she gets to ride in a “super badass race car” every week. The kids in her neighborhood always cluster around it and ask for rides. It garners tons of compliments wherever it goes but more importantly I love driving it. It’s more unique looks would mean nothing to me if it also didn’t give me a fun daily driving experience. So if you’re drawn to the Mach 1 then I say go for it—just be ready to do a full blitzkrieg on the dealership when you’re ready to pull the trigger.

KUDOs To you and the way you handled yourself dealing with Scum of the Earth Car dealerships and money hungry salespeople. You came out the Winner and i'm proud to see it happen. Would have loved to seen a quick Pic of that salesman's face after that phone call . Hope you enjoy your new Stang plus the extra $$$$ you have to play with @ their expense . Nice job ma'am !!
Ever think of using your skills as a professional negotiator ? junqdawg

 

[MachSteady]

KUDOs To you and the way you handled yourself dealing with Scum of the Earth Car dealerships and money hungry salespeople. You came out the Winner and i'm proud to see it happen. Would have loved to seen a quick Pic of that salesman's face after that phone call . Hope you enjoy your new Stang plus the extra $$$$ you have to play with @ their expense . Nice job ma'am !!
Ever think of using your skills as a professional negotiator ? junqdawg

Thank you! The markups on Mach 1s have been absolutely insane lately. One dealer I contacted informed me his Mach 1 without handling package was a firm $82,000 and that “there’s absolutely no wiggle room on that price so take it or leave it.” For that price you can buy a Mach 1 from him or a Shelby from someone else. The irony of my Mach 1 story is that I’m incredibly shy in person and that locking horns with the car salesman was the most unnatural thing I’d ever done. Then I remembered I’m pretty good at poker and essentially this was a giant poker match (emphasis on the bluffing). I really wanted that car and I knew the only way I was going to make a Mach 1 happen for myself was to project confidence (if they sense how badly you want the car you’re toast) and show the salesman exactly where I’d be purchasing the car after leaving his lot if he didn’t hit my number. He initially refused to lower the price more than $2,000 because he used his computer software to determine that the lowest-priced Mach 1 in a 300-mile radius was only slightly less than his insane price. “Sorry, sweetie,” he said. “I just did a search of other dealerships and it looks like you’re stuck with our car at this price.” But when I pulled up the emails and texts from my haggling with other dealers already his smirk faded. He realized other dealers had already made me MUCH better offers and that’s when the price began to plummet. When he finally beat my best offer (funny how it went from “$2,000 off is the absolute most I can do for you today and that’s the best deal you’ll find” to “wait—$10,000 off it is” once I did that) I was a little peeved about how condescending he’d been (if I had a nickel for every time I was called sweetheart that day…). So I got up, shook his hand, and said I’d think about it. He’d just beaten my best offer after an hour and a half of intense negotiation so his eyes doubled in size when I suddenly began to leave. “It’s just that the other dealer has been so nice to me,” I explained. “I’m a bit conflicted now…” As I walked toward the exit I heard his footsteps racing toward me. “I’ll knock off an extra $500 on top of everything else,” he called out. I turned, nodded, and we signed the paperwork. I could never be a lawyer or negotiator because I’m normally the opposite of assertive, but knowing I could just walk out at any moment and take up the other dealer on their best offer emboldened me to push this guy hard. It’s easy to convince someone you’re a hardass when you never have to see them again if things don’t go your way. So I recommend everyone come to the dealership prepared. Don’t just have the lowest price of your car from an online posting—have another dealership’s pre-haggled best offer in writing. If you know where you’ll be buying your car and for what price if the salesman doesn’t meet your needs, anyone can rule that dealership with an iron fist.

 

[jpro]

Yeah there was one I looked at in upstate NY, grabber blue which is what I really wanted at the time, listed for 64k. I was willing to pay it so when I reached out to them, the price magically changed to 73k for a non-HP car. I just said no thanks. I noticed a day or two ago the car was still listed on their website with a reduced price of 61k lol. Should have just sold it to me for their asking price.

TBH, I am a bit selective. I want ox white, iconic silver, or FJG and it must have the leather interior or leather Recaros. It must also have the painted calipers and upgraded wheels (not a fan of the base wheels). While I'd love an HP car, not sure I need it for what I intend to use the car for. I'd love to have the HP gurney flap spoiler but if I score a non HP car I can always add the gurney.

The good news is that prices are declining and at least two of my preferred colors (Ox white and FJG) seem to be pretty easy to come by. I just can't believe dealers are asking $5k+ over MSRP for 2021 used models. LOL I was born at night, but not last night!

 

[B4RK3R]

TBH, I am a bit selective. I want ox white, iconic silver, or FJG and it must have the leather interior or leather Recaros. It must also have the painted calipers and upgraded wheels (not a fan of the base wheels). While I'd love an HP car, not sure I need it for what I intend to use the car for. I'd love to have the HP gurney flap spoiler but if I score a non HP car I can always add the gurney.

The good news is that prices are declining and at least two of my preferred colors (Ox white and FJG) seem to be pretty easy to come by. I just can't believe dealers are asking $5k+ over MSRP for 2021 used models. LOL I was born at night, but not last night!

I actually like my ox white. Safe choice but timeless I think.. The red calipers is a must! My first car had them. I wasn't lucky enough to get the upgraded wheels but I'll be ordering HP wheels here soon anyways.

 

[jpro]

I actually like my ox white. Safe choice but timeless I think.. The red calipers is a must! My first car had them. I wasn't lucky enough to get the upgraded wheels but I'll be ordering HP wheels here soon anyways.

Look at my avatar...the Shelby is Ox white with blue stripes. I love Ox white on the Mach!!!

There is a certified pre-owned Ox white here in Vegas with leather Recaros but it has base wheels and no painted calipers. Plus it has 4k miles on it and they want $60k (MSRP when it was new was $55,XXX). I could swap out the wheels like you are doing and add the gurney spoiler, but I'm not paying $5k over MSRP for a used car with 4k miles on it! It has been dropping in price over the past month as well, but still nowhere near a price where I'd be a buyer.

Sponsored