Prices coming down

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5Birds

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Prices of the TBirds are finally coming down to reality. Check Ebay and you'll find the highest recent offer is $42,800. If a seller sets his minimum bid at $43,000, there are no bids. I have received emails offering me 3 different vehicles for $2,500 over MSRP. I believe in another 60 days you will be able to buy at MSRP. This post is not meant as a negative comment. It is simply for the purpose of informing members of the present market conditions. I am not a dealer, broker or wholesaler. I simply buy a TBird for personal use, receive an unsolicited offer, sell and buy another. I am now driving my 4th TBird (RED). I have had every color except Thunderbird Blue. I think it looks best in triple black, but it sure is hard to keep clean.
 

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Your 4th TBird! With a Board Name like 5Birds, I assume you plan a 5th. When you get it, do you intend to keep it?

Just curious.

The funny thing is that many of us have been waiting nearly a year or more and we still have not been able to get our first. So the next question is: How did you manage to get delivery of 4 so far?

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Joe
TBIRD II - My License Plate
Waiting for #9476...
 
I originally ordered 5 in January 2001 at various dealers throughout the southeast. I have only taken delivery of one of these vehicles ( triple black in December). I drove it for 3 days and was offered $48,000. Since I paid $41,795 (no sales tax since I bought it out of state and hadn't registered it yet in my home state). I then searched Ford dealers in the northeast figuring it was snow on the ground and demand might not be too high. Purchased a Yellow w/full accent from dealer in Michigan. Drove it down to the beach for New Year's and was offered $50,000. I sold since I paid $44,795. I then purchased another triple black from Tennessee and was offered $46,500. I sold since I only paid $41,790. I then purchased a red from a dealer in Ohio for $42,290 and I am driving it now. I am waiting on delivery of the 4 additional. Two tentatively set for March delivery and two for April or May.I am just a retired individual with too much time on my hands, but having fun. If I sell the red one, I have located a yellow w/full accent in West Virginia that I can buy for around $42,000 if they still have it when I am ready.
 
My plan from the beginning was to have very little in the final TBird I keep.That was the only way I could justify having a spare, garage kept, week end car. Thus far it is working. My only fear is that the four I have ordered at MSRP + $2500 may not be a good deal by the time they get here, but I've made enough off the first three where I can't get hurt. As to the reference that the Ebay vehicle is a base model, please note there are numerous TBirds on Ebay. If anyone thinks you have to pay $5000 above MSRP, call Adam Swecker at Bert Wolfe Ford in Charleston, WV. He has a yellow Premium w/ hardtop w/full accent package w/ supplemental parking lamps he will sell you today for $42,500 (MSRP $39,795).(304)-344-1601.
 
I was at Akron Ohio auto auction 1-22-02. Vin#5952,yellow over yellow with hardtop went though auction at $44500.00. No sale. Wanted $4700.00. This is a dealer auction. I think you are wrong about price coming down. Wait till summer time.
 
The prices on Thunderbirds on EBay are definitely coming down. The dealers in Southern California are still in denial and prices are not coming down. They probably will not come down until there are more than one or maybe two cars on the lot and they have to make interest payments to keep them in inventory.
 
I am puzzled by the refusal of some members to accept the fact that prices are coming down. I do not make this statement without posting the facts that support my position. I doubt there are many on this board that have purchased 4 TBirds. If I can easily buy for $2,500 over MSRP what I was paying $5,000 over MSRP for two months ago, that means prices are coming down. It is so obvious if you closely follow Ebay and watch the bids and final sales. Let's not forget that people were paying $10,000+ over MSRP in October. I think it is best that this is my last post. I will continue to monitor, but keep my observations to myself.
 
5Birds, I agree with you that prices are coming down. I have monitored T-birds for sale on Ebay and it appears that currently high bids for a premium with hardtop are $42,000-$43,000. Many times bids don't meet the reserve, but when buyers won't pay the price, eventually the seller lowers their price. A dealer near me has had two on Ebay, one twice and they did not sell. Two smaller dealers have one each (not on E-bay) that they have priced at $10,000 over MSRP. They are older VIN's which tells me they will probably be lowering their prices soon. I believe that by April, you will find a lot of birds priced at MSRP. Just my HO.

Yellow/yellow/full interior VIN 4370
 
i've watched 2 this week go trough dealer austions, one black on black deluxe, canadian, $42,500 (sold), and one red on black/red premium $44,500 (sold). as a dealer, i think the prices are coming down A LITTLE TINY BIT but i don't think you'll see them go much lower. as far as $10k over, i don't know anybody that would or did ever pay that! as far as e-bay goes, you don't see them selling them either do you? i've sold 2 on e-bay, $43,400 and $44,900 so at the $41k to $42k range, i'm still a player!
 
I too believe prices are coming down on EBay and probably everywhere else. I have made verbal offers to two dealers in Southern California for a Yellow Premium model with the partial accent package at $42,000 and neither dealer would entertain that offer. That is why I said the dealers in Southern California are in denial.
 
Dealers in SoCal have the "advantage" of an affluent client base willing to pay over MSRP. If no one would pay over MSRP...

Currently the dealership I just started with "only" adds $5,000 over the approx. $39,300 MSRP. We have had to arrive since I started work. The 1st (Red) was sold in less than 24 hours. The second was unsold as of closing (9:00 pm) after having rolled onto the lot at 2:00 pm. I don't expect it to be there when I arrive to work at 11 pm.

To put this all in perspective I was trying to qualify a nice couple for a $13,000 used F-150 with too little verifiable income, while a CEO in the next office was bitching about the $5000 markup.
Folks its just a car.

One foot note, some brain surgon at another dealership has a markup sticker asking $30,000 over MSRP. Denial? I'd say self delusion.
 
I did some research this morning. The market seems to be extremely strong here in Atlanta.
Here are all the price points I was able to find today:

1. Cherokee Ford...blue premium with partial blue interior and hardtop...$8K over sticker

2. Gwinnett Place Ford has four(4) cars adverised...they sold one this morning...still have a blue, white and red...all are $10K over...and this was after me really putiing the heat on them and telling them I was absolutely going to buy a TBird today but not at $10K over.

3. There are five others adverised in the classified section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at $5K to $8K over.

Just some more data, for what it's worth.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18
 
5birds,

It is natural that as the market get its supply, prices will soften. However, in areas like Southern California, dealers will stick you if they can.

I am going to Pasadena Ford today with my bird. I want to see this "30K" markup and laugh. I might even take a picture of these clowns and their Bird.

If it is real, they are doing a great disservice to Ford and to the car itself (but not us owners!!!).

RT2ESQ
Triple Black #1049

P.S. Pasadena Ford is very close to some of the wealthiest folk in Los Angeles in San Marino and old Pasadena. Maybe their banking on some stinkin' rich impulsive shopper??
 
Let me know if you go over to Pasadena Ford Ric and what they tell you. I have been over there two or three times and have left each time in disbelief. They flat out lied to me both times I was there. They have a huge sign on the 605 freeway that says "No one cares more, No one". It used to say "No one sells for less, No One". Can't help but wonder who made them change the slogan. And apparently they are referring to caring about profit.
 
Did some calling around the state just to
see what was out there. Used the Ford site
dealer locator.

If a dealer is selling for MSRP has no
cars in stock and people have their names
on a list. Dealers offering over MSRP
have cars or car in stock. A couple even
had some incoming cars not spoken for.
It looks as if more are willing to wait
than pay. Two first quotes were 3000 over
not even knowing if I was truely interested.
The highest was 5000 from a Dallas dealer.
 
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