2014 = Surprising Trends

[S&W 500]

Yours must be 1ZVBP8JZ3E5252851.

Yes, you are correct on all counts.

The outer island dealers are crazy, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. The ADM's are simply ridiculous there. Here on Oahu it's a little better, they will go below MSRP if you're a smart shopper. A lot of outer island people will buy cars here (Oahu) and ship them back for $300.00.

If you come to Oahu send me a PM, I'll buy you drink.

Thanks!

 

[Madlock]

\

If you come to Oahu send me a PM, I'll buy you drink.

Thanks!

Yer on!

Just spent 12 days on the Valley Isle visiting family who's lived there during the winter months for going on 25 years. I tell you, having just one Wal-Mart and Costco in Kahului for the past few years has dramatically changed the economics of daily living.

Need to get my Haole ass back there more often than once every year or two. Hopefully living 3 hours closer by air will make it much a easier choice than Bermuda which we could do in a day trip if we really wanted.

All I need in the meantime is for our new home's construction to finish - which is already 4 months late.

 

[dubbsfaris]

Meh, I just figure it says more about the fact that about 90% of society is comprised of dolts who wouldn't even know the mathematical difference between a 9 and 14 with a calculator - let alone between cars of the two model years.

We really have entered the Age of the Nimrod.

And its SUCH a huge difference too. I was just out in the garage looking over my new to me Terlingua. Its an 08, and just following the lines of the 14 and the 08 panel for panel- I don't think there is a single part of the body that is the same. Its amazing we talk about the rear end is different, the hood is different, and yes, the grill or lack thereof, but every panel including the doors are different. The roofline is different. Its a completely different body style on a shared chassis, and you just don't hear people acknowledge the difference between 2005-2009 and 2011-2014. In all trims, I wonder if the 2010 will be the least desired of the chassis? For the transition year, it lacked many improvements of the next model, and didnt keep enough of the first gen S197.

But its all opinion...

 

[Randy Fontenot]

So true!!!

 

[evil eye]

Yet despite local rental fleets being packed to the gills with mass market Mustang Convertibles, just one GT500 Convertible was made for HI.

One of the reasons I decided on a '14 GT500 was based on the '12 base Mustang vert we rented while on our honeymoon. We weren't even 24 hours into the trip and I was already researching all about the 13/14 models. Wound up getting it in the same color as our rental to boot. Vets are a dime a dozen like you said, in all the brightest colors too. I'm shocked to hear they only made ONE GT500 vert for that market.

 

[Northwest-GT500]

Madlock - am curious if a "Recaros" only constitutes your version of a "no option" (and rare) convertible, as you earlier referred to.

We have an incoming 2014 Sterling Grey/White base car assembled and is now on its way. A low-option car (just Recaro's) with a very late build. It will serve as a bookend to our '13 Coupe.

Have lurked from time-to-time and freely taken information - so this is a first post

That said, would appreciate no flames for past lurking. At least now am on board.

Thanks.

 

[featurecar50]

Kind of. 36 - less 12 for Mexico and 2 Canuckibles.

8 such DIBs - 3 for Mexico and 1 for Canada. The U.S. cars were one each for NY, DE, PA and MI.

5 with a White Stripe - 1 Canuckible and the 4 aforementioned U.S. cars.

Yours must be (drum roll) 1ZVBP8KZ7E5268209.

Wow that is even better yet, 1 of 5 built with my color combo and no options, chances are I will never see my twins. Yes you are correct that is my vin.

Thanks again Madlock

 

[VRYALT3R3D]

132 Covertibles went to Canada, 12 to Mexico and 8 for other world markets - further emphasizing not only Canada's HUGELY disproportionate affinity for GT500, but Convertibles in particular (which has always been the case) and just how few total Convertibles were made for U.S. buyers overall. (Glad I have my '13).

The funny thing is, most of the Covertible GT500s are still rotting on the lots, while the coupes are nearly sold out here. I would love to know how many of the Convertible GT500s were customer ordered vs ordered for dealer stock.

 

[Madlock]

The funny thing is, most of the Covertible GT500s are still rotting on the lots, while the coupes are nearly sold out here. I would love to know how many of the Convertible GT500s were customer ordered vs ordered for dealer stock.

Well, that may not necessarily be true. What WOULD be true if what you've seen happens to be representative of the entire nation is that the vehicles "rotting away" happen to be Convertibles, which wouldn't be inconsistent with their disproportionate popularity.

