I should be happy, intoxicating car, but terrible buying experience

[formula80_ca]

Let me preface this by saying that I fully understand that this is a "first world problem" and that I consider myself very fortunate to be in the position I am in. I also understand that I as the consumer can make the choice to buy or not buy anything if I don't like the price. But, with regards to the C7 Corvette (in Canada especially) the demand vs supply problems has currently created a unique situation, which is forcing buyers to pay a high margin on these cars if they want to play.
It should have been one of the best experiences, buying my first Corvette, but although the car is wonderful, the buying experience was not. You would think that if you are buying a car with such a high margin that the dealership would be treating you well... this was certainly not the case with my experience.
In September of 2013 I ordered a 2014 Corvette Z51 2LT coupe in Cyber Grey with the mag suspension, NPP exhaust, carbon dash and exposed carbon top. Price was to be $68,000. Put down a deposit on an allocation with Carter GM in Burnaby. I waited and waited and waited some more.
Then suddenly I get a call in the summer of 2014... They can't supply my 2014 allocation and I had a couple of HOURS to order a 2015 (price unknown) or I wouldn't be guaranteed to even get a car in 2015, and Cyber Grey was discontinued so pick a new colour. Pressure on, I changed colour to Night Race blue (I had seen it on a 2014 car at the Ron Fellows driving school near Vegas and liked it alot, also liked the Brownstone interior that car had) so I bump up to 3LT to get the Brownstone and also I had decided on getting the Nav. That difference in 2014 was around $4500 extra, so knew I was on the hook for atleast $72,500.
After it was built (late August) but before it arrived I was told the sticker price was $80,300... WOW big difference... but I was told by my salesman that he would get me some help with that price and not to worry about it. I did some research and found out that there were upgrades to the 3LT package including automatically including the sueded upper interior trim that I had not ordered originally and PDR added to Nav, which meant approx. an extra $2400 and the A8 transmission that upped the price another approx $500, but the rest of that increase was just GM price increases.
When it arrived in September I was away on a vacation and came back to find my car listed online on several sites linking back to Carter GM, ranging from $80,300 up to $82,000. Went in to see it and was told by my saleman that HE hadn't listed it online and wasn't sure who had, but that it was my car if I wanted it. He said price was $80,300 but also told me again that he was working on getting that down for me because I had been loyal and waited and also had ordered before the 2015 price had been announced by GM Canada.
I waited a few days and phoned back to see how he had made out on the price, and he said he needed me to come in and be ready to close a deal after he negotiated a discount with the sales manager... in I go... with the usual waiting in the saleman's office while he's "fighting for me" in the Sales Manager's office... back he comes... how much would the discount be?... Nothing... not one dollar off.
Salesman then says "I have a good relationship with the General Manger I'll talk to him on Monday". Answer that comes back "No other dealer in Canada is selling for less than MSRP why should you be the only guy in Canada to get a discount on a new Stingray?... and most dealers are charging more than MSRP so you are already getting a deal. Oh, and by the way I made a mistake on the price it's actually $82,000. Sorry." Now it's almost another 2 grand more, a total of approx. $8,000 higher than expected. "But I found out that GM Canada will give you a price protection of $1420." Oh, joy!
I had asked for the window sticker earlier and the salesman said that the inventory control guy had it. I asked for the window sticker again and they said they would give it to me next time I was in.
One day later a rude sales manager phones my cell phone at work and says that if I don't complete the deal by 5pm that day they have a line-up of other buyers for it and will sell it to one of them by 5 minutes after 5pm. I explain to him that I work on a live TV news show until 6pm everyday... he says "too bad... your cars going to be sold then". Wonderful way to be treated when you are about to spend over 80 grand on a car that the profit margin is around 10% on (very high compared to the industry norm). I ask for a 2 hour extenion to 7pm... they have to check with General Manager but the rude Sales Manager phones back an hour later and says "7pm... if you are 5 minutes late it will be sold."
I looked online again and found ads for my car still there, one for $80,300 so I bring in a copy of that... "that must be a mistake... we are not going to honour that... your price is $82,000 take it or leave it.
I'm still not clear on the why the price went up at end, all they said was the original price they had been quoting me was a mistake. They also couldn't produce the window sticker so I can't verify the price.
I completed on the deal because under the "life is short" thought process and I didn't want to wait a few years until supply caught up with demand. I also figured with the Canadian dollar in a tailspin next year the price will probably be even higher because of that factor. Everyone at the dealership keep saying "you should be happy about this... I SHOULD BE... but the way I was treated was not conducive to that.
Again, I know, "cry me a river" I just bought a new Corvette Z51 and should be happy... I 'm sure, that in time, as the endorphins created by driving this intoxicating car work their magic... I will be.

