RE: Ford announces Mustang pricing

[Mike_Mac]

Benbay001 said:

Mike_Mac said:

Same question here please!

I've just got off the 'phone to my local Dealer, having been about to put a deposit down today, but have just been told:

1 - £1,000 non-refundable deposit for delivery NET Q4 2015.
2 - No demo/test-drive models will be available in the UK until after they have fulfilled the initial orders, then they should get some in (think Q1 2016).
3 - The initial run is mainly aimed at those who know/love the 'Stang already, so therefore are willing to buy sight-unseen...

Personally I am not about to speculatively punt a grand, followed by another 34, on a car I will never be able to drive until it's delivered, at least nine months later. Especially as its a very different proposition than its predecessor.

I would be entirely happy to put a deposit down, and wait for delivery, if it were in some way linked to a test-drive, as that seems only fair. I suspect that a test-drive would just confirm what I thought initially, but £35K is a lot of money to hold back from spending elsewhere in the meantime, when you don't know what you're getting!

It seems a bit strange for Ford to 'take the Mustang Global' but then not attempt much to attract new buyers to the fold initially.

Therefore if there is a Dealer offering what PompeyPaul (Portsmouth by any chance?) has stated, then I'd happily got to them with my money instead!

What would be the point in taking a deposit, if you could get it back simply by stating you didnt like the way it rode? Ford wont struggle to sell these. Even if they do, it wont be a big loss to them. They have generated the publicity, and thats what a halo model is meant for.

The point is that if this is something that is possible, then I would be interested. Someone has stated it is, so I would like to know where from, so I can phone them myself.

[Centurion07]

I don't know if anyone can confirm this but......someone on this thread already mentioned the cars weren't being built to order; Ford are just building cars & if one happens to match your spec at the right time, then it's yours.

So, if you decide, having driven one, & BEFORE one becomes available in your spec, surely the dealer is legally obliged to return your deposit since they haven't made a loss?

[Mike_Mac]

Centurion07 said:

I don't know if anyone can confirm this but......someone on this thread already mentioned the cars weren't being built to order; Ford are just building cars & if one happens to match your spec at the right time, then it's yours.

So, if you decide, having driven one, & BEFORE one becomes available in your spec, surely the dealer is legally obliged to return your deposit since they haven't made a loss?

The Dealer I spoke to stated that you were paying the money to 'book your place on the assembly-line' and that therefore, once placed, there was only a limited time before that order was 'locked' and unable to be changed. Hence, cancelling the order would mean the 'loss' of that place and therefore cost the Dealer.

To be honest it increasingly sounded like horse-sh!t as he went on; from reading this and other threads, there doesn't seem to be any consistency to what is being said, or reported as being said, which is annoying.

I get the point Benbay001 is making, and can understand the whole 'a deposit is a deposit' thing. It's the fact that different Dealers appear to be saying different things that is frustrating.

[Trif]

Benbay001 said:

What would be the point in taking a deposit, if you could get it back simply by stating you didnt like the way it rode? Ford wont struggle to sell these. Even if they do, it wont be a big loss to them. They have generated the publicity, and thats what a halo model is meant for.

"Ford won't struggle to sell these" is precisely why they can afford to refund the deposit, there will be someone willing to take the place at the same price. Taking a £1k non refundable deposit on a complete unknown is a gamble.

[croyde]

The Sales manager of the dealership where I paid a deposit and placed my order on the 22nd rang me this morning to assure me that, unless Ford changed things or if there was a problem on the production line, I would be getting my Mustang by the end of Q4 2015. That covers all the bases then

He told me that my details had been sent to Ford HQ and that I should soon receive a letter welcoming me to Mustang and that RHD production will start in September and there should be a short time in October where you could change your mind about options.

A car built in the USA in September and arriving on these shores before Christmas sounds a bit tight to me, but hey ho.

His dealership had taken 2 deposits pre the price announcement and they would get priority over the 10 further deposits, including mine, post announcement. Top priority will go to the people that ordered during the Champions League final. fair enough.

He couldn't tell me how many cars were allocated for the UK and promised that as soon as he knew anything, his customers would know by email.

At least he was honest and took the time to call me.

[Fidd]

Interesting seeing some of the comments regarding the pre-order / non-refundable deposit / can't have a test drive situation. Proper die-hard Mustang / Muscle / American fans will not hesitate to get a deposit down and just won't be looking back from that point on. As a life long American car person that would be me. But it's interesting ground for Ford in the UK, some people seem to be considering Mustang as an alternative BMW, Audi, Nissan etc. But it may well not be what a lot of them are expecting. It could be like someone who does not know better comparing a VXR8 to a C63, they're both V8 4 door saloons but otherwise are worlds apart. If anyone is considering a deposit on a Mustang with even the slightest doubts over ride, build quality, plastics, fuel economy or anything else when it arrives I'd think it may well not be the car for them. Either way I can't wait for Mustang to get here for a test drive myself !

