> 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
>
Jim,
That sucks, I mean I prefer autos myself, but I would still like
to have the option to get a manual if I want to. It doesn't make since to
me for them to cut off part of their customer base because they don't want
to make manuals anymore, if they do they'll keep losing more and more
customers to the competition who still offer it...
Bruce
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