So much for being on "the list" | Page 3 | FerrariChat

So much for being on "the list"

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by fasthound, Jul 29, 2009.

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  1. Carnut

    Carnut F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,797
    Gladwyne PA
    Full Name:
    Morrie
    Okay, one more thought from me on this tonight. I own a business, like probably many of you on here, and in times like these every customer, or for that matter potential customer is treated like gold. I have to wonder what the owners of FOW are thinking. I strongly doubt there are lines of people waiting to had them 10k deposits on cars that are not even built yet, and by the way, FNA hates (my company supplies their telecom products) to get calls from customers complaining about dealers. Either the new owners are complete fools or they still think it is the year 2000. I would have refused to sign that fax, and demanded they honor the agreement. When I bought my Gallardo last year, it had been serviced by FOW, I called them, and they were great, their service department faxed me every record on the car. I guess I'm glad the new owners were not in charge then. If you want a 458, PM me, I'll see what I can do for you.
     
  2. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    i like that license plate cover, where can i get me one of these :)
     
  3. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,336
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino
    Another great Ferrari dealer story.

    I am a long time Ferrari owner and I stopped putting up with the BS a long time ago. Once I realized that THEY work for ME, and that a Ferrari is just a car... I said forget the dealer network.

    In this sort of economy where people are walking away from 599/430/Suderia deliveries with alarming regularity, they should be falling all over themselves that someone is stepping up. I would be furious with them, to the point that I wouldn't buy a magazine from them, let alone a car.

    Take your money and go to Lamborghini.
     
  4. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jan 11, 2008
    41,690
    Sarasota
    Full Name:
    David
    I guess when you make your living selling a dream its easy to lose touch with reality.
     
  5. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mad Al - 24 hr ban for unpleasant reference to oral sex and a personal attack, to boot.

    DM
     
  6. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    10,194
    Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, Wales
    Full Name:
    Angus Podgorney
    Morrie, your Shark is still a great looking car. I miss mine.

    That, and greedy arrogant a-wads have a skewed reality anyway. Misanthropic, myopic. As long as some morons spend $ with them to "be in the club", they'll continue.
     
  7. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2003
    13,163
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Anthony T
    Dave, did you remove his post?
     
  8. f308jack

    f308jack F1 Rookie

    Jun 7, 2007
    4,300
    Cape Town, South Afr
    Full Name:
    Jack Verschuur
    +1.

    Even if FoW new would be a different entity, old FoW would have had to notify him if the contract became null and void?
    Or if FoW new took over the entity only partially, the rules changed and stakeholders would have to be informed?
    Without that notification, a contract exists (with one of them, at least) as long as a return of deposit is not accepted under reasons given?
    I assume (oh dear) that the deposit return-cheque by the current management. Doesn't that bind them to the contract by implication?
    If it were me, I'd not cash the cheque and have my lawyer write a nice letter w/o BS, and have my car delivered via a different dealer.
     
  9. 2GT

    2GT Formula 3

    Aug 25, 2008
    1,830
    Western NY
    Full Name:
    Fred
    +2. Under basic contract law, a corporate entity is bound by all of its agreements, even though its ownership may have changed. An exception would apply if the company were to go into bankruptcy, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. The prime current example concerns the bailouts of GM and Chrysler. Certain liabilities or contractual arrangements may be shed during the bankruptcy proceeding, with all affected parties entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard. (However, this is a poor example in that certain stakeholders were not given the benefit of their status as secured creditors, but that is not germane to the OP's predicament.) The FoW situation sounds medieval, or related to a banana republic dictatorship, by contrast. It is as if a coup had displaced the previous owners, leaving all who had dealt with them lucky to retain ownership of their heads. Fred
     
  10. StoryBook

    StoryBook F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 1, 2003
    4,304
    PNW
    Full Name:
    MPL
    Kevin, don't give up just yet. If you have any semblence of a good relation with anyone at FoW remaining, then maybe shoot them an email to let you know when they will "start" taking deposits for the new car and if they can put you on that list. Sure doesn't hurt to ask. With the amount of attention the 458 is getting........overwhelmingly positive, your chances of obtaining one without the customary 50-100k over msrp will be rough. Let the guys who want it first fork that over and wait a touch for them to lose interest in them and you'll see them start to show up sooner rather then later on those same Dealer lots.

    My relationship started off rather rocky many years back with my local dealer as well after an ownership change.......but with a little respect and "honey" fostered on both sides built over the years......I'm now pretty much able to get any Ferrari, new or used, that I want......at msrp. Takes a bit of persistence and no one has to lose their identity or self respect. Sleep on it and good luck.
     
