Sin City

Maybe not all dealers are like this but this was my experience.

When the C7 convertible was shown at Geneva, I tried to figure out how to buy one. So, I went on the website of my local dealer and tried to see if I could make contact with anyone to talk about how to get one.

No answer for weeks.

I sent another. No answer.

Then a few weeks later, I get an email saying that I should call this number and talk to this salesperson. Yippee! Contact. So, I call the number. I leave a voice mail.

Two days later, I get another voice mail saying they were responding to my request.

I called back like 5 minutes later, left another voice mail saying I wanted to buy a C7 convertible. Left my number again just in case.

NOTHING. No further contact by phone.

I'm like: What kind of salesperson never calls back? Do you want my business or not? At that point, I gave up with this dealer.

I come here and find Mike Furman @ Criswell. In less than 30 minutes he responds to my email, we talk on the phone, and I place a deposit. No drama. Easy. My blood pressure immediately drops as one issue is settled in my life.

Then next week, I get another email inviting me to come by on Saturday, have a free hot dog, and see some of their Chevy Trucks.

Ok, fast forward to today.

I get another email from my dealer saying I contacted them in February and wanted to know if I was still interested in buying a Corvette. It's a form letter sort of deal-- not too personal. There's a little survey that asking if I am still interested and if not, why.

Guess what I wrote.


Here's my take. I think a lot of Chevy dealers do not understand how to sell Corvettes. The typical Vette buyer is not "shopping around" between a Ford Focus and a Chevy Cruze. He's decided he wants one but wants to know more about the specific car, what it costs, what it comes with, and how to get one.

I think the dealers can't adjust their brains to figure out what makes Vette owners tick. There so used to working one way, that a car like this forces them to either think or act differently than the norm.

It's uncomfortable for them.

Well, that's my take. It's disappointing as I like to work with local businesses but when they can't do their job right, I move on.

dmporter31

caveat emptor. There's a sucker born every minute, fortunately the forum dealers on here are a very pleasant exception to that generalization. I don't know why anyone would waste their time with a local stealership that gave them the runaround; I certainly wouldn't.

Oleman

Agree, I called Hendricks in Georgia knowing they had a Corvett Supercenter and tried to buy from them a coupleyears ago as well. I knew they were taking orders in North Carolina. The sales guy told me he did not know what theyt were getting and not taking deposits and did not know allocation. This dealership is huge and get an answer like that is a joke.

stingraymyway

I've never been able to deal with any of the local dealerships in my area. They act as if a local walks into their business, the local must be desperate and they try to screw you. If you're from out of town, they'll "act" like they're bending over backwards .......but they're still trying to screw the customer. Hell, I spent 4 hours at a dealership 100 miles from where I live, in February with 3 inches of snow on the ground, just to buy my '04, in 2006.

ChucksZ06

I think it is the phenomenon of treating strangers better than our own families. Plus they know the only way someone from a long distance away is going be interested is if the price and selection are good. I was on my 3rd c5 when the sales manager who I had purchased many other vehicles from told me straight up that I had purchased too many corvettes and he wanted to sell to someone else...that was for an 02z that I still have and about 6 other new cars from the other dealership that I switched to after being stiffed.

JOHNGFLYER

I didn't have much luck with the largest Corvette dealer either! Called them twice 3 days ago and got voice mail. Left a message both times that I wanted to buy a C7. STILL WAITING FOR A CALL BACK FROM SOMEONE.

I then called Rick Conti's cell number, a couple of days ago,, which he answered and got my C7 ordered right now with hopefully a late Sept or early Oct delivery! Rick of Coughlin Cheverlot is great guy to deal with!

Xfactors

Same type thing happened to me. I went to Viva Chevrolet in El Paso, and told them I wanted to buy a C7 corvette last April. They told me they would get me the information on this car, and "Get right back with me." I never heard back from them. I had bought a new black Camaro, pictured at left, from them last Sept.

They said I was a good customer for them, and that they definitely wanted to sell me this C7 corvette. Since they never got back with me, I called Mike Furman @ Criswell. With Mike there was no drama. He would sell me the car. So I sent him a $1000 deposit check. Viva missed out on a very easy sell. I thought Viva was in business to make money. I guess I thought wrong.

sam90lx

Gotta love the 915 dealers.

