http://jalopnik.com/396780/dealer-go...13000#c6333312

Dealer Gouging Reportedly Sends 2009 Corvette ZR1 To Amazingly Insane Price Of $413,000



The 2009 Corvette ZR1, GM's new mega-powered super car, will reportedly only be offered to the top 338 Chevy dealers nationwide. That effectively shuts out the other 3,594 from the chance of offering one to enthusiastic fans of the bowtied brand. We guess that explains the four-times-the-price gouging we're hearing about from potential customers. That's right, although the 638 HP 2009 ZR1 gets a price tag of $103,300 ($105,000 with the $1,700 gas guzzler tax) and Corvette engineers asking dealers to respect the MSRP, we've received at least one report from a reader of being told that despite his down payment 2 1/2 years ago, he'd have to put up between two and four times the MSRP to get one in his garage. If that number is accurate, the street price will be somewhere between $206,600 and $413,200 for Zee Really fast One. Full report from our tipster looking for recourse from someone — anyone — after the jump.

"I put a deposit down for the 2009 ZR1 about 2 1/2 years ago at "my" chevy dealer from whom I have bought many GM cars, including trucks, vettes. I have probably bought 15+ GM vehicles over the years. I was told 2 1/2 years ago that the price for this "iffy" car would be around the same ratio as the 5K overcharge I paid for my 2006 Z06.

I was called to order my ZR1 yesterday since I was #1 on the allocation list of this dealer's 4 allocations. I was told that by the way the price would be between 2-4 times the MSRP. Tadge Juechter, the Chief of Corvette Engineering, has urged GM ZR1 dealers to respect the MSRP. I am very upset with the greed and disregard for customer loyalty in a down economy. Is there any recourse?"

We wish there were — although we'll be forwarding on your complaint to the good folks at Chevy to ask them their thoughts. At the very least it definitely shows a demand for the highest priced car in the General's storied history, doesn't it? (Hat tip to Roger!) [via Automotive News (sub. req.)]

 

Doesn't surprise me. They are calling this the fastest vette ever produced. If people are willing to outbid each other on the cost to have one of these things before anyone else I can see the cost being that high.

Also with the pending CAFE standards increases, who knows what the future of the Corvette could be in terms of HP numbers and performance.

Somebody is going to pay their yearly salary with this car, make no mistake. I saw dealerships try and do that with the Mazdaspeed 3 until sales exploded and Mazda started providing more of them.

 

My buddies late 05, early 06 Z-06 was going for 91k new, about 26k more than the msrp ,he waited 6 months and found a person who traded it for a base Vette. Too much car for the origional owner, my buddy picked up the slightly used the Z-06 with 1500 miles for a cool 70k out the door.

My boss back in 1997 got booty raped at the Toyota dealership, when the new
MR2 came on the scene the stealership was selling the car close to 37k bucks, a car that should of been going for 25 possibly 27k! He had to have it, he payed 37k like a idiot and regretted the purchase as soon as he drove off the lot. He had to keep the car for the life of the loan because the car wasn't worth the value....he was literally buried in his car.

Dealers are crazy and the people buying over sticker price are even crazier !

 

Good god, that's ridiculous! I'd rather have a Zo6 + GT-R + 911 + Lotus Elise + RX-8 but then my insurance would probably be $413,000 a month for all those.

Anyways, I'm curious of how the this ZR-1's value will play out over the next 20-30 years. I know the 90's one (totally different car obviously) isn't worth much any more.

 

This may be heresy but I wouldn't pay $100K+ for any American built car. Sub $30K maybe (although I haven't yet) but up at that price it had better be from Europe.

I hate dealerships. I don't trust them. Not in sales, not in service, not in knowledge. I'd take my plea straight to GM if I were this guy. I guarantee there's no shortage of other available dealers who would be more than willing to sell him the car. I'm wondering if they are binding him due to his down payment?

