Not sure if it's across all new car dealerships, looked at Tri Power Ford, & various price options shown?? You (get today's best price) have to fill in online form, internet price or ring? Seems the case for new & used. Is this some kind of sales ploy?? Not the case in Australia, prices are all freely available online, one price & of course you can negotiate from there.

 

My local stealership refuses to negotiate. They replied the posted price is the price so they've lost my business permanently.

 

Nothing worse than dealership salespeople in the US. I bet Australia is WAY better as far as honesty unless our snake oil salesmen have gone 'down under'. Yeah, there are a few exceptions but the good dealerships are few and far between. They will rip off locals, never mind outsiders. If they can squeeze a dollar out of you, they will. It's unfortunate and hard to find the honest ones.
Can you really afford to have one imported to you? My mate in SA wanted my '07 Mustang GT/CS I sold in 2022 but the costs were over $20k on top of the car price itself. I know some Aussies on the Dodge forum that have paid crazy prices to get Challengers imported there plus I think they said something negative about having the steering wheel on the other side? I forgot now..
If you do want to buy a US based car, just keep asking and maybe someone will actually have experience with that dealership, whether good or bad. Sadly, despite buying Ford Mustangs since 1982, I can only recommend one Ford dealership today and it's in Wisconsin where I bought my 2014. I would not steer family or friends to any other. They would be on their own. and I would wish them well. Not good. The same holds true for Dodge and GM. I could recommend just 1 and neither is where I bought my car. Things change....

 

Yes it is (usually) a sales ploy ... they are just trying to get you to respond, so they can go to work on you. Next they will say anything to get you in to the salesroom so they can start working their manipulation skills. Most of it is very transparent, but also very annoying. The will add another $1,000 in "fees" and pretend that is not part of the "price." You cannot trust anything until you see the final sales order form with all of the numbers on it ... and make sure you check their math.

All that said, if you are serious about the car and you do want to talk with that dealership about the car, it doesn't hurt to click the button and ask for their best price; just do that knowing they are probably just trying to get your contact information.

That depends on whether the "posted price" is a good price or not. There used to be a small dealer near me who actually would give their best price right up front. It was like a breath of fresh air. Of course I would test that a little, but a good price is a good price regardless of how you get there. And the only way to tell a "good price" is by comparing to what other dealers are offering; discounts off MSRP or "X over invoice" is all meaningless BS; the only thing that matters is the bottom line (including all of the "fees") compared to the bottom line from other dealers.