Bill17601

C7 BOB

Most car salesmen are transients and know nothing about cars. ALWAYS go to the dealership and ask for the fleet/internet manager. He is usually the most knowledgeable and will get you the best deal.

lawdogg149

Hell me and you both. I have a pre order with Hendricks here. Get the email last Thursday the july 4. Need final $4000 deposit after they already have $1000 and order. So I fill out the paper work send in info Sunday PM. Get confirmation final that all info is received. Salesman says order is being placed today. (Monday that is) No communication when I asked for order number or status. Called and emailed everyone there today. Get back a we will contact you with confirmation when we have it. Well if these are the big guy corvette specialist then they have the worst customer service in the world. Didn't want to blow them out but Im pissed now because I could of been with another dealer now and my order moving. Any interested dealers with a open true allocation give me a message I will change today. Oh and there will be letters sent all the way to NC explaining my service. They know Im serious done bought a C6 Z06 from them in the past.

Oleman

I will not deal with them tried once and bombed, pricing was terible when I bought my Z06. I tried again and I think it is worse. The other dealers I have spoke to in GA only want a $1000 to order, first I heard of an additional $4000. This is crazy. I will buy from someone else.

ALMS21

You guys dealing with Mike Furman are dealing with the best in the Corvette business. Ordered my former Grand Sport through him. It couldn't have been any easier and this guy eats, drinks, lives, sleeps Corvettes. There is no doubt that he gets my business on the C7 purchase. I feel so fortunate to live 30 minutes away from him at Criswell.

lawdogg149

Yelp. $1000 paid a month ago and now they wanted the info for the additional $4000. I didn't see it as a problem since I was going to pay cash once the car arrived. But to not even have a order number. I know the number don't mean crap but at least I could track it and check there facts.

Mike O'Daniel

98% of everyone in the industry are douchebags. When I started to call my local dealerships to inquire about the C7, I got some doozie bull shyte stories and fairy tales... If these rocket scientists would just tell the truth they would be very successful. I got my order in today from the ONE dealer in Phoenix that didn't TRY to first fill my ear with horse crap... They listened to my question and answered it without any games. I've never purchased from this dealer before, but including my business, I have a bunch of vehicles.

HolyRoller

Yeah, what's wrong with a personal visit? It's an important purchase and worth some time.

A couple weeks ago I happened to be in the Cary NC area so I made sure to drop in at Hendrick Chevy and see if anybody could tell me for sure when a C7 demo would show up. Pretty soon Milos Sainovic, Internet Sales Manager, came out to talk with me for half an hour about C7s. They're pretty much sold out of their 25 coupe allocations but have plenty of vert slots. Scott Little spent another 15 minutes inputting my Z51 vert wish list and saving it for the next time I have a thousand bucks.

Milos said they're selling at MSRP, no more, no less, because that's what all other Forum dealers are doing. He has some interest from faraway people whose local dealers are all wanting juice, like 10-15k.

If you go to a dealer at a non-busy time and still can't get anybody to take you seriously, get over it and move on to another of the 900 dealers who will.

lawdogg149

guess I will be going on a field trip to Atlanta tomm. When Im standing in the showroom speaking loudly surely someone will take me serious.

aforand

First local dealer I went to said he had only 4 cars allocated and that the first three were already gone. So if I wanted the last slot I'd better give him a 10K deposit.

So I went to Chevy's 11th largest dealership with a 50 car allocation and I was # 17 on the list and no deposit whatsoever. Their take was that they want people to order them and if for any reason they call say @ 10AM and I don't like the car I can walk away no questions asked. He promised me that by 5 PM it would be sold.

jr3

This is an issue that GM should address and take very seriously.

The sales people are the first impression for a lot of people being introduced to the C7 and the Corvette brand. GM should require that people selling the product be educated about the vehicle and brand to be able to represent it in the best possible way... There are some great forum dealers that could teach some other dealers a thing or two.

Heck, don't let every Tom, Dick, and Harry at the dealership sell new Corvettes just because they currently work at a Chevy dealership. Maybe make them earn the right to be an "Authorized Corvette Dealer". Require them to meet high standards and be educated about the product. Have specific people to deal with the Corvette buyer so the brand is represented in the best way possible.

Sin City

That's why I bring it up. I'm really shocked at how some dealerships just don't seem to care about the customer.

Not a great start with my local Chevy dealer...


You know, the engineers, designers, marketeers. and factory workers can all do a great job but if people are put off buy the buying experience or lack of professionalism, they won't buy.

No one "needs" a Corvette. You want one. Making it a pain to just talk to the dealer is not a good way to convince them to spend $60K on something they don't really need.