Real expectation of getting my c8 this year?

[lance]

So back in july 2020 ( 10 months ago), i placed a deposit for a c8 in carters GM in Burnaby BC...MSRP + 625 admin fee (whateve...r)
back then i was told he had around 30 people in front of me for a c8.. this april he said im AROUND number 15..

sales communication with me has been really vague... and i have no idea when i should be expecting a delivery. this experience has really been disappointing at this point...(i can totally understand why cadillac sales sucks despite being great looking cars...)

at this point, i totally regret not finding a forum sponsored dealer or placing multiple deposits..

Can i really expect a delivery this year as a 2022 model?.....

 

[Murray20c8]

This is entirely up to the dealers allocation totals.
Before Covid a dealer knew his expected yearly allocation numbers because it is based on past sales.
Before making a deposit with any dealer anywhere in the world one should ask them what their expected allocation numbers are.
It's MUCH tougher now with all the parts delays etc, but IMHO a dealer should have some idea what to expect. It won't be as accurate as years past, but it should be at least in the ballpark.
That said, if you don't know how many he expects then there is absolutely no telling if or when he will receive your allocation. Sorry, but it's that simple.

 

[larryd]

Duh ? I keep hearing about guys putting down money and getting delivery in 3 months time or less.
What you don`t hear guys waiting for 15 months to get one.
All this bull on Youtube.

 

[gone]

You should insist on getting information from your dealer:

1) for 2020, the number of allocations received...so how many 2020 C8's did they actually put in customers' hands
2) for 2021, the number of allocations received to date (how many 2021 C8's delivered to customers) and what they're expecting to receive for for the remainder of the year (usually it's a close match to what they got in 2020, although there's no "guarantees" so that's an approximate but fairly useful assumption)
3) confirmation of your placement on their list: exactly what number you are now and whether all those originally in front of you received a C8...or did some drop off the list for various reasons and bump you up as a result (find out how many dropped off)
4) #3 assumes that once someone drops off the list, you'll automatically move up the list. But get confirmation of this as well. Some dealers will take allocations from customers that no longer want them and order the car for the dealership itself and sell it at a profit. I'd recommend NOT staying on the list with a dealer who does that.

I don't know anything about Carters GM and perhaps there are other members of these Forums that do and can offer you more precise advice. At least you know you're not paying over MSRP...and many dealers will add on an admin or similar fee, so that's not unusual.

Talk to your salesman and if he's not helpful, then meet with the sales manager of your dealership to get the above info. If you don't get answers to the above, I'd move on: pull your deposit (or leave it there if small enough and you're not concerned about it sitting until you get a C8 from someone else; I assume your deposit is refundable until the order is placed; it should be) and find another dealer who gets a good number of allocations and you'll have a better chance of finding a C8...or at least hopefully you'll be better informed. To find that dealer(s), ask around about different dealers and look up Web reviews about those dealerships and when satisfied you've targeted a couple that are good (ensure they're into Corvettes), call them to get their allocation experience and see if you're comfortable with them and then sign up with one or both. And yes, going to the dealers that are sponsors here is a good idea although they're in Ontario and I see you're in BC. You'll pay an extra $1,000+ for shipping, if you buy from Ontario. PM (private message) me on these Forums and I can give you some dealer options for the Edmonton and Calgary areas as well, if interested. I know some members from BC who purchased their C8's in Alberta and picked them up here and drove them back to BC, avoiding ship costs and they had a fun drive home with their new car.

If you really want to get a C8 you'll need to do your "due diligence" by asking around and choosing the right dealer but that effort should pay off. Or maybe Carters GM will come around and satisfy you by answering the above questions to your satisfaction...

Unfortunately if you're now #15 on the list, it's unlikely you'll see a 2021. But if you don't want to be in the same boat for a 2022, I think you need to do the above. Good luck! And as I said, contact me and I'll see what other advice I can offer.

 

[lance]

This is entirely up to the dealers allocation totals.
Before Covid a dealer knew his expected yearly allocation numbers because it is based on past sales.
Before making a deposit with any dealer anywhere in the world one should ask them what their expected allocation numbers are.
It's MUCH tougher now with all the parts delays etc, but IMHO a dealer should have some idea what to expect. It won't be as accurate as years past, but it should be at least in the ballpark.
That said, if you don't know how many he expects then there is absolutely no telling if or when he will receive your allocation. Sorry, but it's that simple.

Appreciate your inputm I've actually never bought a new car before. The dealer was around home. Having 2 little ones at home, I guess I tried to go the easy way .

 

[Murray20c8]

Appreciate your inputm I've actually never bought a new car before. The dealer was around home. Having 2 little ones at home, I guess I tried to go the easy way .

I learned the hard way also, but I lucked out and got with a large volume dealer. I had no clue how the process worked.

