My local Audi dealer seemed desperate.

[slowhand99]

When Audi will throw in a £5k deposit contribution bringing that down to £4k it makes it much easier to stomach. Then even more contribution on-top to bring that down even further to price match the Mustang.

Some context I feel is needed: Ford here will not discount the Mustang no matter how much you haggle. You may get a few hundred £'s at best if the planets align. Audi, on the other hand, will drop the price like crazy to get a sale. They do have a large profit margin to eat into, after all.

I left there with a quote of £377 a month for the Audi. The Mustang would be £351.

I went into 2 Audi dealers last autumn when I was looking to change my Chrysler 300C and the Mustang wasn't really on the horizon for me. Made the mistake of telling them that I would be paying cash and they switched off - not interested. In the second dealer we decided my business partner (female) would lead. The saleswoman blanked her and spoke to me. No call backs from either dealer. Unless you want finance, they make no money.

Went to Ford dealer for a Mondeo test drive. Friendly, coffee, immediately arranged test drive, handed over a card at the end, no hard sell, just friendly 'give us a call if you'd like to talk about anything'. Two weeks later I walked in and ordered a Mustang off him. Then I bought a nearly new Mondeo as well. I've dealt with 3 Ford dealers over the past couple of months and have been happy on each occasion. I think they've upped their game and the expression 'just a Ford' is now getting redundant.

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[GPhilly04]

Well, £9k is still $14k, so still a pretty big gap

£9k actually comes out to $10k. That $4k gap is huge. The difference between base/premium, base/Recaro's + PP, etc. The exchange rate has been trending in favor of the dollar.

 

[MichaelKael]

£9k actually comes out to $10k. That $4k gap is huge. The difference between base/premium, base/Recaro's + PP, etc. The exchange rate has been trending in favor of the dollar.

No, the GBP is still one of the strongest currency (rate wise at least), and £9k has never been $10k.

 

[HalfMoon]

One thing I learned from this thread:

I should export my Mustang to the UK and sell it now.

I have been thinking about trading it away recently and KBB estimates that the value of my car that had a $44k MSRP (I paid X-Plan) is $27k after only 9 months and 8,000 miles. That's the worst depreciation I've had and in the last 5 years I've traded away 4 cars that were between 6 months and 18 months old. Even the Hyundai Genesis Coupe I had for 6 months and 9,000 miles only lost $4.5k in value when I traded it away!

 

[MichaelKael]

Well the new mustangs value is not gonna stay as high, and for as long as the previous ones since they used to be exported ocasionnally by a few people, for crazy high prices... But now that you can just get into a Ford dealership and order one (and get it like 2 years later lol), this is gonna be a whole different thing IMO

 

[Nazgul]

I have had similar experiences .. I look young for my age and you can tell some sales people think "He cannot possibly afford to buy a car" and give you the "What are you doing here?" look. Which is fine to me, I'll just leave an deny them the sale. In one specific instance I just went to another Ford dealer that did want to put some effort into selling me a car.

I had a similar situation with a friend when I was 16. My buddy was turning 17 and his extremely wealthy parents were willing to buy him a new car. We went to the acura/Lexus dealership to look at a few cars he was legitimately interested in. After about an hour and 15 minutes of walking the lot and looking for a couple models with the features he liked we were approached by the manager who not so politely asked us to stop loitering and to leave. My buddy explained he was looking for a car to buy and the manager rolled his eyes and told him to come back with his mom and dad if he wanted to look at cars. He again explained he was interested in 2 particular models and would like to look inside them and arrange a test drive (with his parents). The manager flat out denied him and told us to leave. As he walked us back to our car, my buddy made a comment that he hadn't been treated this badly at the bmw dealership and he would take his business there, the manager threatened to call the police if we didn't leave.

Needless to say about 2 days later he purchased a base e46 m3 at the bmw dealership. For shits and giggles we drove back to the lexus/Acura dealership in his new car. We parked out front and immediately got out and walked out into the sea of cars. A very short time later the manager came back out and asked us what he could do to help us. When my buddy turned around the guy got pissed again and told him to leave. He nodded and walked back to the front lot and we got into his new m3. The manager followed us all the way to the car. When he saw us get in it after seeing us originally in my 85 Nissan pulsar, his mouth dropped. We slowly backed out and pulled past the manager. My buddy rolled down his window and said, your loss and gave him the bird. I don't usually condone arrogant attitudes like that, but man that guy deserved it. (my buddy is very humble and actually a tight wad when it comes to money).

