The Official "Jay Leno Doesn't Like Ferraris" Thread

I have been gone from FoDallas since last May, so I believe I can be objective about this. I must agree about bad treatment. If I had ever treated anyone like above, I would have fired myself--period--end of story.

Unfortunately in the car business are some of those guys who are only in it for a short time and have no desire to make it their chosen profession. These are the guys who give the rest of us who plan on staying in it for the long haul a bad name. All they see when you walk in the door is a big $$$ and they begin to devise a way to get all they can from you as soon as possible, no matter how many lies they may have to tell to get it. Please know that these are not "PROFESSIONAL" car salespeople. These are the stereotypical sleazy, fly-by-nighters who are in it for a quick buck and plan on getting out as soon as a better deal comes along. They have no intention of getting to know you and developing long term client relationships.

I still have people who buy cars from me that I first sold to 20 years ago. They will even drive 300-400 miles to get here. Am I always the cheapest price in town?---No, but I am never the highest and they know they can rely on me to be there when they need me. Sometimes I am the lowest price but not always. But again, I will be here. That makes a difference. If the person you are dealing with is pleasant, TRUTHFUL, professional and compassionate about your true needs and deires, you have found a rarity in the auto sales field. But, hold out. You will find that person sooner or later and these are the ones who are a joy to buy from or through.

Walk out on the rude, obnoxious, overbearing guys who only look at you as a dollar sign. That is all they see and that is all that is important to them. This is very short-sighted vision and will never build a large, strong, loyal client base. It will never build a client base at all and will only further damage the perception of the already tarnished sales industry. But, again, please do not judge all of us by "THEM".

 

I at one time worked for a Lincoln dealership. This old, rusted out hunk of junk early 80's Honda Accord with a GIGANTIC CB antenna pulls up and a couple gets out and starts looking at the Town Cars. (I don't mean to disrespect anyone's car that is not a kit car Ferrari but even the guy driving it said so - and said it first) Nobody wanted to help them (it's not like it was busy in there anyway) so I start walking out of the showroom to wait on them. Some of my coworkers were like "Yeah Chris go talk to them hahahaha". When I went out there, introduced myself, and started talking with them I discovered a few things. The gentleman driving the Honda had just gone through a divorce and lost most of his stuff (Expedition included). He worked for Ford and he was joking how he has to hide his car at work because he doesn't want to be seen in it and he hates it and he's worried someone is going to blow it up. The lady with him was his sister - who was loaded. She wanted to test drive a Town Car. I got the keys, told them to take as long as they need, and when she got back (1/2 hour later) she bought the car. It was one of the easiest sales of my life. You should have seen my co-workers faces. It was a priceless moment. You never know.....you really don't. Now I work in the banking industry and let me tell you, you would be surprised who has the money and who doesn't. One clue - it's almost never the people who LOOK like they have it. The ones who have it don't always feel the need to flaunt it.

 

Years ago I worked for Safeway and had a friend who had just started work at a Cadillac dealership and asked me to come by so he could practice on me. I went and he walked me around the lot and all. About that time this guy with real long straight dirty hair drove up in a 15 year old base model Chevrolet pickup with an older lady with him. The "Old Pros" on the lot told my friend that since he was the rookie that he should go "practice" on this guy. Of course my friend, being brand new to the car business and naive, said sure and he went out and greeted them. The guy with long hair got out of the truck. He had on faded, faded, worn, hole in the knee jeans, an oversize white t-shirt with stains on it and some old sandals. The lady stayed in the truck.

I went back inside and watched from the showroom. My friend showed him several cars and went on a demo ride with him. After they came back and came inside, the sales manager called my friend over and told him to get rid of this deadbeat. He said that this guy could not get the sales taxes financed if he paid the price of the car down. My friend stood him ground and told the sales manager he had an offer. The manager again said to get the guy out, that he was stinking up the place. My friend would not back down and told the sales manager he was taking the paperwork to the finance manager to review. The sales manager said whatever and turned and walked away. The old pros on the sales floor just laughed.

