Cost of 2003

[jt2233]

I was talking to my dealer last night, I asked him about his T-Bird orders for 2003. He told me they are all taken, and that Ford is going to raise the MSRP price $5,000.00.

Has anyone else heard this?

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[Birdman93]

My contacts at Ford say they are staying with the same price range-and that only about 5000 have confirmed orders yet-that still leaves 20,000 03 Birds without homes.

For the 02 model run, only a little over 20,000 have been confirmed as titled by their owners. The rest are either sitting in lots, not built as of this date, or being offered through online auctions or charity raffles. There are a total of 200 TBirds being offered as prizes, including the pair through the Wheel of Fortune giveaway.

Side note-Dale Jarrett was given two Thunderbirds by Ford. Now here's a trivia question-

Who sponsored the Thunderbird driven by Dale Jarrett in 1989-1990?

 

[joelja]

How could "a little over 20,000 are titled by their owners" be a true statement when Wixom is currently building VIN's in the 15,000's?

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: VIN #16050

 

[Gobird]

Not sure, was that the year he took over the 28 Havoline car?

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[RedBirdDlx]

Joel, I'm with you. Doesn't compute. If something less than 15,000 have been delivered, they couldn't possibly have 20,000 titled. Perhaps Birdman93 has heard that only 20,000 are "Retail" orders as opposed to "Stock orders", ie. leaving 5,000 without names attached to them - yet.

Also, it is my understanding the order banks are not yet open for the 2003 Thunderbirds. A dealership may have promised their allocation, but I'm lead to believe no orders are in the Ford system. Heck Fire, the dealers don't even have order guides yet.

We need a few more dealers on the forum to triangulate on the rumors and tell us when the orders will be accepted by Ford.

OOPS, SpongeBob SquarePants is coming on - gotta go. "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?"

Duane

 

[joelja]

RedBirdDlx, Can't be 20,000 titled yet...no way. Birdman 93's "contact" at Ford is probably a low level underling
who really doesn't know much. That's why you alsways have to be a little careful putting too much stock in some of the info you get on-line when you don't personally know the people who are dispensing it.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: VIN #16050

 

[flairbird]

I have a "slot" with a dealer in Pennsylvania for an '03 bird. They have no order guides for the car. I can only hope for more horsepower, a better hardtop, and a better soft top cover. I have nothing more than their word that I am in their allotment. BTW...my order is for MSRP and anyone paying more is foolish at this point as the supply is out there....jmho

Flair

 

[TbirdMarty]

Birdman93;

Would that sponsor be Citgo and Dale drove for the Wood brothers?

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Courage - and shuffle the cards

 

[leisha]

My dealer assured me that if I change my 2002 allotment for a 2003 I would pay dearly!
He is sure the increase would be more in Canada than the $5000 US you have been quoted.
************* had mentioned last month that his ford contact told him prices would hold the line. Serious doubts.

 

[Gobird]

Well my dealer also said the prices would stay about the same for the 03's. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happends.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

 

[fdnmbird]

Regardless of the cost of the '03 Birds, the dealer markups are a pathetic practice.

In my opinion no one should pay more than MSRP and repeat customers should pay less than MSRP.

If TBird enthusiasts continue to pay this ransom, we as a group lose. The New Birds are not worth a penny more than MSRP!

 

[57 bluebird]

I don't want to start a fight here, but...fdnmbird, It bothers me too the ransom the dealers are charging butI understand the supply and demand theory, and if we are willing to wait the prices may drop to the msrp. When you say the car is not worth a penny over the msrp I disagree. I think if they simply change that msrp to say, $45000, the car would still sell just as well. It's just we don't like the dealer making as much as he can at our expense, but then thats free enterprise. I don't know what type of business you are in but if you were in retail sales I don't think you would like anyone telling you how much to charge. You would let the market judge that. After all it is a Manufactures SUGGESTED price. If you are suggesting no one buy them until the price drops, I would think Fords answer would be to either stop making them or change the MSRP. Also if your name means what I think, you have a NM Bird. It is much easier to ask other people to wait or not to buy when you already have yours. I held up buying mine, swearing I would not pay a penny over MSRP, now I'm sorry I waited so long and missed out on months of happy driving, not to mention a price increase. If you like the Thunderbird and can afford it, buy it (but shop around) The car will not sell for more then it is worth.
PS: No personel attack intented, just my opinion on the subject.

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2002 Black/Black/Full Red
1957 Starmist Blue
1981 Shay ('55 Reproduction)(just sold it)

 

[Birdman93]

After being in Chicago over the weekend-your thoughts were confirmed that their numbers were messed up-and the person I have been talking with is an upper-level engineer with the Thunderbird program-NOT a lower-level underling.

here are the actual numbers I received from a second person involved with their program:

Being built Birds-VINs are in the mid-15K range
Titled-10600
Not sold-on lots, auctions or in transit-4600

These are approximate numbers-until Ford is willing and able to release information on where the cars went, there is no way to account for every bird accurately.

Sorry for the confusion-even I was taken in by what I was told-when one of the answers was posted here.

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[snakecharmer]

Regardless of the cost of the '03 Birds, the dealer markups are a pathetic practice.
In my opinion no one should pay more than MSRP and repeat customers should pay less than MSRP.
If TBird enthusiasts continue to pay this ransom, we as a group lose. The New Birds are not worth a penny more than MSRP!

Completely agree. Unfortunately there are too many "gotta haves" who are willing to pay these obscene markups. It's happened with the 02 Thunderbirds and it's starting all over again with the 2003 Cobras (which are going to be great cars) which the dealers have convinced a lot of people to make an extra 2K, 3K, 4K, or more of instant depreciation just so they can say they have one first. I don't get it. The things are expensive enough to start with.

History will repeat itself. Just ask the fools that paid $80,000 (and more) for the 2000 Cobra R's (of which they were only 300, not 25000 like the Tbirds) that are now worth no more than $50,000 IF you can even find a buyer.

 

[TbirdMarty]

Birdman93;

Maybe you overlooked my answer to your trivia question? The answer is Dale drove the #21 Citgo Thunderbird owned by the
Woods Brothers.
Now here's a test of you guys NASCAR knowledge. What was the only win Dale had for that team and at what track? Hint: It was one of NASCAR's most exciting finishes. Also what team did Dale go to when he left the #21 Wood Brothers?

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Courage - and shuffle the cards

 

[Birdman93]

Sorry, Marty!!

So what was the victory he had for the Citgo?

I just found me a 1/24 replica of that car-now if I can only convince Dale to sign it when I see him at the Tropicana 400 in July!!

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[RTBRD_aka_jodrod]

TBM,

Was it his first win which came in his 129th start, Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan), Aug. 18, 1991?

Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992.

1989 was Cale Yarborough, 1990/91 was the Wood Bros.




-

 

[TbirdMarty]

Birdman93;

The victory was at Michigan where he and my all time favorite Davey Allison battled side by side and swapped paint for the last two laps. Dale won by no more than the front bumper. Dale left the Woods brothers and went with Joe Gibbs when he started up the 18 team. His first win with them was the Daytona 500.

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Courage - and shuffle the cards

 

[T02 Bird]

Please stay on topic here...