Greetings, I put a deposit down for the 2009 ZR1 about 2 1/2 years ago at "my" Chevy dealer from whom I have bought many GM cars, including trucks, vettes. I have probably bought 15+ GM vehicles over the years. I was told 2 1/2 years ago that the price for this "iffy" car would be around the same ratio as the 5K overcharge I paid for my yellow velocity early production 2006 Z06.
I was called to order my ZR1 this week since I was #1 on the allocation list of this dealer's 4 allocations. I was told that, by the way, the price would be between 2-4 times the MSRP (250K to 500K).
Tadge Juechter, the new Chief of Corvette Engineering, has urged GM ZR1 dealers to respect the MSRP. I am very upset with the greed and disregard for customer loyalty in a down-turn economy. Is there any recourse? Has anyone out there put down a good-faith deposit and had a greedy Chevy dealer try to overlook an agreement 2 1/2 years ago? I have a witness to the conversation. Does GM really want their franchised dealers to screw loyal, long-term customers? Are there enough of us who put forth honest money for this beautiful ZR1 and were "used?" How about a class action complaint?
Vette enthusiast for 30+ years....
Let the madness begin!!! Anyone who pays over or has encourages this and they have learned to wait and sit tight till someone breaks and parts w/ their money. This happened w/ the 1st Zr1 and look how they fell through the floor from the MSRP try to remember what some paid over. It happened in o1 and by 03 it was over and I paid 4700. under sticker. It happened in 06 and here in 08 I paid 5100. under sticker. This time I wait and I'm buying used from a nut like me who takes the loss 3 years from now. Won't even consider giving this company 100,000 dollars for any car they make w/ a policy of changing out defective rocker arms one by one on their top of the line 77000. dollar Z06!!!!!! And I'm a GM loyalist for years but enough is enough!!
I would't walk....I'd RUN away from that Stealership if he tried to pull that crap on me.
Mike
....and I'd make damn sure he was reminded of my years of loyal business when I walked out for the last time, ensuring him along the way that my face would never darken the door of his business ever again.
Been there done that. I will not tolerate being treated that way.
Hi to all Z06 enthusiasts on this blog site and thanks for your comments thus far. I plan to search out some helpful executives in the GM hierarchy, including customer relations, to see if they can help me work through this situation with their greedy, franchised dealer that owns a number of dealerships throughout the country. I really want this car but would not buy it or any other GM car if this greedy behavior continues or is condoned by the higher-ups at GM. Since I suspect that such greed is being displayed likely by other big corvette GM dealers, I would think that some collective pressure could be brought to bear on these dealers by affecting future allocations. Does anyone know e-mail addresses of influential GM/Chevrolet/Corvette key powerbrokers? Thx. Corvette enthusiast for 30 years+
I had been #2 on my dealer's list for at least 13 months and have emails from him to back that up. I had purchased my current Z06 from him new back in September 2005 and wanted a new ZR1. I knew all along I would be paying over MSRP - the question was "how much over MSRP."
This dealer, alone with all other dealers that I know about wouldn't talk about their allocation when the number were released by GM a few days ago. I guess that is irrelevant in a sense; however, he also wouldn't get serious and discuss pricing. I asked him to just name a figure over MSRP and he wouldn't do it. Here was his last reply to me on that subject:
"Hey Johnie,
This ZR1 launch has been a mess man...I have not called anyone yet.......I will be in touch though....depending on what you are thinking price wise...let me know, will determine what I can or cannot do....
I am already looking for more ways to obtain additional allocation so I can participate at the level we want to.
More soon sir
deleted
So, all the dealers are all the same on the ZR1. They absolutely do not care if they ever have repeat business again - they are simply interested in seeing how much they can get out of the few ZR1s they will get. Actually, it's not even the dealers but the individual salesmen. I bought my Z06 from a sales person at Spitzer and followed him on to his new location thinking like all of you do that they care about repeat sales. The repeat sales philosophy is probably only true locally where you live and that only in some cases.
