Price increase already on 2024 Mustangs!

[friscoaggie]

The GG is a federal tax, due at signing; Ford carves this tax out and sends it to the GOV. But ya, probably a good time to have a sit-down with the salesperson and maybe the GM.

Regarding taxes in-general, everyone should check with their salesperson and local DMV. In my experience, I paid all taxes (federal GG, state sales , city sales) in-full at the time of sale, except the CO personal use taxes (license plate/user tax). As the car had never being registered anywhere, the dealer advised the state of CO 1) the car existed, 2) I owned it. After the state acknowledged the dealer, I picked up a receipt, taking that to the DMV and 1) paid general vehicle registration fees, 2) received physical plates. Each county and state could have their own, unique processes.

If you're buying out-of-state, definitely check with your DMV; they can help clarify any of these topics, provide forms, POCs, etc., to facilitate sale and pick-up.

While discussing any of the above with the salesperson, clarify or confirm doc fees, add-ons and other like items. Most of us make general assumptions which work out. Unfortunately, sometimes we're met with surprises.

Anyone should consider creating a planning/budget spreadsheet. I used one to input every conceivable item (car, taxes, maintenance, insurance, aftermarket items, detailing supplies, gas) I'd have to buy or pay for in the first five years. If I could not confirm real-world pricing over the Internet, I physically visited businesses and received quotes (PPF, tint, ceramic coating). Then, I added 10% to all that, as a buffer. It worked well. Had some losses and unexpected expenses. Had a few things break in my favor. If anyone is budget-constrained, they should seriously consider hitting the pause button, possibly cancelling their order.

Would be interested in hearing your budgeting for PPF/Ceramic coverage if you are willing to share.

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[Grabber_GT]

I just built the same car on the online build and configure, and it was the same exact price as it was before. All they did was add on the destination charge to the starting MSRP...

So looks like only the manuals went up $1000 for the GG tax.

 

[Baldilocks]

I just built the same car on the online build and configure, and it was the same exact price as it was before. All they did was add on the destination charge to the starting MSRP...

So looks like only the manuals went up $1000 for the GG tax.

Same. I still don't understand why the auto is an extra charge - I guess to make it "fair"? Auto is a no cost option in the new M2, for example.

 

[gearhead350]

Hell, if I’m paying a $1000 ‘premium’ to get a meh MT-82 I’ll gladly pay $2000 to get a tremec. I had always thought the reason for the lazy gearing in the MT-82 was to avoid the gas guzzler tax

 

[Bikeman315]

Hell, if I’m paying a $1000 ‘premium’ to get a meh MT-82 I’ll gladly pay $2000 to get a tremec. I had always thought the reason for the lazy gearing in the MT-82 was to avoid the gas guzzler tax

It was and it would be worse if it had the pre 18 gearing. But the S650 has more HP with the dual throttle bodies and I’m guessing that’s what put it over the limit.

 

[Grabber_GT]

Same. I still don't understand why the auto is an extra charge - I guess to make it "fair"? Auto is a no cost option in the new M2, for example.

Well with the manuals GG tax, that only makes the 10 speed like $595 more now...

 

[gearhead350]

Well with the manuals GG tax, that only makes the 10 speed like $595 more now...

Exactly. I would’ve optioned the A10 if I had known this when I placed my order

 

[Bikeman315]

Exactly. I would’ve optioned the A10 if I had known this when I placed my order

Have you spoken to your dealer yet. Due to the nature of this situation Ford should allow you to cancel this order and reorder with the A10. That's if and only if the GT GG tax is really new or the whole thing was just a big mixup.

 

[gearhead350]

Have you spoken to your dealer yet. Due to the nature of this situation Ford should allow you to cancel this order and reorder with the A10. That's if and only if the GT GG tax is really new or the whole thing was just a big mixup.

Just hung up with my salesman. He swears I’m locked in at price level 420 which does not have a GG tax. Price level 425 which started on 4/19 has the $1000 tax for GT manuals. He said it is a change in ‘final’ MSRP that I’m exempt from because of my signed purchase agreement at price level 420. My guy has been a Ford salesman for over 40 years & knows his stuff. We’ll see when the car gets here I suppose

 

[Bikeman315]

Just hung up with my salesman. He swears I’m locked in at price level 420 which does not have a GG tax. Price level 425 which started on 4/19 has the $1000 tax for GT manuals. He said it is a change in ‘final’ MSRP that I’m exempt from because of my signed purchase agreement at price level 420. My guy has been a Ford salesman for over 40 years & knows his stuff. We’ll see when the car gets here I suppose

Good, I'm happy to hear that. Just make sure to keep them honest when the car arrives.

