Noooo!! My Stradale didn't survive the trip!

Brian, FWIW, I want to commend you for how you are handling this. One of the problems with running any kind of retail bidness today is the sad fact that many of us start throwing trantums the second we don't get instant gratification. My wife, who is a pharmacist, refuses to work retail for this very reason. It is not her fault that your employer changed your prescription coverage or that the doctor didn't do you any favors when he or she gave you the prescription in the first place or that you are headed for the airport and need a refill even though your prescription has expired. But even though none of this is her fault, that doesn't stop many folks from screaming at her to the point where she has to call security.

So keep on keeping on. However, if you can't get a decent answer from FOD, I suggest calling Mr. Risi in Houston. Based on my personal dealings with him and everybody else that I know who has talked to him, Mr. Risi is a genuine car nut and all around nice guy. Unlike many dealers who get burned out after years of dealing with the public, Mr. Risi is very approachable and will do everything he can to help you.

Finally, if I was a betting man (and I'm not), I'd give you odds that the real problem is at FNA. I have heard stories about customers getting bumped because some celebrity wanted a car, right now! I'm not saying that this is what has happened in your case, but it sure looks suspicious.

Good Luck

DrTax

 

Just trying to relieve some of your depression.
I found this while diving, Does it belong to anyone here?
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May have met at the Italian Car Fest in Grapevine, but if not, just look for the Maserati with a dealer plate at Carson's tonight (unless I sell it toady!).

 

Brian....

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

I can understand your not wanting to disrupt the dealer/client relationship "if" you feel that the dealer is being straight up with you. It would be the wrong thing to do.

However, dealers regularily get screwed over by the manufacturer on allotments of specialty cars. It's happened to me before as a sales manager. They openly lie to dealers as much as dealers lie to customers in my experience.

I am sure that given the availablity of information regarding the status of a car in production that was mentioned here earlier (and that I am aware of personally from otherld be really easy to prove that the car was built/shipped and damaged or "whatever" the case may be

If I was you, I would request a meeting with the dealership owner and sales manager/rep and express your dissatisfaction politely, and tell them you hold no ill will toward them at this point, as they have obviously been deprived out of a retail gross profit and that you would like to get to the bottom of this and respect their position that they cannot harangue FNA too much themselves.

Suggest to them that your lawyer will now be contacting FNA on your behalf regarding what has happened and thank them for their assistance as well as tell them that you look forward to future dealings with them.

Watch the ball drop at this point.

I told a customer to do this once with MB. He got his car.

 

Respectfully, I just don't see the point of involving lawyers. I'd talk to the owner of the dealership and let it go at that. If they're good guys, and my car really has been diverted, I'd hope they'd take care of me somehow in the future - my first choice would be a great position on another list. Why burn a bridge you're standing on?

And why sue FNA? Brian ordered a car, and they've said he'll get what he ordered; what are the damages for having to wait a few extra months? Why burn this bridge, too? If I sued FNA, I certainly wouldn't hold my breath waiting to get my next new Ferrari ....

Brian seems to me to be handling a big disappointment very well. And, everyone seems to be overlooking the possibility that Brian's car really was damaged in shipment. For me, this is supposed to be about fun and passion and buying kinetic art. The minute I have to involve my lawyer, the fun is gone.

 

Hmm how could they damage the car once inside of container on ship unless it fell off the ship or the ship sank, Or they sold to somone else.

 

Brian,

Sorry to hear about the trouble with the Stradale. I appreciate the good words you had to say about me. I am sure that FoD did nothing to impair the delivery of your car but sometimes things happen out of their control.

Yes, Mr. Risi does know what is being discussed on Ferrarichat about FoD or FoH. He also tries to address these matters at the dealership level when he can without anyone realizing he is trying to assist. He does not want undue attention paid to himself. He is a private person but one you can certainly count on to be true to his word.

I worked for him for three years and never once had opportunity to question his integrity. He showed absolute professionalism and honesty in what he said and did. I, for one, would not suspect him or Tony of any slight of hand here.

Oh, Doody, it takes roughly 25-30 days from start to finish for production of a Ferrari. All handwork takes time.