My friend took the guy with dirty, stringy, long hair into the finance office. In about 30 minutes they came out and shook hands. My friend then made up make-ready tickets for two new Cadillacs that had been paid for with cash. The guy with long hair was Dan Seals of Seals and Croft. He had told his mother that if he ever made a hit record he would buy her a new Cadillac. He lived up to his end of the bargain and bought one for himself because he liked the way he was treated by my friend. The owner of the dealership found out what happened and demoted the sales manager and put him back on the floor. He did not last much longer. He also fired two of the old pros.

I love these true stories, especially when I get to see them happen.......

 

i belive if memory serves me right that they treated some italian guy called lamborghini badly and looked what happened there!

 

Jay is a great guy and incredible car enthusiast...he also has great taste in magazines
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I've heard that story many times (even Jay has referred to it), but I've heard also that it is an urban legend... I don't know what to believe either way. Maybe I'll poll the 'quorum of they' in Lambochat.

 

I believe the story is true.

Ferrucio Lamborghini was born on April 28, 1916 in a small Italian farming village, Renazzo di Cento, Ferrara. Even as a small child it was obvious that Ferrucio had a keen aptitude for anything mechanical. During WWII he was drafted into the Italian services where he repaired vehicles. After the war he built tractors from spare parts to help his country recoup after suffering the devastation of the war years.

In 1963 he founded the Lamborghini Automobili company due to his lack of satisfaction with the Ferrari he owned. He knew he could build a better car. He used his birth sign, Taurus the bull, as a symbol for his cars. Most of his cars were named in connection with bulls. In March of 1964 the first production car arrived, the 350 GT. During the 60's the future of the company looked very bright. The 350 GT, the 400 GT and the 400 GT 2+2 made the Lamborghini name known throughout the world. The Miura made it legendary. The successors, Countach and the Espada, kept the company alive during some very troubling times.

In 1973 Ferrucio sold all of his companies and retired to his vineyard in Italy's Umbria province. He produced a red wine called Colli del Trasimento know as "Blood of the Miura". He died on February 20, 1993 at the age of 77.

 

well seeing how I am onl;y 20 you all can imagine how I get treated. But I have had some good and some bad expieriances.

FOr one. Bentley St. Louis is an exceptional dealer and would suggest anyone to deal with them. They are not Ferrari autherized but have many in stock and do all the serviceing ect. www.bentleystl.com I have been visiting them since they opened up and have never been treated badly. They all say hi or show me around. When the new Maserati Quatropporte was there for a coupel days to show potential clients. They were all excited to show me all its new gadgets. I will defiantly be giving them my business when the day comes... hands down.

Ferrari of San Antonio was also very friendly to me. I told the salesmen that I had a customer in STL with a 355 spider he was looking to trad ein on a 360 spider. He told me they didn't have any but he would look around. He took my phone number and called me when he had one in. Class act.

When I was shopping fo rmy Mustang. I went to a dealer with my mom to look around. They had 5 or 6 GT's I looked at and 2 Cobra's. It was damn near 105* that day but I was ready to buy. I walked past the dealers 3 times standing int he shade within a half hour. Not a word said to me. I got the sales manager, told him I was ready to buy but couldn't even get a salesmen to unlock a car for me to look inside. He said well let me get someone and tried to reel me in. I told him he lost his chance and to remeber me b/c I will be back. He siad when I come back they will help me if I need it. I came back 3 days later in my cobra I had bought and just smiled.

 

I have to throw my two cents in here as well. I haven't a lot of contact with dealers, but I have had both ends, and from the same dealer. A few years ago I went to the Detoit Auto Show. The first year I went it was me and my dad. I have always been a Ferrari nut, so of course I spent a large majority of my time admiring and taking pictures of the Ferraris on display. This was shortly after Cauley had opened. The reps that were on the display were all extremely rude and would not even talk to any of us "normal" people who were just there to admire. That soured my tastebuds but did not hinder my enthusiasm. The next year I went back, and the owner of Cauley Ferrari, Jeff Cauley, was on the display. The crowd was fairly small as it was during the week, and he walked over to us as were taking pictures and started talkingt o us. We talked for probably 15 minutes during the show. He told us about his recent trip to the Factory and seeing the little old ladies still hand-stiching seats. I then asked if there was any way he would let me inside the display to get my picture by one of the cars. He was very gracious and said yes, but not to touch the cars as they were already sold. This was the year the 550 Barchetta and 360 Spyder were just coming out, and the 550 B was the first one in the US at that time. He was extremely nice and gave me his card and invited me to come to his dealership at any time. I can definately say that when the time comes they will be the first place I go to shop for my first f-car!!

