Since when is selling a car above MSRP illegal? I don't think it is. It isn't loved by many, but some buy it with that proviso. Even AFTER cars are typically selling for well under MSRP, I have known buyers who walk in, or send their surrogate who buy it for whatever the dealer is selling it for, including MSRP.

It's up to the buyer---still. If it were not up to the buyer, MSRP would be THE number every time, all the time, for every car deal. And maybe for every other thing we buy.

 

The original purchaser's salesperson should have a vested interest in making this happen. If the car goes to inventory, they won't get the commission if a different salesperson sells it.

 

It's not, but that totally misses the point. Is it good customer service to agree to sell at MSRP, and then deny a sale based upon an arbitrary and capricious decision, so they can mark the car up?

If a dealership is going to adopt such a policy on a hot new commodity, then it must be consistent. That would mean, in the case of a husband and wife couple, that the car could only be titled in the name of the person who ordered the car, or it is offered for sale to someone else. Good luck with that.

My wife and I have always titled cars in only one name, for ease of sale later. 3 are in my name only and 2 are in hers. So that would mean if I ordered a C8 for her, it couldn't be titled in her name.

 

Not really missing the point since this dealer, as well as many others, are selling at MSRP. Matter of fact, I have only heard of one person who said they're getting this car under that number, whatever it might be for their car.

As to what the dealer can do, or will do, that is up to them. You can disagree, but dealers sometimes do what works for them. Why? Because if they did something that didn't work for them AND their customers, slowly or quickly, they'd go out of biz. Not a wise thing to do.

As I said in the prior post, dealers selling at MSRP for this car at this time, not many buyers love it, but they'll buy it. That means, most dealers won't go out of biz or lose many customers because of this pricing. You and I have both read of dealers in CA who are selling unabashedly for over MSRP. They are long-term dealers, have people who are buying it for whatever the number is, and probably (I have no idea if this is "the straw that breaks their back") they will survive that affront to buyers. Mainly because it isn't an affront.

As to this buying situation, IDK and neither do most of us as to whether this is a straw that breaks the faith of buyers in this dealership and their practices. Is it good faith/bad faith? I'd say it's not nice, and it will be told in social circles many times over if the dealer pulls the deal on that type of arrangement where one person "gives" his slot/titling to another who is his friend.

A long time ago a very well known dealer in Atlanta offered Z06s to a list of people that he'd taken in anticipation of the car. Of course, some found out when the Z's arrived, that he sold them for whatever he could get from someone calling up, or walking in with a cash offer more than he knew he could get from his "list." Bad move. People came on CF and complained about this Forum dealer. He was taken off as a Forum dealer. People still post about him and it's easily 14 years later. Has he gone out of biz, lost biz, etc.? I know he's still in biz. I doubt if the dealership is hurting, but there are many on here who won't buy from that dealer.

So, it all depends, is the operative phrase.

My, and maybe your idealism would like to think this won't happen the way it could with a dealer pulling the rug out from a buyer. But JALLEN cites the wording that might have prevented this from even being considered, and Phil gives a theory on what the situation might really be.

 

Yep, dealers often do what they THINK is best for them in the here and now, and it's often stupidly, short-sighted and bites them in the *** long-term. In the social media age, it can be extremely damaging to a business.

The chatter on this thread would have been totally different if an OP relayed a story of a husband who ordered a C8, and the dealership refused to allow him to title it only in his wife's name. However, it's fundamentally the same as being discussed here. The type of relationship involved is none of a dealer's business.

 

At the end of the day the order agreement was between the buddy and the dealership, if that falls through it is NOT buddys place to find a buyer or speak for the car. The car is the dealers and the OP is simply trying to leapfrog past any and all that may be on a waiting list at the dealership. If the dealer has a policy of selling ordered cars at list and stock cars for list + ADM then it's their business model.

 

Sure thing, Phil. That would also take care of all those conniving spouses trying to leap-frog past all the downtrodden wasting away on C8 order lists.

 

There are a number of what ifs that could be attached to this entire scenario. Factually though, we know the exact circumstances. One person ordered a car from a dealer, for some reason does not now want to take delivery, and wants to pass on his order to a friend. Neither one wants to tell the dealer the truth and are looking for some other fancy way to basically hoodwink the dealer. Being in fear of trying to explain it to the dealer would be considered consciousness of quilt! They know they are wrong and are looking for a way to mitigate that quilt.

The dealer is the dealer, he owns the car, invested the millions necessary to be a dealer with sales rights, and legally has the option to choose who he sells the vehicle to and under what terms. Anything less than the consumer respecting those rights and offering the truth would be no different that if the dealer told the customer it fell off the truck and proceeded to sell it to someone else for more money or someone he liked better.

