After reading all of these horror stories about dealers trying to raise prices when your car comes in or all the bogus add-ons they charge, I was wondering if anything funny can happen with courtesy delivery.

If you buy from a reputable dealer like MacMulkin, and your car gets delivered to a local dealer near you (presumably with a pre-negotiad fee), can that local dealer pull any shady stuff?

Has this happened to anybody?

 

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FWIW, the C8 will be my 2nd Courtesy Deliver from the 3 I have bought from Kerbeck. I found a Great small dealer in a small town 30 miles away. Only their great Corvette tech touches Corvettes for anything.

This was my experience. Tried for my 2008 C6 I bought from Kerbeck to have Courtesy Delivery. The reason some are told by Kerbeck they have to find a dealer they are comfortable with is issues you are raising! It's you NOT the selling dealer who is responsible for finding one who will do a good job. I was lucky as I used the phone to contact Chevy Dealers. Have learned NOT to ask a salesman or even sales manger- they make no money! In this call, asked the gal who answered the phone if they did Courtesy Delivery and unlike most she knew what I was talking about! She said yes we do that I'll send you over to the Controller.

Turns out they do it all the time for the largest employer in town with >3500 people, probably for Execs and salesman. Flat $350. I visited as did not know them and found a great service manager, whose wife has a C7 and their 1 Corvette tech- great guy. Used them now for service rather than the large (only) Chevy/BMW/Mercedes dealer in town.

Turns our the service manager was happy to do the PDI and install the Stage 2 Aero option I ordered with the car (the side skirts required drilling 13 holes per side and installing GM supplied rivets.) He gets paid by GM for both.

When I got there to pick up the car he showed me two spots he found with a small amount of dirt under the clear coat. I would never have seen them! Asked if I wanted to see what their body shop could do. Drove it the few hundred yards and that manager said he could fix it in 2 hours. Could not tell it was done. They no doubt got GM to pay for that as well!

Expected I would get pressured into tire/wheel insurance or extended warranty. NOT a word. In fact told me they were surprised they did not have to even go to SCDMV as they have to with some dealers. Kerbeck had done all the paperwork for the State AND sent me a temporary license plate via FedEx! Kerbeck are great folks who know how to deal with whatever State regs!

But just like buying locally, ask about all details before you pick a Courtesy Delivery dealer!

 

It would be difficult for the delivery dealer to attempt to add on anything as the car is already paid for. You pay the selling dealer, not the courtesy delivery dealer. You will have to pay the courtesy delivery fee to the delivery dealer but that should be agreed to in writing way before delivery.

 

I haven't heard of any courtesy delivery shady deals, but it may be a possibility. Only thing I can think of is, they decide to charge you more than the agreed-upon price when the car comes in.

I still remember what one fellow told me on the phone (and to this day I believe he would have been as good as his word), who I'd never met but was local to me when I asked him about "courtesy delivery." He said to just tell him the details and he'd do it. I asked how much and his answer was nothing.

When I recovered enough to ask why no charge, his answer was what I call, "classic, long-term thinker." He said, and I paraphrase:

I'd want you to come to our store, see how well we can do the job of prepping your car, and maybe you'll get service here. You might even buy a car from us some day. Since I'm the General Manager, would you give me a chance to match the price you're getting on the car?

And while this was end-of-year and the combo of items would not be easy to match, I said sure.

I'd say you'll have good luck with yours, too.

 

Can’t see how that would be possible. The Courtesy Deliverer never takes ownership of the vehicle. It’s originally owned by GM, then it’s sold to the selling dealer, then after you pay for it it’s owned by you. If the Courtesy Dealer installed additional items without your consent, that would (IMHO) equate to vandalism.

* DISCLAIMER - I’m not a real lawyer, so please don’t quote me.

 

What options would you have if the car came to the courtesy delivery dealer and had several major visual problems? For instance, poor or scratched paint and several buckles in the underbody panels. More than likely caused by the transporter. You bought the car from, lets say, MacMulkin. Not much chance that you could just refuse the car. You already own it. Seems as though you would just have to bite the bullet, accept the damaged car, as is, and let the courtesy dealer do the repairs.

Am I missing something here?

 

Is it legal/possible for a courtesy dealer to "require" their paint sealant/door protectors/tint bullshit for $2700 before releasing the car? I would hope not and go ballistic if they did...

 

I always have to sign that it’s OK to work on my car before they will do any service. I’m sure it says I will pay for that service too. In this case, the car has been dropped off directly from the factory for the PDI. The delivery dealer has nothing signed from me authorizing any additional work on the car and I own it since I sent the money to MacMulkin. I suppose they could try but I think they would have a difficult time holding you to it without any authorization from the owner.

 

Jerry, Did you go to Lexington, SC? I'm in Aiken and Lexington was the closest on the Excel spreadsheet published earlier this year.

 

Nope, Small dealership in Hartsville SC.