 

u shoulda let him know about his crappy as dealers the year before

 

Looks like somebody revived a dormant thread, but that's good because here is some info that I was relayed to a few days ago. There was a V12 aluminum block engine for sale on E-bay. I posted info about it on one of the antique truck sites trying to find out exactly what kind of engine it was. Turns out it was an M47 or M48 air cooled tank engine with something like an 1800 cubic inch air cooled aluminum block. And then some guy sent me this link: http://www.blastolene.com/The_Special/index.htm
It's a one of a kind hot rod built out of an old fire truck chassis and utilizing an aluminum tank engine like the one for sale on E-Bay. The car was later sold to Leno so I guess it gets parked next to the Hispano-Suisa.
The guy on E-bay had two of those engines for sale, so is anybody looking for a HI-PO transplant into their LLOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGG nosed Ferrari?

 

Ferrari of Central Florida and Shelton Ferrari know how to treat people, either fans, future owners or already owners. When I purchased my 328 at Shelton I was 19 and because of that Steve sold me the car and they only made $200 profit from the sell. He was just happy that at my age I was buying a Ferrari from their place and he showed me the info. on the computers to prove me hoe much they bought it for from the previous owner. In '91 a 328GTS with 7,000 miles for $61,000 with the major included. Thats good service.

 

Micheal at F-SD is the man to see if you want to get treated with respect... I walked in there with jeans a t-shirt, he treated me like I was handing him cash for the car and this before he knew I would buy one..I am 26 so that adds to it. All in all I had a great experience and got the car I wanted. So Jay needs visit F-SD.

 

Well, since everybody is representing their Ferrari dealerships...I think I will say that Ferrari of Denver seems good. I am only 17, so have not bought a car from them, so can only speak on behalf of the experience I have when going there, and just admiring. They are nice guys, most of them, and let you meander about on the inside and out, take pictures of anything, and they just don't bother you. I asked for a Ferrari of Denver license plate frame, expecting to pay at least $20 for one, and the girl in the boutique came out with a bag that had two of them...and said no charge! So I consider that to be a good experience, and each time I go back, have never been poorly treated...am going back for my fifth visit this summer.

As a side note, I am curious if any of you here know what kind of cars Jay Leno has in his garage...errr, warehouse. I know he has/had a McLaren F1...

 

I was flipping through the channels just now and came across Entertainment Tonight. On the opening sequence they previed a story on how the rich spend their money. The clip briefly showed Jay at the wheel of a red 360 spider.

I thought Jay didnt want much t do with F-cars, has he had a change of heart??

 

I just flipped to that channel and right b4 they went to commercial they showed it again. I can't say for sure that it was Jay, but it was a 360....

 

i've heard that jay leno has some kind of bad feeling in his mouth about ferraris...not the car itself, but apparently how he's been treated by people selling the ferraris. it would be great if he would have a change of heart. i'm sure he'd absolutely love collecting some of the most fantastic cars in the world.

 

It was Jay, I don't think it was a 360... At least not the 2nd shot of him pulling away.

 

Jay had a 360 Spider on order, or otherwise coming, according to the article about him and his cars in the magazine Octane.

He has a 550, Enzo and the Spider ...

Pete

 

No he doesn't....(550/Enzo/Spider). Jay owns no Ferrari's unless he's aquired all of these in the last 3 months which I doubt.

 

You probably saw Jay Leno in the Red Carerra GT he just took delivery of. The clip has been on TV a bunch of times lately and was on ET tonight.

Jay Leno still owns NO ferrari's as far as I know.

 

WOW...what a collection he has! He still needs a couple of F-cars to complete it though.

 

Sorry confusing my celebs, and just did a search on Jay Leno and me very wrong ... I was thinking of Jay Kay.

Pete

 

Jeez, Pete, that's a good way to p!$$ of Leno AND Kay!!

Cheers
Kevin