[joshg]

I just officially signed papers for my corvette this morning at the dealership, but it wasn't a great experience.

Some time back, I had verified that I was price protected with the dealer only to find out today that they were billed the increased msrp rates for the car and Z51 package. Apparently he had just assumed it was price protected and told me it was. As you can imagine, I wasn't happy when they told me what the adjusted total was (3k over what it should be). After I raised a stink and considered walking, I was able to have them take it down close to half the difference, which was 1k closer. 250 of this was from the dealer's commission. I also got free premium mats, and 7 years full warranty coverage at cost.

I felt like the dealer genuinely felt bad and admitted that it was his mistake. I feel good with the outcome, but it certainly wasn't the price I had walked in expecting, which bugs me.

Has anyone else had a bad experience with their dealer getting their corvette? I wish buying cars wasn't such a pain, but it's the world we live in. I should have my car in under 2 weeks.

 

[mjw930]

From what I've read and experienced with other price protected deals I've done in the past it sounds like your dealer is ignorant to how "Price Protection" works or they played you, not sure which is the case here. Here's how price protection works, as I understand it. I believe anyone at GM customer service could have explained it to you and your dealer.

1. Customer order placed and at status 1100 prior to 3/4/14
2. Vehicle built and delivered with new MSRP on the window sticker
3. Vehicle invoiced to the dealership at the new, higher price
4. Dealer delivers car to the party who originally placed the order as per the 1100 status order (no changes allowed)
5. Dealer contacts GM customer service and requests a rebate based on meeting all price protection qualifications and is given the instructions on how to enter the rebate in the system GM uses to record the sale
6. Dealership's invoice is credited with the difference to get their true cost adjusted to pre-increase values
7. Customer leaves paying the old, pre-increase price

A key thing to note here is there are rules to keep the price protection in place. The biggest is the "no change" policy. The original order cannot be changed for any reason, as I understand it. If it's changed, even if it's to add or drop an RPO item you lose price protection. If it's sold to a customer other than the one on the 1100 order, you lose price protection.

I really doubt your dealer is unaware of this as it was spelled out in the notice they received when the price increase was announced. However, it's quite possible only the business manager got, read and understands the process. In my experience dealerships aren't run by rocket scientists and not everyone is aware of what goes on in the back office.

 

[Orly]

Going in this week to get mine. We'll see!
Thanks for the tip!


Sent from my iPhone using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[joshg]

I think it may have been placed before 3/4. In that case my dealer is either lying or Is ignorant.

My concern is that I just signed based on this, and I stand to be completely boned here. (At least out of 2k)

 

[mjw930]

I think it may have been placed before 3/4. In that case my dealer is either lying or Is ignorant.

My concern is that I just signed based on this, and I stand to be completely boned here. (At least out of 2k)

Based on simply what you have typed:

Some time back, I had verified that I was price protected with the dealer

followed by

only to find out today that they were billed the increased msrp rates for the car and Z51 package

Indicates they don't understand the process and assumed it would be invoiced at the old price automatically. They need to call their GM support line and get the rebate code to assign to your order and credit you back the $2K they are claiming ignorance on.

$20 says someone in the back office already called and got the rebate code and they are about $2800 richer than they represent.

 

[joshg]

Based on simply what you have typed:


followed by


Indicates they don't understand the process and assumed it would be invoiced at the old price automatically. They need to call their GM support line and get the rebate code to assign to your order and credit you back the $2K they are claiming ignorance on.

$20 says someone in the back office already called and got the rebate code and they are about $2800 richer than they represent.

Thanks for the help! I just got off the Chevrolet customer support chat and they confirmed the order was placed on 2/21. Looks like it should have been price protected!

 

[elegant]

Your dealer should contact the GM "Dealer Business Center," for they will help him/her understand the entire process, why customers who met/meet all of the items listed in "mjw930's" post above, do not pay the price increase.

 

[joshg]

From what I'm hearing, this was placed as a stock order, not a factory order. From what they have heard... stock dealer orders are not exempt from the price protection. Do you know if this is true?

They are working with the business center now. My order is unique as it was a modified order they were already placing. When they placed it, they changed the specs to my preferences.

 

[glen e]

if your name was attached to the order AFTER the price protection was announced, then yes, you are out of luck....

 

[joshg]

It's a pretty weird situation:

Basically they were already making a stock order when I inquired about buying a corvette a couple months ago. They agreed to modify the stock order for my specs and then the order was placed. I had not officially confirmed as this timeline was rushed past my original date. I believe they had put my name on it, but it wasn't a separate order they were planning, but one they were already making for stock. This way in case I didn't commit/want it they could just sell it off the floor.

My thought is that it may not show up in the system as a one-off factory custom order, but as a dealer stock order. Even so.. one would think it would still be price protected as it was placed before the increase date and wasn't modified after.

 

[mjw930]

It's a pretty weird situation:

Basically they were already making a stock order when I inquired about buying a corvette a couple months ago. They agreed to modify the stock order for my specs and then the order was placed. I had not officially confirmed as this timeline was rushed past my original date. I believe they had put my name on it, but it wasn't a separate order they were planning, but one they were already making for stock. This way in case I didn't commit/want it they could just sell it off the floor.

My thought is that it may not show up in the system as a one-off factory custom order, but as a dealer stock order. Even so.. one would think it would still be price protected as it was placed before the increase date and wasn't modified after.

No, it's not protected. They made a stock order to use an allocation then edited it with your changes. What they did was pretty standard and pretty good on their part. The price increase was out of their control.

