I am in Northern NJ, drove by a dealer in Ramsey on 17 North (Mazda/Subaru)...
Saw 2 STis (Blue - silver and White - gold) parked right in front of dealership.. WOW, really nice looking cars.. A young dealer saw me admiring the STis and rushed to help me.. His first words were: I drove one today and it's unbelievable.. His second words were: My friend has brand new M3 but this is better. His reputation was immediately diminished in my eyes.. I kept myself quiet and thought: this is gonna be entertaining.. He went on describing the car, blah blah, everything I knew for about 1/2 a year now thanks to forums, Subaru web site, etc..
Then he went on: We have about 6 people in line for this car, BUT we are only marking them UP $5000, as opposed to 2 other local dealers marking them $8k and $11k over, and he went on telling me the dealers names (yes, here in NJ, we are fortunate to have 3 Subaru dealerships within 10 mile radius)... I am like: Get outta here, but my mouth didnt move a bit and I thought: WOW, this guy is more entertaining than I originally thought...
When I inquired about choosing wheel color - he said: u cant pick that!!!! U can only pick the vehicle color and rushed me towards to windows sticket, where he pointed and read to me the wheel color listed, and tried to use this as a proof... I was lost for a bit there.. I know first few allocations are given/chosen by Subaru and simply given to dealers, but can someone confirm if this is true? I would definitely wanna be able to pick me wheel color..
Then the funny happened: He is like: This car is very sporty that it requires a huge wing in the back AND..... the wing FLEXES on PURPOSE... so does Aluminum hood. I looked at him in AWE (literally), as he rushed to the front of the white STi to open the hood and make me grab it in order for me to weigh in.. Hood and Wing flex as designed by Subaru for this super sport car, he repeated......... Go on already, I thought....
He let me sit inside one, it was nice, gauges were in nice red color and interior didnt feel as cramped as EVO (which I saw about 45 minutes previously)...
He went inside and took my info, as I carefully warned him:
I want silver with silver wheels, all 3 options (turbo gauge, Center armrest and wheel locks), not a penny more than MSRP and don't even attempt to call me if u can't give me that exact car for MSRP or less...
He suddenly went into defense mode and said: If u can get me in writing the MSRP or lesses price from ANY subaru dealership, we will gladly MATCH it immediately.. I thought: not the dealer games again, I am too old for this, but my lips didn't move a bit again... After reading many many posts here how many cool dealers sell @ MSRP only, made me think, oh well.. too bad I wont pay a penny over MSRP and I am not aobut to start racing around dealerships trying to get MSRP contracts in writing.. I do understand that I live in Northern NJ, where every 3rd house costs more than 1/2 a million bucks and there are TONS of rich corporate folks, including young adults with high paying tech jobs and fat wallets with money to burn... So I thought: I understand that dealer is trying to make that $5000 profit mark up and they probably will. and I am a potential customer but my name will go in the back of the list since I am not willing to pay over MSRP..
Surprisingly he didn't offer me to get in line for my MSRP Subaru, even though I clearly mentioned a few times that I would be happy to get on one..
About Mitsubishi dealership: Went right before Subaru Dealerhsip.. Holy moly.. There were 3 outside and 5 inside.. 2 outside were spoken for, or so the dealer said and so they looked, since they were locked and looked preped for delivery.. One outside was available for test drive (which I was denied, since he said: ONLY if u very serious about getting the car asap), but my mistake I mentioned that I wasnt planning on buying a car today or withing 30 days, for that matter.. So my TD was denied, and I dont miss it just yet.. So it looks like there are PLENTY of EVOs in dealerships, even with Movie kraze and everyone rushing to get the same one as our movie hero drove... I see the same trend coming up with STi, limited, but definitely availablle to every wingle "JOE" with $31k burning in their pockets.... $3000 market adjust on the Stickers, but I am sure they were easily moved @ MSRP if I was ready to make a deal...

 

So when are you getting your car? Too bad you're not in Canada, I got mine for MSRP not a penny more and I got the free gauge cluster DIN that goes on top, two nice key chains and TWO HIGH quality TEAM Canada Subaru WRC rally baseball caps. It says STi on the back as well.

As far as my sales guy... dream like. I could not have imagined a better sales experience. The guy was so good over the course of four months...

 

congrats.. soon I hope, if I can get MSRP

 

I will be visiting the Ramsey dealer today after what you have said and listen to his pointless and humorous remarks about the car. I will try to make him look as stupid as possible by asking very technical questions hehe and then I will tell him that he is a moron for trying to get 5000 over msrp...

Only dealer you can rely on around here is Liberty Subaru in Oradell...family operated...never over msrp.

 

u have my blessing, get back to me/us and let us know how it went. Ryan was the kid trying to educate me..
Have fun..

 

Yes, I heard great things about Liberty also, Loui, my friend got the very 1st one from there.. Blue and gold..

 

we just got the same quote from salerno duane in jersey city. 5k over msrp. to make it even worse my father-in-law put down a deposit/order back when they announced it. **sigh** i wonder if a call to subaru of america would help in this case?

 

I envy the hats, but I do get a free SCCA membership out of owning my car. How willing are you to drive to get a car? I bet if you start looking at dealers semi-far away (30 minutes+ by highway) then you'll probably find one for MSRP and possibly the options like you want them, like I did. I didn't really have any preference as to the options, being that I just was excited to even get an STi straight up, no waiting lists or anything. I actually really like the armrest extension and the security system is always nice to have. Anyways, just try calling all the places that are like 20 miles away or more and see what they've got.

 

I paid MSRP but I also pre-ordered ($200 dep) about a month before the official North American Auto Show announcement.

The other 2 cars that came into the same dealer at the same time I picked mine up (they were not "spoke for"), had an extra item on the invoice called "Market adjustment- $4000".

I'm glad a pre-ordered because thats lame

 

Why not make a short drive to PA? Becker Subaru in Allentown is a dealer I would recommend, give them a call, they may have what you want.
I bought my WRX there as soon as it was available. I got it for $1000 below MSRP in April of 2001, I was able to pick the colour and options as well.

 

Wow man you got some time on your hands huh. Id spend less time writing and more time driving. Find one at MSRP and go out and enjoy!

 

MSRP doesn't seem too hard to find. I toyed with getting an M3 when they were just coming out. Dealer said 9 months waiting list. two days later he called and offered me my choice of color for immediate delivery.

I'll get an STi eventually (3-9 months) when the craziness dies
down. Single guy with 3 cars and a Mortgage has to plan.
Daddy ain't buying me %$@# like a lot of the kids on this
site.

by the way...the Nashua NH dealership has a real @$hole working there. Has told more than one person that that don't "need" the STi. He has refused test drives and even viewing of his cars. Obviously, don't buy from there if you have
the choice.

 

Advice from a married guy, two kids, cars and a mortgage - Always put in a pre-order. You get MSRP and you dont have to wait until the hoopla dies down

 

skieman,

Too bad that rule doesn't always apply, my father-in-law got screwed. $500 down after the NA announcement in Detroit. We were 2nd on the list. Last Saturday he was screwed by the sales manager. He sold it out from under us after telling us that he wanted 5K over MSRP (note we never refused the order).

The lesson here is to get absolutely everything in writing, regardless of whether or not your a repeat customer.

 

Ouch!! I guess so.. sorry to hear