DSOM Z06

There are a few Corvette Friendly dealers out there, you just need to seek them out. I have a Chevy dealer within 3 miles from my house however it was Kerbeck in Atlantic City, over 100 miles away, that I sought out when taking the plunge due to their reputation and amount of inventory. Of course to bring them the car for service would be a real inconvenience and the first thing out of the service manager's mouth when making an appointment is "did you buy the car from us?"

LMB-C6

I hear 'ya but BMW sells to that clientele all day, every day, day in and out.
Typical Chevy dealer probably sells what...1 or 2 Corvettes a year? How knowedgable can the sales force possibly be? Then their service department probably works on less than that many so how much training will they get?

I have always thought that Cadillac would be a better home for the Corvette.

Yes, but at least that's done free of charge

cthusker

Until GM/Chevy division completely changes their dealer relationship it's not going to change much! Most foreign car dealership are acutely aware of the factory breathing down their collective necks. You tell a Chevy dealer you're going to complain to the factory it's a joke to them. They will say we're completely independent and do what we want!

It would be great if Chevy dealerships were upgraded across the board to emulate say Lexus! The real problem is to many Chevy dealerships! How many Lexus dealerships are there versus Chevy in Connecticut? Lexus has FOUR... Chevy has over FIFTY! There are WAY to many Chevy dealers and ALL can sell corvettes! No way GM can properly supervise that many dealerships even if they wanted to.. and they don't. You want dealerships like Lexus, BMW, MB.. etc.. then cut way back on the number of dealers that can sell vettes! Deep discounts would likely be gone but you will get much improved service all the way around IMO...........

QbnSuperman

i didn't read the whole thread, but I of course (like every other American) have to share my 2 cents;

my Z spends 99.9999% of the time in my hands, not the dealers. Would I ever be willing to give up the feel, performance, looks, power, grunt, b@lls, etc... of a Corvette because of a fraction of the time in its life is at a crappy dealer? hmm... nope. goodluck with your BMW, sir. they are great cars. the 3rd reich seems to have thought so too

Deep Silver C6 Z51

It's not that Chevy's business model is bad, it's just different than your expectations.

You've got to learn to appreciate each situation for what it is.

I own a BMW 525i that is my wife's daily driver. Our buying experience was very good, but not perfect, on the car.

The BMW is a great car but its sticker was within a few dollars of my C6.

There is no comparison in performance, value, and cost of maintenance between the two vehicles......the C6 wins hands down.

If the BMW Z8 were in production and cost only $60,000, we might have a discussion.

dmawd

[QUOTE=Rubber Ducky;1565999153]
How about factory delivery? BMW puts you up at a nice Marriott in Spartanburg, handles all the local transport, and schleps you to the Performance Delivery Center where you get a morning of driving instruction and intensive track time in a car like yours, followed by an extensive delivery go-over-everything-in-the-car drill by a BMW expert, and with a factory-&-museum tour thrown in.
[QUOTE]

Sounds great, but all of this is factored into the base price of the Bimmer. I'll do without and save the $$ on the vehicle.

Agree dealer service sucks and the only reason I used dealer was cause of warrenty, now that car is out of warrenty it will never be abused by a dealer grease monkey again!

jimhild

Maybe it is the buyer/owner attitude. We have owned two Corvettes, neither were bought from the dealer we used for service.

I have never had an issue with service. We have always been given a loaner if needed. We have moved between states with each car. I have tried to meet the service manager and service writer before taking the car in for the first time. It works for me.

I have had the dealer to fix items that were not brought up to them when the car went for service. I have never had a dealer damage my car, but if it happens I know I will get the car repaired correctly.

Most items were repaired in one visit, but if not I took the car back and they fixed it correctly or rinstalled parts that had to be ordered. No dealer service department can have every part needed in stock at all times, I know that and deal with it.

We have owned an Infiniti Q45 (2) the second one had to be replaced by Infiniti due to issues, we have owned Cadillacs, Accura TL S-Type and MDX, Chrysler 300C and Aspen, MB, Toyota Solara Convertible, Ford Thunderbird, and BMW's, they all had issues of one kind or another, but they all met their purpose and our expectations.

Harry2

Very good points made!

The only thing I want to add is, if us owners were to obtain the level of customer service we think we deserve for this special iconic vehicle, would we be happy in paying the extra price?

