Blvdbrawler

Well gang I just sold my 06 C6 and Im just about ready to order my Z-51 Vert. Went to a couple of dealers but they are asking for $5000 above the MSRP??? I know the car its hot stuff but $5k?
One of the dealers called me back and said he would do $1k above MSRP because I'm a former Marine and using USAA.

I see a lot of members buying their cars at MSRP and some buying from online dealers...I've never considered doing this but open to doing it.

Can any of you offer some advice about buying from an online dealer? What are the pros/cons? How is the deal made and how do you receive your car? (What's the fee for delivery) Is it safe?

Last question...Would like to have the car by April/May...When would be the best time to order it?

-CM-

My methodology was pretty simple - find a forum dealer within reasonable distance from me who had a good reputation on the C6 forum. That turned out to be Ken Fichtner in Montana, and I am completely satisfied with the entire process. I even traded in my C6. He was completely fair and everything was top notch. He even came in on a Sunday to accommodate my schedule.

BIg Wash AZ

Make sure you verify that the dealer has a significant allocation. And that it is available to you. Your car and your time frame. You'll need to trust your instincts as to whether you are getting the straight skinny about delivery time. Convertibles are not being mfg'd yet and Z51 is on constraint. Where will you be on their convertible centric list?

It is easy to find the big Corvette dealers on the forum. Buying from an out of state dealer, it makes no difference which one it is. All are in the same situation relative to you. We used an out of state for our C6 worked great. And have ordered a C7 from the same dealer.

Are you traveling to the dealer to pick up the car? If not, the biggest issue is courtesy delivery. You'll need a local dealer to receive and prep the car, do the paperwork etc. We paid a local dealer $500 for this service. Worked OK, but just that. They only get 10 cars a year and were a year out so compliant to a point. They benefit from service and unfortunately body shop business. We are doing Museum Delivery this time so won't need courtesy delivery for the C7.

So do some due diligence and git 'ur dun.

michaelinmech

Make a call to either:
Tommy Jr at MacMaulkin - NH
Dave at Kerbeck - NJ
Mike at Criswell - MD

They are all CF Supporting Dealers - all 3 are excellent - have them go over the process with you directly rather than having someone here possibly mis-guide you.

It is a painless process - done routinely - deal with the Pros !!

JMills

call rick at Coughlin in Ohio!![IMG][/IMG]

AORoads

and w. all due respect to the above poster, $500 for courtesy delivery at any dealer is very, very, very high imo. matter of fact, quite some time ago (a few years, actually, so it isn't like it was six months ago) , one of the current forum dealers offered to give me courtesy delivery at $0.

if it were my car on order, I'd do as michael above said, order from a forum dealer near you (in the relative region where you live), and go pick it up. no matter how you slice it, it'll be a nice drive home and you will be treated right at these dealers. the second poster, cm said it best: these dealers will go out of their way (seriously, Sunday!) to make it your best experience in buying a car.

as to when to buy it/order it so that it's there by next Spring, that's where I'd talk it over with these Forum dealers for two reasons: they have the largest allocations, and they have the most knowledge of when their cars will be built. you could go to a dozen dealers in your immediate home area, and get mostly blank stares or outright BS, neither of which will help you.

ncvette_1FUNRIDE

ZL-1

Most of the forum dealers are doing MSRP or better, Reliable in MO (Wes Milby) does $1000 under, see if they if they have a convertible allocation available.

When you call dealers and get prices, then be sure to ask about added fees. A few dealers add none, others add fees and a mandatory doc fee.

If you don't want to travel, do some homework locally at some Chevy dealers about a courtesy delivery. Sometimes it helps to talk to their fleet manager who is more familiar with courtesy deliveries. A common charge for courtesy delivery is $300-$350 but I've heard of $100 to as high as $500. I've also heard of no charge at all, they do get paid by GM for performi ng the PDI and its worth it to get a new service customer.

If doing courtesy delivery any forum dealer is fine regardless of distance. If you pick one with no extra fees that saving can go towards any fee for the courtesy delivery.

Good luck in your research

Redvette_22

You are so close to Kerbeck why would you not at least call them and see what they offer? I'm sure you would not pay above MSRP and they have great order preference.

Greg00Coupe

I would also call Dennis Tap at Les Stanford Detroit. Heck of a nice guy. Had a deposit with him and when fate took me to another dealer Dennis promptly refunded the deposit checked to see if I got it and said congratulations and good lick with your new car. Class act.

BIg Wash AZ

Our choice was $500 or paying the then asking $5000 over MSRP and/or waiting a year or more to get our car. What would you have done? No disrespect of course.

LIStingray

Not to change your thought process, but Kerbeck is in Atlantic City, which is only 120 miles away from your home in Queens. For most of us in the NY Metro area, for Corvette's, because of their volume, they are considered our "local" Corvette dealer.
As far as I know they are selling them at MSRP, and unless the experience is different from last time I bought my C6 from them, you won't get the high pressure sales bs your local Chevy dealer will give you. I wouldn't buy a Corvette locally from anyone else - not a knock on the other forum sponsors who seem like a great bunch, but they are not nearly as close geographically.
On the logistics side of doing the deal, you can do it all by phone and email, and then all you need to do is travel down there to pick it up. Hell for $30 (which is cheaper than gas and the $28.50 in tolls) you can take the bus down there and have $10 (give back from the casino's) to spend on the one armed bandits plus a free lunch.

Altman

Anyone but kerbeck the liar

Mike Campbell

You should have done what all the people on this thread suggested.

george vee

I live near you and bought my C7 from Tommy JR. at MacMulkin Chevy in NH. Very nice to deal with and no surprises. Did it over the phone and when I picked up my C7 the deal was exactly as we discusses.
When I picked up my C7 on 9/27 I drove it to my second home (upstate NY) from NH .I took the long way thru the Berkshires and then into the Adirondacks in NY. Normaly a 230 mile ride, I turned into 600 miles. By the time I got to NYC 4 days later I had 1100 miles and the C7 was broken in.

Blvdbrawler

Wow these are all great suggestions...Really appreciate it! Sounds like the process is painless and EASY! Ill give Kerbeck a call (since he is near me) to get more of the specific answers that I will need.

Thanks guys!

fdxpilot

Just remember, convertibles are just starting to be produced and the Z51 package is on constraint for new orders. There are currently many Z51 convertibles already in the order process, waiting for production allocation. I know because I recently changed my 4 month old order to non-Z51 because my dealer ( one of the afore-mentioned Forum dealers) told me to switch or wait till probably spring, based on my place in his order list and his remaining allocations. So now I have a regular convertible coming with a production date in late November and Museum delivery sometime in Dec.

BPhillyc8

I highly recommend Kerbeck.

Scuba Ghost

I bought from Tommy. Painless transaction with no surprises. The price Tommy gives you is the price you pay.

Classic-Chevy-Guy

Tommy does not charge a Doc fee. I don't know about the other dealers but you should ask.

Have bought 2 Vettes and a Camaro(DD) from Tommy.