August 16, 2001, Thursday, BC cycle

4:00 AM Eastern Time

SECTION: Business News

LENGTH: 287 words

HEADLINE: T-Bird collector sues dealership for adding to alleged agreed price

DATELINE: PONTIAC, Mich.

BODY:
A longtime Ford Thunderbird collector is suing a dealership he claims reneged on an agreement to sell the new 2002 model at list price.

As soon as Alan Must learned of the Ford Motor Co.'s plans to build the two-seater, he made a deposit for two of them - black for himself, red for his wife.

However, when he recently tried to close the deal at McLaughlin Ford in Royal Oak, the dealer said it was adding $15,000 to the 2002 T-Bird's $39,000 price
tag.

Must filed a lawsuit in Oakland County Circuit Court this week accusing McLaughlin Ford of breaking an oral agreement to sell the cars at list price so it could
cash in on the phenomenal demand for the T-bird.

McLaughlin Ford said it never quoted a price and has the right to sell the car for whatever the market will bear.

Judge Nanci J. Grant set a January trial date and refused to block McLaughlin from selling the T-birds reserved by Must.

Before ruling, Grant voiced some surprise at the hefty markup.

"I understand this is a very popular car and a lot of people are putting in orders," Grant said, "but $15,000?"

Dealers are not bound by the manufacturers suggested retail price, or MSRP.

In recent years, Chrysler's PT Cruiser and Audi's TT coupe fetched prices well above the MSRP.

Must, a Detroit native and president of Dairy Fresh Foods Inc. in Highland Park, has owned 20 Thunderbirds from the relaxed two-seaters of the late 1950s to the
more muscular versions in the 1960s and 1970s.

Anticipating the arrival of his pair of new Thunderbirds, Must told The Detroit News for a Thursday story that he sold his classic 1956 T-bird for $31,000 to make
room in the nine-car garage of his Bloomfield Township home.

LOAD-DATE: August 16, 2001

 

"oral" agreement.....LOL...he said "oral"....(snick)

 

charge one nickel over MSRP...can charge less if they like but corporate MB won't allow this 'local marker adjust' (aka price gouging) by a dealer...regardless the popularity of the model.

 

They forgot the other reigning king of excessive mark-up, the new M3.

 

that you can buy the CLK for MSRP, but not the Bimmer. Just another reason for me to detest that little propeller-logoed company.

 

if they can get the dough, they are entitled to it. Does his oral agreement mean anything in CA?

 

LOL... yeah... right! : )

 

there may be such things as oral contracts, but you better have some supporting evidence if you expect it to be considered "binding".
especially with a car dealer!?!
if you're naive or stoopid enough to just "trust them", well, ... live and learn I guess...

 

to be delivered in June, I made sure to get MSRP in writing....he was very naive in that respect...no matter who it is, get it in writing.