[NMRJock]

Randy wondered aloud how many multiple deposit holders are here. One way to get a pretty good idea...

 

[jml1952]

Hopefully, most (if not all) dealers will adhere to the policy that deposit spots are not for sale and will not allow that practice, thus eliminating Ebay auctions.

If you have multiple deposits, I would be interested to hear how you plan to deal with the unused one(s).

 

[Randy Chase]

Wow, a pretty high percentage.

I also now wonder what the different ways people have to deal with the extra spot.


1. Keep both cars.
2. Take delivery of both cars, sell one at market value.
3. Take delivery of one car, try to sell your spot on eBay.
4. Keep one car, drop the other.

 

[zvezdah1]

Someone actually has three spots?
Sheesh
Chris

 

[Ground Loop]

I intend to buy only the first car that arrives, and drop the unused spot and refund that deposit. The deposits are refundable. The dealers make no commitments or promises regarding delivery, right? Your contract may be different, but mine says refundable anytime.

I don't see any moral quandry here. Had the dealer said "Do you have a deposit anywhere else?" I would have answered truthfully.

It's just hedging. I don't have enough experience in this market to have personal connections or to choose a dealer with any degree of confidence. They're looking out for their bottom line, and my own limited experience with car dealerships is that they don't often (ever?) look out for the buyer's interest. That's my job.

As for the 'unused' spot, I don't see how a dealership would ever allow someone to sell it or transfer it. They don't leave money on the table. The best I can hope for is that they slide the other deposits up a notch, but I'm not that naive. Nobody offers to pay the difference when they have to sell below MSRP either.

 

[amcmahon]

based on what every dealer has told me this could screw over those who are further back on the list somewhat. Every dealer I talked to said if someone drops out they don't bump up the remaining list. Instead they keep that spot as a dealer car and sell it at market value which is between 7.5-10k over msrp. I can see them doing this for orders placed and then people dropping out as the car is being made already. But if the order wasn't placed yet they really should bump everyone up. Unfortunately it didn't sound like that was the case.

 

[Donovan]

If the dealership refuses to bump everybody up then that is the dealers poor decision. If they have alot of dropped spots they should move people up. If only 1 or 2, well they can keep them and try to make some extra money on them.

I had two deposits - one at Park Place in the twenties and one at Tonkin in Portland at #11. Now the one at Park Place has dropped about 15 spots from my initial order and Tonkin isn't even going to get a single Lotus. Thankfully I did make two deposits. Otherwise I would be at the bottom of the list.

A depositor shouldn't be mad at the individual who makes two deposits and puts you lower on the list. They should be upset with the dealer who won't bump them up. The consumer has the right to protect themselves. Dealers have brought this situation on themselves. If they were all fair and trustworthy, multiple deposits wouldn't be much of an issue.

 

[amcmahon]

I totally agree with you Donovan. Dealers are always looking to make the buck and I can't say I blame them since it is business. But as a consumer I would feel cheated. But like you said it is the dealership that's cheating out the customers. Of course according to another thread it's easy to see why they want to try and make a dollar off of it since these cars are practically non-profitable. I'm actually amused that dealerships found themselves open enough to tell me straight up what they would do with them.

 

[shay2nak]

i'm more like 1.5 but I'm sticking with my dealer all the way.

 

[Vantage]

What does that mean? On an informal list at European?

 

[amcmahon]

What does that mean? On an informal list at European?

The word is that Desert European has a short list for those paying a markup on their cars and a long list of those paying msrp which will be allocated after the short list.

 

[ICONCLS]

Wow, a pretty high percentage.

Very disheartening, and these are only the ones willing to admit to it on a poll.

 

[Ground Loop]

Of the three guys at my office that are "on the list", two of us have multiple deposits. I guess I'm just not that surprised.

If you got on the list in January, say "#94" at the first dealership you called, then as you got more connected/informed found another dealership with a list only 50-long two weeks later, what would you do? It's pretty obvious to me -- you tie up another $1k and see if you can get the car sooner.

 

[zvezdah1]

NO, seems like the right thing to do is call the other dealer, get your deposit back and go with the dealer with lower number.

As people point out, most of the dealers will take the opportunity at least in the beginning of using these vacated spots to sell at mark up. Since my deposit at one dealer was originall for #8 and then when I got #1 at a closer dealer, had I left that 8 slot open until just when ready to order the dealer couldve gotten a nice markup on it.


Chris

 

[NMRJock]

Does somebody seriously have five deposits?!?! I just put that there as part of the bit...

 

[Donovan]

Chris,

In most cases I agree with you but I don't know these dealerships or these people well enough to trust them. If I would have used your policy and dropped my lower spot I would be at #140 now. I don't know what your relationship with your dealer is. Most are weasels. Dealers are lying about how many cars they will get, when they are getting them, their allocation numbers, etc. I am sure you have a very trustworthy Dealer. Plus you are at #1 so it is easy for you to say.

If you were in the 50's and your dealer was promising you the world yet your spot kept dropping then Dealer B shows up promising you spot 20 but he is a flake too, what are you going to do?

 

[Evl]

based on what every dealer has told me this could screw over those who are further back on the list somewhat. Every dealer I talked to said if someone drops out they don't bump up the remaining list. Instead they keep that spot as a dealer car and sell it at market value which is between 7.5-10k over msrp.

Every dealer I talked to said they move on to the next person on the list. I wouldn't get on a list where they plan on auctioning off the skipped over spots, seems like a bad sign.

 

[MikeAR303]

I've only got one deposit down (which is a finalized order as far as I'm aware at this point).

I'll be selling it on eBay when it arrives...

Starting bid will be $5,000,000,000 - any takers?

 

[amcmahon]

Every dealer I talked to said they move on to the next person on the list. I wouldn't get on a list where they plan on auctioning off the skipped over spots, seems like a bad sign.

It seems like most dealerships aren't being totally upfront with me. Like I said, if the order is already placed then I can understand them selling it as a dealer car. Less hassle then searching the list for a buyer with the same options. But if no order was placed then it should be bumped.

 

[rolandchen]

Every dealer I talked to said if someone drops out they don't bump up the remaining list. Instead they keep that spot as a dealer car and sell it at market value which is between 7.5-10k over msrp.

I believe all dealers already have their own spots inserted in every 10th list for their interest. That is why they won't post their list for us to view. Some dealers don't even tell you, your exact spot, they will tell you that you are in 90+ etc. They can always decide later to use their reserved spots or not base on their SPECIAL ORDERS !!!
Roland
Want to take a ride in my Lotus, click this
http://www.geocities.com/rolandchen/elise.html
LOTUS
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