 

[Skye]

Would be interested in hearing your budgeting for PPF/Ceramic coverage if you are willing to share.

It's a topic worth thinking about while waiting for the car. It's also a great time to study, tour and get quotes from any facilities you're considering.

Each person is going to have their own perspective and opinion on this. And there are practical matters, such as how much you'll be driving the car, where you live and the lightness or darkness of the paint hue.

I wanted to keep my car as best I could. The DOT drops sand and salt on the roads for several months of the year here, not all of which is picked up in the Spring. We are also experiencing a huge surge in people moving to CO. Thirty percent of road traffic is heavy construction, dump trucks, landscapers, dirt, rocks and concrete. Ford's paint itself is physically thinner than previous generations. Mine has a bit of pearl in it; several S650 hues do. It can be difficult to match if repainting or repairing.

I found a local shop which does PPF, ceramic, tint, detailing, etc. They are a Xpel PPF franchisee, have access to this cutout database and all that. I was very comfortable discussing the topics. They never tried to upsell. They work on vehicles from Porsche GT3s to Hondas.

PPF, at least on the front third, A-pillars, wheel wells, rockers, seemed like a good idea.

They had three PPF packages, each covering the car in thirds, $3000 per third.

I decided to PPF the entire car. $9,000. In for a penny. In for a pound. The results? Even now, I have to get close to the car and study where the PPF "lines" are. The material was pre-cut on a plotter. The designs allowed it to be laid across each panel, with an additional bit leftover, to wrap around the edges of each panel. Overall, it's flawless. Everything is straight, true, clear. I'm glad I did it.

Some have expressed concern about "shininess", that a PPF car is too shinny. It looks fake. Mine looks like it did the day I bought it, with a nice polish. No weird effects, hazes or odd appearances. In previous generations of PPF, it might have looked "weird", but every car I saw done at this place looked great.

Xpel PPF is warranted for 10 years.

Maintenance? None. You do have to pay attention to a few things. Never was a hot car (water spots), especially one with PPF. PPF uses heat and UV rays from the Sun to repair itself. You don't want to be man-handling the material when it's hot. Stay away from waxes or soaps which might discolor it over time. The detailers who'd install it can give recommendations. It's all off-the-shelf. Nothing special is required.

If considering, I'd do at least the entire front third, A-pillars, rocker panels and wheel wells, especially if a dark-colored car. As much of that as you can afford.

Ceramic coating the paint was worth discussing. But while it keeps the car cleaner and helps prevent the paint from fading, it doesn't offer protection from chips. I mean, it does offer some protection, but nothing of the strength of PPF.

Ceramic coating the entire car: $3000.

I did not ceramic coat anything. I didn't see the need for it. Some do. I saw that (PPF with ceramic overlay) as over-the-top, like if I owned the GT3. Some PPF the front third, then ceramic coat the rest of the car. So, about $5-6,000 for a PPF/ceramic mix.

You could think of it in levels. PPF 1/3: $3000. PPF 1/3 and ceramic the rest: $6000. PPF everything with no ceramic: $9000.

Ceramic tint is a no-brainer here, to help block light and UV rays while keeping things cool. This shop used an Xpel product as well.

Xpel Ceramic tint, all windows, 30% (legal in CO), entire windshield, 70% (illegal in CO) : $500, total.

Ceramic blocks virtually all UV rays, does not affect radio signals, does not affect polarized sunglasses or driving lenses. As with the PPF, it's flawless. The windshield? You can hardly tell it's been tinted. The factory is 80%. I just darkened it a bit more. Zero impact when driving at night.

UV protection? I went out on one of my first drives after Winter storage a short time ago. Piercing Sun. It was great. Drove Skye like I would any other day. Once home, I parked at the edge of the drive and walked in. In a short walk of about 60 feet / 18 m, my glasses turned black. Like someone had spray painted them. That's how good the UV protection is. In the car, they were clear. Some places also have demos using heat lamps to show how much it blocks, versus previous generations of tint.

A lot to consider. Good time to contemplate. CO is a bit more expensive than Texas. Unless you live in Austin , I'd expect your costs to be no more than mine, if not a bit less. Good time to sketch out a few ideas and tour some shops.

 

[Zathras]

These prices make me feel old. My senior year of high school, MSRP on a Mustang GT was $13k. Granted that didn't include AC, ABS, airbags, 4-wheel discs, IRS, or power anything, it was basically a shiny crate with four wheels and a V8.

 

[Skye]

I hear ya. My first car, used, cost all of $400. My parents bought their first house for less than the base price of a DH. I know it's different adjusting for inflation and all, but still. It can make one pause.