 

[lance]

You should insist on getting information from your dealer:

1) for 2020, the number of allocations received...so how many 2020 C8's did they actually put in customers' hands
2) for 2021, the number of allocations received to date (how many 2021 C8's delivered to customers) and what they're expecting to receive for for the remainder of the year (usually it's a close match to what they got in 2020, although there's no "guarantees" so that's an approximate but fairly useful assumption)
3) confirmation of your placement on their list: exactly what number you are now and whether all those originally in front of you received a C8...or did some drop off the list for various reasons and bump you up as a result (find out how many dropped off)
4) #3 assumes that once someone drops off the list, you'll automatically move up the list. But get confirmation of this as well. Some dealers will take allocations from customers that no longer want them and order the car for the dealership itself and sell it at a profit. I'd recommend NOT staying on the list with a dealer who does that.

I don't know anything about Carters GM and perhaps there are other members of these Forums that do and can offer you more precise advice. At least you know you're not paying over MSRP...and many dealers will add on an admin or similar fee, so that's not unusual.

Talk to your salesman and if he's not helpful, then meet with the sales manager of your dealership to get the above info. If you don't get answers to the above, I'd move on: pull your deposit (or leave it there if small enough and you're not concerned about it sitting until you get a C8 from someone else; I assume your deposit is refundable until the order is placed; it should be) and find another dealer who gets a good number of allocations and you'll have a better chance of finding a C8...or at least hopefully you'll be better informed. To find that dealer(s), ask around about different dealers and look up Web reviews about those dealerships and when satisfied you've targeted a couple that are good (ensure they're into Corvettes), call them to get their allocation experience and see if you're comfortable with them and then sign up with one or both. And yes, going to the dealers that are sponsors here is a good idea although they're in Ontario and I see you're in BC. You'll pay an extra $1,000+ for shipping, if you buy from Ontario. PM (private message) me on these Forums and I can give you some dealer options for the Edmonton and Calgary areas as well, if interested. I know some members from BC who purchased their C8's in Alberta and picked them up here and drove them back to BC, avoiding ship costs and they had a fun drive home with their new car.

If you really want to get a C8 you'll need to do your "due diligence" by asking around and choosing the right dealer but that effort should pay off. Or maybe Carters GM will come around and satisfy you by answering the above questions to your satisfaction...

Unfortunately if you're now #15 on the list, it's unlikely you'll see a 2021. But if you don't want to be in the same boat for a 2022, I think you need to do the above. Good luck! And as I said, contact me and I'll see what other advice I can offer.

Appreciate you taking your time answering. Yes I think I certainly need more clarification form Carter's at this point... I thought about buying from Alberta originally.. but didn't wanna travel due to covid (people getting harrassed doing cross province trips last Summer). Would certainly pm for some recommendations if Carter's don't work out.

 

[English]

Appreciate you taking your time answering. Yes I think I certainly need more clarification form Carter's at this point... I thought about buying from Alberta originally.. but didn't wanna travel due to covid (people getting harrassed doing cross province trips last Summer). Would certainly pm for some recommendations if Carter's don't work out.

Try Kelowna Chevrolet, I lucked out there and it’s only a 4 hour drive if they have one or getting one in.
Ask to speak to Trevor or Joel

 

[c8_rox]

any news?

I placed a deposit with this same dealership (GM carters Burnaby, BC) in April 2021, so far zero news or any idea about what number I am in their 'waitlist'.
should I at least request to know what number I am?

 

[Murray20c8]

any news?

I placed a deposit with this same dealership (GM carters Burnaby, BC) in April 2021, so far zero news or any idea about what number I am in their 'waitlist'.
should I at least request to know what number I am?

Yes, absolutely!
You need to know their expected allocations and your number on their list. If they are not forthcoming I'd be worried.

 

[lance]

any news?

I placed a deposit with this same dealership (GM carters Burnaby, BC) in April 2021, so far zero news or any idea about what number I am in their 'waitlist'.
should I at least request to know what number I am?

I talked to the sales back in end of July. He asked what I wanted to spec I sent him the online configuration. He sent me a scanned copy of a dealer build or some sort with no pricing or order Id.
I plan to as again this week about the status. I originally put the deposit in July 2020 so it's been 14 months. Hopefully I can get it by end of this year.....

Yes the dealer is very passive on customer communication.....

 

[gone]

I talked to the sales back in end of July. He asked what I wanted to spec I sent him the online configuration. He sent me a scanned copy of a dealer build or some sort with no pricing or order Id.
I plan to as again this week about the status. I originally put the deposit in July 2020 so it's been 14 months. Hopefully I can get it by end of this year.....

Yes the dealer is very passive on customer communication.....

