I have heard very little about ZR1 sales and production of the great machine over the last few weeks. There is the occasional add or new owner but seems to be one here or there! How many of these machines have been built and are they being sold? Have they started building any more? I understand the state of economy but lots of people are still cashing paychecks in excess of 50k every month....even though congress is looking to find a new tax on anybody who apparently is not destitute! Where are all the ZR's.....
Corvette production just started again 3 weeks ago. Those cars built 2 or 3 weeks ago may not have quite arrived at the dealerships just yet. An inventory of cars at the BG plant will probably have to build up before Allied starts loading trucks with vettes again for transport. I suspect the "new owner" posting activity will pick up in the next couple of weeks.
__________________
GOLD72
1972 WB Coupe L48/TH400 - Sold
2001 QS Z06 - Sold
2006 VY Z06 - Sold
2007 MR Vert - NCM Delivery & Wife's Garage Queen
2010 Vanilla Latte CTS 3.6L Sport Wagon - Wife's DD
2011 AW ZR1 - NCM Delivery & Daily Beater
Mine was built the week of 3/2, shipped the following week and I took delivery 3/16. Number is 651.
Larry
Simply stated, there is very little ZR1 purchasing occurring. By my estimates, only about 30-40 cars were actually sold in the three month period starting with the December plant closing.
Perhaps the fact that spring is approaching will help, but my take on things is that the price of this car is way beyond the level most traditional vette owners can afford for reasons discussed here by me and others at great length.
I get my car - number 652 tomorrow! And, I only paid MSRP. I dide not order the car, simply kept looking till I foud what I wanted at the price I wanted. Do not believe you must pay over MSRP. I got mine at Jennings Chevrolet in Glenview, IL. By-the-way, I live in Tulsa, OK.
I think I read a couple of weeks ago when the Assembly Plant started up, the plan was for 8 ZR1's a day. The Line is at about 11 cars an hour on an 8 hour day.
Has production now stopped for the time due to BG shutdown? I wonder how many units will be built....period? May turn out to be a very low and valueable production run. Please tell us whats going on if your in the know!
For those that ordered theirs, what was the turn around time from the point the entry went into the system (GM Workbench) and the day it was available for delivery?
Simply stated, there is very little ZR1 purchasing occurring. By my estimates, only about 30-40 cars were actually sold in the three month period starting with the December plant closing.
Perhaps the fact that spring is approaching will help, but my take on things is that the price of this car is way beyond the level most traditional vette owners can afford for reasons discussed here by me and others at great length.
The reason that only 30-40 cars were sold is because that's how many were available. The dealers knew it and as the supply went down the price went up. The demand for the ZR1 is not gone.
Your 100% correct that this car is beyond what traditional corvette owners can afford and that's not who's buying them. Every Vette enthusiast would love to have the ZR1 but it's simply too much to bite off for the average guy in this market. It was never meant to be an every man's supercar, just a cheap one. Of course when your talking supercars even cheap is expensive.
The reason that only 30-40 cars were sold is because that's how many were available. The dealers knew it and as the supply went down the price went up. The demand for the ZR1 is not gone.
Your 100% correct that this car is beyond what traditional corvette owners can afford and that's not who's buying them. Every Vette enthusiast would love to have the ZR1 but it's simply too much to bite off for the average guy in this market. It was never meant to be an every man's supercar, just a cheap one. Of course when your talking supercars even cheap is expensive.
This very odd set of circumstances will keep the price of the ZR1 in a strange market for a while.
With respect to my point about the sales numbers over about a three month period, not all of the available product was sold. The cars sat on dealer lots or on showroom floors. After three months, for whatever reason, including potentially absurd mark-ups, there was still product in available. The absorption rate of the car was incredibly low. I think that speaks to demand as much as anything else.
What I have found most interesting is that the level of activity in the ZR1 section of CF is so low. It speaks volumes. I believe GM has made a major miscalculation with their pricing. Had the Z06 been offered with several moderately priced options, including a supercharged engine package, brakes and suspension, at reasonable prices, the car would have sold much better. For most people, ceramic brakes are not necessary. The suspension package would not have had to break the bank. Magnetoresistive shocks had been available on vettes for a while. Carbon fiber body parts were on the Z06 for several years. There is undoubtedly a synergy realized by blending engines, suspension, brakes, etc., but it seems to me that at the offering price, GM has missed the mark and their market.