 

416k, man i get me a Ferrari 599 and a Aston DB9

 

I'll buy a 911 turbo, a 911 carrera 4 when I want to slum it, a 911 gt3, and $100k left over to put down on a house.

ps: I wouldn't buy another porsche, just saying I can get 3 of them and pay for half of a 200k house instead of a fiberglass car.

 

For nearly half a million dollars it better come with it's own supermodel who will have sex with you and pay your bills.

 

LOL, l and a bucket or 2 of gas

 

Aside from the cream of the crop (Vette, Viper, Saleen S7, Ford GT, Vector M12, etc) I'd be inclined to agree, although $100k is sure starting to feel like the new $80k. I don't think the Japanese make anything worth paying $100k for either FWIW.

 

Ha, that would be very nice.

 

There really aren't many true collector cars made anymore, which hold or increase their value over time. And I doubt any of them would be American made. Our society focuses more on consumables than investments, and that mindset reflects on the way vehicles are made too.

 

GM says they don't support dealer markups, and the engineers themselves have asked dealers not to apply markups either. Obviously dealers are doing it anyway, but GM cries that there is nothing that they can do about it since dealers are independently owned and operated. Fine then, a dealer has a Z1 alloted to them, they can mark it up. But why can't GM blacklist dealers doing it and deny them future allotments of the car (or the next big limited release vette)? GM is already denying most dealerships the car since only 300-something are allowed to sell it. They could do something, they just don't. Even though the dealers operate independently it's GM that gets their name tarnished. I wish an automaker would finally step up and put a stop to these shenanigans.

 

haha you said shenanigans

 

Yes I'm sure GM is extremely incentivized to discourage mark-ups. LMAO! Those GM corporate officers pretending to be against price-gouging are the same execs who'll be shaking the hands of the top salesman and dealership representatives come President's Club. Everybody has the right to a buck and you gotta pay to play. In the real world money talks. It simply doesn't make business sense for the dealerships to walk away from the kind of money being thrown at them for these cars.

 

I feel GM could do a little more , but do they really want to ?

 

Seriously though, no offense to GM or Vette fans but who the f is going to pay near a half a million dollars for that car, it's like throwing over a quarter of a million dollars in the trash and getting a free 100K car for it.

 

wow.

I'll take a Lambo over that in a second. (and they'd still owe me $100,000)

 

lol thats ridiculous. I dont think its worth that much just for the fastest corvette..

 

This is for people with far more money than brains, if they plan on driving it, or...

..maybe some think they can mothball this, and sell it at Barrett-Jackson for 10 million 20 years from now. I doubt that will be the case, though, because the production numbers, even as low as they are, are far too high.

 

Just cause everyone throws C.A.F.E. laws around I needed to chime in. As long as the average is above cafe standards companies could produce car lines with 1mpg in limited quantities.

 

The only American car I'd pay over $100k for is the Ford GT. That thing was brutal! Too bad they stopped producing them.

I still can't believe they one-upped the Z06. The Z06 is fast enough, I can't see anyone in their right mind choosing a ZR1 over a Z06 if the ZR1 is 4 times the cost (due to dealer markup).

 

Some people have money and emotions.

 

If you think Joe Six Pack is going mortgage his double wide, truck, and one-of-a-kind kegerator to buy a $400,000 Vette, you're mistaken.

The guys buying this Vette for that kind of money are freakishly rich, and consider$400,000 just a few dollars more than "pocket change".

They sure aren't the kind of people who will bitch about having to put premium gas in it.

 

Pissing on a car because it'll rip yours apart doesn't make yours better.

Lemme tell you all something. At 30k, I'd have two of them and I'd have my RX-8 crushed and tossed in the dumpster if it were required to get that price.

I like my RX-8, but it is not, will not, compare to a '09 ZR-1. Not now, not ever.

This car competes with Ferrari Enzo which does sell for 1million (used)...and you wouldn't have to put up with the idiosyncrasies of a so called "exotic".

Engineering like this for 100 grand (the MSRP) isn't known in any other car, not here, not in Japan, not anywhere.

Flame away.