Ford CEO says EVs will be sold 100% online with nonnegotiable price

Post by wumpus » Fri, Jun 03, 2022, 2:34 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #256

wumpus wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea what you mean with that Ford comment. My best guess is that you think consumers are too stupid to consider anything but a Ford? I did negotiate server/colo/cloud prices, but I spent person-months of effort deconstructing what the right price was. I've never done that for a car. I once interviewed for a CTO job at a major storage vendor, and in the discussion they said that most of their major customers…

>they said that most of their major customers successfully reverse-engineered prices, and that kept their margins down. What does this mean? Did they perfect the negotiating process? Did they figure out what your margins are, then demanded that you halve them?

Post by wumpus » Fri, Jun 03, 2022, 2:35 AM UTC

grogenaut wrote: post #265

wumpus wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who like negotiations generally think they're good at it. Guess what? The dealer sells multiple cars per day. You don't know enough to be a good negotiator against them. Same thing as venture capital vs company founders. Founders found a couple of companies which do a couple of rounds each. VCs make way more investments.

I don't think I'm a good negotiator, I just think I'm better at it than you who is dealing with a "no-haggle" dealer. You don't have to be faster than the bear, just faster than the slowest person to come out better. When I buy cars I shop around, there's surprising variance in dealers depending on what's going on with them. If a no haggle place has the best price I'll buy that. I haven't had that ever be the case as…

Post by jdironman » Fri, Jun 03, 2022, 2:36 AM UTC

sokoloff wrote: post #230

bombcar wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every dealership I’ve ever been to has been like that. Sometimes they’re even worth using for “normal” repairs because they will sometimes bill by the book even if the actual labor time is higher.

Every shop I’ve seen uses the book times for any standard job. My experience is that independents are significantly cheaper on a like-for-like basis, are also more willing to do a workable partial or alternate repair, but have worse lounges and often no courtesy car. (So you’re getting something for the extra cost.)

Post by oh_sigh » Fri, Jun 03, 2022, 2:37 AM UTC

happyopossum wrote: post #204

beached_whale wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having 220v out the rear to say and looking like a normal truck will help a lot. There are a lot of contractors who buy a lot of trucks and not needing fuel or the trucks or generators(no longer needed0 is a huge win. Plus they check off every single checkbox for a truck, minus the perceieved distance anxiety. They will sell very well

Not disputing that these will sell really well, but you can get the same 220v out the tailgate of an ICE F-150 today, without waiting 2+ years for the privilege.

Post by tadfisher » Fri, Jun 03, 2022, 2:37 AM UTC

reaperducer wrote: post #252

grogenaut wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've bought 3 cars since 2008, I've spent $0 at the dealer on maintenance, they're all ICE... you shouldn't be going to the dealer unless it's warranty work. [well partly true, had a covered recall]. That said I had a dealer cuss me out for bringing them a quote from a mechanic for the same clutch replacement. "I can't f**ing cover my dealership like that" as if it was my problem. Same dealer who charged me $2k for a…

Sounds great pre pandemic, but these days the indies can't get parts the way the dealers can. Heck, the dealers even have a hard time getting parts.