 

[Ntmd8r]

I feel for you.
Sorry you had to go through that terrible experience.

Now that you have the car, do enjoy it.
It is a remarkable car.

Perhaps we could meet up and talk cars, car clubs, whatever.

Cheers,

Gary

 

[tony]

Really feel for you. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour by the dealer.

Then they wonder why they get named...' stealerships ' !!
Obviously couldn't care less....people lined up around the block, should
you say 'NO'.

Anyway...you have the car....go and enjoy it.

Tony,
welland, ont.

 

[Riley P]

That's not really a first world problem, that's just simply your dealership being a horrible bunch of glutinous a-holes to deal with. It's what gives GM a horrible name and makes people want to buy a Porsche. Too bad you could not have purchased your car from our forum sponsor Owais. I've heard nothing but great stuff about him. But as others have said, at the end of the day, you have a car that people only dream of owning. Too bad everything else left a sour taste in your mouth.

Now, let's hear about your impressions of the car! Post up some pics of that beauty!

 

[AllFlash]

Tony.... Welland? Dude I am in Fonthill and waiting for a Z in the Spring...maybe we will meet up!

OP.... feel for you and have lived what you lived, having ONLY been in this process for a few months. I left the apparent best dealer in Canada after they wouldn't tell me how many were on their waiting list, couldn't tell me my placement and refused to place my order even in the system for any possible future price protection... They took my 5K fast enough though and I had to leave them simply because I had a very bad feeling...

Prior to this, the first person I went to was Owais at Gateway who could have put me in a Fall delivery, and also could have gotten my Z06 allocation. I got sucked into the whole 'top dealer in Canada' cycle...

In the end, I found a Z06 allocation in Quebec that was confirmed through my connection with GM and will be a Spring delivery. They are GREAT people who keep in touch weekly and, when I asked if they would do a courtesy delivered, quickly accepted but also stated that maybe something can be worked out with my picking it from their dealership as they want pictures of the car at that dealership; it is their only allocation. Because they are French, I even accepted an offer from another forum member here, Darryl from Foss in Woodbrige, who stated he would gladly confirm everything with them for me as he spoke french! All the while, Brian Leggat from Leggat Chev in Burlington, volunteered to search through GM for that extra Z06 allocation I was looking for. Even though Owais, Darryl and Brian never sold me the car, they are the only reason I am expecting it. These guys are great salesmen who see beyond their own return.

So... Tucked in for the winter and pretty excited about that first run from Quebec home next year!

 

[tyho]

Enjoy the car. Like you said :Life's to short for this kind of bs.

Your disappointment will melt away:agree:

 

[carbuff]

I know 2 other people who had the same shitty experience at 2 other lower mainland dealers with their z51 cars. your story is the third bad treatment by a BC dealer.

 

[buckhorn76]

that's ridiculous. personally i'd have told them to jam it and looked for a used 2014 next year. legalized extortion if you ask me !!!!! :swear:

 

[Black 03 Z06]

I am sure there are some very respectable dealers for GM. We certainly have a quality representative on this forum who keeps us up to date with Corvette news. That said when you read this crap that goes on does GM and their dealer network not think it may just impact sales in other ways?

I say this because I recently bought a new pickup truck. I did not even bother to look at GM. I would say for years that I was a GM "guy". However between the bailouts, crap products and nonsense like the OP went through I wonder why bother with them at all. I didn't.

In many ways it is too bad GM builds the Corvette. Maybe it should be a Ford or whatever, just not GM. IMO.

 

[buckhorn76]

i don't buy into this philosophy that you are somehow achieving some wonderful goal by having gm bestow the privilege of buying a new corvette. are they nice cars ? of course they are. but this whole sales procedure is beyond belief. murray, i think you are dead on about the trickle effect. this kind of nonsense is something you would expect from gov't, not when buying a car - regardless of how "special" it is.

 

[ToVetteFan]

OP, sorry to hear about the lousy experience, it truly would be better if GM would designate specific dealers to handle Corvette, much as they do with Cadillac, so that specialized service could be developed consistently across the board for all buyers.

That said, I have dealt with hundreds of Corvette owners over the years, and can tell you, some of them are great, some of them are total d-bags. Funny, same applies to every other product that I sell. And, what a shock, it also applies to dealers, sales people, service people, dry cleaners, police, nurses, dentists, etc..

It would be awesome if everyone treated everyone around them the same way they expected to be treated, but unfortunately that is not the world we live in. Does this mean that everyone who does the same job is the same? It does not... We do, however, empower the "bad apples" by continuing to deal with them, because it is too much work to find an alternative, and then we justify it by saying "Bah, they are all the same" ;-)

FWIW, it is likely that the pricing confusion was as simple as the first $80,xxx price being the price without freight, and the $82,xxx price including freight. When you look on GM internal site, Global Connect, at a specific order, it gives you MSRP, without destination charge, on the left side of the page, and then with dest. charge on the right side of the page. This in no way excuses the treatment or tone taken by the dealer, but the actual price thing was likely an honest mistake. Goes to show though, that how you explain something can really change the way it is understood.. Illustration below..