It took me 7 months to get my 2020 C8, from the date I placed my deposit. I consider myself ++ lucky since I avoided the (then 2020) GM cut-off on orders by 3 days...and this was a really quick turn-around time compared to many others. Generally, the average times for 2020 and 2021 seem to be more like 12 to 18 months but as Murray said, there's no certainty on timing these days.

I'm surprised to hear it's been 14 months and you're still in the dark. Not a good sign. I'd consider insisting the dealership provide all the info mentioned in my posting above and if there's any doubt in your mind at that point, immediately put a deposit elsewhere (keep your deposit with Carters) and with a dealership that's more transparent or one of the Forum sponsors to better ensure you're given a fair shake. Being on multiple lists is fairly common and improves your chances of owning a C8 and you can cancel your spot on a list and get a refund, when you get your C8 elsewhere. Good luck and hopefully you'll post better news soon...

 

[DavidWG]

Murray's response was great and full of information that any good dealer should be able to give you or at least give you an approximate number. I have been shopping for a C8 this month and contacted several of the very large volume Corvette dealers (delivered 100 or more 2021 C8s to customers) around the Greater Toronto Area and only got a luke warm response to my chances of getting a 2022 delivery if I order right now. Most told me that they had more deposits on 2022 orders than they sold in 2021. However, a good suggestion was to look at some of the dealers who sold 60+ 2021 C8s. I eventually placed my order with Humberview Chev in Toronto who also took my 2019 Grand Sport in trade - on their web site now. They also sold me my C7. They are confident that I will get a 2022 model by mid summer 2022 given their 2021 allocation and their current backlog of orders for 2022. From what I hear in Corvette circles ordering from a dealer with less than 20 C8 sales last year is pretty hopeless.

 

[Gilles27]

Murray's response was great and full of information that any good dealer should be able to give you or at least give you an approximate number. I have been shopping for a C8 this month and contacted several of the very large volume Corvette dealers (delivered 100 or more 2021 C8s to customers) around the Greater Toronto Area and only got a luke warm response to my chances of getting a 2022 delivery if I order right now. Most told me that they had more deposits on 2022 orders than they sold in 2021. However, a good suggestion was to look at some of the dealers who sold 60+ 2021 C8s. I eventually placed my order with Humberview Chev in Toronto who also took my 2019 Grand Sport in trade - on their web site now. They also sold me my C7. They are confident that I will get a 2022 model by mid summer 2022 given their 2021 allocation and their current backlog of orders for 2022. From what I hear in Corvette circles ordering from a dealer with less than 20 C8 sales last year is pretty hopeless.

Why did you trade your C7 so early, I would have kept driving it till my C8 showed up as there is no guarantee you will even get a 2022?

 

[DavidWG]

Why did you trade your C7 so early, I would have kept driving it till my C8 showed up as there is no guarantee you will even get a 2022?

Very good question Gilles. Several dealers I was talking to didn't want my trade in right now, nor would they give me a firm trade in value now. They wanted to wait until the C8 was close to arriving or at least being built. However, that would put me in a very difficult position. Picture this, I now have a build date for my C8 order and the dealer calls me in the spring of 2022 and says OK we'll take your trade now and we'll offer you $55k for your 3 year old Grand Sport as prices for C7s aren't what they were last year. What leverage do I have against a low ball trade in offer? Unlike now, I can't walk and go to another dealer as my C8 order would evaporate. My only option is to take their trade in offer or walk from the deal assuming that they will give me back my deposit. Then I have to start the process all over again and hope that I can get a C8 a year or so later. This way I was able to take advantage of the crazy prices on low mileage recent C7s, especially on Grand Sports and Z06 models and take advantage of the almost $10k in tax savings by having a high value trade in. The trade in price on the C7 was just over 80% of what I paid for it three years ago. The price of the C8 is fixed wherever you buy it, MSRP plus any admin fee. Besides, for almost six of those months the car would be in storage. Also, if I continued to drive it this fall and next spring/summer it would need new tires all round, another $2500 in costs. Hard decision as I loved the Grand Sport and drove it almost every day but in this case a bird in the hand was much more valuable than a promise of unknown value 10 months from now.

