Hi All, I have a friend who wants to place an order for a 488. Do dealers have sufficient allocations? He is in Houston but doesn't want to deal with FOH. Any referrals to a dealer who can get one soon and sell at MSRP would be appreciated.
You will have to have an existing relationship with an authorized dealer. Meaning in most cases, have purchased a car previously from them. Coming in off the street and simply asking to get a production slot is not going to work. I have had a 7 year relationship with my dealer, and having bought and sold a car through them, I was at the 2nd tier group unveiling ceremony for the 488. So that indicates what demand level there is for the car.
#1 solution : Buy a used 458 they have in their inventory and put your name/deposit on a 488GTB. I would say 2 years waiting list after the first 488 GTB deliveries started. #2 solution : Buy an early used car over sticker.
Best bet is to buy a used one and pay over sticker.. I would think it will be impossible for him to get a new build this early on..
He's SOL. No dealer will sell to another dealer's territory. They can only sell to anyone who is out of another dealer's territory (aka out of 100 miles away). My suggestion: Move to Montana. Then you can go to any dealer but the wait will be years. Dealers will be selling to their local markets first to their most loyal customers before giving precious allocations to someone across the country.
Anything is possible and negotiable. Have you friend go and meet with his local dealer and see what can be done. Will he jump the line and get a 488 at MSRP without doing something else? Doubtful but that doesn't mean that it can't be done.
Agree with all the comments above. Have him buy a used car first, then the dealer will then put him on list. That's how it works here in US. Then if you sell within a year you sell back to dealer and you can get a spider, or another Ferrari. I am lucky cause I am more than 100 miles from any Ferrari dealer. But, I have a relationship with my dealer. So, now I have an order in for 488. Very excited. Think I am going to keep my 458 though. Love the sound and feel.
My dealer in Chicago area ordered one without problems last month - 10k deposit and that's it. Call Continental Ferrari in Hinsdale. I later picked up a 458 Italia since I was itching but it was never part of the deal. Good Luck!
So it's possible to get an allocation early on without prior ownership ? Hate to be a jerk but I hope that's not true. I've owned 6 over the past 10 years . I have an early allocation (March or April I'll have mine). If the car is that easy to get then perhaps demand isn't as high as I had anticipated ??
No. People get confused on the terms all the time. Putting a deposit is just putting yourself on the list, if your dealer even takes deposits on cars they have no allocation for (some don't). FBH never asked me for deposit until they had an allocation for my car. Until then it was "you're still on the list". I think some dealers do this sort of stuff intentionally. They even let people fill out the configurator. But it's all BS until the car has a slot. It just sit there in the salesman's computer while the Dealer keeps the deposit for 2 years. Then they make you come back in and fill out the configurator again.
WRONG If he had a slot he'd have a build sheet with a delivery date. When he shows you a paper with a delivery date on it, then you know he has a slot.
It all depends on the area you live and your dealer. First things first to be on the list is you gotta put your name and place a deposit. Many dealers will make you buy a used Ferrari to even accept your deposit to be placed on the list. Allocation comes later - you can't get an allocation without being placed on the list first and having your deposit in unless you or your family member owns the Ferrari dealership. Like I said there are a few dealers out there who will accept your deposit without making you buy a used F car first! Since the demand is so high you may not get an allocation immediately and may have to wait months or years like someone in the above post said.
That's very true - most dealers are like that they make you go thru steps and hops - deposit first then they show you their computer with your name in it not knowing that they will have an allocation or not in a certain time frame and just play the wait game. But I guess since the 488 just came out and not out completely to public yet things are a bit different than say if a couple of years ago when you were ordering a 458 - correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for sharing - we always learn here!!
Exactly. The folks that talk about allocations/deposits/slots, etc. that can actually buy one should be very, very happy with the car.