 

[friscoaggie]

It's a topic worth thinking about while waiting for the car. It's also a great time to study, tour and get quotes from any facilities you're considering.

Each person is going to have their own perspective and opinion on this. And there are practical matters, such as how much you'll be driving the car, where you live and the lightness or darkness of the paint hue.

I wanted to keep my car as best I could. The DOT drops sand and salt on the roads for several months of the year here, not all of which is picked up in the Spring. We are also experiencing a huge surge in people moving to CO. Thirty percent of road traffic is heavy construction, dump trucks, landscapers, dirt, rocks and concrete. Ford's paint itself is physically thinner than previous generations. Mine has a bit of pearl in it; several S650 hues do. It can be difficult to match if repainting or repairing.

I found a local shop which does PPF, ceramic, tint, detailing, etc. They are a Xpel PPF franchisee, have access to this cutout database and all that. I was very comfortable discussing the topics. They never tried to upsell. They work on vehicles from Porsche GT3s to Hondas.

PPF, at least on the front third, A-pillars, wheel wells, rockers, seemed like a good idea.

They had three PPF packages, each covering the car in thirds, $3000 per third.

I decided to PPF the entire car. $9,000. In for a penny. In for a pound. The results? Even now, I have to get close to the car and study where the PPF "lines" are. The material was pre-cut on a plotter. The designs allowed it to be laid across each panel, with an additional bit leftover, to wrap around the edges of each panel. Overall, it's flawless. Everything is straight, true, clear. I'm glad I did it.

Some have expressed concern about "shininess", that a PPF car is too shinny. It looks fake. Mine looks like it did the day I bought it, with a nice polish. No weird effects, hazes or odd appearances. In previous generations of PPF, it might have looked "weird", but every car I saw done at this place looked great.

Xpel PPF is warranted for 10 years.

Maintenance? None. You do have to pay attention to a few things. Never was a hot car (water spots), especially one with PPF. PPF uses heat and UV rays from the Sun to repair itself. You don't want to be man-handling the material when it's hot. Stay away from waxes or soaps which might discolor it over time. The detailers who'd install it can give recommendations. It's all off-the-shelf. Nothing special is required.

If considering, I'd do at least the entire front third, A-pillars, rocker panels and wheel wells, especially if a dark-colored car. As much of that as you can afford.

Ceramic coating the paint was worth discussing. But while it keeps the car cleaner and helps prevent the paint from fading, it doesn't offer protection from chips. I mean, it does offer some protection, but nothing of the strength of PPF.

Ceramic coating the entire car: $3000.

I did not ceramic coat anything. I didn't see the need for it. Some do. I saw that (PPF with ceramic overlay) as over-the-top, like if I owned the GT3. Some PPF the front third, then ceramic coat the rest of the car. So, about $5-6,000 for a PPF/ceramic mix.

You could think of it in levels. PPF 1/3: $3000. PPF 1/3 and ceramic the rest: $6000. PPF everything with no ceramic: $9000.

Ceramic tint is a no-brainer here, to help block light and UV rays while keeping things cool. This shop used an Xpel product as well.

Xpel Ceramic tint, all windows, 30% (legal in CO), entire windshield, 70% (illegal in CO) : $500, total.

Ceramic blocks virtually all UV rays, does not affect radio signals, does not affect polarized sunglasses or driving lenses. As with the PPF, it's flawless. The windshield? You can hardly tell it's been tinted. The factory is 80%. I just darkened it a bit more. Zero impact when driving at night.

UV protection? I went out on one of my first drives after Winter storage a short time ago. Piercing Sun. It was great. Drove Skye like I would any other day. Once home, I parked at the edge of the drive and walked in. In a short walk of about 60 feet / 18 m, my glasses turned black. Like someone had spray painted them. That's how good the UV protection is. In the car, they were clear. Some places also have demos using heat lamps to show how much it blocks, versus previous generations of tint.

A lot to consider. Good time to contemplate. CO is a bit more expensive than Texas. Unless you live in Austin , I'd expect your costs to be no more than mine, if not a bit less. Good time to sketch out a few ideas and tour some shops.

Golden, thank you will digest some and follow-up.

 

[RTFM]

A lot to consider. Good time to contemplate.

Great input, thoughts and numbers!

One other thing worth mentioning, which swayed me against doing PPF: if you are buying this as a forever car whatever the reason (last ICE, NA V8, MT …), know that the PFF does not last forever. You will need to replace the PPF in 10-15 years. And I’ll rather have the whole car repainted then instead.

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