  11. 2GT

    2GT Formula 3

    Aug 25, 2008
    1,830
    Western NY
    Full Name:
    Fred
    It is a sad commentary and a sad fact that the would-be Ferrari owner has to "court" a franchised dealer in order to have any chance of ever obtaining a car. That part is bad enough, but the high-handed and borderline unethical responsive tactics of some dealers engaged in this "mating dance" are beneath contempt. I am not presently in the market for a new Ferrari, but based on the experiences related to me by a friend who has owned in excess of fifteen Ferraris (some used; some used in name only, i.e., spiked and resold new cars; and some new), purchased from various US Ferrari dealers, I don't think that I'd ever want to subject myself to this type of demeaning and reprehensible treatment at the hands of a franchised Ferrari dealer. In my humble opinion, no man-made object is worth submission to this type of coercive and controlling behavior. Fred
     
  12. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    10,194
    Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, Wales
    Full Name:
    Angus Podgorney
    #62 Sfumato, Aug 11, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. clockem

    clockem Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
    1,117
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Gary
  14. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 6, 2004
    16,445
    ON
    Full Name:
    CH
    Is Karmann building Ferrari bodies now?
    CH
     
  15. marknkidz

    marknkidz Formula 3

    Oct 7, 2004
    1,307
    so cal
    Full Name:
    mark
    This thread can go on forever!!!

    3 kinds of buyers:

    1) who is on dealers "most favored nation" list who will get a car no matter if on list or not...and will probably pay MSRP

    2) buyer who will pay way above MSRP and get one of the first allocations....

    3) buyer like me...who has owned a few Ferrari's....has come to grips that he will never be buyer 1 or 2....and will wait for a year or 2 and buy a low mile "flipped" car at MSRP or below...or if economy continues to sputter a new one at dealer at MSRP.

    thats it!!! you can b@tch and complain...but it is the way it is!! not going to change....I love the Marque and will continue to own one as long as the good Lord shines on me...and keeps me in a position where i can!!

    PS...not intended to ruffle or hurt anyones feelings...just my $0.02
     
  16. fasthound

    fasthound Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 23, 2003
    614
    Maryland
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    #66 fasthound, Aug 11, 2009
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2009
    I an attempt to end this thread (is that possible?), let me make my personal position very clear....

    I am not willing to spend my hard earned money with a dealership that handles their business dealings in this manner. The reason I chose not to fight for my right to buy a car from them is that I will never spend a dime with the new owners.....NEVER. Where I have the ability to control those with whom I do business, I will always chose not to do business with people who, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, are not interested in dealing with me in manner that demonstrates the kind of ethical behavior I consider to be appropriate. In my world, a hand shake should be just as good as a contract, and a contract should be more than words on a piece of paper. I try to do all of my business dealings that way in my professional life, and will not accept less in my personal life. That's just the way I was brought up.

    I can always find a way to obtain a 458....I don't have to be first. I waited until 2004 to buy a 1996 355, and until 2008 to buy a 2005 430 (paid over MSRP for that one...silly boy). I can wait until 2011 or 2012 to buy a 2010 458.

    I appreciate all of the comments, both positive and negative, but rest assured that I have no intention of putting myself in a position where the new owners of FoW ever have any of my money pass through their hands. I am lucky in that I am neither desperate to purchase the car in the first couple of years of manufacture, and can amuse myself with other toys in the meantime. I've worked hard for my successes (and failures), and I see no reason to have someone like the new owners of FoW benefit from my purchase of a car from them, or from ever having auto service performed at their facility (I already use Comeptizione anyway, so no worries on that front).

    And I have certainly heard may stories that would substantiate that the previous owners screwed a lot of folks in various ways....and I have no comment on that. I was personally always treated well and enjoyed my time at FoW in the past. And I hope that others will find that same sort of feeling there in the future. And I will miss not having that relationship.....but there is simply no way I will ever set foot in that facility again. They won't care either way, and I'm totally OK with that. This isn't an ego thing...it's simply that these new owners have a demonstrated to me a business philosophy that I simply do not care to be associated with.

    And don't worry....I'm not selling the 430 or writing off Ferrari or anything like that.....I'm just not buying anything from FoW ever again (unless they change hands again and the new owners demonstrate a different attitude). Ferrari NA and SPA have a unique approach to selling the dream.....OK, fine. But that doesn't mean I have to be a part of it, right? I can continue to enjoy ownership of the 430, and will find other ways to spend my money than on the 458 for the next few years.

    I have already pledged to donate some of the $10K deposit to the elementary school down the road from us. We don't have kids, but I believe in ensuring a good education so that hopefully one day one of the kids in that school will be successful and possibly become a Ferrari owner (or some other car or whatever mode of transportation exists at that time). And since I need to channel my frustration into something positive, why not put the money to good use, right?

    So, with that, thanks again to everyone for their input. It was cathartic to put this thread out there.....but it's time to end the merriment, don't you think?

    Ciao (again),
    Kevin
     
  17. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner


    Sounds good to me.

    thread closed.

    DM
     

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