Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
07-12-2005, 11:57 PM
#1
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,716
Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
I was driving home a couple of days ago when a commercial came on the radio for Skyline Ford in Dallas (where I bought my Stang). The ad said: "Come in now, we have Ford Mustang GTs and 500's starting at 18,888!!" I'm sure the majority of people would be so fixated on "Ford Mustang GTs" they'd miss the fact that it is the stupid 500's that actually start at 18,888. Cute trick. And to add insult to injury, I was at that dealership the day before for some warranty work and they did not have a single GT on the lot!! I wonder how many people they think they can lure in with that ad that they can talk into buying a Focus or a 500? [:@]
07-13-2005, 12:02 AM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location:
Posts: 342
RE: Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
Unfortunately, that is the norm around here. Bill Heard Chevy used to use ads just like that
all the time. They would tell us "if anyone asks about the ad get them off the subject and sell them something
else". I hated working there! Lying bastaiges! [:@]
all the time. They would tell us "if anyone asks about the ad get them off the subject and sell them something
else". I hated working there! Lying bastaiges! [:@]
07-13-2005, 12:54 AM
#4
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: West Los Angeles
Posts: 5,390
RE: Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
Notice how they do that on tv, too?
They say "Starting at 18,888", but the are showing the top end, fully optioned model! the one that goes for $6000 more!
Like we can actually read the tiny print in 3 seconds where they say what model we saw!
They say "Starting at 18,888", but the are showing the top end, fully optioned model! the one that goes for $6000 more!
Like we can actually read the tiny print in 3 seconds where they say what model we saw!
07-13-2005, 04:28 AM
#6
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 427
RE: Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
ORIGINAL: Orion_240
Notice how they do that on tv, too?
They say "Starting at 18,888", but the are showing the top end, fully optioned model! the one that goes for $6000 more!
Like we can actually read the tiny print in 3 seconds where they say what model we saw!
Notice how they do that on tv, too?
They say "Starting at 18,888", but the are showing the top end, fully optioned model! the one that goes for $6000 more!
Like we can actually read the tiny print in 3 seconds where they say what model we saw!
07-13-2005, 11:18 AM
#8
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 43
RE: Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
No offense to the guys on here who sell cars for a living, but the car sales industry is largely populated by a$$holes. Two weeks before I ordered my GT (from a reasonably reputable dealership overall and a salesman who I actually respect and have purchased from before "Shout out to Ira at Freehold Ford!") my next door neighbor went to the Ford web site and ran through the whole "build your car/get a quote/have a dealer contact you" thing. The next day he got a call from another dealership in the area, one that I have dealt with previously and NEVER would again. The guy says, "Mr. Smith, we have your car. When can you come in and talk?" He quoted a price of roughly 5k over sticker and, it goes without saying, they did NOT have any such vehicle in stock. If either one of us had had more free time, it would have been worth it to go down there and see what this yam-job was gonna do...
Overall, though, the one common practice that really pisses me off and makes me think that it might someday be worth exploring how the legislative process works in NJ (I know, I know... "not well") is that of advertising, in print and on the radio, vehicles for "UP TO 50% OFF MSRP!!!" when in fact the cars they're talking about are USED. It's not unusual to see a newspaper ad that says something like: FORD TAURUS - Originally 21,549 MSRP - NOW ONLY 11,990 - 50% OFF MSRP!!" **, where the asterisk at the bottom of the page tells you it's a 2004 Taurus with 58k miles on it. And of course, there's no such thing as "MSRP" for used vehicles.
Overall, though, the one common practice that really pisses me off and makes me think that it might someday be worth exploring how the legislative process works in NJ (I know, I know... "not well") is that of advertising, in print and on the radio, vehicles for "UP TO 50% OFF MSRP!!!" when in fact the cars they're talking about are USED. It's not unusual to see a newspaper ad that says something like: FORD TAURUS - Originally 21,549 MSRP - NOW ONLY 11,990 - 50% OFF MSRP!!" **, where the asterisk at the bottom of the page tells you it's a 2004 Taurus with 58k miles on it. And of course, there's no such thing as "MSRP" for used vehicles.
07-13-2005, 12:31 PM
#10
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location:
Posts: 91
RE: Truth in advertising (GTs for 18,888?)
Selling cars is a hard gig. I sold BMW's and Subaru's for 2 years.
What makes it even harder is when the idiots run an ad showing a car at a $30,000 trim level, and the ad screams that you can get the car for $19,999. The poor customer comes to the lot, and there is nothing there for under $25K.
Already, in the customer's eyes, you are a liar (which most of the people I worked with are).
Unfortunately, these tactics get people into the dealerships (and make sales), so they continue with them.
What makes it even harder is when the idiots run an ad showing a car at a $30,000 trim level, and the ad screams that you can get the car for $19,999. The poor customer comes to the lot, and there is nothing there for under $25K.
Already, in the customer's eyes, you are a liar (which most of the people I worked with are).
Unfortunately, these tactics get people into the dealerships (and make sales), so they continue with them.