[Shotimes] (OT) The T-bird is gone...
Tom W
ttomw@frontiernet.net
Sat, 26 Apr 2003 21:52:11 -0400
My local dealer has at least 6 in stock-(been there for a wile too!) I
am sure he will not refuse a reasonable offer to lighten his floor plan
a bit.
Tom W
Ron Porter wrote:
>
> Don:
>
> Five Main Points:
>
> Your dealership is in Florida
>
> The nostalgic age group lives in Florida (who may have owned an
> original '55-'57 Bird)
>
> Florida is conducive to a convertible. Michigan is not.
>
> Two of my very good friends work for Ford. Their suburbs are
> crawling with Ford products. I have NEVER seen any T- Birds there.
>
> Therefore: New T-Birds may sell in Florida, but beyond the Sunbelt
> states......sales suck.
>
> And no, I don't believe that there is any special dealer reallocation beyond
> the normal dealer trading on new cars.
>
> Don, if you know someone who wants a T-Bird, I'll bet they can get a
> SIGNIFICANT discount from sticker up here.
>
> Plus, you say it's a "great car". Would you spend your own dollars to buy
> one?????
>
> Scroll down
>
> Didn't think so!!
>
> Ron Porter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donelson Don [mailto:1badsho@mail.tnh.net]
> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 3:10 PM
> To: Ron Porter
> Cc: shotimes@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: [Shotimes] (OT) The T-bird is gone...
>
> ron
>
> I am not sure about "sales" of the T bird being flat. There is no doubt that
> at there release they were a extremely popular.
>
> In general sales are still brisk and the T bird is a great car. I drove one
> for a day and I was very impressed actually. Solid car ... no rattles great
> body.
>
> I do know this ron some stores will sell T birds better for a variety of
> reasons. We do real well with the cars not because we are in a big
> metropolitan area but because we display them well and dont do a bump
> sticker as some stores have done over msrp.
>
> We still hold to sticker but sold a demo ( owners wifes car ) and discounted
> it like a 1000.
>
> I know that if ford thinks a dealer has too many T birds on the ground and
> are not marketing them ford will re-allocate the T-birds to stores like us
> who do well with them.
>
> dond
>
> ---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
> From: "Ron Porter" <ronporter@prodigy.net>
> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 15:44:17 -0500
>
> >Disclaimer: I'm not a Ford cheerleader, but I'm not a Ford-hater,
> >either.....
> >
> >FWIW, I don't believe the '02-'03 model snafu had ANYTHING AT ALL to do
> with
> >sales of the car. If all of those cars were '03s, they would STILL be
> >sitting on the lots.
> >
> >The new T-Bird is a rather specific vehicle for a specific market. And it's
> >not enthusiasts. Plus, since the only difference between an '02 and an '03
> >was the engine HP, I'll bet that difference appealed to maybe .01% of the
> >potential buyers.....or maybe like 3 buyers!
> >
> >The market for this car is not one that gives a damn about the motor. Plus,
> >when you are talking a number of lease buyers, the difference between an
> '02
> >and an '03 does not matter at all.
> >
> >On a personal observation note, I have seen what happened to the new T-Bird
> >at my local dealer. Skalnek Ford in Lake Orion is a small dealer. I almost
> >bought my '99 SHO there, as they "had" to take a '99 SHO to get the
> >allocation of trucks they wanted. I suspect (judging by the lot space) that
> >50% of sales is trucks-SUVs, 30% used cars, and 20% new cars. Anyway, their
> >first new T-Bird was in the showroom with a "Do Not Touch" sign etc.
> >Throughout this past winter, they have had anywhere from 1-3 new T-Birds
> >sitting out in front of the showroom in the cold & snow!! They have two out
> >there as of this morning!
> >
> >This has told me that T-Bird sales have been in the toilet since the
> initial
> >frenzy died down.
> >
> >Disclaimer(2): if they put the Cobra 390 HP s/c motor in it, I "might"
> >consider one!!
> >
> >Ron Porter
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
> >On Behalf Of Don McKinnon (AST)
> >Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2003 7:55 AM
> >To: SHOtimes (Team.net)
> >Subject: RE: [Shotimes] (OT) The T-bird is gone...
> >
> >
> >Once again it shows Ford at its best...
> >
> >The decline in sales can be traced partly to a momentum-sapping production
> >delay last year. Ford engineers were late in delivering an upgraded V-8
> >engine for the 2003 model Thunderbird and Lincoln LS sedans.
> >
> >Because of the delay, Ford continued to build the 2002 model Thunderbird
> >through November of last year. Normally, the company would begin building
> >2003 versions in August or September.
> >
> >The result was a glut of 2002 models on dealer lots, with many still
> unsold.
> >According to J.D. Power and Associates, it's taking dealers an average of
> >five months to sell the 2002 Thunderbirds, even though the company is
> >discounting the models.
> >
> >"We made a mistake," Lyons said. "If I could do it again, I would have just
> >stopped building the Thunderbird for a month or two. We had people coming
> to
> >dealerships saying why do I want a year-old Thunderbird."
> >
> >Don McKinnon
> >95 MTX - White/Mocha 91k miles
> >Stage 1 Power Package with Stage 1cams
> >Canyon Carver Road/Race Suspension
> >Quaife & HiRevs Competition Clutch
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net
> >[mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Mark Kelley
> >Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 9:28 PM
> >To: SHOtimes (Team.net)
> >Subject: [Shotimes] (OT) The T-bird is gone...
> >
> >
> >It didn't last long.
> >
> >http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0304/22/a01-144063.htm
> >
> >Mark
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