FoW Sold?

I was informed by a reliable source that yes, FOW is now under new ownership and that people were terminated last week. I do not know anything more about the situation at this point.

 

good luck to the new owners. they have a tough act to follow. will be interested to see what overtures, if any, are made to the local clientele/FCA/f-chat community . . . .

 

I was there today having them run a history check on a Maserati I just purchased. I saw the same faces, but they have in fact been sold along with Maserati of Baltimore. The new owners take over Jan. 1. They are offering some really good deals to get the existing stock off the books by the end of the year.

 

Allie Ash is still listed as the owner on the website. I will be there on Friday, provided they are open, anyone know? The Dino they have looks really nice.

 

I was told the name of the buyer, but can't remember it at the moment. They did say that he owned several Ferrari dealerships on the West Coast and wanted an East Coast presence.

 

I stopped by 3 weeks ago to buy some holiday gifts and was told it had been sold.

I'd lobby the new owners to hire Redding Finney sooner rather than later.

Mary Curtis too -- she's exceptional and should be customer facing!

 

"Folks like Allie, Arnie, Glenn, Redding, Bob and Ralph and the rest were really responsible for a feeling of family."


I realized the other day that FoW is gone. I wish the new owner the very best in building something new, I'd like to see him succeed. But FoW has run its course.

FMLoW was a great dealership, a great club. Many of us stopped by just to shoot the breeze with the enthusiasts who work there. I have a lot of great memories, from the first time I walked in to the old store, and Ralph served me and my wife the most expensive espressos we've ever had; through the many track days, including the Battle of the Old Minis (mine v. Ralph's), a great F1 style pit stop for my New Beetle (engineered by Arnie and others), and playing on track with Jim Kenton, Jim Wilson (we haven't forgotten you, Jim), Paul Prideaux, George and Janet, Jerry, many many others; all the great F1 and other parties; too many cars bought, traded and sold; and on and on. Yes, a tough act to follow.

I am sorry that the folks at FMLoW have had to endure, especially during the Holiday season, and even worse during a recession, the kinds of changes new owners can bring. So many of our friends are or soon will be gone, too many to name, from management, parts and sales. I'll know I'll leave out someone important - someone please help me here - off the top of my head: Augie, Bob, Danny, Linda, Redding, Rick, Sean, Tam, Willie and, it breaks my heart to say, my good friend, who brought me into the Ferrari world, Ralph.

Hard to know what to say except "thank you."

"And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne."

 

i heard the new owner didn't pick up MOB. Who bought it?

 

The person I spoke to at FOW told me the same guy bought it. Please don't take this as being reliable. You know how the water cooler can be.

 

Sorry to hear that, I never bought a car from them, but The Gallardo I bought was taken there for service, and they supplied all the service records.

 

Yea, I did enjoy stopping by FOW and shooting the breeze with Redding, Ralph, Mary, Peter and Mike in parts and gang, its crazy to think they will not be there! When you rip the heart and soul out of something, you ain't got much left! Doubt it will ever be the same!

Oh well, hope the new owner comes to his or her senses and does what's right and puts some of the key players back in place!


Robert

 

"When you rip the heart and soul out of something, you ain't got much left!"


Yep.

 

will, you know anything about MOB?

 

I hope for all parties it works out well.

From what I've seen here, and been told, they are a first rate operation.

DM

 

I suppose the termination of the old GM by new owners is predictable - I imagine the new owners want their own guy running the show. Harsh, and maybe classless, coming just before Christmas, but perhaps not a complete surprise.

Some of the other terminations, IMO are senseless and counterproductive. The new owners need to prove to me - and I've bought a lot of cars from FoW - why I should bother with them. Sean, for example was a superb tech IMO. I could go on.

I enjoyed doing business with Allie and crew. I only spend "toy" money with people I like.

Granted, some old friends and longtimers remain - Arnie, Glenn, Peter, Mary Curtis, to name a few. But who knows what will happen tomorrow, or next week?

 

Yesterday when I went out to FoW the place looked like only a building to me, and for the first time I noticed the walls when I walked in rather than the faces of so many folks who have become part of a close community and partners in friendship over the years. And, while over the past two years we have seen a good number of good people leave FoW, the latest round of dismissals -- and the manner and timing with which they were done -- is not only disturbing, but seems to gut the place of its character and sense of community. So, while I was not a stranger to the place -- "my" parking space was there, the hot chocolate machine was at the ready, etc. -- the place had become a stranger to me.

Yes, as Will says, with a sale and change of ownership there is bound to be a certain amount of turnover in personnel as the new owner establishes his own brand on the place. Sure, one measure of success in running a business is in the numbers and books. Another, and perhaps more important element in a specialized world like Ferrari, is if the owner can create that sense of community that transforms the place from merely a place for invoices, sales contracts and check writing to one of those magical meccas for customers and enthusiasts where they can come and socialize, share their interests and enthusiasms, even when they are not buying a car. To do this takes people, special people, who understand and enjoy not only the cars, but the character of each and every customer and the community as a whole. With the loss of Sean, Ralph and the others recently, we have lost that part of FoW that brought it beyond just being a business. It had been fun. And, because it was fun, we went there just to go there, we visited, we ate, we laughed, we enjoyed, we introduced it to our friends (I guess the business types can call this "extended marketing"), and we spent money -- if not on cars, then on doo-dads we really have no need for. Now it seems empty, and with no one to talk to, little reason to visit.

