Dealers what the heck is their issue

Curt,
We're in the same boat. I happen to really like the looks of the 360. I even like the starfish wheels. I would hat to have to put a new engine in the car but I would if it came down to it.

 

I loved the 308 when I didn't even know it was a 308. By the time my adult life is over, I figure Tom Selleck is going to owe me big time for making like these things. I'm putting the blame squarely on his shoulders.

 

Was it similar to Sherpa's experience at Silicon Valley when the salesperson was making fun of 308 owners?

I have no doubt that somebody, somewhere may have consistent bad experiences...

I don't mean to come off as naive: "Arrogance at a Ferrari Dealership? noooo way!"

I get it, you have stuck up people everywhere...it's part of life course!

So far I've heard people here complain they were never approached (I've addressed this in this thread) or shady sales tactics (nobody qualified would buy a 360) Sherpa mentioned the slight toward 308 owners, and then of course the egregious story of a member's wife being refused a car (at 2 separate dealerships) because of her dress.

I'm just curious to what specifically you felt the arrogance was? Did they refuse to talk to you? Were they pretentious or belittling?

The reason I"m asking is I've consistently gotten good service at the 4 Ferrari Dealerships I visited (SVx*, SFx*, LVx4, LAx1)...I know it's not because of my looks (I'm an ugly guy that dresses poorly), and I don't drop a ton of money. Hearing about these experiences are sad for me to hear from my fellow enthusiasts...because they perpetuate ugly stereotypes about the Ferrari experience.

Look forward to hearing about your experience.

Cheers

 

What's the one thing in common for someone who has had consistently bad attitude from multiple dealer visits?

 

Reminds me of this:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG4hOjJ9tEs[/ame]

 

Not sure. A few things, perhaps?

How Ferrari Is Losing A Generation Of Buyers

 

Guy who wrote that sounds like a narcissistic tool.
Glad you caught the joke though.

 

Oh, like a cheap prostitute, I catch everything.

Read the comments to the article.

Regardless of how tool-ish the guy may sound, it appeared to resonate with other readers. Not to mention that this thread (which I didn't start, btw) has plenty of people with similar stories.

 

Comments by people not buying a car who agree they want to be fawned over?
Interesting that the author retracted the article too.

 

remind me to spend a little more the next time I go out for entertainment

 

Couple pills.. couple shots in the Butt.. got you guys covered!

 

Reading that article again (it's a few years old) and reading the comments, I think that there's a disconnect between reality and how people feel they're entitled to be treated because they have enough money to buy something nice. I am not saying that it's okay to be treated badly or rudely but, and I think that this is Paul's point, do people really need to have their hand held and fawned over just because they're making a large purchase?

I personally hate that. I remember buying a Honda Fit a few years ago and the sales guy was doing exactly what these people think they should have at the Ferrari dealership. It downright weirded me out. I don't want the small talk, I don't want all the fake smiles, I don't want to talk about what I do for a living, etc. The whole thing seems so fake to me. Why would anyone want that, regardless of how much money you have?

All I want is knowledgeable answers to my questions and the feeling that I'm dealing with someone straightforward and full of integrity. If a salesperson can do that and not make me feel like I'm the only one with all the knowledge about the car, then I'm good.

 

Thanks Super_Dave for your response here. I read both articles (the original & the retraction explanation)

The writer didn't mention once that he received 'poor' service. What he described was 'lack' of service, exactly what others here have lamented (including the OP btw) I think that is two very different things. Like I said before, if one goes into a dealership and is ignored, this is very different then being given poor treatment. I know some would disagree with me, but that's fine...but bear with me:

What I don't understand however is every Ferrari dealership I've been has had a receptionist. The receptionist always greets me and asks if she can help me. If I tell her, "I am just browsing" - that's it FIN. (what more should I expect? I'm sure they encounter 95% of folks 'just browsing'). If I'm interested in other business, she routes/alerts the appropriate person...never fails. I'm an ugly guy so I know it's not my good looks that causes the receptionist to greet me, I own a modest Ferrari, so I know it's not because she thinks I"m rich.... I don't know I just assumed maybe it's because it's her job.

So what I gathered happen is this guy is affluent, came in a nice car, nice clothes, and nice watch (his words not mine) and either there was no receptionist, or the receptionist ignored him. If the receptionist was on a pee break or ignored him, that's bad on him/her. He also implied that he expected some sort of minimum attention because he was dressed like an affluent person..versus what? It would be understandable/okay if he came in with flip flops and was ignored?

