Ordering a Mustang - how does pricing work?

There are restrictions under x-plan that can make it better than any negotiated price. Under x-plan, dealers can't charge more than $100 doc fee, can't charge dealer or dealer prep fees, and the Ford FDAF fee is included in xplan. For a 2012 GT Premium, the xplan discount is 2k off MSRP, but really its more than that with dealer and ad fees. The only additions to the xplan price will be tax, tag, and doc fee. Literally there should be nothing else. My dealer didn't even add a doc fee and I got the $500 rebate with the interest rate deal. The great thing about this is there's no haggling or arguing or going to check with my sales manager. This is the price you get. You can be friends with your salesman haha!!! If you can use xplan, definately go with that. If the no haggle price is less, go with that. But take into account the fees. No haggle price might not include them.

dcgator is correct about the restrictions. Don't forget to send away for a brochure from the Ford.com website, you may get a 750 dollar coupon. If you are planning on purchasing an extended warranty shop around. I picked up mine from Mark Ostroot at Price Ford. He was alot cheaper than the dealership and directly from Ford.

I don't think you need smoke and mirrors or intermediaries to get a great price if you find the right dealer. Many can be complete PITAs but some will make you a very good offer right up front, especially if you let them know you serious about buying a car and well informed about the product.

And contrary to what you might think, I did substantially better at a small town family-run dealership than I did a "city" dealer. Less overhead, less BS, and way more informed about the product too.

PS As some of us have learned the hard way, getting the private offer cash can be the hardest part of the whole thing so be sure to start working on that right away.

If you have the coupon at the time of order, or if it arrives any time between order and delivery, then your dealer can lock it in.

He can also lock in any rebates that are available at the time of order, and he can give you the new ones if they are better.

x-plan is basically invoice, plus or minue $100. If you can get invoice, and then deduct coupon and rebates, you're getting a typical "good" deal that lets the dealer make a reasonable profit.

If you're getting a price lower than that, you are buying a car that he's having trouble moving. or there is a hidden incentive for the dealer/salesman.

I asked a similar question as I always like to wheel and deal on cars right on the lot, usually on the last day of the month. I was nervous about ordering because I thought I'd have no negotiating power ordering a car. From the responses I received though, that doesn't seem to be the case and a decent deal can still be made.

just going to +1 what everyone else here is saying and suggest Xplan. I used it an I'm pleased with the price I got.

Keep in mind, Xplan pricing applies to the car and the options. I don't know if true car or the dealers do that or not, meaning, they may quote you a low price on the car, but want charge you MSRP for your additional options.

If I remember correctly, Xplan should be invoice + 4% + dealer fee, transport, tax and tags.

As for the whole calling multiple dealers and having them compete, yes it can be done but it sounds like a bit of a pain if you ask me.

You can get one set price and then play the "can you beat this game" but the problem you are going to run into is that you often have a hard time getting dealers to give you a price by phone or email. They are actually trained NOT to do this.

They need to get you on the lot so that they can actually work their game on you, making you come in for the quote is the first trick for doing this. (I sold cars for a very very short time and my old boss actually used to throw a little fit and lecture me every time I actually gave somebody the price quote instead of using it to lure them into the office.)

I just happened to be out of the country when I ordered mine, and I explicitly stated upfront "I am NOT in the US right now, I want to get my order started from out here" and still 1 out of 3 defaulted into their "ok, so what time can you come down here?" routine. I even told them I had an Xplan pin. I think half of them were just on a flow chart or something.

In the end first dealership that emailed me back with a simple direct answer is the one that I ended up going with.

What options are you looking for? My opinion is that you find the one the closest to the options you want and do a dealer trade for it or drive to pick it up.

after all of the problems people have had ordering stangs and wait time etc, I would definetly just find the one you want with the closest match on options.

My nephew just bought a white 2012 base GT with 3.73's and Brembo package and he found there were 6 in the country and one in Oklahoma.

he tried a dealer trade, but the Ok dealer would not do it since there were 10 dealerships trying to pick it up so he just drove up there yesterday and bought it.

net/net - unless you're really wanting some specifics electronics, glass roof etc, then I would just GET YOUR MUSTANG. Don't be another one of the folks on here waiting 4-6 months for their stang to be delivered. Some wait this long and find out the car was mis-built and have to start all over.

Just my .02