Dodge Power Wagon Rip-off -- HB Dodge

Finally, the first Power Wagon found its way to the showroom floor at Huntington Beach Dodge here in southern California.

These guys are trying to rip-off the public with a $10,000 dealer markup.

An MSRP of $45K + MU + Tax & License would cost about $60K .... I told them they're crazy and won't get $60 grand for that truck and walked out.

They're trying to hype the limited production BS.

The first new mustang I saw a few months back had a 5k dealer mark up. That is way worse than a power wagon for a 10k markup ( A locked full size pick up versus a mustang, I know what I would be willing to pay the mark up for)

it was about 5-6k markup on the PT Cruiser when my mom was checking them out, and people were buying them without even see'ing them...

JOe

They can shove the dealer markups up their ass... I wouldn't pay it unless it was a *real* limited run and I knew the value and demand would be there in the future.

Sales are way down at Ford and GM ... this dealer is simply trying to capitalize off the nostalgic craze... Power Wagon name and ignorant buyer....

give it a few months

sweet truck though

BrettM said:

give it a few months

sweet truck though

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like he said. I think it is the most capable full size truck made so some of that mark up may be understandable. It is still a cool truck.

Considering the fact they're 3-4 months behind the stated release date, I suspect they had some problems to overcome. Time will tell if they move at that price...

All I know is back in November 2004, a month after the DC press release ... the fleet manager at Tustin Dodge said I was the only person that had inquired about the PW... implying low demand.

bchulett said:

All I know is back in November 2004, a month after the DC press release ... the fleet manager at Tustin Dodge said I was the only person that had inquired about the PW... implying low demand.

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OK, this brings up a wider point: how many of today's buyers are car (meaning 'interested in the inner workings of mechanised transport') people? I'd venture damned few. Ask the average motorist how to change out spark plugs and they'd probably wet themselves in panic.

If the average buyer is under or at the age of 30, I'd be pleasantly surprised if they recognised any of the following names: Fraizer, Nash, Hudson, Studebaker, MG, Riley, Morgan (despite being well and truly alive), Triumph, Rover (minus the Land- part), Alvis, Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Facel-Vega, Fiat, Lancia, Iso, NSU, Skoda, Tatra, etc.

These people are being sold on nostalgia that they never experienced. Example: Mini. The original Mini was never the Mini unto itself - it was the Austin Seven Mini, later the Austin Mini, further simply the BL/Rover Mini. I've owned two 'real' Minis: an 850 and a 1000 (no Coopers here). The people buying the new one today wouldn't be able to live with the original for ten minutes before complaining about its lack of air-con, power toys, and acceleration - even though these were all of the things that made the original great.

I hope the 'TRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!' brigade loves their Power Wagons.

I only ran into that dealer crap once, was looking at an RX7 back in 77 or 78, dealer had this little zinger for $5,000 bucks for 'dealer handling'. Was a ford lincoln merc mazda dealer in randolph NJ. I had actually sat down to fill the paper work out when this little goody showed up on the final numbers. Told the sales guy NFW and KMA and walked out.

Anyone that pays full retail on a vehicle needs their head examined anyway.

2-3 year lease return is the best value - you still have some warranty left and some other slob has paid the depreciation and sorted any bugs that particular vehicle may have (hopefully).

I used to buy everything new. Took me 15 years to get out of the "habit".

My XJ was a lease return.

r@m

Is this to bash DC, the auto industry in general or the population of idiots who just have to have the newest toys and don't care about the costs? The Miata was going for $90 over sticker when it came out. That price was held for about 3 or 4 months. The Mini was going for $40K over sticker, on the pre orders. I can't really blame any of them. If I had a product that people really wanted, I'd jack the price and make some extra $$$. Anyone probably would...just my .02

In 1970 you could walk into a Dodge dealer and deal off the MSRP on a Hemi Challenger ....

It seems ever since the OPEC oil embargo in the mid-70s it's now okay to fleece the general public across the board... just once I'd like to stage a national "shove your oil prices up your ass week".

RichP said:

I only ran into that dealer crap once, was looking at an RX7 back in 77 or 78, dealer had this little zinger for $5,000 bucks for 'dealer handling'. Was a ford lincoln merc mazda dealer in randolph NJ. I had actually sat down to fill the paper work out when this little goody showed up on the final numbers. Told the sales guy NFW and KMA and walked out.