During boom times, the car may have sold well, particularly if the Z06 resale market had stayed strong. Those times have come and gone. I have an 06 Z which has 12 K easy miles over three years and the car isn't worth squat.
I was very much interested in the ZR1 when it came out, but have since seriously reconsidered my decision to buy the car. While I certainly would not cast any doubts whatsoever upon any ZR1 purchasers, regardless of what they paid, I am having a hard time justifying the true cost of ownership of the ZR1. As I have also stated before, many owners of F and P cars simply don't have an interest in corvettes (or much of anything else at this point in time).
It is almost like someone threw a party and nobody came. Very sad as this car is the pinnacle of over 50 years of vette development and is now beyond the reach of many who would love to have the car, but can't afford the cost of ownership.
With respect to my point about the sales numbers over about a three month period, not all of the available product was sold. The cars sat on dealer lots or on showroom floors. After three months, for whatever reason, including potentially absurd mark-ups, there was still product in available. The absorption rate of the car was incredibly low. I think that speaks to demand as much as anything else.
What I have found most interesting is that the level of activity in the ZR1 section of CF is so low. It speaks volumes. I believe GM has made a major miscalculation with their pricing. Had the Z06 been offered with several moderately priced options, including a supercharged engine package, brakes and suspension, at reasonable prices, the car would have sold much better. For most people, ceramic brakes are not necessary. The suspension package would not have had to break the bank. Magnetoresistive shocks had been available on vettes for a while. Carbon fiber body parts were on the Z06 for several years. There is undoubtedly a synergy realized by blending engines, suspension, brakes, etc., but it seems to me that at the offering price, GM has missed the mark and their market.
During boom times, the car may have sold well, particularly if the Z06 resale market had stayed strong. Those times have come and gone. I have an 06 Z which has 12 K easy miles over three years and the car isn't worth squat.
I was very much interested in the ZR1 when it came out, but have since seriously reconsidered my decision to buy the car. While I certainly would not cast any doubts whatsoever upon any ZR1 purchasers, regardless of what they paid, I am having a hard time justifying the true cost of ownership of the ZR1. As I have also stated before, many owners of F and P cars simply don't have an interest in corvettes (or much of anything else at this point in time).
It is almost like someone threw a party and nobody came. Very sad as this car is the pinnacle of over 50 years of vette development and is now beyond the reach of many who would love to have the car, but can't afford the cost of ownership.
I don't disagree with most of what you're saying, however, dealers that still have one or more ZR1s must think buyers are out there or they would reduce their MSRP plus prices. Of course the very people that are complaining about the MSRP plus prices are the same ones that would be bitching if production was increased to equal ZO6s thereby resulting in used ZR1 values dropping dramatically as is the case with other vettes including Z06s.
I think the MSRP price of the ZR1 is not really the problem, though it is hitting new heights for a chevy which will be serviced in a Chevy service department right next to the Cobalt and Trailblazer. I know a number of people though that have been waiting in the wings for the price to come down off of the dealer markups for the ZR1 just as many did (including me) with the ZO6. The general feeling seems to be that if it does not come down as the ZO6 did for some reason, then I guess it just was not meant to be. The ZO6 is a pretty spectacular car, especially when comparing the discounted prices they are selling for now as compared to the marked up price of the ZR1. To me there is no point in arguing how great the ZR1 may or may not be, but it is strictly a case of economics and there are few that want to take the chance of paying over sticker and then watching prices fall a year after they buy if they come down to MSRP or less, which I still predict they will. For all the folks that bought a ZO6 at dealer inflated prices for the first two years of its production or even at MSRP of close to 80,000, I don't think thew extra 20+ would be a deal breaker if the ZR1's prices were not adjusted the way they are IMO.
I don't disagree with most of what you're saying, however, dealers that still have one or more ZR1s must think buyers are out there or they would reduce their MSRP plus prices. Of course the very people that are complaining about the MSRP plus prices are the same ones that would be bitching if production was increased to equal ZO6s thereby resulting in used ZR1 values dropping dramatically as is the case with other vettes including Z06s.
Clearly, Chevy didn't intend this car to be for the common man. They are definitely at a new price high for any GM car and it is that upper tier of buyers that they want to penetrate. So for those who complain about the price, get over it and buy a Z06 or other car that you CAN afford.