[croyde]

I love my wallowy, over sensitive steering 2000 Mercury V8 with it's hard plastics etc, so I'm gonna love the Mustang

[Fidd]

croyde said:

I love my wallowy, over sensitive steering 2000 Mercury V8 with it's hard plastics etc, so I'm gonna love the Mustang

I've had far, far worse than that in my American car history ! - so I'm with you on the Mustang !

[croyde]

Cheers. If you want to add to that history, it's for sale

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Mercury-Grand-Marqu...

[Fidd]

croyde said:

Cheers. If you want to add to that history, it's for sale

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Mercury-Grand-Marqu...

That's real nice, but I'll stick with my 300C Hemi while I'm scheming a way into a new Mustang !

[hotchy]

I spoke to the boss about dropping 30k on this... didnt go well, its going to cost me a new kitchen too lol

[R8VXF]

Fidd said:

It could be like someone who does not know better comparing a VXR8 to a C63, they're both V8 4 door saloons but otherwise are worlds apart.

Options in the 8 are way ahead of the merc for 20k base price less. So happy to have the 8 tbh.

[Fidd]

R8VXF said:

Options in the 8 are way ahead of the merc for 20k base price less. So happy to have the 8 tbh.

Just looked in your garage, very nice !

When I bought my VXR8 brand new and unregistered off the showroom floor in '09 I thought it was bargain of the Century - and still do! Dealer order options were pretty much non-existent at that point but that didn't matter. To me it was like getting a 4 door Corvette with main dealer warranty and right hand drive (RHD not a big issue to me, I quite like left hand drive, but do use multi-storey car parks when in the car alone which can be a pain!). German cars genuinely do not interest me that much with the odd few exceptions such as 911 etc. But I've owned M3's and stuff like that and know what they're about. I can see that pretty much all 'prestige' German car brand buyers (which is where most of the money is) just don't get things like the VXR8. Just look at how mega-rare new ones are now here in the UK. I think the big and unknown question with the UK Mustang is has it been Europeanised enough to be a hit here? I want it, in V8 form at least, to have kept more than a hint of old-school muscle about it, but that's not likely to appeal to 4 series or A5 buyers. So what will Ford do to it? Will it be a European GT or an American car with RHD? Or can it be both? Can't wait to see!

[k-ink]

Trif said:

Taking a £1k non refundable deposit on a complete unknown is a gamble.

I did this before the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and Lotus 111R even came out. To get at the head of the line you just have to do it. In both cases I found myself in a brand new car with a six month waiting list, which I could have sold on at a profit there and then. So it not much of a gamble really. I didn't sell either as I wanted to drive the nuts off both. If you want one and have a spare grand just do it.

[Roo]

croyde said:

A car built in the USA in September and arriving on these shores before Christmas sounds a bit tight to me, but hey ho.

When I bought mine new in '08 I ordered it the last week of June as a factory build.

I was driving on 1st September. And that's doing it as independent with all that entails.

[Trif]

k-ink said:

I did this before the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and Lotus 111R even came out. To get at the head of the line you just have to do it. In both cases I found myself in a brand new car with a six month waiting list, which I could have sold on at a profit there and then. So it not much of a gamble really. I didn't sell either as I wanted to drive the nuts off both.

There is that.

k-ink said:

If you want one and have a spare grand just do it.

That is what the devil in my ear is telling me. I'll be a little short on the rest though (but not too short).

[croyde]

I've not really thought about the other 32

Never done it before but if they do one of those balloon payment things, I might give it a go depending on the interest %.

[willisit]

Matt Harper said:

PanzerCommander said:

The UK car is down on power compared to the US car.

Wait, what? Why? How bizarre - what on earth is the rationale for that? Wonder what they do to the motor to make it generate less power and can it be reversed?

The US car makes 435hp on 98 RON fuel - it makes 412 on the 95... so, we're being quoted the "pump gas" numbers. I've no idea if it'll make 435 on Super, but I see no reason why not.

[GroundEffect]

willisit said:

Matt Harper said:

PanzerCommander said:

The UK car is down on power compared to the US car.

Wait, what? Why? How bizarre - what on earth is the rationale for that? Wonder what they do to the motor to make it generate less power and can it be reversed?

The US car makes 435hp on 98 RON fuel - it makes 412 on the 95... so, we're being quoted the "pump gas" numbers. I've no idea if it'll make 435 on Super, but I see no reason why not.

EU and US have different power homologation techniques. Hence why the Fiesta ST is rated at 182PS in Europe but 200HP in the US. The car in reality can produce 200BHP for short bursts with overboost.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsepower#Engine_pow...

The above gives a brief overview. The two engines will be virtually identical in Europe and the US. Remember it costs money to have two different calibrations when one will do. Multiple tens of thousands of dollars.

[croyde]

What's 20hp when you have over 400 already

I'm pretty chuffed at the power output. I had the pleasure of a 24 hour test ride in a 997 Carerra S which has about 380 bhp, I think, and it was great fun. I know it's lighter than the Mustang but to be able to drive a car with the same confidence in the straight line power and braking as my motorbike, was just brilliant