Are Demon Customers Getting a Fair Shake at Dealerships?
Dodge Forum talks to auto dealers who are selling their Demons for sticker price, which makes us optimistic for the future of mankind.
In recent years, Dodge had a way of making automotive news and generating hype like no other manufacturer. All of that has culminated in the automaker’s ultimate product: the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. While not cheap, the new Demon finds that Dodge has done due diligence in putting some ground rules in place to make it more attainable for enthusiasts.
One of these methods is penalizing dealers and customers who pay over sticker price by giving them a build date that falls behind other customers who paid sticker or less. Thus, paying more doesn’t guarantee customers the car sooner.
We feared that dealerships would still mark up since customers would want a guaranteed car out of the 3,000 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demons in the United States and 300 in Canada that’ll be sold. However, it seems like dealerships are playing by Dodge’s terms.
Dodge Forum spoke with a prominent northern Kentucky dealership. It sold at sticker price the two 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demons they were expecting. The shop cited Dodge’s policy as one of the main factors. Also, it’ll be obvious to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles who is charging over sticker against Dodge’s wishes.
While not cheap, the new Demon finds that Dodge has done due diligence in putting some ground rules in place to make it more attainable for enthusiasts.
Dave Orr, Jr., Digital Media Manager at Canada’s Bayview Chrysler Dodge in Sarnia, Ontario, says the dealership is selling the Demons at sticker, too. At the time we spoke, he wasn’t sure how many he was getting, but he believes Ontario will get the bulk of the 300 heading north.
Why sell at sticker? Orr is a member of the enthusiast community and doesn’t want the dealership to have a reputation. Also, he tells us, “It’s good karma.”
Speaking of Canada, thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), it’s easy to import a Canadian-purchased car back to the United States. While you wouldn’t be able to get warranty work in the States, the exchange rate currently favors American dollar by a significant amount. For people who live near the border, it might be worth seeing if there’s a Canadian dealership that would play ball.
If your dealership wants to charge over sticker, shop around. Away from the coasts, you’ll often find dealerships who aren’t charging over sticker to move metal, because they know nobody is going to pay it. Even with a hot car like the limited-run 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, there’s no reason to get ripped off.
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