An Unusual Experience at the Exotic Car Dealer

[w. mitty]

I'm just now on the plane headed back from chasing a car in Chicago that I was interested in. Not a GT, but what I consider to be a royally boss car. Anyway, while I was closing the deal, it came up that I had a Ford GT. From that point on, two salesmen, the finance manager and even the owner asked me if I would consider selling the GT to them. We never talked numbers (oh the shame! That would be the equivalent of putting a price on my wife!) but I can certainly confirm that every eye in the place lit up when I mentioned the GT. This dealer is a MAJOR player (perhaps THE major player) in the exotic car business in the midwest. They have a gigantic inventory of about every coolcar you can imagine (they have one less car after today ) but they have no GTs and would love one if for no other reason than to drive traffic to their operation.

Yes, I will be the first to admit that its simply an anecdotal indicator of interest in the GT, but when was the last time you went to a dealer and they acted like they actually wanted one of your cars? It was a first for me. Why does it have to be the one car that I can't part with?...wait a minute, maybe that's the point.

 

[GTdrummer]

Yeah, I am fortunate to have some nice cars, but the only one I routinely get calls from dealers about is my GT. I do sometimes get nice offers on my kids ' Hondas and recently I got a nice offer on my F-150 thanks to Sandy, but the GT is the only one I get "plus what I paid for it " offers.

Lets hope it continues.

 

[Xcentric]

Yeah, their showroom should be a detour...no, a destination...for every car enthusiast visiting Chicago.

 

[gtforme]

I get so many screwed up responses from people when I tell them I have a FORd GT that I have stopped telling people

Just recently I made the mistake of saying I have a FORD GT again and the guy at the table with me said " oh yeah i saw one in the movie gone in 60 seconds with Nickalaus cage , it was green and named Eleanour " I said yeah thats GT all right :facepalm:

There is just no sense in talking to anyone about the GT that knows nothing about cars

 

[twobjshelbys]

I get so many screwed up responses from people when I tell them I have a FORd GT that I have stopped telling people

Many think I have a Mustang. Then I show them the picture on the cell phone and they say it's a Ferrari. Oh well.

 

[jaxgt]

Do tell - what did you get and which dealer?!?!?!?

I'm just now on the plane headed back from chasing a car in Chicago that I was interested in. Not a GT, but what I consider to be a royally boss car. Anyway, while I was closing the deal, it came up that I had a Ford GT. From that point on, two salesmen, the finance manager and even the owner asked me if I would consider selling the GT to them. We never talked numbers (oh the shame! That would be the equivalent of putting a price on my wife!) but I can certainly confirm that every eye in the place lit up when I mentioned the GT. This dealer is a MAJOR player (perhaps THE major player) in the exotic car business in the midwest. They have a gigantic inventory of about every coolcar you can imagine (they have one less car after today ) but they have no GTs and would love one if for no other reason than to drive traffic to their operation.

Yes, I will be the first to admit that its simply an anecdotal indicator of interest in the GT, but when was the last time you went to a dealer and they acted like they actually wanted one of your cars? It was a first for me. Why does it have to be the one car that I can't part with?...wait a minute, maybe that's the point.

 

[DakotaGT]

^ +1

 

[BlackICE]

^ +1

+2

 

[GT1261]

I was at Oslo's biggest Ford dealer and parked the GT around the corner, I went inside and asked them for engine and t.axle oil and asked if they had some lubricant for the GT.
They said, the guy that worked with Mustangs is not here today, I said again like 3 times its for the GT not a Mustang V6.

The manager went out from his office as he heard the discussion and said sorry do you mean the GT as in GT40, I responded yes the GT.
He said, why do you need parts for such a car??? Haha I said because I need it for my GT, suddenly the air, clocks and all of the customers and salesmen stopped breathing and looked at me, the manager asked; Do you have a GT? Is it here? I told him she's actually parked outside next to the paint store.
The manager's face became white and he screamed to all of his staff; Guys it a ****ing GT outside, they all ran out like if it was a fire alarm and left all of the customers alone ( some joined them out ) and they was outside for like a 15 min and took photos and asked billion of questions.

The point was that the Manager also asked if I would sell her, and it's just like Mr Mitty expresses it: That would be the equivalent of putting a price on my wife!
I believe it is 2 or 3 reg. GT's in Norway.

Anyway I got the oil from Torrie later on...

 

[roketman]

Ok Mitty ,what is the new car you purchased!
I already can't wait to read your evaluation/comparison !
And I don't even know what it is!

 

[w. mitty]

Guys, thanks for all the interest. I should have known I wouldn't get away with vagaries around you lot...