Brian, if you get the chance sometime drop by Baillargeon Audi on 183 in Euless and drive the RS6 or an S4. I am sure you will be impressed.

Best regards,

James Dunne

 

Sorry to hear about the delay. Stuff does happen. Let's hope that when your build slot comes around again there're some neat mods that have been incorporated

 

Forget the lawyers; i am a lawyer, and there really isn't much of a claim.(Oh, yeah, you can certainly cock one up, and there are plenty of state laws with punitive features for business fraud, as well as federal laws that would make anyone flinch, but, the point is to get a car, not to go to the mats, italian style. I generally believe in maintaining good relations with FNA and thedealer, but there is also a "bend over" factor that can't be ignored. If FNA ****ed up, they will make good. They have proved it repeatedly here, as others can attest. As to paying obeisance to the inscrutable dealer who has these posts read to him by his minions, i have a different take, but you know that...(The guy should have been on the phone to you personally to apologize and tell you how he is going to make it up to you-whatever the reason-lost in transit-eaten by a dinosaur, it doesn't really matter, its customer relations-- but since he didn't and you still want to be "friends" i wish you luck. ) Oh, yeah, and whenever i bought a new ferrari before or in production, the dealer was able to track it thru a host of stages thru the build, on thru transit to the US.

 

Rob is right. FNA said early on each dealer will get an Enzo. What, 80 cars, and 30 some dealers? Guess what...Hawaii and San Antonio dealers didn't get Enzos. Allocations are at whim it seems at times. The people who got Enzos were to be collectors, but I know of at least 5 who have no collections, and who flipped them quickly. I was trying to get one, but all I currently owned was a lowly 360 spider, so I didn't qualify. A well-known Challenge racer, who is a great guy, but deals with Houston/Mr. Risi, is supposed to get an Enzo thru FoH, but our SA dealer got zip. The SA dealer is owned by a really nice guy, Charles Barrett. He deserves better, but FNA doesn't seem to care...

 

Bill, I find myself in the strange position of defending someone who I know more by reputation than personal knowledge, i.e., Mr. Risi who owns FOH and FOD. However, I'm concerned that many of us on this board might get the wrong impression of him.

Around FOH/FOD circles, it is pretty well known that Mr. Risi is not just computer illerate, he is computer phobic. This explains why you will never see any posts from him. It also explains why his employees print out comments and fax them to him. This is the only way that he will see them because you can bet that he will not be reading these, or any other, posts on a computer screen. This dinosaur mentality, as least to us computer monkeys, may also explain why FOH/FOD doesn't have the tracking software that apparently other Ferrari dealers have. I'm guessing here, but perhaps Mr. Risi never upgraded his FNA software because, you get what you get from FNA, when you get it, and not before.

So if that makes Mr. Risi a dinosaur, 'eh, so what? As someone whose only constant in life is change, I'm jealous. It would be kinda nice to be able to blow off the next new big thing and just stick to the sandboxes that I know and love.

The other thing that you should know about Mr. Risi is that he sells on Monday so that he can race on Sunday. (Remind you of somebody?) Nobody will accuse Mr. Risi of being in this bidness for the money because his real passion is racing. But even on the racing side, he is not a micro manager. He believes in putting together the best possible team and then letting them do their job.

He runs his dealerships the same way. Thus, I'm not surprised that he has not personally called Brian. That's the job of the folks at FOD. But, if Brian can't get his questions answered there, I repeat my recommendation for him to call Mr. Risi directly. I haven't been around as long as some, but I have never heard anyone say that he has ever been anything less than a gentleman when faced with a problem.

But, Bill, I do agree with you that Brian is gonna find coals in his stocking on Xmas morning. Whatever happened to his car has already happened and that's that. Too bad, Brian. Maybe we can meet at a track day at TWS, and I'll let you drive the Maranello while you wait for your car. (Of course, I'm not even hinting that I'd like to reciprocate when your car comes in, no, no, no, I'm not implying anything like that at all, ha!)


Good luck, DrTax

BTW, Bill, I love it when you "Master of the Universe" types throw words around like "obeisance." It makes me all tingly inside.

 

Dr.Tax, that is called an internal paraesthesia...

Lee

 

Oh man, oh man, I better lie down for a while. Just the thought of getting all paraesthesialy inside is making me weak...