Model/Order Information



Model Year: 2015 Division: GMCL-CHEVROLET
Distrib. Entity: RET Order Type: TRE - Retail Stock
Allocation Group: MALIBU Model: 1GC69 - Malibu: LT
MSRP: $28,985.00 MSRP w/DFC † : $30,635.00
Invoice: $26,475.00 Invoice w/DFC † : $28,125.00

Supplier: $26,457.00 Supplier w/DFC † : $28,107.00


TPW: 11/10/2014



Current Event: 3400 - Broadcast


Estimated Delivery Date:

 

[CCO]

Edited post -- was not meant to upset.
C.

 

[2009CGMZR1]

Next spring the Z06 buyers will be having the same thing said to them.... another $12-15k please.

 

[AllFlash]

I'm curious how that will fare considering there is a scheduled Z07 fall delivery in Edmonton at Sherwood...last I saw the worksheet on it ... It was at 3000 and that was weeks ago. I wonder if they could price that without pricing all others...

 

[ToVetteFan]

I'm curious how that will fare considering there is a scheduled Z07 fall delivery in Edmonton at Sherwood...last I saw the worksheet on it ... It was at 3000 and that was weeks ago. I wonder if they could price that without pricing all others...

Pricing will be out before that car arrives at the dealer, expect it this coming week, I think, as production is scheduled to begin Monday, from what I have heard..

 

[ToVetteFan]

Next spring the Z06 buyers will be having the same thing said to them.... another $12-15k please.

Actually, Z06 buyers should not be hearing that until the fall, when they take delivery of 2016 models.. Those that have ordered 2015s and receive 2015s should be price protected for the initial model price when it is released.. If I had a z06 order in place, I would be making 110% sure, like now, that I had
a) Order Number
b) printout of the order, showing it ordered as a sold unit in the name of the buyer.

Both of these are needed to ensure your eligibility for price protection through the 2015 model year... If the dealer won't give you that, you probably have a problem..

 

[ToVetteFan]

Edited post -- was not meant to upset.
C.

Thanks, edited my thread to remove reference to it as well

 

[Keith Tedford]

GM is afraid to put on a second shift for fear that sales will dip after the first year or two. They would rather lose sales now than to have a cut back later. Charging through the nose now, makes up for many of the sales lost. I'm not in the market, but certainly wouldn't want anything enough to pay a premium for it. We'll never know how many possible Corvette buyers are now driving around in GT500 Mustangs, Hellcat Challengers, Porsches and the like. Not everyone HAS to have a Corvette. It looks like the sales departments are still playing the same old games that they did sixty years ago. My old buddy really gets a laugh when I tell him what these guys are doing. He is more than familiar with all the stunts that they play. He was the sales manager at a major Ford dealership in Toronto in his younger days.

 

[first_place_trailer]

Wow that's horrible. My experience started out bad, but when my salesman was fired and I was dealing with the GM they manages to find me a $2000 discount.

When you receive your survey call the sales manager and tell him you would like to do the survey with him. Those things mean a lot to the dealer. That way you can rub it in his face when you give him the worst possible marks.

Also I am sure their is something comparable to OMVIC in his province, tell him your are going to file a complaint. Additionally write a google review. That means a lot to many companies.

Just my $0.02, by the way conrats and post pics!!!

 

[ToVetteFan]

GM is afraid to put on a second shift for fear that sales will dip after the first year or two. They would rather lose sales now than to have a cut back later. Charging through the nose now, makes up for many of the sales lost. I'm not in the market, but certainly wouldn't want anything enough to pay a premium for it. We'll never know how many possible Corvette buyers are now driving around in GT500 Mustangs, Hellcat Challengers, Porsches and the like. Not everyone HAS to have a Corvette.

GM won't put a second shift on, because the costs to train that many people for a short term issue doesn't make sense. They produce approx. 35,000 cars per year with one shift. Yes, they might need 50,000 for a year, although it is unlikely that this will be a long term sales rate, so that means you have a second shift for 6 months and then you don't need them, have to lay them off and pay for that, plus all the training costs. GM makes enough dumb business decisions, don't suggest more, they don't need the help!!! ;-)

And anyone that says GM is charging through the nose for the Corvette is out of touch with the market. The car is extremely well priced. If, by paying through the nose, you mean it doesn't have 0% financing or big discounts, enjoy your conversation with your local Porsche dealer... ;-)