[Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel

Thu, 25 Sep 2003 13:45:00 -0400

IIRC, the X-Plan is more like the B-Plan, but with all of the deals floating
around, Imp sue that the price could be beat. Nice deal for cars that maybe
aren't being discounted as much (like new, popular models).

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Paul Nimz
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 1:14 PM
To: Ron Porter; 'Shotimes'
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel

Yes you're correct.  It was the X plan.  It's been about 5 years since I was
interested in it.

Paul Nimz
'97 TR
'93 EG mtx

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Porter" <ronporter@prodigy.net>
To: "'Paul Nimz'" <niks@dialnetwork.com>; "'Shotimes'"
<Shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:02 PM
Subject: RE: [Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel

> A-B Plan, or the X-Plan?
>
> Yeah, you could beat B-Plan, as it is a rebate on cars sitting on the lot,
> but unless your family owns the dealership, you cannot beat A-Plan. It is
at
> least 3-5% under dealer invoice (invoice minus dealer floorplan holdback),
> plus the dealer would get an additional 5% just to take delivery, wash the
> car, and bolt on the plate. Since the competition to get Plan buyers is
> great, there are dealers who will do an under-the-table "rebate" of part
of
> that 5% handling fee, either with cash or other incentives (all on the QT,
> as the mfrs highly frown on this!!).
>
> FWIW, my dad never buys a car A-Plan, he always does B-Plan, as he likes
> dickering with the salespeople, even though there are better A-Plan deals.
> And, although he wont admit it, I think he has the same tendency that I
have
> to want it NOW and not wait for the factory to build it!! Obvious genetic
> defect!!  ;-)
>
> Ron Porter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
> On Behalf Of Paul Nimz
> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 1:06 AM
> To: 'Shotimes'
> Subject: Re: [Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel
>
>
> >that can get A & B-Plan cars
>
> As an employee of the company that made Motorcraft batteries I qualified
for
> this plan.  I could always beat it by just being my usual self.  Of course
> being an ex-Union negotiator I had many skills in this field.  #1 was the
> ability to say no.  :)
>
> Paul Nimz
> '97 TR
> '93 EG mtx
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ron Porter" <ronporter@prodigy.net>
> To: "'Donald Mallinson'" <dmall@mwonline.net>; "'Shotimes'"
> <Shotimes@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 12:39 PM
> Subject: RE: [Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel
>
>
> > Well, Don, you really aren't familiar with the Detroit area, there is no
> > other car market like it in the country.
> >
> > I have had the comment from MANY people personally over the years, and
it
> > has also been written in the press. The Detroit area has a rather low
> > percentage of foreign cars versus much of the country.
> >
> > It isn't just the direct Ford-GM-DC employees (of which there are more
> here
> > than anywhere). It is also any of their direct family members, as well
as
> > in-laws, that can get A & B-Plan cars. And all of the retirees (hourly &
> > salary) and their immediate families!! Then, there are all of the
> suppliers.
> > Tier Suppliers have the "X" plan deal to also get cars more cheaply.
IIRC,
> > Delphi and Visteon have the same deal as regular Big 3 employees (Jim
> > Heaton...true??). Hell, since my dad is a GM retiree, I'm eligible to
buy
> GM
> > cars on the A plan (if they had something I wanted), and if my company
> gets
> > some business with Ford again (we were a different corporate entity when
> we
> > did work for FMCC a few years ago), I will be eligible to buy Ford
> products.
> >
> > This isn't stuff that I make up, this has been the case here for ages.
> Even
> > in the local Ad sections of the papers, there are deals pitched directly
> at
> > the "Plan" car buyers, since there are SO many people that qualify.
> >
> > It is not like a city that has a plant or two, this is a much larger
> scale.
> > I was even surprised in Louisville, with a metro area of 1 million or
so,
> > how many Ford vehicles are around. Again, when you take into account
> company
> > exec cars, company pool cars, and all the people who are eligible for
> deals
> > as employees, family members, or suppliers, it is quite surprising.
> >
> > I have lived in other places, and the car market around here is NOT a
> > reflection of the rest of the country. Probably a part of the reason the
> L/M
> > set up the design studio on the west coast, and why Detroit has been
> accused
> > of not being tuned in to what is happening in the car market across the
> > country.
> >
> > Ron Porter
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net
[mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]
> > On Behalf Of Donald Mallinson
> > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 11:23 AM
> > To: 'Shotimes'
> > Subject: Re: [Shotimes] cutting vent holes in the header panel
> >
> >
> > Ron,
> >
> > As usual, you assume, thus making an A..  ok you know the
> > rest!  :)
> >
> > I understand "car towns" just fine.  and in a city the size
> > of Detroit with a population of over a million, and a metro
> > of what?  around 2 million?  Ford employees make up a small
> > percentage of the total population, and the other employee's
> > aren't wedded to Ford.  Plus in the Detroit Metro you have
> > other manufacturers and they will tend to even things out.
> >
> > So yes, there is, as I mentioned and admitted, a bump in the
> > numbers, but it doesn't skew the national averages all
> > totally out of whack.
> >
> > I would expect neighborhoods where execs gravitate, to be
> > proportionately skewed, but other areas will be normal.
> >
> > Also, I would agree that import purchases would be lower in
> > detroit than in other cities.  But I have been to a LOT of
> > automotive and truck assembly/manufacturing plants, and most
> > of them Ford plants.  The parking lot is predominantly Ford,
> > but the amount of imports and other brands is amazing to
> > see.  Much higher than I would have thought.  So while the
> > numbers get skewed, they aren't absolute and don't dominate
> > the percentages.
> >
> > There just aren't enough Ford people buying on "plan" to
> > make an entire metro area, or state get that far from
> > national averages.
> >
> > Don Mallinson
> >
> >
> >
> > Ron Porter wrote:
> > > Don, I guess not living in an "car town", you don't understand. There
is
> a
> > > HUGE difference when Ford (or any auto mfr) employees are involved.
> > >
> > > The average Ford employee gets the "A" & "B" Plans, which gives them
the
> > > best deal that anyone can get.....and many of them buy cars every 1-2
> > years.
> > >
> > > Ford management gets the company cars, and some.....like my two Ford
> > > buddies.....get two a year, then with special deals they each have
> gotten
> > a
> > > 3rd car for their teenage daughters. When my buddy was getting SHOs,
> they
> > > "made" him get two '98 & '99 SHOs (6 months each), as they had to keep
> the
> > > line going when nobody wanted them. All of the Company Exec" cars that
> go
> > > through the auctions were most likely from Detroit, followed by
> > Louisville.
> > >
> > > GM and Chrysler are the same way. I live about 10 miles north of the
D-C
> > > headquarters, and my subdivision is crawling with Chrysler folks. I
saw
> > the
> > > first PT Cruiser and new Viper on the road right in my subdivision.
When
> > the
> > > 300M first came out, I'll bet that I saw every possible
color/trim/wheel
> > > option combo within the first 6 months.
> > >
> > > People from outside the area have told me that they Detroit area has
the
> > > lowest percentage of import cars of anywhere they have been.....and I
> > truly
> > > believe that it's true.
> > >
> > > Ron Porter
> > _______________________________________________
> > Shotimes mailing list
> > Shotimes@autox.team.net
> > http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes
> > _______________________________________________
> > Shotimes mailing list
> > Shotimes@autox.team.net
> > http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes
> _______________________________________________
> Shotimes mailing list
> Shotimes@autox.team.net
> http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes
_______________________________________________
Shotimes mailing list
Shotimes@autox.team.net
http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo/shotimes