 

[pozi240]

Very good question Gilles. Several dealers I was talking to didn't want my trade in right now, nor would they give me a firm trade in value now. They wanted to wait until the C8 was close to arriving or at least being built. However, that would put me in a very difficult position. Picture this, I now have a build date for my C8 order and the dealer calls me in the spring of 2022 and says OK we'll take your trade now and we'll offer you $55k for your 3 year old Grand Sport as prices for C7s aren't what they were last year. What leverage do I have against a low ball trade in offer? Unlike now, I can't walk and go to another dealer as my C8 order would evaporate. My only option is to take their trade in offer or walk from the deal assuming that they will give me back my deposit. Then I have to start the process all over again and hope that I can get a C8 a year or so later. This way I was able to take advantage of the crazy prices on low mileage recent C7s, especially on Grand Sports and Z06 models and take advantage of the almost $10k in tax savings by having a high value trade in. The trade in price on the C7 was just over 80% of what I paid for it three years ago. The price of the C8 is fixed wherever you buy it, MSRP plus any admin fee. Besides, for almost six of those months the car would be in storage. Also, if I continued to drive it this fall and next spring/summer it would need new tires all round, another $2500 in costs. Hard decision as I loved the Grand Sport and drove it almost every day but in this case a bird in the hand was much more valuable than a promise of unknown value 10 months from now.

Smart decision. I did pretty much the same on my 2019 Mustang GT this summer... I won't be getting my C8 until early spring (at the earliest), but, the demand and prices for used low mile sports cars (mine had less than 20k kms on her), plus, I wasn't driving it very much this year anyway (I have other toys to occupy my time). The offer I got on the used market was near identical what I paid 2.5 years ago when new from Ford (I got a helluva deal because of heavy discounts and Military pricing as well)..... LOL. It was a no brainer.

 

[larryd]

From 30 in line to 15 ? There were dropouts because some had placed deposits elsewhere and they came up.
The moral of this story is place your` bets` everywhere you can.
If you played roulette, you would understand .
I waited 15mons for my 2020 and went from 7 to 5th place during that time. I was just lucky with the dealer as I only dropped in for a free dinner .

 

[CorvetteRed5]

Hey Guys, I've been following the forum for several months now but finally joined. I put my order in back in the beginning of June this year in hopes of landing a 2022 before Sept 2023. I went with Brian Cullen a higher volume dealer. I have not played the roulette game and wonder If should even both at this point. From speaking with Tracey at the dealership I sit around that 130 mark... they got 80 2020 vettes and about 100 2021. What does this mean for me... well who knows... drop outs might bring it down for me. I would appreciate anyone's opinion, especially those that have dealt with Brian Cullen or Tracey in particular. So far I'm impressed despite the not so great outlook. He has always been available to take questions and chat.

 

[DavidWG]

Hey Guys, I've been following the forum for several months now but finally joined. I put my order in back in the beginning of June this year in hopes of landing a 2022 before Sept 2023. I went with Brian Cullen a higher volume dealer. I have not played the roulette game and wonder If should even both at this point. From speaking with Tracey at the dealership I sit around that 130 mark... they got 80 2020 vettes and about 100 2021. What does this mean for me... well who knows... drop outs might bring it down for me. I would appreciate anyone's opinion, especially those that have dealt with Brian Cullen or Tracey in particular. So far I'm impressed despite the not so great outlook. He has always been available to take questions and chat.

Sounds like you are right at the border of getting a late 2022 or an early 2023. Good luck to you. With those kind of numbers of orders
I see why Cullen were not very encouraging of me getting a 2022 if I ordered in September. As I mentioned earlier I think the well known high volume Corvette stores are overwhelmed with orders while some of the mid sized dealers have a few spots left in their 2022 order book.

 

[Murray20c8]

Hey Guys, I've been following the forum for several months now but finally joined. I put my order in back in the beginning of June this year in hopes of landing a 2022 before Sept 2023. I went with Brian Cullen a higher volume dealer. I have not played the roulette game and wonder If should even both at this point. From speaking with Tracey at the dealership I sit around that 130 mark... they got 80 2020 vettes and about 100 2021. What does this mean for me... well who knows... drop outs might bring it down for me. I would appreciate anyone's opinion, especially those that have dealt with Brian Cullen or Tracey in particular. So far I'm impressed despite the not so great outlook. He has always been available to take questions and chat.

I dealt with Tracy at Cullen and yes he's always available to answer your questions, though he never called me with news, but that's likely cuz I always bugged him before he could initiate. lol.
As I recall I was initially 83 on his list and they expected around 100 2020's. That was before the strike and the pandemic. I dropped to 53 at one point and likely further than that when all was said and done. I got on his list July 30 2019 and got an allocation in February 2020 and a TPW of mid May 2020 which was earlier than I expected, but then the pandemic hit. So my timeline is probably useless to you.
However, with the lists being more than a year long at most dealerships attrition can certainly bring you down as people don't like waiting that long for a car. Also, I believe 2023's will start July of 2022 so you most likely will get a 2023, but either way it's a good sign that you will get a car around the end of Summer next year. As long as BG's numbers rise a bit. I'm surprised they are only building around 170 per day. I expected mid 180's. Hopefully they can pick up speed once they get used to building the RHD cars.

Anyway, welcome to the forum and good luck with a speedy delivery.