DrTax

 

i don't think Bill is on anyone's "side" here other than Brian's. his comments pertaining to FNA and the dealer (in my understanding) are meant to provide Brian with the motivation to call "the powers that be" on the details, and to pull strings; esentially, it reads to me, as if Bill wants to see people "doing their job," and not resting on their laurels; you've gotta admit, niceties aside, when a 200k car gets boffed in transit a courtesy call from the owner of the dealership isn't not outside the bounds of reason.

 

I would ignore the pain and just hang on for a few months. No meeting or lawyer will change the situation. The more time spent on this by you the more your love of Ferrari will diminish. If this was another brand they could offer you a second choice on the spot that is available. This is a limited production car and for whatever reason you must wait a little longer. I agree with the comment that you will have a shiny new car to start the new year. I had a problem with the factory and its not like they really give a ****. I was without a F car for 2 years and at one point thought I would buy a lambo and forget them. I like my new car and all in all I think I did the right thing.

 

In my meager defense, let me clarify my position: I have no idea why Brian got boned. The dealer may be closer to God than Mother Teresa. But, it would seem to me that any dealer, whether or not he knows how to turn on a computer, would see to it that a customer who is told that the car he is expecting will not be appearing, would do something to make the customer feel a little better about the situation.
Now, perhaps the problem is Brian himself. Maybe the dealer did communicate what they know, but the way i read Brian's posts, he seemed to be left in the dark, and questioned whether the car really got bashed in transit. But, if i am in business, i'm going to try to make sure my customer has the facts at his disposal as quickly as possible, to dispel bad feelings and distrust. And, Brian certainly raised that question at the outset, but, it seems, nobody wants to offend this dealer.

I am not on the dealer's side here. I have been double talked by dealers more than once. I do know, though, that i could pick up the phone and get somebody from FNA to give me a straight answer if i needed it. And, while there is considerable distrust of FNA among alot of us, remember the whole issue of the 550 motor mounts that Dave raised, after the warranty expired. Everybody predicted FNA would **** him, but remember the resolution: they sorted out the car at no charge, despite expiration of the warranty period, as they should have.
Frankly, i feel a little whipsawed by Brian's "what's up, i'm feeling ****ed" but "oh, gosh, let's not dump on the dealer shall we" approach to this thing. I have no investment in Brian getting a car. But i do remain resolute in believing that it is the dealer (as between the dealer , FNA and the customer) who has the responsibility to maintain a good, honest relationship with the customer since the dealer is the one on the front line and it is not incumbent on the customer to go chasing a satisfactory answer. Failing that, i have every belief that the manufacturer will step up if the dealer is incapable of it. End of speech. (Thank you).

 

Totally agree - well put WHART.. Its almost weird that someone who is parting with $200K for a car is actually afraid to upset the apple cart with FNA and/or the dealer lest they aren't allowed to actually get the product! Not being critical of Brian but just goes to show how much "power" Ferrari has over their customers. In most situations, the customer would be screaming bloody murder and the manufacturer would go out of their way to retain the customer..

 

DrTax stated FOH/FOD doesn't have tracking software.

It ain't tracked yet.

Brian stated "Hopefully, I'll know more Tuesday or Wednesday."

It ain't Monday yet.

Put down your pitchforks, torches, tar and feathers.

 

ditto WHART and RODSKY, if it was my $200k, i would at least want some explanation , and some assurance as to how and when the problem will be fixed. yes i am " WANNA BE" owner, and i will not have a $200k anything , but i see people with our aircraft that cost up to $50 million dollars, and wonder how the heck any mere car company can feel it can jerk people around. exclusive, low production blah blah, i dont care if its a hambuger at the drive through or a airplane, as a "customer" you should get a certain level of respect for your business. why the hell cant they just say what happened and when he can have his car as ordered?. i can look at our schedule on the production line to 2005 and identify what aircraft is going to built and when. a car line is the same thing but much smaller, in my opionion. i pratically worship FERRARI, but its still just a darn car. all these threads about bowing to the wishes of the makers make me not want one. its your hard earned money, and they should earn your business, not the other way around. ( putting on fire suit)