Why wouldn't this salesman who I had given business to before just name a figure over MSRP? Here's my guess: most of these dealers are all in the same boat, they do not know how much they can get out of the ZR1 so they do not want to tip their hands too early to find out they could have sold one for a lot more. Don't call it greed - it's capitalism, and don't think they care about your repeat business - THEY ARE CAR SALESMEN! Don't ever forget why car salesmen have a certain reputation.
GM likes the ZR1 because it draws attention to the Chevrolet line much like Dodge depends upon the Viper. Now, let's switch gears a second. Not wanting to play this sales person's BS I contacted a local Dodge dealer and told him I wanted to order a Viper ACR. He said he didn't think he could because they aren't set up to work on Vipers but contacted me within two days with three dealers who could help me, AND one did and I have the following on confirmed order + I'm keeping the Z06. By the way - Viper ACR's sell for over list too but you don't play the same game, they just name a figure - and you can take it or leave it.
__________________ 2006 C6 Z06
Last edited by johniew398 : 06-22-2008 at 08:14 AM.
Not to become flame-bait here, but maybe a couple of counterpoints to help stimulate the discussion.
First, think about any other car in the world at the ZR1's level of capability and exclusivity...long waiting lists, many thousands over MSRP, elusive and mysterious etc.
In fact, for those of you who read Automobile magazine, you may remember an article called, "So, you want a Ferrari?" a number of months ago detailing how this kind of stuff is par-for-the-course when dealing with anything new coming from the home of the prancing horse.
If this car is supposed to be GM's "Enzo," wouldn't it follow that it would be almost as difficult to get and, while still a fraction of the cost, only available to those who could truly afford it?
Second, by and large, GM (and its dealer network) are getting their respective financial butts kicked. Thousands of Suburbans sitting on dealership lots, unmoved 2007 Cobalts as 2009s hit, and people just not buying new cars right now. My guess is that an extra $50K-$100K on top of MSRP right now offsets an awful lot of unsold Impalas. If they feel like they can get it, they will...after all, this kind of mark-up may be one of the only things keeping them in the black right now.
Am I saying I agree with what's going on, that it's the "right" thing for them to do, it's "deserved," etc.? No.
After all, every time I get done giddily answering the first question about my ordered car..."How fast is it?"...and then am asked the inevitable..."So, how much did it cost?"...its all I can do to so much as muster a smile.
Anyway, just maybe pumping a little extra fuel through the injectors of reality...
-DV
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Last edited by DarthVette : 06-22-2008 at 08:48 AM.
Not to become flaim-bait here, but maybe a couple of counterpoints to help stimulate the discussion....
Second, by and large, GM (and it's dealer network) are getting their respective financial butts kicked. Thousands of Suburbans sitting on dealership lots, unmoved 2007 Cobalts as 2009s hit, people just not buying new cars right now. My guess is that an extra $50K-$100K on top of MSRP right now offsets an awful lot of unsold Impalas. If they feel like they can get it, they will...afterall, this kind of mark-up may be one of the only things keeping them in the black right now.....
Anyway, just maybe pumping a little extra fuel through the injectors of reality...
-DV
True - just look at the dealer's lots crammed full of trucks that won't sell.
I don't want to divulge too much info on this board. All I will say is that I have had a deposit on this car since 2005 and am not happy with the STEALERSHIP!
There is no loyalty to the customer, PERIOD.
__________________
Come to the Z06 Fest!
Performin' Norman
Hey Norman! How about these apples. I usually purchase around 100,000 to 400,000 dollars worth of chev's a year. I called my dealership yesterday and asked for a quote of delivery in November. They said they would let me know the price. If the price is thousands above msrp, then they just lost a valuable customer. I hope they don't try an unload crappy quote to me or I'll be pissed!
I don't want to divulge too much info on this board. All I will say is that I have had a deposit on this car since 2005 and am not happy with the STEALERSHIP!
There is no loyalty to the customer, PERIOD.
This is the dealership that is wanting 250K to 500K for each ZR1 for 2009. I called GM and they told me that they cannot control their franchisees and are not willing to downgrade their relationship with the dealer! What about the loyal GM customer. Things are getting lots clearer!
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.....forget that piss ant and start checking the major dealers around the countrty
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