People NEED to buy Toyotas and Hondas, and put up with the normal car dealership crap as a matter of expedience. However, nobody NEEDS a Ferrari, and the experience of purchase as well as long term ownership should, and can be something special -- if the right people are there. Hopefully the new owner will take steps to learn and understand who the community in the DC area is, will realize that the "community" extends beyond just customer lists, and that "outreach" means more than just reaching into someone's wallet. Hopefully he will ask and learn just what and who is valuable and precious to us in the community.

Mike

 

Again, from what I'm told, this was a sale that needed to happen.

Ferrari really forced the hand of their dealers when the started to specify what kind of facility they could have, how many service bays they HAD to have, and the separation of different lines in showrooms, etc. Makes for a VERY high overhead just for the facility. Then add in the carrying costs of these very expensive used cars that no one wants to buy right now, and people backing out of purchases due to the tough financial times were all feeling and it was a recipe for disaster.

I can't calculate the overhead number for FoW, but it had to be astounding considering the volume of cars they move.

Now, much as you guys will all miss the old guard (however many of those folks get let go) would it have been better for the dealership to close entirely? I'm not suggesting in any way that was about to happen, but it certainly could have been in the cards for this, and perhaps other newer dealerships that have huge new facilities to support.

Is it callous to let someone go at Christmas time? Sure, but these guys aren't alone, 58,000 new unemployment claims last week should tell us all something. Hope that the guys there catch on somewhere else is about the best we can do.

As to the new owners, why not give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they kept the dealership alive and are working to keep it alive and thriving. Sure looks like that could be a possibility.

Dave M.

 

Dave, I appreciate your point about overhead, no doubt the new Ferrari and Lambo facilities cost a bundle - they're beautiful. Perhaps none of us know the real story, but I've never had the impression the new owners were riding to anyone's rescue. I've heard lots of other gossip, but that's what it is and not appropriate to spread here.

Every customer will decide for himself about the new owners. I'm going to wait and see. I'd like to think my business means something; in addition to the new/hot cars I've bought (599, for example), I've also bought cars that are a harder sell, two used 360s, a 612, a QP, one of the old Maserati coupes, etc. So, if I go off in a huff, yes, they can replace me in a heartbeat for the latest and greatest, but replacing my purchases of the other cars might be tougher. I don't think I'm alone in feeling ticked off about the situation at FoW.

Strange way to ride into town: the "new owners" seem to have fired the lead salesman (my salesman) and one of their best, if not their best techs. What this says to me, intentionally or not, is "F*&% off, we don't give a %&*$ about your business."

Like a lot of customers, I can buy exotic cars from many sources. I have more than one address, so I can deal with other Ferrari dealerships for new cars, and I'm sure those other guys would welcome my business. Seems like you'd want to keep your existing stable of customers?

For now, I'm a skeptic.

Will

 

People NEED to buy Toyotas and Hondas, and put up with the normal car dealership crap as a matter of expedience. However, nobody NEEDS a Ferrari, and the experience of purchase as well as long term ownership should, and can be something special -- if the right people are there.

Mike[/QUOTE]

+1 Agreed, they have blown it!


Dave,

Sure they may or may not have needed to let some people go, I am not in management at FOW. However, WHY would you let your BEST sales people and mechanic go??????? Wouldn't you pull the cord on the less qualified or tenured??

Honestly, if they close doors tomorrow life for me will go on. But, it was never about that, its about the PEOPLE! Some understand that and others don't!!

Robert

 

Dave M,

I agree that the new owners should be given a chance to introduce themselves and their new visions for the dealership. We all hope that they can at least maintain if not improve on the experience that FoW has provided. However, as you can see from the reactions on this board, the new owners are not off to a good start with their decisions on who to keep and who must go. Consequently, they have managed to turn the hope and anticipation, and perhaps the help and support of some core customers into skepticism, if not outright hostility. This is not an easy business and these are not easy times, and definitely not a time to dismiss some of your best people and undermine the support and loyalty of your best customers.

Mike

 

Wow, that does suck. I had a previous car serviced there (recommended by Tom at Sport Auto - who is 2x closer - due to the nature of the problem). I was 100% satisfied with the service from the delivery both ways to the interaction with the staff during service. Despite being farther away, they have remained my back up plan.

The times are very hard on dealerships right now at all levels, but especially exotics. Sport Auto had to let two very good employees go, simply not enough business. I wish manufacturers would not force the overhead on the dealers. A huge glass showroom looks wonderful, but it does have to be paid for. And guess who is ultimately paying? I'll settle for friendly, knowledgeable people over a pretty building and a money talks attitude any day.

 

There are plenty of cars for sale everywhere and Competizione for service....Any need for FoW? If the new owners step in and get rid of a great salesperson and great service guy, where do you think you stand in their lineup.....

 

I'm going to be very honest here. The last time they had my Ferrari, it was for the 30,000 mile service and I was not impressed. They had it for three months and I didn't hear a thing from them for over two months. When I called and asked them if I would get it back this year, they called back twice to update me, then nothing for another month. When I called them after the oil leak wasn't fixed as they said it was, they said they would research it and get back to me. Never got a call back. I've been doing business with them for around six years and I'm not impressed. I've since found an indie I'm happy with. I only hope that the new owners pay a little more attention to their customers.