IMO, future sales of the Vette will be reserved for a downsized group of certified Chevrolet dealers that have the capability of both servicing the car, and the Vette customer.

fyreline

The "Corvette business model" you describe varies too greatly from dealer to dealer to be accurately laid at GM's feet as a corporate policy. Chevrolet dealers have a lot more independence than BMW dealers - use that to your advantage. I have a local, rural Chevy dealer (Jack McNerney Chevrolet in Tully, NY) I buy my everyday cars from, and have for over 40 years. This family-owned dealership is honest, neat and well-run and they truly value each customer. Having said that, I bought my C6 from a different dealer (Gary Enck's Car Store in Cooperstown, NY). They are Corvette specialists, the owner is a collector, enthusiast and avid local Corvette Club supporter. They sell a LOT of Corvettes, and that is their specialty. My sales and service experience with them has been top-notch, and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. So, I actually have two Chevy dealers that I trust and don't mind doing business with. One of my neighbors has two BMW's (a 2007 528i sedan and a 2001 Z3), both of which he bought new. I wish I could recall word-for-word his description of the last few service visits he made to the dealer, I was wetting my pants laughing. He wasn't. His assessment of BMW service is pretty simple; they treat you like a king, and charge you the same way. He's figured out that as soon as a BMW is out of warranty, you sell it as quickly as you can. Too late for his wife's Z3, she still loves it and doesn't like the Z4 as well so he's stuck with it. We both wish she would try a Corvette, but she's afraid of the power - guess I overdid the test ride a bit . He needs a sedan for his clients to ride in, or he'd have one himself.

Anyway, you have your choice of dealers and they aren't all the same, GM or BMW. Find one you like and trust, and stick with them. They will do the same. I don't think it's fair or accurate to consider the entire "Corvette business model" a dismal failure due to your specific experience with certain dealers. Invest the time, do the research, and get it right. It pays long-term dividends on both sides.

40idf

When I go to dealerships, I ask for people by name. Treat me
badly, and I'll get a different salesman. I hold grudges. I remember
for many years.

If a salesman wants a short term view, that's his business. I'll find
someone else.

Another thing. Last few times I've been to dealerships, a dozen
salesmen were hanging around. The concept of wasting their time
cracks me up. I bet they'd all love someone to talk to. But then
the sales manager would crack the whip over them. Wasting a
car salesman's time. What a concept.

Joe

Rubber Ducky

So does anyone have the name of a 'good' Corvette dealer and a 'good' Corvette salesperson in Central Florida?

steve burns

GM nor chevrolet has any intention of keeping the customer. It is not their business model. It is simply to sell the customer now, thats it.
That is why Honda and Toyota are making money, and GM is not.
I tried 3 dealerships to get a test drive: no one followed up. Even asked for price quotes. I was ready to buy immediately. I figured if I needed service, I would be in big trouble.
Different cars offer different qualities. You may not get the same performance, but you may get better quality or service. Its all a trade off.

David Lasic

Has it ever occurred to you that the BMW is overpriced in the USA?? You have that "free" maintenance included in the MSRP for sure. Even worse is the fact that this feature benefits the BMW stores by ensuring a supply of factory maintained cars to certify for preowned sale in four years. As for the dealer attitudes, I get more turned off with the snobbishness of some high end stores.

As for the Corvette purchase experience, use any one of the forum sponser dealers and you will enjoy your experience. I order my C6 the way I wanted without many of the extras most dealers were attaching to the cars. Got an excellent purchase price, the car was courtesy delivered nearby, and it was all done over the internet. No haggling at a dealer.

If you want a BMW, more power to you. Just don't use the Corvette or the local Chevy dealer as your excuse, that's pure crap!! I enjoy German cars, I own outright a 2006 E350 Mercedes. However, are you aware that Mercedes charges a $1500.00 surcharge for a special ordered car??

Axl Jack

I can't find the article, but about two or three years ago Consumer Reports showed that BMW had the lowest customer satisfaction of any other auto manufacturer in the United States.

So yes, the first 4 years of maintenance are free. Not a lot happens in the first four years. Its what happens between years 5 to 10 that counts. Although labor charge is comparable, prices of parts on a BMW are astronomical compared to Chevrolet.

BSE1956

I turned in my 530i 2 months ago. It was really a very good all around sedan. Wanted to buy off the lease, it but the dealer was a total jerk.
They are really full of themselves as a brand....
Their service department was decent, but what really scared me was the suggested oil change interval of 12-15,000 miles......
Ordering an 09 3LT next week (waiting for pricing).

Rubber Ducky

Pricing's out, this forum...

mongooseC6

We had a great experience at the dealership. Our salesman was an ex-NFL football player and was extremely nice, knew his business, low-key, everything I like in a salesperson. He also treated us with the utmost respect and took his time explaining the car, etc.

hawkgfr

Whatever the business model is, and your assesmeent is flawed too many ways to explain imo...the car has survived longer than any other performance car. The only problem with it now is it is still a teeny bit too elitist...but no where near as elitist as beemers...

danl72

BMW is not that great. My bros ex works for a BMW dealership and I have heard many horror stories as well. Salesmen fighting, literally, etc. BMW does have a great warranty, but they need it because parts are expensive and they do have problems as well. BMW is not all it is cracked up to be, especially when they get old. Did you know that if a 5 or 7 series gets into a frontal accident, the entire front end has to be replaced due to the fact that it was a special process to put it together. There are rivets, etc. You are talking $$$$$.

djpatrick35

I think you have to find the right dealership. I agree that some Chevrolet dealerships are absolute b*tches to deal with, but if you find the right one, you can have a good buying experience.