> >
> Hi Jim, what dealership was this, are they morons? I know the new F-150's
> with the big V-8's can be had with a manual, my brother has one (Or rather
> used to have one, until he totalled it about a month ago trying to avoid a
> deer), that salesman sounds like he really doesn't want to make a sale...
> But that's okay, is incompetence has produced another proud Dak owner...
>
> Bruce
Actually the seems to be widespread antagonism to manuals and the bigger, V8,
engines. Not only just at the Ford dealer. Salesmen are being told to sell
what's on the lot and not take orders. Even at the Dodge dealership there
was reluctance to take an order for a manual trans with the V8. All sorts
of nonsense why not to buy one, including notion that only a couple are sold
state wide (and Texas is a wide truckie state) each year. Don't know for
sure, but it could be dealers are afraid of being stuck with one if the
customer should walk away from it. The local market is dominated by clogged
freeways and buyers who don't want to row a manual through traffic, automatics
rule.
It came down to either sell me a manual V8 or nothing. Once the sales manager
agreed, they couldn't have been more supportive even though the salesman goes
without a commission.
Interestingly, salesman only gets commission when sales price exceeds dealer
invoice by $350 (then it is 30% of the excess). At Ford, you can push, and
get, 100 bucks over invoice on an order. Salesmen gets no commission. At the
Dodge dealer I did it for $200 over invoice. Salesman was told, no
commission, he should sell off the lot.
FWIW, I have pulled the Ford literature (which is a few weeks old) and am
looking at the list of power train options available. The only
transmission listed for the 5.4L V8 is the 4 speed automatic with OD for
either the F-150 or the F-250 lines. It was this literature the salesman was
probably relying upon, and I certainly was, in concluding no manual for the
5.4L was available -- and the auto version was mushy for my taste. Other
manufacturer's are similarly closing down the manual option. Acura's midsize
is without a stick on the the V6 as is the new Accord Coupe V6 which, with
auto gets into the 7's.
Actually I feel rather fortunate to get an order placed for a manual at all.
Maybe my cool headed diplomacy won out. I also think Dodge is making a
mistake if it doesn't figure out a way to keep V8's with manuals out there on
dealer's lots where folks can get at 'em. This is an area where their
marquee has an exclusive that they ought to be making the most of it.
Manual tranny, everyman's traction control system.
Jim O.
'98 CC 4x4 5spd optioned out
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