Challenger not sold out

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From the detroitNews:

The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not sold out after all.

The retro-looking muscle car can still be found through some Chrysler LLC dealers, including one in northern Macomb County that has 19 Challengers for sale. That's a surprising number considering the automaker has said the entire production run of the vehicle was sold even before the first ones rolled off the assembly line in May.

In truth, customer names were attached to the vast majority of the 6,400 limited-edition Challengers as they were built in Brampton, Ont., said Curtrise Garner, a Chrysler spokeswoman. But a quarter of the cars were set aside for dealer orders.

While only two hard-to-find Challengers were in the lot at Dick Huvaere's Richmond Chrysler Jeep Dodge on Wednesday, more are expected. The dealership didn't take any customer pre-orders.

General Manager Jim Simpson is hoping to create a little excitement by stocking his lot with the Hemi Orange, Silver Metallic and Brilliant Black Challengers.

An ad in The Macomb Dailythis week touted that the dealership had nine black, eight orange and two silver Hemi-powered coupes available for sale.

"People just love these cars," Simpson said. "I wish I had 50 of them."

So far, Simpson has sold just one, even after inviting about 20 interested customers to view the first Challenger to arrive. Along with the two on the lot now, four should arrive within days, and the remainder delivered later this month.

Despite several inquiries from customers, Simpson did not take preorders. In the past, as was the case with the Dodge Viper, preorders resulted in constant calls from anxious fans and cancellations when customers decided the vehicles weren't what they expected or cost more than they could afford.

The dealer is hoping to score a premium price on the rebirth of the 1970s classic. On its Web site, Huvaere priced the Challenger at $45,145, plus applicable taxes -- about $7,000 more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price set late last year. As independent businesses, dealers may charge more than the suggested price.

"We're negotiating each price with the individual customer," Simpson said. "We're not getting a huge amount over sticker."

In other parts of the country, Challengers are nearly impossible to find.

"There's not a dealer up and down the coast here that has a Challenger," said Jon Meyers, owner of Naples Dodge in Naples, Fla. He took pre-orders for just three days and sold all eight Challengers he was allotted before they hit his lot.

Van Dyke Dodge in Warren has two Challengers left. Owner Carl Galeana said he pre-sold 16 Challengers and ordered five more to be used as demo cars, as vehicles for politicians to ride in Fourth of July parades, and to draw attention to his store.

"I have just a couple left," he said "And I might need to buy one for myself."

[dodger098]

I've seen a few in my area on the lots.  A lot of these dealer are asking way too much.  Even though these might be priceless collectors in 30 years no one has the money for these things right now unless the dealers are willing to take msrp or close.  This 20k over sticker thing probably won't fly any more.

[gman]

I saw one just a week ago, it must've been an order because it had no sticker in the window and was gone in a day.  These cars seem to go quick and if you're in the wrong part of the country they probably cost a lot over sticker.  I suppose if you're in one of the places that has a bad economy right now you might be able to get it for sticker price.  Better to wait for the 09 anyways, you'll have a stick shift available.

[NitroNanny]

I wonder what will happen as the 09s come out.  Will the dealers be forced to sell the 08s for sticker price, or will they keep the premium mark up on them since they're collectors items.

[moparman]

I wonder what will happen as the 09s come out.  Will the dealers be forced to sell the 08s for sticker price, or will they keep the premium mark up on them since they're collectors items.

The price will come down.  The market will be flooded with challengers and in this economy no one will be willing to pay a premium for a collectors item when they can get the same car for less money.

[95concord]

I'm not surprised by this at all.  The car costs a lot more than most people will spend on every car they buy added up in their lifetime.  It also sucks the gas down and needs premium which costs more.  Honestly this car is almost a mistake.  It'll bring people into the dealers to look at it, and I hope a lot of them end up buying an avenger or caliber.  We need to use less oil people, not more...

[raman noodles]

I'm not surprised by this at all.  The car costs a lot more than most people will spend on every car they buy added up in their lifetime.  It also sucks the gas down and needs premium which costs more.  Honestly this car is almost a mistake.  It'll bring people into the dealers to look at it, and I hope a lot of them end up buying an avenger or caliber.  We need to use less oil people, not more...

I agree with the first part of your statement, well maybe not the 'in their lifetime' part.  But I don't agree with your middle statement.  This car is not a mistake.  People will buy it, it will sell well - wait and see, not everyone wants another clone of the camry over in the jap car department.  I do agree with the last part of your statement though, we need to use less oil.  But if people trade their trucks in for this car then it's a step in the right direction.

So overall, I think I agree with about 3/8 of what you said.  More than most of the time I guess