do car dealerships still sell promo cars?

[foxbat426]

just wondering. i was told that years ago dealerships usually sold promo's at the parts counter - do dealerships still do this??

[Swifster]

I've seen a couple that still do. I've seen the Challenger at a couple of Dodge dealers and Corvettes still sit on some Chevy dealers parts shelves.

[moparmagiclives]

The new Challenger promo had nothing to do with the promoton of the car, it was sold as a collectable. And a pretty spendy one at that. Before we lost the Chevy franchise, I dont recall hearing about anything for the last 15, 20 years or so. You guys would be suprized to see just how much the brochures cost the dealer.

[Edsel-Dan]

MPC returned to the Promo market with the 88 Silverado, Vette, and Camaros.

I asked about them at my local dealer at the time, they said I could get them, but would

have to Buy a MASTER Case. ie 144 of ONE Promo, posibly in only One of the 2 or so colors offered

Even at the then dealer cost of $10.oo each, that would have cost me $1440.oo Plus sales tax!!!

Each dealer sold them or did not depending on their market.

I know Cravelli? Chevrolet on McKees Rocks Pa, out side of Downtown Pittsburgh Did have them. I saw the

50 Chevy Pick up there in both cream & Blue. They sold a lot of nascar collectibles too. All this was right out in the showroom

Also, Cravelli is in a Strip mall with Regular retail stores including a Bog-Lots, so that may have been another factor

They are also the ONLY car dealer I have ever seen located in a Shopping mall with regular retail businesses too!

[62rebel]

everything we sold in our "boutique" cost us in the long run..... usually because we sold it to the sales floor at cost. it got so bad we wrote off our "accessory" sales as floor plan for the last several years......

and, unfortunately, VW never embraced the 1/24- 1/25 scale plastic promo. lots of wiking 1:87 and maisto, burago, etc.... nothing to satisfy plastic fanatics.

i was amazed at the accuracy of the new bright 1/6th New Beetle back in 1998.... and R/C at that!

[Swifster]

As mentioned, the parts departments had these listed as accessories. I bet most car salesmen at these dealerships didn't even know they had these in parts. If I was selling Chevys or Dodges I personally may have had these for 'special' clients depending on how many cars I had sold them.

[moparmagiclives]

i'm sure that promo's just like brochure's are an expense that every dealer has and is something they have ultimate control over. there is a budget i'm sure as well for "sales aids" and material too that promo's and brochure's are both covered under. the manager of the dealer or sales manager would have control over both and how many were ordered as well as given away. even if the dealers cost on a promo is $10 that's not a whole lot, unless that dealer is in some podunk town and moves one car or truck a week. the sales of the vehicles well cover the cost of things like sales aids and materials as well as any other promotional material like big honking banners and advertisements.

They do have control, pay for them or dont get them. A new years model will come with about 5, the rest come at about 4 bucks each, and when more brochures go out then cars, even in a little po dunk town like this one.That adds up after a wile. And when you have 30 brochures for each model from last year, well thats an even bigger kick in the junk So its not just the giving away (to customers) that scares them off, its the "what do I do with these now" when the new ones come out. And that stands for the Auto maker just as well as the small dealer, they dont like to have alot of old product either.But I've worked in a dealer for the last 12 years, never seen the "promo" order form. To be honest, untill the new challenger launched, I thought they were one of those " when I was young" storys.

[Chuck Most]

I actually asked about the Challenger promo a few years back at the local Dodge dealer. Don't remember what it cost, but it was the price that put me off. I ended up buying the AMT kit at the hobby shop half a mile away. Still haven't built the thing.

[Rob Hall]

I bought the orange AMT Challenger promo from Chrysler's online store back in '08-09.

[Chuck Most]

Oh, and I do remember the Challenger promo's box art- had some cheesy saying on it like "This model may cause the rest of your collection to come unglued".