With this new info I retract my previous comments, it sounds like they have treated you right.

 

[joshg]

No, it's not protected. They made a stock order to use an allocation then edited it with your changes. What they did was pretty standard and pretty good on their part. The price increase was out of their control.

With this new info I retract my previous comments, it sounds like they have treated you right.

If it wasn't price protected, they still made a false promise based on not knowing how the system works, as they told me it was protected. I'm fine with that if that's the case as they have made it right by the steps taken in the OP. If that's not the case then they will need to adjust the price accordingly.

Thanks again for the information mjw930. I should be hearing back from them again today. My corvette is en route to washington and should be here soon!

I'll update this when I get the final word on the price, as someone else may run into this issue.

 

[fpetricca]

While you are still stuck waiting for the infamous code to change MAKE SURE you go to your dealer and straighten them out if u gave them a deposit before March.
Once the car is delivered, once you see that beauty you might make an emotional decision.






Alias Frankie!

 

[joshg]

Update:

Here's an email I just sent my dealer after doing a ton of legwork and research on this. According to GM customer service, my order may be actually price protected. I just need to determine the order accept date, which they won't give me.


--------
I spoke with xxxx @ GM customer assistance and he clarified that any order placed and accepted by GM before 3/1/2014 is price protected. I did make sure to ask about stock order vs factory orders and he was confident both were protected, not just factory. I know the order was placed on 2/21, but not sure when it was accepted.

The only variable we need to know, and that he couldn't provide to me (as I'm not a dealer) is the date that the order was officially accepted (2000 Order Accepted by Chevrolet status). If you are able to find out when the accept date was, that should give us our answer.

Shoot me call or email when you have a second. Thanks again for your help on this!
--------

Hopefully I find out soon!

 

[mjw930]

Update:

Here's an email I just sent my dealer after doing a ton of legwork and research on this. According to GM customer service, my order may be actually price protected. I just need to determine the order accept date, which they won't give me.


--------
I spoke with xxxx @ GM customer assistance and he clarified that any order placed and accepted by GM before 3/1/2014 is price protected. I did make sure to ask about stock order vs factory orders and he was confident both were protected, not just factory. I know the order was placed on 2/21, but not sure when it was accepted.

The only variable we need to know, and that he couldn't provide to me (as I'm not a dealer) is the date that the order was officially accepted (2000 Order Accepted by Chevrolet status). If you are able to find out when the accept date was, that should give us our answer.

Shoot me call or email when you have a second. Thanks again for your help on this!
--------

Hopefully I find out soon!

Interesting. It's sounds like the price protection matrix may be Retail Stock with status 2000 or above and Retail Sold orders at status 1100 or above. I hope that's true and you get it sorted out in your favor.

 

[rabelvett1]

hi joshg I had the same problem.I paid sticker price increase.Dealer has to apply to gm to get the price taken of sticker invoice.I was told by gm dealer business center that it takes about 30 days to resolve issue.I expect to get the price increase of 3200 back.I hope this helps

 

[rdslon01]

Update:

Here's an email I just sent my dealer after doing a ton of legwork and research on this. According to GM customer service, my order may be actually price protected. I just need to determine the order accept date, which they won't give me.


--------
I spoke with xxxx @ GM customer assistance and he clarified that any order placed and accepted by GM before 3/1/2014 is price protected. I did make sure to ask about stock order vs factory orders and he was confident both were protected, not just factory. I know the order was placed on 2/21, but not sure when it was accepted.

The only variable we need to know, and that he couldn't provide to me (as I'm not a dealer) is the date that the order was officially accepted (2000 Order Accepted by Chevrolet status). If you are able to find out when the accept date was, that should give us our answer.

Shoot me call or email when you have a second. Thanks again for your help on this!
--------

Hopefully I find out soon!

Joshg, your dealer has the exact day, hour, minute and second that the order went to code 2000. All they have to do is check their GM Workbench for that order number.

 

[joshg]

Joshg, your dealer has the exact day, hour, minute and second that the order went to code 2000. All they have to do is check their GM Workbench for that order number.

I figured as much. He's working with me, but I get the impression he's not in any hurry to resolve this. I have done all the legwork and have laid out the solution for him at this point. All he has to do is look up the accept date.

I'm not sure why working with dealerships has to be such a terrible experience.

 

[rdslon01]

I figured as much. He's working with me, but I get the impression he's not in any hurry to resolve this. I have done all the legwork and have laid out the solution for him at this point. All he has to do is look up the accept date.

I'm not sure why working with dealerships has to be such a terrible experience.

I know they have their places to help people locally. I get that. But for a Corvette which you essentially cannot test drive, and most of what they do is take your order and enter it into the system, for the $8,000 or so they make, it is highway robbery how much they get paid for how little they have to work for most people. For those who do not need local help before placing the order, if they could just order it online directly from GM, and pay an extra 1k over invoice, and GM never have to share any holdback later, it would be a win/win for GM and customers. The dealership could still get $500 for PDI (at participating dealerships which want to win long-term service business).

It will never happen, and some sales guys are great to help their customers with above and beyonds which are not usual, but, for most, this is just highway robbery, in my opinion.

By the way, I don't feel at all guilty for asking my local sales guy for above and beyonds.

 

[joshg]

Another update on my order:

I have confirmed via another reach out to customer support that this was accepted on 2/21, or the same day it was placed. I have it verbatim now from Chevrolet that my order is price protected. This dealer needs to now re-factor my loan as he owes me ~2200 dollars.