Of the 132 Canadian Convertibles, 80 were ordered for or offered as inventory stock, while 47 were retail orders and 5 for internal (likely employee or dealer) consumption. By comparison, of the 301 Coupes, 103 were for retail orders and 198 for inventory stock.

So, given overall relative mix, tempered by whatever affinity Canadians generally seem to hold for Convertibles in particular, if supplied with Coupes on a 2:1 basis when they otherwise exist 5:1, it wouldn't seem unreasonable at all for what's left to be highly skewed in favor of ragtops.

One other possible aspect is, if the extent to which 5.8L Coupes have otherwise become so disproportionately popular, gray market export opportunities from Canadian dealers would be far fewer overall. Or, it simply could be that Convertibles remain disproportionately popular in Canada, but not to the same extent as they once were given the degree to which Coupes are so much more able to exploit the additional power - and both dealer ordering and Ford manufacturing planning simply didn't catch up in time to react for a single model year.

Additionally, given the strong pricing for the Canadian market and the relative currency strength, Ford may have been more willing to subsidize certain dealers' convertible purchases for the sake of closing out components and materials Ford needed to dispose of within its supply chain - and Canada became the most willing and affordable market to take them.

Though with spring only 3 months away and S197 entering its swansong, there very well may be a renewed springtime demand surge that will clear-out a large portion of whatever remains - given fewer than 80 such units require final dispositions.

 

[freakshow12]

My SVT dealer in Saskatchewan has 3 convertibles left. A black/ black loaded car, a ruby red/ white loaded car. ( both are currently driven by owners adult sons) and a white/ blk base model with only nav.That one seems to be a rare unit.

 

[Simon_C]

Not only in Canada, but also in England, convertibles seem to be very popular. Counter intuitively, convertibles are better suited to colder climates. I have owned a convertible in Australia and in summer it was just too hot to drive with the top down.

An ex girlfriend had a 911 convertible which I used to borrow from time to time in Cayman. I could happily drive it in summer with the top down without undue attention from law enforcement ... provided that I did not go within 500 feet of a school!

 

[Gabed1972]

Not only in Canada, but also in England, convertibles seem to be very popular. Counter intuitively, convertibles are better suited to colder climates. I have owned a convertible in Australia and in summer it was just too hot to drive with the top down.

An ex girlfriend had a 911 convertible which I used to borrow from time to time in Cayman. I could happily drive it in summer with the top down without undue attention from law enforcement ... provided that I did not go within 500 feet of a school!

Has the GT500 production officially ended or do they still have a few more cars to finish? Did they build the "got to have it green" vert yet?

 

[USV8PWR]

Has the GT500 production officially ended or do they still have a few more cars to finish? Did they build the "got to have it green" vert yet?

I heard Ford decided to build a few thousand more Shelbys afterall. And all of these are going to be convertibles. :-D

 

[tomshep]

I heard Ford decided to build a few thousand more Shelbys afterall. And all of these are going to be convertibles. :-D

And going to Canada-eh?:beer:

Tom

 

[Northwest-GT500]

And going to Canada-eh?:beer:

Only the convertibles.

 

[Madlock]

I heard Ford decided to build a few thousand more Shelbys afterall. And all of these are going to be convertibles. :-D

They're all going to be GHIG Convertibles... for Canada.

 

[Chris!]

Lol

 

[72MachOne99GT]

I need to get my SVT cert so I can find out just how early my car was...

Quick sort of off topic question. Are the wrong hand cars going to be built right alongside all the "right" hand drive cars next year?

 

[Simon_C]

I need to get my SVT cert so I can find out just how early my car was...

Quick sort of off topic question. Are the wrong hand cars going to be built right alongside all the "right" hand drive cars next year?

I expect so.

In the Cayman Islands, with the exception of the occassional tourist in a rental, everyone drives on the left. My preference would still be for LHD.

I suspect manufacturers tend to carry out most of their development and testing based on domestic configurations. I recall when I was in London Mercedes had a few issues that only appeared on the RHD versions.

 

[Madlock]

I need to get my SVT cert so I can find out just how early my car was...

Quick sort of off topic question. Are the wrong hand cars going to be built right alongside all the "right" hand drive cars next year?

Well, about how early your car was... anyway.