Brent P wrote:
> In article >, Michael Johnson, PE wrote:
>> I don't see why anyone gets upset over the dealers maximizing their
>> profit.
>
> Because it's a manipulated market. It's the same reason $3+ a gallon
> gasoline gets people upset. It's a manipulated market where others can't
> come in and undercut the competition.
>
> Let's say instead of dealer alotments, ford had open ordering until they
> ran out of the limiting part. What would happen? Everyone would rush to
> the dealer selling for the lowest price and order a GT500. Which example
> is really free market? I would say it's the later where dealerships
> compete to make sales.

In the end no one is holding a gun to a buyers head and forcing him to
pay a given price. You know who really sets the price? It's the buyer.
If no one is willing to pay the dealer's asking price then they will
eventually lower the it until the car sells. It's a real simple concept.

The reason the prices are silly right now is there are a few people
willing to pay what I consider and outrageous price for the few
available cars. Once the dealers wade through these buyers and the cars
aren't moving at the current prices they will have to lower the price to
get off the inventory.

>> You are absolutely right, the buyers set the price, not the
>> dealers. If any one of us had a vintage GT500 we would sell it for the
>> highest price we could get and not a penny lower.
>
> New in production cars are not collector items. There are no more vintage
> GT500s being made. There X surviors and that's it. There are Y people
> that want them. Apples and oranges.

And there will ultimately be a limited number of GT500s. A vintage
GT500 falls under the same supply and demand forces as a 2007 GT500. If
Ford made GT500s like they make Fusions what do you think the price
would be? You and I are no different from Ford. We all will take the
highest price for whatever item we are selling. I don't fault the
dealer for getting the highest price they can command. It is the way
capitalism works. I will be ****ed off at Ford if they don't produce
the number of units they have stated. If they don't there is a good
chance I will not be a Ford only buyer anymore. That is how I will make
my statement on the matter.