Am I getting suckered?

[Driver_WT]

I think if dealers insist on demanding $1100.00 of people, hide it in the price and just tell people this is what they get at their dealership. $1100.00 if a lot of money to just add on as an “admin fee”.
You are in the business of selling cars. Why should someone have to pay you to sell them a car? That’s what you do.
Some people do not care about the extra 5k if it is stolen. 99.9% are not stolen so someone is making a ton of money off it. 99.9% do not lose their key fobs as well as people damaging their rims.
let the buyers decide if they want the extra coverage without being forced to take it.
Again, $1100 plus tax means close to $1300.00 and I would rather have that in my pocket than the dealers.

Well said

 

[WN Jeff]

I hate hearing these things. If this is true and they hold you to it, W-N is off my list as the place where I was going to get my C8 serviced.

We would be sorry to lose you over the price of the new C8 and we hope you'll reconsider!

Please stop by and just to say hi next time you are in the area!

Jeff

 

[WN Jeff]

Someone is getting suckered. Interested to see how this plays out. Hope Wilson Niblet chimes in...

We've chimed in! No one is getting suckered

 

[WN Jeff]

Wilson-Niblett is a Forum sponsor/vendor with a good reputation so you might consider contacting Jeff directly (start a conversation with "Wilson-Niblett") who frequents these Forums, to sort this out. You should be told whether you've received a 2021 allocation and whether your order is going in for that allocation. You shouldn't be "forced" to purchase a more expensive tire/rim warranty but rather allowed to walk away from something that's now higher priced. I wonder if you're dealing with an inexperienced salesperson??

Google or check out these Forums for an explanation of the GM vehicle production codes. When you're at 1100: ORDER PLACED AT DEALERSHIP / PRELIMINARY ORDER ACCEPTED. If you've got an allocation, once your order is submitted you should be at 3000: ORDER ACCEPTED BY PRODUCTION CONTROL. I'd hope by now (after 14 months) you've received an actual allocation. It sounds like that because you've mentioned a March 18 deadline: a dealership has a limited amount of time to submit an order to GM, when making use of an allocation it's received from GM.

Hopefully all this will get sorted out. If all else fails and given the tight timeline, ask to talk to a new vehicle sales manager if you're having doubts about your salesperson.

These Forums offer you a wealth of info; it's a matter of you sitting down and browsing through the various postings to educate yourself. Good luck and let us know how this works out.

Our General Manager reached out to the client personally!

 

[WN Jeff]

Just so you know it's worth.
I hit a pothole and ripped the tire and bent the rim. I was lucky that Uxbridge paid for it because I could prove it was the pothole that did the damage. The dealer told me it happens a lot with small sidewall tires. The price to replace the tire and rim was around $1500.00
I did not have pay for that insurance with Brian Cullen

Murray we see this all the time!

 

[WN Jeff]

Sorry to hear that.

But if you placed deposit in Feb 2020 and got an order number, and has been 1100 since then, I thought you would be protected from the price increases this March. Did you have a build sheet and a 5 letter order number from Feb/2020?

second, it sounds like your salesperson is finalizing your order and it is likely there is an actual allocation so after March 18, 2021 your order could advance to 2000 and 3000 pretty soon.

I think like others have suggested, may be write to Jeff here or talk to a sales manager to sort these out (price increase, allocation and required rims/wheels package)

Always happy to help. Our General Manager's cell phone is 416 997 0420, his name is Chris. Chris is always happy to discuss price, fees, allocation or anything you want to know!

 

[WN Jeff]

I can't speak to a C8 order, but I ordered my C7 from Wilson Niblett a few days before they cut off orders for that gen in 2019...nothing but good things to say about WN, my sales rep...no issues or pressure to buy anything I didn't want - I didn't pay for any extra packages or warranties.

Thank you so much!

 

[WN Jeff]

Wow ...
It's time to request and chat with that Dealership's General Sales Manager.
That person should best be able to help your decision
on whether you should follow thru from the $5k that they possess and
for spending your hard-earned income on a vehicle from Wilson Niblett
and without add-ons that you demand 15-30 days post delivery
to decide on (like I now do with extended warranty add-ons too).
It allows you to leave with the vehicle and then disclose your decision after.
This plays right toward your choice of where to service your vehicle(s) at too.

Mandatory pre-delivery extras that you have to sign a contract for,
sure smells strongly and unpleasantly like entitlement-selling shenanigans to me.
Something I would play no part of ... just like with scare-tactic selling as many
a Calgary Dealership Salespeople know from "Cap" & all 3 "CMPs"
and wherever these people relocate to.
I negotiated a trade of the "tire protection" add-on attempt during my most
recent purchase with an acceptable discount on accessories that I wanted.