What I do know is this, something happened that caused the original writer to recant this experience. Jalopnik still has it publically available (despite the author's respectful request) while bashing Ferrari, implying some 'ominous' reason the author requested the retraction. What, Maranello called him and said, "Tony and his boys will visit you if don't retract the article?"

What more likely happened is the dealer reached out to him direct and offered a mea culpa - enough so that the original author was willing to take back what he said. Isn't that how businesses are supposed to work?

But respectfully...back to *your* experiences, did you also go into a dealership and was ignored by the receptionist? Or did you ask the receptionist for help and she ignored you? Or did you say you were interested to the receptionist and she refused to alert a salesperson?

Or perhaps she did alert a salesperson, and they were arrogant/rude to you.

I hope you don't see this as an attack/challenge. I sincerely believe you feel you received poor service. I am just trying to understand the specifics on what that entailed...and furthermore be on the lookout of said bad behavior the next time I visit a dealership.

Cheers

 

I've never been treated poorly at our local dealer F of Ft Lauderdale. Actually the opposite. Everyone there always makes you feel welcome. The owner has even introduced himself .

 

Don't disagree with what you're saying, but not sure if people want the fawning... To me, the issue is when the tables are turned in a business, where the customer is relegated to something "lower" because the model is scarcity... the idea that they have plenty of customers, and don't need the buyer.

I don't like the attention I get from sales people generally, including from any car dealer. Went to a few just this past weekend, shopping for a commuter car. When asked at one place (Toyota) what options / features I wanted, I just said "cheapest within "xx" model year..." and proceeded to get the upsell pretty quickly. When I insisted at another dealer to keep it basic, they said they had financing options available... the hard sell in any form is not something I appreciate. It was enlightening to see the approach (and even better understand why so many people in fact live well beyond their means).

I read those comments on jalop too, and I don't think it is the fawning that people want (even if it comes off that way) but just nice, solid customer service. Maybe that is what I am projecting on the comments and tone, since that is what I expect. I am also not someone to snap my fingers, or treat salespeople poorly in any way shape or form.

Again, it seems to vary and my (personal) sample size on this is very small. Number of posts on this forum and elsewhere seem to suggest that it isn't entirely an isolated issue, and I have not seen it come up as much with other brands.

 

Mix of some level of ignoring, and some level of (perceived) snobbery.

It was my perception, of course, but I didn't feel particularly welcome asking my pretty normal, pretty relevant questions (mostly about warranties / warranty options on a couple used F430s).

Receptionist was fine from what I recall.

Other experiences were more of the same, though more on the "ignoring" side of the equation. Perhaps I wasn't dressed with expensive shoes. Not sure but my experiences left me cold and not feeling like these are places where they have open arms for enthusiasts for their cars.

 

Appreciate it!

 

Thanks Super_Dave

That's makes sense, I'm sorry to hear they treated you like snobs and /or ignored you. I can introduce you to my salesperson, always treated me great. Never acted snobby to me, from the first day when I went in with shorts and flip flops. Even though he is in the valley, he can track down any car you need and is of course open to negotiation. I worked with him for years... Just PM me.

 

I honestly don't think they give a hoot what kind of shoes or watch anyone wears. Unless the salesperson happens to be a shoe or watch geek, anyway. I know that the perception is that it shows money but quite frankly, no one cares. If you ask all the right questions, they know you're serious way more than someone with a blingy watch or whatever shoes rich guys wear.

 

As an aside, I'm in this place. I love my 328 and though I could move up, I just don't see the reason to. (Although I do have a hankering for a 16M or a F12 TDF or something else special.)

The 328 has the looks, the sound, the feel, the fun of a lot of other Ferrari's and it's been a great car to me. Why change? I feel blessed to own it.

-F

 

That's been my experience as well!

Sherpa, sorry to hear about your experience at SV Ferrari..(the salesperson making fun of 308 owners) - seems really out of character from what I've experienced. I'm hoping whoever that salesperson is is no longer there....(since it was right when they opened)

Be well.

 

It wasn't a bad experience - I didn't even give it another thought and I only remembered it when Mike recounted his experience. I was just in there wandering and I overheard it. No one treated me poorly or anything.

 

I have experienced both good and bad. Go where your money is appreciated. Find somebody else, if you are not treated well. It is always available someplace else.

 

Sherpa23,

Awesome, I just saw your fleet - very impressive...I hope I meet you in person the next time you're in the Valley. There is a bunch of Ferrari events here - next time you're in town, let me know!

Cheers

 

Thanks, Paul. I'll let you know when I'm in town next.

Funny enough, when I was there at F0SV shortly after they opened, I was trying to figure out how to scrape together enough money for a 328 GTB I was looking at in the Bay Area, which I bought a couple of months after that salesman made that remark.