[VIC-TIM]

Went to take my 75 yr. old mother in law to look at an 06 6 cyl Mustang convertible at a local Ford dealer used lot (she has been waiting for the right car for the right deal for 3 years). 49,000 miles, asking, yes can you believe it....just under $24,000 for the car. They had a marketing group in complete with DJ who was supposed to "slash" the prices for the weekend, otherwise, the cars were heading to auction.

Did my homework and the trade in value for excellent or good condition: about $11K.

Told the guys that and that was the price range we were looking at since wholesale will be below that. The fair condition trade in was $9500. The car had some dings and scratches and as I mentioned, mileage was high. Car was the right color outside and top, OK color inside (gray) she wanted black. Definitely not excellent, but rather a low end good to fair. I was willing to take it and make it right if she wanted the car.

We make the offer after all this fanfair with the DJ announcing himself coming out to "slash" the price....$16,800 ($500 above the retail value listed for a car in excellent condition). We offered the $9500 to start.

We go inside and talk, make our offer which was rejected. The sales/marketing guy, instead of trying to talk to us about another offer or thanking us for coming in, says..."Thanx for playing." (Guess he knew we knew it was a game so he made no bones about it.)

As we leave, the DJ announces that our offer was ridiculous over the loudspeaker system outside, heckling us as we leave over the loudspeaker system outside.

Guess what, I will tell all my friends about this experience and will never consider a car from Ernie Haire Ford in Tampa again.

 

[texasbullitt]

a much as I hate to say it , get a lawyer and have some real fun.....

 

[Ol'Dave]

Yep. Saw that "side-show" on the way home form the MOSI Show. At Their lot at 41 & Bearse, talk about all fluff and no meat. It truely did look like a circus was in town.

 

[GT-A 03]

I bought my Bullitt from Ernie Haire and I've said before that I would never go back there. It wasn't a good experience. The salesman flat-out lied to me several times as well as trying to tell me the Cobra wheels on the Bullitt were correct for the car. He also told me that the car had just had a 60,000 mile service before I bought it. When I took it to my dealer, the coolant was black, the fuel filter was rusted, and the battery was all but gone. It clearly hadn't been touched.

 

[54deuce]

That is a crazy price. There is two dealers in the chicagoland area completely going out of business ford and mopar, bad times. You would think the dealer you went to would want to get rid of as many cars as possible.

 

[Jeffroe]

As we leave, the DJ announces that our offer was ridiculous over the loudspeaker system outside, heckling us as we leave over the loudspeaker system outside.
[/QUOTE]

He actually heckled you as you were leaving?? Man what a dumb-ass

 

[FCMCBULLITT]

Having a trusted friend in the car business is always the best way to deal with a dealership.

I represent two Ford dealers here in Fla. and will treat the Bullittheads like family, because that's what you all are.

Wish I had the exact car Tim's looking for but when dealing in pre-owned vehicles it's always a timing issue.

 

[Deuce]

Middle finger salute, about that time.

 

[rblack4405]

I do hope you made a call to Ford Motor Company,

 

[2008_black_2190]

WEAKSAUCE, Frankenstang! Man, I would've had a hard time not saying or doing anything while heckled. Kudos to you for self-control.

I had a really bad experience with a local Ford dealer out here in Cali several years ago, but I won't mention their name, since they're under new management, and have hopefully improved. But I called the local FoMoCo credit office, and they were very helpful, and even offered to go to court with me AGAINST the dealer. It never came to that, but the offer was nice. The dealer made good....only AFTER me promising legal action and getting FoMoCo involved.

On a positive note, North Bay Ford in Santa Cruz, CA has been fantastic. Ask for Jeff. After finding my father's '08 HG Bullitt there, and getting a killer-diller deal, I went back and bought my '08 black Bullitt from Jeff. A couple of weeks later, my company needed three F-250 Super Duty service-body trucks. Out of all dealers in Cali, Jeff came through AGAIN with the best price. And man, what a price! Bought all three five days later. North Bay Ford rocks.

- Lee

 

[VIC-TIM]

WEAKSAUCE, Frankenstang! Man, I would've had a hard time not saying or doing anything while heckled. Kudos to you for self-control.- Lee

Guess my martial arts training and years of being called everything under the sun and more as a cop helped with that.

Maybe this is why they were trying to get so much for the car:

http://www.theledger.com/article/20...=Ernie_Haire_Ford_Ordered_to_Pay__6_9_Million

 

[Jimbob]

OMG, you mean they were being DISHONEST? :wink: Wow, how many windshield would you have to etch at $199 a pop to equal $6.9 million? They better get to etching! :lol:

 

[VIC-TIM]

What goes around, comes around:

TAMPA - Ernie Haire Ford Inc. of Tampa has filed for bankruptcy protection, boosting to at least five the number of local auto dealerships to falter in the troubled economy.

On Monday, Ernie Haire filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which will allow it to continue operating and to reorganize its finances while protected from its creditors.

In bankruptcy documents, the company says its sales have declined to less than $150 million this year from about $206 million last year and about $256 million two years ago.

Adding to its problems, Ernie Haire's borrowing costs for its inventory of cars and trucks have risen, many of its customers are having trouble getting financing to buy vehicles, and Ford Motor Co. has cut off certain payments to dealers, the company said.

Recently, Ernie Haire was hit with a $6.9 million court judgment over the sale of window-etching products.

A spokesman for Ernie Haire was not immediately available.

Ernie Haire has about 175 employees. Its principal office is at 9545 N. Florida Ave. in Tampa. The bankruptcy filing includes other Ernie Haire companies, such as Big Dog Motorcycles of Tampa, Ernie Haire Used Car Auto Mall, and Ernie Haire Used Car Supercenter of Tampa.

Other auto dealerships that have filed for bankruptcy, shut down or sold their operations this year are: AutoWay Dodge of Clearwater, which shut down and sold its operation to Dayton Andrews Chrysler Jeep of Clearwater; AutoWay Chevrolet of Tampa Bay in Tampa, which shut its sales operation this month; Bill Heard Chevrolet of Plant City, which filed for bankruptcy and shut down; and Bob Wilson Dodge of Tampa, which filed for bankruptcy and closed.

 

[01GTB]

Hmmm, Karma.

 

[FCMCBULLITT]

They got what they deserved.

However how fair is it for the lawyers to get 3 million ?

It's not like the dealership kidnapped a first born.

I know our dealerships go through every item on the Buyers Order to make sure clients understand what comes with the vehicle and what they are being charged for.

Every Ford dealer in Florida knows about the lawsuit and should be very concerned if they did business like that.

 

[fromthecoast]

You should go back with your megaphone and heckle the clown who gave you a hard time, if he even still has a job.

24k for an 06 v6 vert? Dream on, you can get a new GT for that if you play your cards right.

 

[LT]

Seriously, I agree with one member who suggested,"Get a Lawyer."
There are times when that is what it takes.
My sister was in a bad wreck;the accused and charged wanted nothing to do with it. The tickets and the fact his car was totaled
was it!
It was her "MUM" care that was totaled,her husband has a truck as old as Moses.
Well, after trying to be civil, they secured a lawyer to support them. Everything changed!
Not only did she get her automobile rreplaced there is this public herassment # and humilation.
The jury rule in my sister case in her favor.
Just one story out there which couold be repeated easily.
Pray things work out,
Jmmy

 

[Lightning]

Hmmm, Karma.

Ain't she a b*tch???

heheh