Just my opinion ... and Best of Good Fortune to You

Good advice! Our General Manager did address the concern directly with the client!

 

[WN Jeff]

@Wilson-Niblett could you reach out to @zoslick to help him out with this situation?

Yes we have! We are always available and never have anything to hide!

 

[WN Jeff]

Jeff, thanks for the clarification on the $1,099 dealer fee. Since we got you here, what is your dealership's practice on the recent $1500 MSRP and options increases? Customers with sold order and event 1100 are price protected? If they are protected, these grandfathered customers would be charged the old prices or be charged the new MSRP then get a credit/refund back on the bill of sales?

Unfortunately your order had to be at status 2000 prior to March 1/2021 for price protection. No protection for status 1100 allocation requests.

 

[YFCvii]

I find it exceptional to see all the responses from the Dealership here on the Forum and in this thread.

Appears the perceived "tire & wheel package" fee may be part-in-parcel (inclusive) in what some of us
experience in an "Admin Fee" of sort ... and a number of nice features are included
in the pricing of this one. I have seen similar at a couple of Alberta Dealerships.

If I have to pay for "tire & wheel" protection, I would just have to grit my teeth
& write-off the expenditure as I would just shutter at the thought with the
underwriter-process when ever having to make a claim. Last time I faced the tire/wheel package
add-on in 2019, I asked if I could just waiver having to sign the under-written contract and just
accept handing over the fee. The Dealer then realized my "value" for it and we worked it all out
to the satisfaction of each side.
Sorry but some "insurance" like this just has very little value to me (as a buyer) mainly because
the person who sells the worry-free item is not always the same one who handles a claim.

With accepting the $1099 add-on, I would gladly accept an option if it were available,
to alternatively trade the "tire/wheel feature" for a "Dealer Credit Voucher" just so that
profit can be realized via accessory selling or similar. I am a business owner & I always
attempt to be constructive & rationalize when I am wearing the hat as a consumer.

 

[WN Jeff]

Sounds like gouging due to supply demand curve for the C8. Talk with the General Mngr to try and resolve to your satisfaction. If nothing give a call to Global/CTV ombudsman reporters. They are very good at publicly outing sketchy business practices. I hope that WN sets things right for you as they used to have a stellar rep. Sadly the last few yrs I have been told by friends and read from others that they are in de line and possibly heading towards the “stealership” level of service. Now if they start to upcharge for cats and hi Perf exhaust for the new EVs we will definitely know the answer. Pls report back as there are a number of us determining which dealership to place our orders at and not just for C8’s.

We're sorry to hear you feel we are a stealership. I would invite you to come and meet us or review our Google reviews. We did also win GM's Presidents award for superior customer satisfaction. Our General Manager comes from a hospitality background and nothing is more important to us than our clients!

Thank you for your feedback and would be eager to meet you.

Jeff

 

[WN Jeff]

I am very surprised to hear that about Wilson Niblett . I have bought many cars and trucks from them over the last 40 years including two corvette. I have always had excellent service and especially sales. I still go there for service on my corvette from here in Belleville. Possible there is some kind of a misunderstanding. Give John Wilson a call. He is a great guy . Watched him come up through the ranks and bought all my cars from him. Please report back as I am very interested.

Charlie

Thank you for the feedback Charlie! We have discussed our dealer fee directly with the client.

 

[WN Jeff]

I was only asked if I wanted it ( at $750.00 ) I might add, AFTER my car arrived at the dealer to which I refused. I think the salesman is a weasel. Think about it, how many times in your life have you needed a tire and rim replacement other than normal tire wear?
it is just like the extended warranty. I did take that but only after paying more than 2 grand less than they first wanted. These warranty’s are all money makers for the dealer.

There is profit in the dealer fee for sure no question. We see tire replacements at the dealership all the time!

 

[WN Jeff]

When I buy a GM product (Corvette, SUV, sedan or trucks) I do not get hung up on each line item in the bill of sale. Reading the extra fees just makes my blood pressure rise ....

Two things I do:

First, I build a relationship with the dealer I found that I can work with. A person I learned to like and trust. As you know building any relationship takes time. If you walk in to a dealer and play them against the dealer down the street well they know where you stand. The relationship will be just about the money. Its a mind game with a winner and a loser. And there can be hard feelings that last forever, even when returning for scheduled maintenance. This makes Corvette ownership less than perfect.