It is also very possible that there are 20 or 30 cars out there in dealers hands that are not "really" for sale. In other words, the dealer is perfectly happy having a big markup on the car sitting in his showroom as a showpiece to sell off of, bringing a level of prestige to the Chevy name. When he gets more allocation, he'll sell some of them. In the meantime, he'll sell what he's got now but only for the premium. Not ALL Chevy dealers are in financial trouble.
I have an 06 Z which has 12 K easy miles over three years and the car isn't worth squat.
That is the reason why my corvettes have been DDs (except for my wife's vert which I expect to keep for 10+ years). It is the only way I can justify the cost of ownership for myself. 32k easy miles on my 06Z06. I got $27k in a private transaction 3 years ago for my 01Z06 with 49k miles. A close friend sold his 01Z06 a year ago with only half the mileage as mine for several thousands of dollars less.
__________________
GOLD72
1972 WB Coupe L48/TH400 - Sold
2001 QS Z06 - Sold
2006 VY Z06 - Sold
2007 MR Vert - NCM Delivery & Wife's Garage Queen
2010 Vanilla Latte CTS 3.6L Sport Wagon - Wife's DD
2011 AW ZR1 - NCM Delivery & Daily Beater
With respect to my point about the sales numbers over about a three month period, not all of the available product was sold. The cars sat on dealer lots or on showroom floors. After three months, for whatever reason, including potentially absurd mark-ups, there was still product in available. The absorption rate of the car was incredibly low. I think that speaks to demand as much as anything else.
What I have found most interesting is that the level of activity in the ZR1 section of CF is so low. It speaks volumes. I believe GM has made a major miscalculation with their pricing. Had the Z06 been offered with several moderately priced options, including a supercharged engine package, brakes and suspension, at reasonable prices, the car would have sold much better. For most people, ceramic brakes are not necessary. The suspension package would not have had to break the bank. Magnetoresistive shocks had been available on vettes for a while. Carbon fiber body parts were on the Z06 for several years. There is undoubtedly a synergy realized by blending engines, suspension, brakes, etc., but it seems to me that at the offering price, GM has missed the mark and their market.
During boom times, the car may have sold well, particularly if the Z06 resale market had stayed strong. Those times have come and gone. I have an 06 Z which has 12 K easy miles over three years and the car isn't worth squat.
I was very much interested in the ZR1 when it came out, but have since seriously reconsidered my decision to buy the car. While I certainly would not cast any doubts whatsoever upon any ZR1 purchasers, regardless of what they paid, I am having a hard time justifying the true cost of ownership of the ZR1. As I have also stated before, many owners of F and P cars simply don't have an interest in corvettes (or much of anything else at this point in time).
It is almost like someone threw a party and nobody came. Very sad as this car is the pinnacle of over 50 years of vette development and is now beyond the reach of many who would love to have the car, but can't afford the cost of ownership.
Agree with a few of your points. Where I would disagree is with the opinion that the offering price is incorrect. Here I would defer to the flawless assessment by Yeller:
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellerz51
It was never meant to be an every man's supercar, just a cheap one. Of course when your talking supercars even cheap is expensive.
Ding. Compared to the cars it can take down from a performance standpoint the car is being virtually given away. But if one is going to say that the ZR1 is incorrectly priced based on activity here or sales then when you compare the sales slump going on now for nearly every marque it would seem that every car is incorrectly priced.
Fact is, if the markups weren't being charged more people, probably like you, would be buying. But the fact that there are markups speaks to the continued demand which implies that the price is just fine. With the BG plant now scheduled to close again these markups could persist.
Present conditions have really distorted the demand for this car but, to paraphrase what you said, during boom times things might have been different.
Clearly, Chevy didn't intend this car to be for the common man. They are definitely at a new price high for any GM car and it is that upper tier of buyers that they want to penetrate. So for those who complain about the price, get over it and buy a Z06 or other car that you CAN afford.
It is also very possible that there are 20 or 30 cars out there in dealers hands that are not "really" for sale. In other words, the dealer is perfectly happy having a big markup on the car sitting in his showroom as a showpiece to sell off of, bringing a level of prestige to the Chevy name. When he gets more allocation, he'll sell some of them. In the meantime, he'll sell what he's got now but only for the premium. Not ALL Chevy dealers are in financial trouble.
With respect to my point about the sales numbers over about a three month period, not all of the available product was sold. The cars sat on dealer lots or on showroom floors. After three months, for whatever reason, including potentially absurd mark-ups, there was still product in available. The absorption rate of the car was incredibly low. I think that speaks to demand as much as anything else.
