Put deposit down on the generation AFTER the 458

I'm getting impatient waiting for a 458 Spider allocation (I have had my deposit in for 9 months and still no allocation), that i decided to put down a deposit for the next generation car as well. The next generation after the 458 hasn't been announced yet so the dealer is just going to put in a general accounting fund.

Call me stupid, but I'm trying to get in with the system (where I can become one of the privileged few who get an allocation on the first or second production year for future cars).

For those who get early allocations, any advice?

(I bring my 360 in for regular dealer service with an open check book, have a 458 spider deposit, and a deposit on the next generation).

 

alan:
i am surprised your dealer requires a deposit without giving an estimated build date.
i paid my deposit when the estimated delivery date was 9 months.
and the estimate was spot on.

 

They did give me an estimated delivery time-- 18 months. However they also mentioned it would likely be much sooner than that. Given the first few years seem to hold their value near (or even greater than MSRP) for a couple years, getting early allocations is definitely a plus.

 

Your dealer should be able to tell you expected annual Spider allocations, number of people interested in the car, and the projected date your order will be picked up by Ferrari.

From my understanding, there really isn't a sequential "waiting list". I think of "the list" as more a collection of names of people who are interested in a particular car. I don't think the dealers keep rigid waiting lists. (i.e. if Lebron walks in to your dealership tomorrow he will get the next Spider allocation.)

Do you live within 100 miles of your dealership? If not, you can shop around and look for a dealer in a market with softer demand for the Spider.

Do you have a vacation home that you could use as another address?

Good luck.

 

"The list" is just that....a list of names the dealer can put in any order he wants....I got in front of a few people that had been waiting for quite a while for my Italia....

 

I agree with the above statements-- it is not a sequential list and they will give the next car to who they want. I believe by showing continued interest and by being a regular customer it naturally will help move up come next allocation period. I live 15 miles form the dealer so i can not go elsewhere.

 

Lol - deposit will be in the "money here doesnt mean a thing account" they do what they want and in the order which they decide -

 

Are you sure you want the 458 replacement? It's likely to be a reduced cylinder count turbo engine.

 

I have never put a deposit down. If you have to give a deposit you are going to get yours later rather than sooner.

 

Agree.

I only put down a small deposit once I had an estimated build date, usually within stated about 6 months and confirmed a few weeks later.

Want to know the secret to move up? But a used 458 from the dealer and ask to order a new spider at the same time. Forget the service of the 360. It means nothing.

 

Buy an FF and I bet you your dealer will give you a Spider within 4 months and an F12 too if you wanted it. Or, do as suggested and get a used 458 now.

Deposits, especially for a future undefined model, have really no standing when it comes to when you are actually given an allocation. Your last F car purchase if new, was say 10 years ago?

There are buyers and then there are depositors.

Seriously, how fast you want to get to the head of the line, depends on how much money you want to commit to it initially, and regularly. Buying a LaFerrari is the apex of this principle.

Having a public reputation (celebrity, business, sports, etc) also makes a difference.

Yes, it is that mercenary.

 

The list seems to be more or less fluid depending on the dealer. By their own admission, I know the one in Virginia is very fluid. The one in Philadelphia is, by their word, more rigid. At least at this point in the model cycle.

 

I gave my dealer a small deposit on a 458 last August and the car was delivered this past March. It was my first Ferrari so they didn't know me. I agree with those who say they do what they want and your position on the list is random. About 4 months after I gave the deposit I grew frustrated by the lack of information coming from my salesperson. I assumed they were ignoring me because I wasn't one of their well known high rolling clients. I called the salesman and told him I saw a couple 458's online for sale with nearly every option I wanted and I would be buying one in the Spring regardless of the premium. He could get me a new one or I'd be driving another one from a previous owner. I wasn't bluffing. The next day I had a delivery date for Spring of 2013. I wasn't pleased with the way they handled things but I got the car. My advice would be to turn up the heat on them.

 

Excellent!!!!

 

Since this is not your first Ferrari, if you give the dealer the 360 on consignment, that usually moves you up the line. It might not hurt to drive home the point you want the Spider AND when the next car comes, will trade the Spider in on it. Now you are dealing with 3 Ferrari's and suggesting you are going to be a great customer. Best

 

I know I tend to belly-ache about the new Ferrari experience, but the experience here is part of why I, and I suspect others, simply won't seriously consider a new Ferrari 458.

Now to not be to sour-grapes-sounding about it, I acknowledge that a Ferrari dealer should be able to charge whatever the market will bear for its limited supply of inventory and I can pay the price, or not. Fair enough.

But what is intolerable to me is to accept an order and a sizeable deposit from a customer and not put that person in a specific position in line. If I agree to a price and show that I am serious with a deposit of say $10K or so, I would expect the dealer to, in return, put me in a specified slot to order. I don't care if the hottest celebrity or biggest high roller comes int 30 seconds later wanting to be in place ahead of me, I am next, and he or she is after me. Or the dealer should offer me the chance to get something out of stepping aside, like a discount or some part of any premium the interloper is willing to pay.

Bottom line, either take my order and stick with the deal, or not. But don't take my deposit money as an indefinite interest-free loan and dump the tail-end of the model on me when the "real" customers peter out or refuse to pay full price any longer. That offends me.

Now I freely admit that dealers seem to have done this for many years and seem to be able to do so as much as they please, as evidenced by the comments posted above, but for the life of me I don't get it. I call the OP's treatment the "red-headed stepchild" treatment and I honestly think that cognitive dissonance transforms that abuse into even more ardent and irrational fervor for the brand. After all, Ferraris must be the absolute best product on earth for one to take the abuse of buying products you don't necessarily want or jumping through some other hoop ON TOP OF paying the best part of $300K (or more for a spider).