I am 110% behind consumer rights and fair treatment. The dealer though deserves that same respect. Assuming all dealers are out to cheat you to begin with and therefore fair game to lie to is a silly premise.

 

I know you're not so stupid as to lump an actual spouse in with some buddy that ordered a car, two ENTIRELY separate things and you know it.

 

Fundamentally, it is the same thing. Marital or relationship status is none of the dealer's business in a sales transaction I can't believe you're not smart enough to see that.

 

Are you really so dense that you can't see the agreement was between the dealer and the original buyer, so if the original buyer asked someone on the street if they want to buy a Corvette and they said yes, and they walk in together the dealer should then sell to that guy???? Sorry, but you are just wrong. So if you are correct, explain WHY they are scared to call the dealer if it's the same???? They're scared because they know it's the dealers car and he will tell OP to shove off.

 

Foosh, my man, obviously we know we are not talking about a marital relationship here! Don't assume dealers and their employees are stupid and can't possibly know what is going on here. These folks are trained interrogators doing this for a living daily and you would be amazed what they pick up on.

 

Are you really so dense that you can't see the OP might be telling the truth about a genuine "buddy"? You simply don't know, and neither do I, and your internet telepathy skills that you think you have don't exist.

There is no original buyer here yet, only a person who ordered a car, and it's not been paid for.

And yes, they are worried the dealer will be a jerk and not do the deal. I would be too because of the narrow-minded views of people like you and many other posters in this thread.

Jallen,

Car sales people are trained interrogators, that's funny. BTW, I am an actual trained interrogator.

No we're not talking about a marital relationship here, but my point in bringing up "marriage" was that it is irrelevant. Would your dealership ever have questioned a husband who ordered a car from you and wanted to put it only in his wife's name? What if they weren't really married? Did you check? Moreover, your original agreement was not with the wife.

It's no different here because marital or relationship status should be irrelevant.

At any rate, we'll likely never know what happens here because the OP has disappeared, likely because of the typical CF **** storm. I don't blame him.

 

For all we know the OP is just a troll and we went after the chum in the water, wouldn't be the first time an *** hat came on the CF to stir up the Corvette guys. If he is legit, it ISN'T the buddy's right to speak for the car, it just isn't. The agreement was between the buddy and the dealer, that's the end of the transaction. If the buddy washes out, it's the dealers car to do with what he wants. He may say sure, I'll sell it to your buddy, but even THEY don't think that would happen or they wouldn't be trying underhanded tactics and being scared to even ask the dealer.

 

For all we know, he could be genuine as well.

As for your other comments, back to the marriage example. The agreement was between husband and dealer, now he wants it to be in his so-called wife's name only. That would never be questioned and certainly not the end of the transaction.

At any rate, I'm done with this one. It's been an amusing debate but sadly confirms a number of sad facts about narrow minds and stereotypes.

 

I fully understand the husband/wife, this isn't a marriage though. So explain WHY they are scared to call the dealer and WHY they are looking for an end around to get the car? If they are as legit as a husband and wife this thread wouldn't even exist.

 

I covered all that way above, but just for you one last time Phil, my suggestion to them was for both buddy who ordered and new buyer to walk into the dealership together on delivery day, prepared to complete the transaction. At that time, they request the car be titled in new buyer's name, exactly like the husband and wife example.

That's what I would do, and I would also be "scared" knowing many dealers all too well, that telegraphing to a dealer early that the original orderer doesn't want the car would likely cause the dealer to back out and start advertising it at MSRP+++.

All is fair in a negotiation like this, and it doesn't matter that they are not husband and wife. That is IRRELEVANT!

 

This is a complete disconnect, how on earth is the DEALER backing out, if the guy who ordered it says I'm out first??????? When the original buyer says I'm out, it is OVER. Other than the original agreement, what would the dealer be backing out of? It's the dealers car.

 

Phil, Phil, Phil . . . let me try to help you out here. Reading is fundamental.

It completely sailed right over your head that I specifically suggested they NOT tell the dealer the orderer is backing out. He shows up to complete the transaction and take delivery, and he wants the car titled to his buddy.

 

People are looking too far into this... We are not going to lie or use any tactics stated here, we are going to be 100% straight up with the dealer. I was just asking as a matter of when this would be a good time to bring it up, before or after the car is delivered to the dealership. And I was originally asking to see if anyone else on the forum has gone through this process and see about how they went about it and if they were able to get a car or not.