98Cobra

OK, so I see this on svttexas.com:

The SVT Club of North Texas will no longer be meeting at Bankston Ford in Frisco. We are moving our meetings to John Eagle Lincoln/Mercury, which is located at 6200 Lemmon Ave. in Dallas. The club meetings will still be the 2nd Saturday of the the month at 10:30 am. More information will be posted soon. The North Texas Chapter of SVTOA will be meeting at Bankston Ford on a date to be determined.


Whu? I havent been to a meeting in quite some time, but what happened, did the original SVT club decide not to be absorbed by the SVTOA, or what exactly? I also notice the new meeting place is where Sonny Morgan works, who started the first club in 1998 - coincedence, right?

Just curious - anyone in the know here?

------------------
2000 Lightning
#3406 of 4966
Born 5/30/2000
Best Run: 13.4@102

Logan

Wow, first I've heard of this. I'll call Sonny and find out whassup. He long ago discovered that car clubs are a great thing for dealerships, I'm not surprised he's taking on another one. We get treated like kings by him.

Logan
99 White Lightning
69 Mercury Cougar

Logan

Just talked to Sonny:

L8-APEX

I think we will get an update at the meeting tonight. Some people didn't want to go along with the Ford factory run club. or something...

Silver_2000_:)!

Think there is any connection to the fact that SVTOA.com has been down and out of DNS for 2 weeks ?

Hold on it is back up now.. Perhaps the News page here explains some of the issues...

http://www.svtoa.com/news.asp#60

Im confused you have to join the local AND the national then the National is billing the local for postage ???

Doug

[This message has been edited by Silver_2000_! (edited 01-03-2002).]

98Cobra

Sounds jacked up to me. Its too bad about postponing SVT Experience - I thought it might be a good TALON trip.

SCC2000L

I checked the svttexas.com website and could not find any information regarding the split. I did see a thread that discussed dissatisfaction with the lack of recognition from svtoa regarding the latest ontrack event. There was some talk about breaking away from SVTOA also. The reason for changing the location of the meetings is a puzzle. The only reason I can think of is Bankstons total lack of respect for customers and the fact that they only sell SVT products for sticker price. My friend tried to buy one of their many 01s a couple of days ago and got the standard 'This is a special SVT vehicle we get sticker or get lost.' What a shame. Their service department is so great the rest of the dealership is just terrible. Oops, I went on a rant! I am outta here!

Sam

L8-APEX

I paid sticker for mine as most of us do and appreciate dealers that are protecting the brand name and market value. Last thing I want to hear when I sell mine is so and so will sell me a new one at invoice Xplan whatever... They only make 5 or 6 thousand a year why discount them when they already sell for sticker. Bankston sold 22 L's in October for sticker and close to 32 for the year when their allocation was 8. They bought the rest from other dealers across the country costing them over invoice to get shippied etc. Does that make any sense?

98Cobra

Hate to disagree here, but their unwillingness to deal is the reason I didn't buy there. I saved about 5 grand all total going somewhere else.

This isn't 1999. We are in a recession. And these things are sitting on lots everywhere. Hell yes they should be discounted. When I bought mine in September of 2000, Ford's own research said the vehicle would have only 46% of it's value(residual) in 3 years. Thats pretty pathetic for a "limited edition" vehicle.

Don't cry if you paid sticker just because others shopped around.

Like I said, love Bankston's service, but sales is terrible, IMO.

SCC2000L

L8,

I am with 98 on this one. The Lightnings will never hold their value as well as the Cobras pound for pound especially in a recession. The Lightning is nothing more than a plain jane pickup truck with a supercharger and it only has an auto transmission it is overpriced and will not haul more than two people. It can never hold a candle to a Cobra... at least that is what a dealership would have you believe and more importantly this is also what most consumers believe. The reason I didnt buy my 01 from Bankston is exactly because they were so f-ing stuck up that they would not discount at all. I took my money to North Central Ford and rode my L into the off into the sunset and never looked back saving almost $3000 will do that to a brother. ok ok ok so I did look back at Bankston just so I could laugh at their blind greed. Hell, I even took the L over there so I could show ol Bill that yes there is a dealership that will Xplan Lightings and you should have been there for that conversation! So sorry about that guys!!! I payed sticker for my 00 and will never do that dance again! Where there is a will, there is a WAY!

Sam

L8-APEX

How about this: The initial SVT license is $100K then $12K a year after that, you have to stock $50K in parts, another $50K in personel training (sales, service writers, techs). They have been selling SVT for 5 years now and are just now starting to break even on them. So before they even see much less sell an SVT on their lot they are out of pocket over $212K dollars that they make back on the SVT's they only get alotted 8 L's a year, 5-10 Cobra's a year when produced. On those they make $3-4K a piece profit. That is a lot of SVT's to pay off the start up debt. Plus they moved more than 3 times their alotment this year why should they deal? There is obviously enough business for all types around here. I think you should buy your first one for sticker then get a break after that . I remember Chevy selling Vette's 5K over sticker on a car they made 30,000 of a year when they first came out now that is crazy... If you guys still feel the same after learning the behind the scenes scoop you are a cold blooded bunch . Have a good weekend .
Oh yeah Bankston also threw in $20K dollars to the On Track event to make it happen for us. Don't you feel bad now, LOL. They are also the new Southern region directors so be nice to them.

[This message has been edited by L8-APEX (edited 01-04-2002).]

98Cobra

Not to sound *****y here, but:

1 - If you don't make any money on selling SVTs, well then, stop selling them.

2 - I'd love to see the $50k in SVT parts they carry. Is that why anything that has ever been replaced on my truck(that is Lightning specific) has had to be ordered? Do they stock $50k in Lightning badges or something? I call BS on that one.

3 - You are right, there is still a market. BUT, there is a much tighter market, and it is too easy to get one cheaper than sticker. I like Bankston, but not enough to just hand over thousands of dollars of my hard earned money.

4 - Any money they kicked in to On Track(which I did not attend, BTW) they can write off as promotional/advertising on their books, since they got to plaster their name all over everything.

5 - The number of vehicles the dealership sells as a whole is raised because of SVT. "I bought my Cobra there, so why not the wife's new Expedition?" Sonny Morgan realized that, I doubt that is lost on the current management.


Fact is, its still just a car/truck, just a nicer one. You know, I looked at Lexus IS 300's when they first came out, and even though they were difficult to find, especially in the color you may want, Park Place STILL offered to come off the sticker price. Meanwhile, Bankston wouldn't budge off sticker on a new Escape for my girlfriend(ended up buying it at Westway too, for about $250 over invoice.)

If you want to throw money away needlessly, send some my way, won't you?

Silver_2000_:)!

50K in training and they cant spell intercooler ?

I have to agree with Garrett - The ONLY part they ever had in stock for mine was sparkplugs and the little cap that surrounds the OD button on the gear shift. Plus last time they did the plugs they put 7 of one type in and one of another....

Its all about BIG money. They make money on Selling, buying, service, financing, warrantees, rental cars, EVERYTHING,

Doug

Logan

Perhaps if they actually stocked stuff, my truck wouldn't still be there two weeks later waiting for friggin clutch packs.

I drive this focus much longer and I'm gonna need knee high socks, a lab coat, black rimmed glasses with white tape and a big 'ol pocket protector...

Logan
99 White Lightning
69 Mercury Cougar

Silver_2000_:)!

Come on Logan just look in the back of your closet.... Youll find the uniform there... LOL

Doug