Second, before I "write the cheque" I have done my research in advance so I have a good idea what I am willing to pay. After the niceities, and after I let the salesperson run through their sales routine of costs I tell the salesman/manager I don't care what fees you include I haggle for the bottom line, all in, without GST. I leave the sales manager to rationalize each BS line item ....

Great advice. Thank you for the feedback Dik

 

[WN Jeff]

I tried to order a C7 from WN and got same song and dance. I told sales guy to stuff it. Bought C7 and recently C8 from Larry Hudson's in Listowell. Excellent experiences with no BS.

Harley Im sorry to hear you didn't come to an agreement with WN. Congrats on the new C8!

 

[WN Jeff]

I believe since the C8 has been 2 years of low allocations many dealers are doing a lot of add ons since they are in the drivers seat if you don't want the car they have plenty of buyers ready to pay more. FYI I'm still bitter about paying $900 in ADM fees to pay someone's salary to fill out paperwork as I got screwed making a deal with the sales manager at the time for no adm. fees but full MSRP but by the time the car came in a year and a half later he no longer worked there so it was pay the fee or walk away

Gilles you're absolutely right, the laws of Supply and Demand always govern pricing! Sorry to hear you had a frustrating experience with your dealer.

 

[WN Jeff]

I think if dealers insist on demanding $1100.00 of people, hide it in the price and just tell people this is what they get at their dealership. $1100.00 if a lot of money to just add on as an “admin fee”.
You are in the business of selling cars. Why should someone have to pay you to sell them a car? That’s what you do.
Some people do not care about the extra 5k if it is stolen. 99.9% are not stolen so someone is making a ton of money off it. 99.9% do not lose their key fobs as well as people damaging their rims.
let the buyers decide if they want the extra coverage without being forced to take it.
Again, $1100 plus tax means close to $1300.00 and I would rather have that in my pocket than the dealers.

Thank you for the feedback. Every client has their own preferences and I can certainly understand you wanting to pay less!

We all want to pay less for everything in life! And we would never fault anyone for having price objections. As a reputable dealer all we can do is be honest and transparent and give the consumer all the information they need to make an informed decision about whether they wish to proceed with the purchase or not!

 

[zoslick]

Hey Everyone, Thank you all for your amazing advice, tips, and experience! Totally appreciate it! I was actually contacted by Chris, the General Manager of WN last night and was caught by surprise because, how did he figure out my true identity from this forum? lol. Anyway, Chris was quite informative and cleared up all the questions I had, mainly the Tire & Rim charge. Gave me the choice to either keep it or ditch it, but assured me I had every right to choose and that he would honour the $899 price instead of the $1099 price if I decided to keep it, only because I signed for it. He was able to tell me my current order status (coming allotment has my order in, woohoo), and because of all the misunderstandings, he threw in a set of winter tires with rims, car cover, and a limited edition Corvette BBQ. So we're all good now! I guess after I told him I bought both my previous corvettes from WN (C5 Z06 and C6 Caravaggio Edition), it made me more a part of the WN fam? Just my speculation, but overall, the misunderstandings have been rectified and we're all good.

So it's estimated the car will arrive in June, fingers crossed! Thank you all again! btw, I was kidding about the winter rims, car cover, and bbq... would be nice though, at least the car cover... just saying... lol

 

[WN Jeff]

I find it exceptional to see all the responses from the Dealership here on the Forum and in this thread.

Appears the perceived "tire & wheel package" fee may be part-in-parcel (inclusive) in what some of us
experience in an "Admin Fee" of sort ... and a number of nice features are included
in the pricing of this one. I have seen similar at a couple of Alberta Dealerships.

If I have to pay for "tire & wheel" protection, I would just have to grit my teeth
& write-off the expenditure as I would just shutter at the thought with the
underwriter-process when ever having to make a claim. Last time I faced the tire/wheel package
add-on in 2019, I asked if I could just waiver having to sign the under-written contract and just
accept handing over the fee. The Dealer then realized my "value" for it and we worked it all out
to the satisfaction of each side.
Sorry but some "insurance" like this just has very little value to me (as a buyer) mainly because
the person who sells the worry-free item is not always the same one who handles a claim.

With accepting the $1099 add-on, I would gladly accept an option if it were available,
to alternatively trade the "tire/wheel feature" for a "Dealer Credit Voucher" just so that
profit can be realized via accessory selling or similar. I am a business owner & I always
attempt to be constructive & rationalize when I am wearing the hat as a consumer.

Great feedback, thank you!