 

you seem to be the only one I know that was able to get courtesy delivery from Kerbeck.
FYI they didn’t install the Z51 front or rear top brake ducts per GM PDI and my car had a paint defect which the shipper detected and not Kerbeck. They seem to be mainly interested in volume. I’m glad you got a good local dealer.

 

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Dave, the Kerbeck manager, who posts on the Forum (they sponsor the C7 section) wrote they support Courtesy Delivery BUT want you to pick the dealer! It's a risk as many folks have found just buying a C8 from their local dealer! He said you have to be sure you are comfortable they will service your car properly AND deal with any cosmetic issues! Not easy to assure BUT I have called all the dealer's close by. Most just say they will not do it!

Expect that from a salesman or sales manger as they don't make commission. BUT I'd start with the service manager and ask if they do it and how they would handle shipping damage for example. Dave said and I found no issue once you find a dealer who will do it (admit my $350 is cheap and they have a great Corvette tech) just tell Kerbeck that is who you want to use. It really makes no difference to them as they lose some GM PDI reimbursement but no big deal! If you live far away the are not going to get your ongoing service where the Courtesy Deliver Dealer may- if they do a good job.

For my C6 I called all over and even drove an hour to Myrtle Beach where on the phone it sounded like yes BUT was no! I flew to Atlantic City and drove the 600 miles home! I suggest calling a small dealer is a small town where they understand they are not going to sell you a car, have a Corvette tech and want your service business.

PS: I have a friend who lives around Stockton and I told him the same. Said perhaps he could find a dealer with a C8 allocation but if very small allocation and filled then ask if they will do Courtesy Delivery then call Kerbeck! But frankly I'll bet Kerbeck has so many 2021 on the priority list already it won't be quick delivery.

Funny see you are from San Jose. Your problem is too much money in the area! My cousin sold his home in San Jose and a small 800 square foot home in Pacific Grove that had a detached garage with water and sewer. That was the key. Sold it for over $1 million and someone tore it down and built a larger home. Water/Sewer was the key! In fact my friend in Stockton said he knows a lady who paid $25,000 over MSRP for her C8, but don't feel bad she owns 12 McDonalds!

 

Apart from you concern, mine would be that the local yoyos wouldn't even know which way it was supposed to be going and would try and reverse the seats because the engine is in the wrong end!

 

If you live in AZ avoid Van Chevrolet at all costs even if that means driving 20 or 30 miles to another dealer..

 

I second this! Complete dishonest crooks.

 

What do you zonies think of taking delivery at Autonation in Mesa? That's the closest dealer MacMulkin does courtesy with to me, and I know nothing about Phoenix dealers.

 

They did the courtesy delivery on my C7 ZO6. No complaints.

 

Should not be a concern if handled properly. MacMulkin setup my courtesy delivery, I received documentation with all fees associated with the delivery including the courtesy delivery fee, cost to transfer tag. I also instructed the dealer to not wash or prep the vehicle.

 

Courtesy delivery with our C6 bought from MI, delivered in Tucson. Guy was a trainee at the commercial truck lot. While he may have known a little about 2 ton chasiss', he was clueless with the C6. He spent a few minutes looking under, around, etc. Then announced he had no idea where the spare tire was. We'd need to read the manual. Having said that, this was very early on and few people knew much more. Still humors me to this day though.

 

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I had a similar experience with my 1st Vette, a 1988 ordered as I have all 6, "Made Just For Me" in Bowling Green BUT from the local Chevy Dealer. As I bought cars at that time, went to the sales manager (not a salesman) with a sheet showing each item I wanted in the first column, the MSRP for each next and Dealer Invoice in a column next. Knowing there were holdbacks and sometimes end month incentives we quickly reached a price agreement. He ordered the car

When the car was delivered, he gave whatever commission to this new young salesman who looked at me and said "I know nothing about Corvettes" (Few are sold in our area but appreciated his honesty.) He then said I looked at the storage behind the passenger seat (the '88 had two, one directly behind each seat) and he said; "It is big enough to hold a six pack!" They supplied cars with a full tank and since mine was a standard shift he then said, "Would you mind me driving the car to the gas station and I'll pay for the gas!" Don't think he knew how!

My C6 and the 3 after were bought from large Internet dealers. The folks at Kerbeck (and probably the other large ones) know Corvettes, they know what is constrained or might be etc. My last two were Courtesy Delivery to a great small dealer in a town 30 miles away. The Corvette Tech is so good they earned my business! Your odds of getting a item constrained to say 10% of all orders (usually because of availability) are much better with a Kerbeck, who orders 50+ every "Build Order" window. They just won't order that item for the cars they buy for inventory etc!

Pricing is so simple! Look at what discounts they have published on the Net for cars in stock (they usually have ~200+) and that's what you pay. That is what they will quote for ones ordered "Built Just For You" in Bowling Green!