2020 Fiat 500X Sport at the LA Auto Show

[mp4guy]

I just check our Fiat studio, for new 500X inventory. They only have 3 2018 models left. No 2019. The next large city east of us. A least has 2 2019 500X’s. Really good discounts, of $7k.

https://www.fiatusaofmetroeast.com/n...vBodyStyle=SUV

There is something very strange about this pricing. Especially for a new model out of the box.

My local dealer has no 2019s. They said there were some production delays, FWIW.

[FiatCares]

I live in the Mid-Hudson Valley, about 60 miles north of NYC, a FWD CUV/SUV is not an option around here. People commute to the city and with all the mountains and hills, between a car with AWD and FWD, people pick AWD. You can see that in resale value of a CUV/SUV with only FWD in this area. I was a sales manager at a dealership and FWD versions are pretty much worthless compared to a comparable AWD car. The only way to sell a FWD SUV is to discount it substantially compared to an identical AWD SUV. For 90% of anyone buying a SUV, going with AWD in this area (likely any northern area with mountains) will pay if resale value is a concern.



Getting back to the car, I've just spent a week driving the new 500X and regardless of what some magazine says a 0-60 time is, the car is substantially peppier to drive in real world driving conditions. The extra torque and transmission performance compared to our old 500X is night and day. The transmission is seamless now, and no longer do you feel the different types of shift qualities depending on which gear you are going into and out of. The engine is definitely an upgrade in performance and driveability over the old one.

Hello Fiat500USA,
Thank you for being a valued member of the Fiat family! We’re happy you're enjoying your vehicle. If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to our team. We are always happy to help.
Laura
FiatCares

[smark]

There is something very strange about this pricing. Especially for a new model out of the box.

My local dealer has no 2019s. They said there were some production delays, FWIW.

Des Moines Iowa. Billion Fiat/Alfa 250 miles north of Kansas City. Has 10 2019, 500X. Why so many in a smaller city?

https://www.fiatusaofclive.com/new-inventory/index.htm?search=&model=500X&year=2019&gvBodyStyle=SUV

300 miles south of me. Only 2 2019 500X’s. Discounted $7K.

https://www.jimgloverdodge.com/new-vehicles/#action=im_ajax_call&perform=get_results&search=2019+Fiat+500x&page=1

[map]

I find Fiat pricing confusing. There must be a lot of markup (for the dealer) on some models. Even in the same dealer chain, the pricing can vary by thousands. Locally the 2019 500X is discounted $2K. For an additional savings of $5500 to $7500, it might be worth taking a flight. Of course, I'd have to check how many hidden fees a dealer tacks on, first.

Last December I paid $1200 less than the local dealer's price, by purchasing 210 miles South (same dealer chain). 45 miles North, they sold for $5K more than my price. I thought it worth a one day road trip to save that much.

[mp4guy]

The dealer franchise system is such a joke.

[Fiat500USA]

I find Fiat pricing confusing. There must be a lot of markup (for the dealer) on some models. Even in the same dealer chain, the pricing can vary by thousands. Locally the 2019 500X is discounted $2K. For an additional savings of $5500 to $7500, it might be worth taking a flight. Of course, I'd have to check how many hidden fees a dealer tacks on, first.

Last December I paid $1200 less than the local dealer's price, by purchasing 210 miles South (same dealer chain). 45 miles North, they sold for $5K more than my price. I thought it worth a one day road trip to save that much.

There is very little markup on the cars. The discounts come from rebates (which we all know about) plus dealer incentives being passed onto consumers. For example, when a dealer sells a certain number of cars (sales goal), they sometimes get a credit or "coupon". Then they may take these coupons and stack and apply them towards a car to lower the price to make a deal or to advertise a deep discount to bring people in. These credits or coupons are limited and sometimes they'll use up all the credits that month to make deals or the incentive programs change, etc. and they can't offer a similar huge discount on another car.

You can see the dealer cost on sites like Edmunds, etc. Dealers may even blow out the car at dead cost, near it or even below if the car is on the lot a long time. That's the only way to sell cars a year or two model years older than a brand new one sitting next to them on the lot.

The thing with these credits is they are there to help keep the lights on and keep the dealership open. Buying a car at a rock bottom deal is cool, but there is a downside and that maybe one tech, no loaners and no staff to help when you need it. Sadly, when some rogue dealers started deep discounting the cars like a typical American car dealership, the cars became seen as distressed merchandise and others had to follow. That contributed to us losing some great standalone Fiat dealers.

Originally, the concept was going to be we all paid one fair price and you got a great dealership experience. More like a typical European car buying experiences where people prioritize service, technical merits and lifestyle aspects of a specialized car and not just getting a huge rebate like on a minivan. That ship seems to have sailed...