[tkirk]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum so please be gentle if I'm posting in the wrong area or breaking any sort of conventions.

I'm going to be in the market for a new car soon and am almost deadset on getting one of the new Mustangs. I know that I want a hardtop and have not yet decided between the v6 and the v8. Automatic or standard doesn't really matter to me.

What I'd like is any advice on making my new car purchase that will help me through the ordeal of buying a new car -- you know all of the haggling and game playing.

First of all -- is there a waiting list for the new Mustang? If there is, then that would preclude haggling, I suppose, which is the worst part of buying a new car, for me.

Also, for anybody who has a 2005 model, does anybody have XM radio? Did it come with or did you get it installed after? Were there any difficulties fitting the deck into the existing area? I'm concerned that if I transfer my existing Pioneer XM radio to a new Mustang that the adapter kit might not work well with the interior design.

Any advice for dealing with the actual purchase of a new 2005 Mustang would be appreciated. I've bought new cars before, but never ones as popular as the new Mustang seems to be.

Thank you.

[kj_cinci]

tkirk,

I moved your thread here to us in the S197 Forum. I'm sure you'll get more replies here...

There might be some 05 GTs avail depending on where you are. There seem to be quite a few V6s avail...

See if you can get a discount, X-plan etc. Other than that do your research on www.fordvehicles.com so you have an basic idea what you want, want to pay for , and of course sticker and invoice price.

You can alway try to get it at invoice or something between invoice and MSRP. Most have paid MSRP or even over without a discount plan.

All seem to love their car, GTs and V6s! I had to have a GT myself but the V6 is an awesome deal! Also thinking about insurance...

I'd say it's well worth it, even for me and others that ordered one and waited for months! Good luck and keep us posted!

[Stoopy]

The general rule of thumb - and your mileage may vary - is that GT's are hard to find, and either command premium prices on the lot or long waits for an order.

Premium prices may mean anywhere from straight MSRP to a markup, depending on dealer, availability and demand in your area.

Ordering a GT, the wait can vary form as little as 6 or 8 weeks (mine was 8 weeks) to many many many many many many long months. All else being equal, and generally speaking - and this is my impression based on what I've observed - is that ordering at MSRP will, usually, get you in line pretty fast and taken care of. However, a common theme I've seen is that those who pursue discount plans such as X-plan, etc, seem to get somewhat longer wait times. The "all else being equal" bit takes into account the assumption that whatever dealer you go with, has enough "pull", or order credits (based on prior Mustang sales) to get your order placed and prioritized with FoMoCo. There are a few exceptions, like one or two dealers in the country, it seems, who seem to honor discount plans AND get a GT in a decent amount of time.

Take a look at the sticky posts up at the top of the forum page about ordering and wait times and you'll get a much better feel for details and loopholes, but that's the short version in a nutshell......of course, this being the internet and all, cases (and opinions) will vary.

I ordered my GT at MSRP and got the car fairly promptly and my dealer has treated me well. I am not concerned about NOT having gotten a better deal becuase this car is already VERY reasonable priced, given what it is.

A good deal is just a state of mind anyway, isn't it?

As for V6's......again, you should find a fair assortment on lots. Personally I think they're a great option and one helluva car too. If you KNOW you are the type that would be kicking yourself ever after for NOT getting a V8, a GT is probably worth it. But the V6 is a very smart move as well. Pretty good power and heck, a test drive will tell you all this and can easily be accomplished. Test driving a GT is a bt more difficult due to the availability, etc.

As for dealign with the pricing and haggling, if you'd rather not, then don't. Or take it slow and tell the salesman you're in no rush and let him move on price first. Or pursue the discount plans on a V6, if you want a good price and want it soon.