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Some dumb ass will pay 70K for it eventually. Around here its pretty typical it seems. When the new VW bugs came out people were paying 10 to 15K above sticker for them(yuppies and x hippies) now the dealer is sitting on dozens of them and they cant give them away. Its all advertising hype. Besides who in there right mind would buy a new dodge product anyways let alone pay over sticker. The only thing they have sold worth a damn in the last 20 years is the Jeeps line. I say this as a current Dodge truck owner and dodge product owner for the last 10 years.

They did really well with the whole HEMI campain.

If one could still buy a new powerwagon as they were in the 60ies Id be on it like flies on doodoo. My bro in law has a 04 hemi pu, 8mpg on the road, does haul bootie though.

I think the power wagons are gay. Another flaming yuppie mobile. Hemi??? The engine is way over rated. My 2005 5.3 silverado has no problem keepin up and I get 15-19mpg!! Its cool that dodge is selling the power wagon....but lets get real. 3/4 ton truck,hemi,4.56,33's and the best thing.......6 mpg!! I wont be buyin one.

So the dealers aren't allowed to make money? When did profit become evil? Do they still offer economics classes in school these days?
You guys would be surprised how many retail operations mark up the products they sell above MSRP.

If people are willing to pay the price then why not charge them for it.
Market forces should dictate retail pricing. Not manufacturers.
Manufacturing doesn't know jack about retail.

Scott Mac. said:

Manufacturing doesn't know jack about retail.

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Too true. I think that DC takes the easy, less expensive approach on way too many levels. It is hard to keep costs down and keep quality up.

The big problem I see with the Power Wagon is the lack of power. I'm sorry, the hemi is a nice engine, but a in 3/4 ton truck it really lacks any get up and go. Now if they put the new srt-8 400+ hp 6.1L hemi v8 or the Cummins in it, I would think about buying it. Don't pay the mark-up, ever. They can kiss my ass if they think I will pay over retail.

the "market force" which will predict price is how many guys (or girls) have the extra cash to pay the mark-up. most guys who buy this truck will have never owned a power wagon and will buy it because it is cool...not as a work horse. i have owned a real power wagon (wm300) and it had no creature comforts (hell it only had a winshield by the time i got it) was a total beast. it was a '66 with a "premium" slant six... so the "power" came from gear reduction. the only "options" were a ciggy lighter and "dual sun visors". it was tough as they come, but that toughness exploded the 'ol kidneys after 1/2 hour driving...so i traded it for a '73 CJ-5 (still busting the kidneys)...
seriously though (at least here in cali) this truck will get the mark-up and you will see guys in 'em who think the words "power wagon" are cool and they will believe they have a connection to something from the past. i believe they were made until '67 and after that only for export (in the original "military" body style) and power wagons did come with a 440 for a short time, but never a hemi...correct me if i am in error. seems to me D/C is trying to cash in on nostalgia (or dealers at least)... i mean take a look at the Hummer craze. its really no relation to the real hummer yet people are paying the premium so they can have a (misdirected) sense of status. if it came withthat old slant six i'd buy one because that engine took a serious beating and never left me stranded....
is this a rant?

"So the dealers aren't allowed to make money? When did profit become evil? Do they still offer economics classes in school these days?"



"You guys would be surprised how many retail operations mark up the products they sell above MSRP."

but many will go below it, depending on many factors.

"If people are willing to pay the price then why not charge them for it."

:idea: Business 101

"Market forces should dictate retail pricing. Not manufacturers.
Manufacturing doesn't know jack about retail."

There has to be a balance there. Few companies base product lines purely from an engineering standpoint... "The market" is generally fed product(s) that the marketing folks try to get folks to buy. KTM motorcycles is one company that has over time, (mostly) let engineering rule throughout the product lines. They source top-shelf raw stock and (premium aftermarket) bits & pieces and the results are premium products that enjoy a huge "happy enthusiast-owner" following that makes up for a smaller market share.


FWIW I ain't paying forty freakin grand for a pickup-truck... now or ever, but I bet if Jeep 'shared' the platform and hung branded sheetmetal on it, they'd sell some... just like Dodge will sell some PWs over it's (?-year) lifespan.

:dunno: If "I" were in PW marketing group, I'd be hollering for a 'plan B' that switched the line over to lighter-optioned "fleet/work trucks" that have the beef without the bling.