488 Pista - qualifying demands

Very confused here - Why the ban? For discussing terminology of being a complainer. If so, wow are we not getting a bit sensitive?

 

Agree. Sounds like just two guys talking about the definition of some terms here - wanker. I didnt see any personal attack here. But hey, if we are going to be treated as kindergartner when we are not behaving as such, then there is a problem with how the mod view his power.

Anyway, let's get back to the thread. I think again it's dealer that exert the criteria sincei pista is not a LE and I refuse to play their game.

 

Without a shadow of a doubt, all attack.


Back on topic, let’s go drive our cars.

 

Same old same with some....

Regarding the qualifying, personally I dont see an issue as most here dont. You can play or not - individuals choice. When a new Ferrari can be purchased by anyone anytime these days some exclusivity is a good thing. It may become an issue when loyal customers over the years are treated as any Joe Blow off the street which is what is happening with the Pista. You can have zero history, buy a Lusso and now you are in. We all have choices, no one is forcing anyone's hand + there are other great options.

 

They need too stop these BS Games, I adore the brand and have owned a few but this is tacky too say the least. Furthermore, ferrari needs too realize other competitors are making great vehicles too. People will go too other makers to avoid outrage, and insult.

 

Exactly

 

Do you honesty believe that this is a Ferrari Directive ?

 

If it is not then you are saying they know about it and look the other way? Think about that for a minute.

 

Not at all - It's driven by dealers so they can profit more Plus the US market is entirely different from the rest of the world

 

That's sad they behave this way.

 

Yes it is

 

I think it's the dealer alone, that's why some dealers want us to buy Lusso, some want us to buy the portofino. Didn't two Fchatters state that in Australia they got the 2019 allocation for the Pista after buying the 488 spider?

 

Different markets. Point is the factory knows what's going on whether it is a Lusso or 488 and they are fine by it.

 

They are not fine by it, each dealer in the USA is a franchise and there are certain things the Manufacturer can't legally interfere with, this is one of them.

 

I dont believe that the factory cannot mandate how they conduct their business. That is ludicrous. They are so involved that everything from the aesthetics to the merchandise dealers sell, how its displayed, tools they buy and and ton of other sh it is all driven by Ferrari corp. They have an incredible amount of control in how a dealer conducts business. They can legally predicate how a dealer operates as a franchise, it is spelled out in their franchise dealer agreement. It is NOT carte blanche but you are free to believe whatever you like. I believe Ferrari corp knows and has no issue as it helps them sell more cars which they desperately need to do,

 

Whether its the factory or the dealer or both, I'm still not sure what the problem is.

There is a huge excess of demand over supply for the Pista, which means that they are likely to sell for a premium. The first round of allocations went to Challenge owners and top customers, which was fair enough, and the dealers are now selecting (or have already selected) which customers get the remainder.

Some are being offered to established customers who might be asked to buy a Lusso or Portofino to guarantee a Pista, but there is no compulsion to buy. Anyone who is offered this type of deal can just say no, and hope they are eventually offered one anyway.

But, the demand seems to be so strong, in the US and UK particularly, that this second option may never arise, so you take your choice...…....

 

1) There is no problem, it is what it is.
2) Anyone can get a Pista if you get a Lusso or whatever the flavor of the month is. You dont need to be an established customer, this is a thing of the past.

The demand is strong so more power to them.

 

Most of what you mentioned is correct, the manufacturers make us go with their design scheme, for example their interior/exterior/construction design scheme and many others. Of the few things they don't control is who we sell cars to and for how much. We are also prohibited from actively engaging in business outside our designated market, meaning if a customer walks in from FL to a dealership in WA, it would be fine to sell them a car, but we can't go into an area outside our market and advertise (going to FL in this case). They also can't dictate who we sell cars to and for how much, this is where many Ferrari customers get it wrong, it's a business decision who gets what. We can't actively sell to the export market either, which is why we collect sales tax on all new cars sold, whatever happens afterwards is out of our hands, and yes, manufacturers keep an eye because they easily trace the offending dealer based on VIN. Thanks to NADA, dealers do have legal protections and not just puppets for a manufacturer.

The reason why folks keep getting the Lusso/Portofino push on a Pista is it easily does all of the following:
Increases dealer profit
Increases Dealer sales (this is even bigger than customers think, due to quota targets/backend manufacturer incentives, I could sell 1 more car than the year before, and get a % kickback on EVERY car sold that year)
Does not meaningfully impact production of Pista (Lusso has 0 impact on Pista production, Porto just a tad, but lately they've shifted production upstairs to V12) or they'll just force whatever car they have incoming/sitting on their lot.

The biggest workaround is when dealers have to send their customer list to the Manufacturer for selection, this is how they sidestep who gets what.. but make no mistake, the customer list originates from the dealer, not the other way around. A manufacturer simply can't be bothered with that level of detail, that's what dealers are for.

 

Just curious, are you a Ferrari dealer? You said "we" a few times. If so, how are you allocating cars (Pista)? With all this said I still be believe Corp can put a stop to any dealer nonsense if deemed as such. If they approve then of course they do/say nothing which is whats happening. Funny, how all the US dealers got together and are doing the same thing. It is not just coincidence.

I do want to make a point that I have no issue with the dealers pushing the requirement for another car - why wouldn't they?

 

Not a Ferrari dealer, but I work with one of the largest privately owned automotive dealership group in NA. Manufacturer incentives/kickbacks are almost identical throughout brands. This is why I debunked the Lusso game from day one, when so many others were saying it was a Ferrari mandate, you recognize dealer games and how they like to rebrand them.

Dealers put up with whatever metric they can to make profit, but varying dealers are coming up with different strategies.

First it was buy a Lusso, then a Portofino, then buy whatever was sitting on their showroom floor/incoming. That's clearly dealer directed, trust me, manufacturers can come up with schemes, and dealers will eventually come up with a workaround. Incentive structures are constantly changing, and it takes a while for us to fully grasp them.

You can't say that's not exactly what happened. Dealers are in the mood to move cars, since Ferrari is increasing production, that's how they move up on a manufacturer's grace list, sales. The sad part is when dealers have to tell customers an entirely different story and make them feel "special", like you get a chance to get a Pista, but first you have to buy a Lusso, etc. It tarnishes the brand and the customer experience.

The aforementioned only applies in NA, I have no idea how the rest of the world works. Not all dealers are forcing the Lusso push, many on here have confirmed that.

 

One thing is for sure...both McLaren and Lambo love that Ferrari does this and hope they never stop.
Lambo Board Room:
“Keep playing those games boys!
Make your new V6 Turbos and V8 Turbos...oh...and please make a V12 Turbo too! Your F1 cars are soooo cooool.
We’ll keep making NA V10s and NA mid-rear engined V12s too..oh...and you can walk in, place a deposit, spec it ad personum and it’ll be delivered 9 months later.”
Bwaahaahaahaaaaaa.

 

All dealers do it. Porsche has taken gouging potential clients to new heights.

 

Indeed.

 

Don't even get me started!!!!!!!

 

So what is the qualifying demand for Pista Spider? Any info from dealers!