Avoid Lake Forest Sports Cars (LFSC)!

I understand your feeling and don't disagree, but I think you should delete this thread because you have to much class to leave it. This is dirty laundry, and as much as they might deserve it there is no place for this here.

 

Interesting, but sad. I used to love visiting Lake Forest Sportscars back when they were @ 780 N Western Ave. Lake Forest, Il.

The dealership was a quaint boutique of Ferrari nostalgia that also sold and serviced Ferrari & Aston-Martin. The new Ferrari of Lake Forest, LFSC is a dealership that went from selling Ferrari, Maserati, Aston-Martin, McLaren & Lotus to just selling one brand.

Way too much square footage for a stand alone dealer. I've seen smaller Best-Buy stores.

IMHO

 

Yep! Before that, could check out the new Fords thru the garage door glass prior to
showroom reveal - and also where you'd sign-up for punt, pass & kick ...

 

Agreed, to say to avoid a dealership because of a minor matter that isn't consequential to buyers is a bit of a leap imho.

 

Minor matter insofar as their primary business. When shopping for a car I don’t have “did they violate an fchat rule?” as one of the items to look out for.

This certainly reads more like a P&R thread but it’s your forum and certainly respect your decision to post. I just personally agree with the poster above it’s more a private matter that sounds like you had already handled anyway.

I’ve never had a bad experience with Lake Forest (or Continental for that matter!) and certainly been around the block.

 

FWIW, that was part of a dictate/master plan by Marchionne to force any multi-marque Ferrari dealerships to physically separate or divest of the other marques soon as not to, in corporate opinion, dilute the brand. That’s why Continental Autosports and Lake Forest Sports Cars became Continental Ferrari and Ferrari Lake Forest.

 

I think it was about making sure you buy a Ferrari when you come to a Ferrari dealer, not a cheaper Maserati or Mclaren sitting next to the Ferrari on the showroom floor. If they were so worried about diluting the Ferrari sportscar brand name, Ferrari would not have built an SUV for sale. That move was for pure profit. ENZO, a man who built road cars to support racing would turn over in his grave if he knew!!

 

When it comes to the "exotic SUV's" trend one only has to observe the success of the Porsche Cayenne. They had the guts to start the trend. And yes it's (obviously) about the profit.

 

Porsche has always been more of a peoples sportscar than Ferrari ever was, I.E., for the masses. And Lamborghini was first with a big 4 wheel drive. As soon as Ferrari went public it was only a matter of time. What's next, Ferrari washing machines

 

Interesting. Not doubting you, but was this ever made public?

Joe

 

*later

 

FWIW

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— Twitter API (@user) date

 

Well, Zeigler Alfa Romeo/Maserati is not that great. This is not a step up for the Ferrari dealer.

 

Although I admittedly don't live in the region, I feel like LFSC is going the direction that Ferrari themselves are going...down. My car originally came from there back in 1983, and I thought that was cool in terms of heritage. Much like Hollywood Sport Cars or Ferrari of Los Gatos, they used to be an iconic dealership in the States. They don't come off that way any more.

 

We Are Ferrari Lake Forest
Thank you for visiting Zeigler Ferrari Lake Forest!

https://www.ferrarilakeforest.com/about-us/

 

I think the no visitor policy is a Ferrari policy now, so don't expect entry into the showroom without an appointment.

 

100% agree. The first time I visited LFSC was when they were at 780 N. Western Ave in Lake Forest, Illinois. That dealership had more charm and nostalgia than any automobile dealership I have ever been to. Ferrari enthusiasts without the arrogance.

Still have Susie Gatto's business card.

Joe

 

This thread was started, pointing to issues the site folks had with this particular dealership.
It sounds like having a new owner might not be bad.
I moved to Chicago in 2007 to work at Abbott Labs.
Little did I know there was this giant sports car dealership a couple of miles from the campus.
On a lucky day a Ferrari would be getting fueled at the same Shall station I frequented.
I visited the store (pre-Covid) at least once a year to get my dose of eye candy and folks there were always nice, and nicer after I started bringing the NSX.
I did prefer when they had Aston, Maserati, Lotus, McLaren but things change.
I wonder if the Koenigsegg and Pininfarina franchises transferred to Zeigler (guessing yes since the inventory shows examples of each).
This sale kind of feels like the sale of the Wide World Ferrari store in Spring Valley NY, a family enterprise that got picked off by an auto group.
I saw a recent video from Varryx, a spotter who sits outside places like the Ferrari factory and he showed the huge expansion going on at the factory.
Pretty clear that the approach in Maranello is to pump up the volume (cars and anything with Ferrari branding) so to speak, and a well financed auto group like Zeigler can afford to put a lot of cars (and polos) in inventory.