Needless to say dealerships should not treat people like second rate citizens. We grew up in an upper-class area and it was common for young kids to be given pricey cars for their birthdays/graduation. This was one of the best "eat crow" experiences I have ever seen.

 

[GPhilly04]

No, the GBP is still one of the strongest currency (rate wise at least), and £9k has never been $10k.

Duuuuuuude, I'm an idiot! I looked right at the symbol and thought Euro's still. I got 2 hours of sleep last night, that's my excuse :headbonk:

Thanks for the correction. That amount of money makes a difference!

 

[wag4513]

It happens to everyone. I guy I worked for who literally owned a gasoline plant went in to buy a Dodge in the sixties, he said the Dodge revolution had got him. He was in his work clothes and they showed him one with a defective transmission, said the could get him a discount. He was mad. said he could have written a check for 10 of them. He went and bought a Chevy pick-up and a travel trailer. He was probably around 45 years old then.

 

[MichaelKael]

Duuuuuuude, I'm an idiot! I looked right at the symbol and thought Euro's still. I got 2 hours of sleep last night, that's my excuse :headbonk:

Thanks for the correction. That amount of money makes a difference!

No problem... Being originally from France, living in Canada and used to buy stuff online from pretty much all over the world, I'm pretty used to checking currency rates lol

www.xe.com is goodfor that ;)

 

[Nazgul]

Was it a c10 by any chance? I'd give a finger or two for a clean c10.

 

[Lone Survivor]

Just to remind our U.S. cousins, this is the FIRST RHD Mustang to be sold to the wider world. Those imports will depreciate markedly in the UK, only real diehard 'got to have LHD' spec people will want them.

On the Audi, here in the UK, they are probably one of the most common marque's after BMW, they sink into anonymity and bland styling. It'll take a few years for the S550 to ever reach that level, if at all.

No one will ever ask an Audi owner about their car, except to laugh at the over inflated prices and particular shade of awful grey that most seem to come in.

It's badge snobbery that drives most, not all, to buy BMW/Audi/Merc.

 

[Chadillac]

isnt that the point of cross shopping?

hell, when i bought my mustang I was considering the following
2012 ctsv wagon
2015 dodge challenger srt8
2010 subaru sti hatch
2008 bmw m3
2004 audi s4 avant
2008 corvette
syclone/typhoon

and the car i was getting rid of was a focus st

not everyone likes to confine themselves into a square box

You cross-shopped a new Mustang with a Syclone???? :lol::lol:

 

[Nazgul]

Just to remind our U.S. cousins, this is the FIRST RHD Mustang to be sold to the wider world. Those imports will depreciate markedly in the UK, only real diehard 'got to have LHD' spec people will want them.

On the Audi, here in the UK, they are probably one of the most common marque's after BMW, they sink into anonymity and bland styling. It'll take a few years for the S550 to ever reach that level, if at all.

No one will ever ask an Audi owner about their car, except to laugh at the over inflated prices and particular shade of awful grey that most seem to come in.

It's badge snobbery that drives most, not all, to buy BMW/Audi/Merc.

With the vast variety of cars you guys get in the UK, I don't understand the draw to bmw/audi/merc. I guess they hold the same level of 'I've made it, I can afford a German car' attitude as it does here in the US.

Btw, I am jealous. Scotland is one of the prettiest countries in the world. Your country men are also some of the most welcoming and friendly people I've ever met. However, get them drunk and they speak another language. I miss my time in Edinburgh greatly.

 

[Lone Survivor]

With the vast variety of cars you guys get in the UK, I don't understand the draw to bmw/audi/merc. I guess they hold the same level of 'I've made it, I can afford a German car' attitude as it does here in the US.

Btw, I am jealous. Scotland is one of the prettiest countries in the world. Your country men are also some of the most welcoming and friendly people I've ever met. However, get them drunk and they speak another language. I miss my time in Edinburgh greatly.

Thanks for your comments on my country, it is indeed beautiful. I have been known to speak the language you mention

 

[Chadillac]

As for the OP, at the age of 23 I went into a Ford dealer to inquire about a Raptor they had sitting out front. The salesman IMMEDIATELY walked up with keys to a 2012 Tacoma and wanted me to "check it out." completely dismissing my seriousness... I countered him by asking for the Manager and the keys to the Raptor.

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