People,
Like me (but not many), ordered the car in October of 1988, after seeing the magazine articles.
However, I am sure alot of them ran into trouble like I did.
See, certain car magazines, like Autoweek, let the news out real early (but no photos).
Most magazines didn't get the true info out until the mule cars were built, and lent out.
I was lucky to get to test drive one (a mule car, and another story) in October of 1988 as well.
It helped to have friends in Pontiac at the time.
I knew John Sawark (Pontiac Historian, has since died) at the time, as well as the head of Public Relations West Coast (now a VP for SEMA), as well as the head (at the time) of Pontiac.
I had been into Pontiac Trans Ams since 1976, and been heavy into the Pontiac/Trans Am car shows since 1984 (and even knew a few people here on this website back then).
I met the head of Pontiac at a car show in 1987, at a P.O.C.I. Western Regional Show.
In early 1988, I contacted all these people, asking them if I can get a deal on a 20th TTA.
They told me that they couldn't help me, as the dealerships didn't have to abide by Pontiac dealerships, as to get a car cheap.
But I could "drop their names".
I had contacted about 20 different Pontiac dealerships in 1988, and asked them all if they would sell me a TTA at window sticker.
The most common answer was, "What's a 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am?"
When I explained it to them, and the amount Pontiac was going to build (at the time, the amount was 2,000 then 1,500 made).
They then said that either they wouldn't be getting one (as there were more dealerships than cars), or, that they would be asking way more over window sticker.
Since 1978, when Chevy came out with a Limited Production Corvette, prices could pull over $50,000 over the window sticker.
Anyone around when the 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am came out?
I don't remember ever seeing one sell for window sticker (the same with any limited productions Trans Am, the Indy Turbo, and the NASCAR Turbo Trans Ams).
Most prices I then got, were from $10,000 to $25,000 over window sticker.
A few even talked maybe more.
Dealerships are greedy big time.
After getting no where with any of these dealerships (I had contacted dealerships from California to Alaska, to as far back as New York), I finally decided to try a different track.
I had even got into local dealerships and ask the salesmen, and got no where.
What did I do different?
I decided to go into the dealership, and go right to the Fleet Manager.
Why?
Because they order cars for the dealership.
I decided to try my dealership that I had bought another new Trans Am (a 1981 Turbo Trans Am Special Edition, which I still have to this day) from.
I went into the dealership, and got attacked by 3 different salesmen.
They told me that they could sell me a car.
Trust me, after going thru 20 dealerships, and getting no where, I didn't listen to them.
I just kept walking into the back, where I found the Fleet Manager.
I asked her (first time I had seen a woman Fleet Manager) if I could take up some of her time.
She said sure.
I told her what car I was looking for, and what I was willing to pay.
She said that if they got one, it would probably go for 10 grand over the window sticker.
I then pulled out a sheet of paper, with 5 names and phone numbers on it, and kindy asked her if she know who these people where.
She said she didn't.
I then told her that after talking with these people, she and the dealership might sell me the car for the price of the window sticker.
She said she doubted it.
I told her to please find out who these people were, before calling them.
I gave her a business card with my phone number, and if she could call me afterwards, to let me know.
Now, this dealership was in Santa Monica, which is in the SoCal area.
I lived in Torrance at the time, so the drive home was slightly over a half hour away.
I come home, park my car, and just as I am unlocking my front door, I hear my phone ringing.
I rush to get it, only to be cussed at.
I mean every cuss word you can think of, by a woman.
I had to pull the phone away from my ear, and when I put it back, I calmly asked, "Is this Miss Teague, from the Pontiac dealership I was just at?"
She answered yes, and that why didn't I tell her who the people on my list were?
I just laughed, and told her that I told her to find out first.
She then told me that I can get the car for window sticker.
Now, back then, before the cars were built, the price the car magazines (and your invoice) showed 24 grand.
It wasn't until the car was built, that the price came to over 31 grand.
I've got more stories to tell, but maybe later.
I hope this answered some questions for you,
George :beach:
) TTA. My mom did most of the shopping and dad did the dealing. I think only the 4 big Pontiac dealers in Rochester were getting 2 and two smaller ones were getting 1 each(Jim's car came from 1 of those smaller 1's Pitts Pont.)We ended up getting ours from Piehler Pontiac, they had two, 1 was ordered in December '88 and picked up on a flatbed by a collector in March the day it arrived. Parents got the second in beginning of April, car had not been deliverd to dealer yet. They took delivery on a vary cool and rainy Tuesday May 9th with 13 miles on the car. I can also remember that Ralph Pontiac sat on their last 1 with a dealer mark up until some time in late '90. Every time we'd pass buy it was sitting in their showroom.