What I have found most interesting is that the level of activity in the ZR1 section of CF is so low. It speaks volumes. I believe GM has made a major miscalculation with their pricing. Had the Z06 been offered with several moderately priced options, including a supercharged engine package, brakes and suspension, at reasonable prices, the car would have sold much better. For most people, ceramic brakes are not necessary. The suspension package would not have had to break the bank. Magnetoresistive shocks had been available on vettes for a while. Carbon fiber body parts were on the Z06 for several years. There is undoubtedly a synergy realized by blending engines, suspension, brakes, etc., but it seems to me that at the offering price, GM has missed the mark and their market.
During boom times, the car may have sold well, particularly if the Z06 resale market had stayed strong. Those times have come and gone. I have an 06 Z which has 12 K easy miles over three years and the car isn't worth squat.
I was very much interested in the ZR1 when it came out, but have since seriously reconsidered my decision to buy the car. While I certainly would not cast any doubts whatsoever upon any ZR1 purchasers, regardless of what they paid, I am having a hard time justifying the true cost of ownership of the ZR1. As I have also stated before, many owners of F and P cars simply don't have an interest in corvettes (or much of anything else at this point in time).
It is almost like someone threw a party and nobody came. Very sad as this car is the pinnacle of over 50 years of vette development and is now beyond the reach of many who would love to have the car, but can't afford the cost of ownership.
I think that the absorption rate of the ZR1 is incredible compared to any other car in the market place today. The fact is that smart business decisions (absurd mark up's) are made by dealers trying to get as much as the market will bear for the product they offer. Clearly if every available ZR1 were priced at MSRP they would all be sold, no?
Did GM price the car incorrectly? I think they did, it should have been higher, not lower. Reason being is that the car is already selling to a completely different economic class than the standard Corvette. I think they priced it so that a guy that might be considering a ZO6 may make a stretch and buy the car but your seeing guys that own Lambos and Porsche's and others buy them. If buyers pay over sticker for the car consistently then GM has not got the price right. To put it another way if they priced the car exactly 10K higher the same number of cars would have been sold, no question. Could they sustain the pricing? Who knows??? You can always discount the car later.
I can 't quite grasp the part about throwing a party and nobody came. Literally every car that has been built so far has an owner with the exception of a few that are on dealer showrooms with 50K mark up's waiting for there new owner.
For those that ordered theirs, what was the turn around time from the point the entry went into the system (GM Workbench) and the day it was available for delivery?
I ordered mine August 17, and saw it come off the line on March 2, and it was delivered to the dealer on March 16.
I think that the absorption rate of the ZR1 is incredible compared to any other car in the market place today. The fact is that smart business decisions (absurd mark up's) are made by dealers trying to get as much as the market will bear for the product they offer. Clearly if every available ZR1 were priced at MSRP they would all be sold, no?
Did GM price the car incorrectly? I think they did, it should have been higher, not lower. Reason being is that the car is already selling to a completely different economic class than the standard Corvette. I think they priced it so that a guy that might be considering a ZO6 may make a stretch and buy the car but your seeing guys that own Lambos and Porsche's and others buy them. If buyers pay over sticker for the car consistently then GM has not got the price right. To put it another way if they priced the car exactly 10K higher the same number of cars would have been sold, no question. Could they sustain the pricing? Who knows??? You can always discount the car later.
I can 't quite grasp the part about throwing a party and nobody came. Literally every car that has been built so far has an owner with the exception of a few that are on dealer showrooms with 50K mark up's waiting for there new owner.
I am moving tomorrow and don't have time for a spirited debate, but the sale of thirty cars over a three month period kind of tells the tale from my perspective. What might have been a good price a year ago is not a good price now. It is a simple fact of life. 30 cars sold in 90 days does not seem like very spirited buying to me. It seems like the inventory of cars is starting back up - that should tell you something.
Corvette Store
What is up with ZR1 production?
And, I only paid MSRP. I dide not order the car, simply kept looking till I foud what I wanted at the price I wanted. Do not believe you must pay over MSRP. I got mine at Jennings Chevrolet in Glenview, IL. By-the-way, I live in Tulsa, 
Clearly, Chevy didn't intend this car to be for the common man. They are definitely at a new price high for any GM car and it is that upper tier of buyers that they want to penetrate. So for those who complain about the price, get over it and buy a Z06 or other car that you CAN afford.