So...my wife and I have had this long held dream of driving around the country over the course of a year. I don't mean full time, as I have this pesky thing called work to deal with. The plan is to take a five day weekend once a month, fly to the location were we last left off, then continue from there. We will leave the car in secure storage in each location during the three weeks off, which is a pain, (but something that I have already experimented with).

The big dilemma, and one that I most certainly relished in resolving, was the choice of car. It needed to be a true Grand Tourer, but I also wanted something with a bit of edge to it. I've got a Mercedes S550, but it's just too quiet and reserved. I wanted something that I would look forward to driving each month, with a long road ahead an no particular place to go.

I narrowed the field to two cars: The Bentley Continental GT Speed, and the Mercedes SLS AMG (coupe). Very different cars for sure; the Bentley is as quiet as a tomb inside. But oh man, the muscle of that beast. It's like a gentleman boxer, able to carry on an intelligent conversation then remove your head from your shoulders with one punch. I could drive a thousand miles in that car at 130 mph and get out feeling fresh. The build quality and engineering is magnificent.

The SLS is a car that defies easy description. If you think you know it from looking at pictures of it or reading reviews, think again. I am still amazed that Mercedes would build a car like the SLS. It rumbles like a irritated troll when you fire it up, and sits low and nasty. The hood is long enough to launch a small airplane, and it is almost totally impractical to get in and out of. However, it covers ground like a gazelle. It crosses states in the time it takes a lesser car to go to the mall.

Which did I choose? Well, its Sunday morning and I have to go to church. I'll be back later...

 

[roketman]

What a tease!
Either car is a winner in my book!
I hope you are going to chronicle you adventure!
I would be curious as to where and what you define as "safe storage"
Sounds like an entertaining idea.
We could call it around the world with Mitty! LOL

 

[topshot]

both great cars, but I would have taken the SLS,,,,, they are beast

 

[Empty Pockets]

There is just no sense in talking to anyone about the GT that knows nothing about cars

Several months after I found out that even Ford parts counter boys had no clue what a Ford GT was, I decided to just lay the cards on the table with the 1st sentence whenever I was asked about #1079 by saying; "It's a Ford GT...Ford's mid-engine, 205 mph, GT40-based, Ferrari eating supercar."

That usually cleared the fog '1st time out of the chute.

 

[GT1261]

Several months after I found out that even Ford parts counter boys had no clue what a Ford GT was, I decided to just lay the cards on the table with the 1st sentence whenever I was asked about #1079 by saying; "It's a Ford GT...Ford's mid-engine, 205 mph, GT40-based, Ferrari eating supercar."

That usually cleared the fog '1st time out of the chute.

+1

Mitty, I would have chosen the SLS. Damn that sexy thing must be the best thing from AMG since the CLK GTR.

 

[w. mitty]

And the winner is: The SLS.

Just the right mix of nasty and comfortable for a national tour. Like the GT, the SLS is difficult to quantify until you've driven one. I know that for me, the car was totally different that what I had been expecting.

I'll share more after the car arrives out west next week.

 

[dbk]

New Review time! :biggrin

Congratulations!

 

[twobjshelbys]

I was at Oslo's biggest Ford dealer and parked the GT around the corner, I went inside and asked them for engine and t.axle oil and asked if they had some lubricant for the GT.
They said, the guy that worked with Mustangs is not here today, I said again like 3 times its for the GT not a Mustang V6.

The manager went out from his office as he heard the discussion and said sorry do you mean the GT as in GT40, I responded yes the GT.
He said, why do you need parts for such a car??? Haha I said because I need it for my GT, suddenly the air, clocks and all of the customers and salesmen stopped breathing and looked at me, the manager asked; Do you have a GT? Is it here? I told him she's actually parked outside next to the paint store.
The manager's face became white and he screamed to all of his staff; Guys it a ****ing GT outside, they all ran out like if it was a fire alarm and left all of the customers alone ( some joined them out ) and they was outside for like a 15 min and took photos and asked billion of questions.

The point was that the Manager also asked if I would sell her, and it's just like Mr Mitty expresses it: That would be the equivalent of putting a price on my wife!
I believe it is 2 or 3 reg. GT's in Norway.

Anyway I got the oil from Torrie later on...

I had almost the same thing at my local dealer. The manager of the parts dept is the only one I talk to and they give their best outside shop price on everything (I think 20% off). He even compd the twisty things that hold the trunk liner I. And a tube of touch up paint. I had a Shelby mustang and the service manager was the only one to drive it a d he had a special lift for lowered cars.

 

[Xcentric]

That trip sounds like a huge logistics pain, but I'm certain when w mitty writes about it, it will sound like something we all wish we could do. :biggrin

Congrats on the new ride!

 

[shelbyelite]

Congrats on a great car. We recently had one and the way you described it was my thoughts in it exactly. Looking forward to your review of the vehicle. You guys will have a blast in the car