OK, I've ranted enough or maybe even too much.

 

Fickle buyers.

Fickle dealers.

Join the real winners here.....buy a "used" garage Queen.

 

Well said but I also went a bit more vintage, too. I have not yet stepped into this century's offerings.

 

I should say that kind of deposits are not possible in my country. Ferrari doesn't accept deposits for unavailable cars. We always have to wait for the announcement from Ferrari for the new introduction. I think it's pretty the same all over Europe.

 

+1

My continuing experience is that of frustration and impatience. Since those of us who are lucky enough and foolish enough to buy these cars are fairly well off, I would expect that we are accustomed to a better buying experience. And if the treatment I receive does not improve, I'll just buy used from now on. My CARS are currently being built, and one was a decent process to date while the other has been total BS. Paying 20-30k over sticker to get the car sooner and not fork out 50k for 18 months (and counting) sounds good to me. Instant gratification to boot. It feels like mental work to be able to tolerate this wait for the privilege of buying a new ferrari.

 

That's a completely reasonable expectation. I agree.

 

I figured the hit would not be as bad considering:

The depreciation over the next 18 months to 2 years on my old 2002 360 Spider.

Free maintenance over the period.

Due for belt service on the 360 in a year plus anything else that breaks while the 458 spider still has a bumper to bumper warranty for the next 2.5 yrs.

The trading dealer paid more for my trade-in than what my local dealer offered.

In two years the 458 will be darn close to the end of its model life so the value could plummet under MSRP...who knows how great the 468(?) will be like (can't imagine how they are going to improve on the 458...it boggles the mind)


Who knows what my health we be in two years. Friends who have 458s: one had a doeble knee replacement and he hasn't been able to drive for several months. another friend has had three back surgeries and wasn't able to drive his new spider for 6 months. At 67 there is just no way of knowing what my driving capabilites will be in the future. Just had double cataract surgery right before it bought the new spider. All my other health issues seem to be under control...so far. You just never know.

Have put on 4k+ wonderful miles since late April. Don't regret a moment of my decision.

Life is good.
Life is better driving a Ferrari.

 

And this is what makes a market! Sellers who sell for different reasons and buyers who buy trading off time (or distance, or...) for price.

I am empathetic about the complaints of "fairness" of the process (having been laughed at by the Ferrari sales person -- ie "you pathetic fool" when I wanted to buy a 599 when they were first introduced) but at the end of the day, I can only be amused by it all since... It is just a car!

 

Indeed.

I ski in the winter. and drive convertibles in the summer. You gotta pay to play.

It's just money and you cannot take it with you.

 

I am by no means going to be the flag waver for Ferrari dealers in general. I have heard the horror stories everyone has. But, and it is a big but, there are some things to consider about this post and my Ferrari dealer which are important to mention.
First, when the 458 spider "list" was being done by my dealer, all interested parties told their respective salesperson of their interest in a spider. The dealership went down the list and stratified the interested parties by dollars spent at the agency. The list numbered something like 125. So, the agency went down the list one by one and asked the first 25 (number requested by FNA) to put up 10k or move over. Some dropped out. Some obviously did not. I went from like 24 to 16-18. I know that one guy who had bought a Maserati MC-12 came in after me. As he bought this and other cars, the dealership couldn't say no. In reality, they are not wrong for that one slot. At the end of the day, repeat customers keep these stores alive during the bad times that many may not remember. Additionally, this was not someone offering to pay more for car. More to the point, many people buy these cars, flip them and never use dealer again. Also, supply is limited and how do you service your best clients if not by giving them first dibs? If cars were in abundant supply, then any "good" customer could come in at anytime and buy one. Unfortunately(?) Ferrari production is not on par with 3 series BMW production. Since the first 25, they have been going down the list, giving cars as outlined by list. If there are any shenanigans, they are few and far between at my dealer (Ferrari of Atlanta).

Anybody that has bought more than one Ferrari (I have done 5) will tell you the dealer doesn't have a clue when they are going to get slots or how many slots they are going to get. Rumor, innuendo, expectations exist. On both sides of the aisle. But, Ferrari is unfortunately very vague for reasons only known to them. Could Ferrari's marketing be at work? Meaning, if you knew dealer was going to get 125 spiders, would you think car was as exclusive as if you thought you were lucky to get one? Could dealer be better at communicating this and other Ferrari illogic?? Absolutely. From the dealership and the clients standpoint, clearer communication would help. I get that. Believe me, my dealer and I have gone in circles several times due to no Italian info.

Now to the original post about putting down deposit for next car.The fact of the matter is, the dealership never asked for that deposit. I clearly understand the good will being extended. But the fact remains, the dealer never offered any changes for that effort nor from what I can tell, encouraged it. So, when you bend over backwards and get nothing for it, I really get it. But, that is not the dealership reneging or behaving badly. If I understand post correctly. I know of someone on the short list for an F12. The salesperson has been horrible at communicating and general customer service. Now that is an argument that can be made in spades about the dealers in general. It is the rare one that connects with the customer the first time in the showroom.(Mine did) And then shows the time and respect DESERVED when one is buying ANY Ferrari new or used from them. That is an argument where many dealers can be faulted. I think that is the real rub. The "relationship" is too frequently one sided. Hopefully Ferrari can figure that one out. The 2008 stock market crash changed a lot of things for the better at many dealerships. I am sorry for the people who have to put up with the nonsense. It is just not right. I am completely in agreement with that.
I hope you get your slot soon.
Best