Can't believe what the saleman said to me! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

pcw · 09-19-2011, 09:00 AM

Last Saturday night I was out driving the Porsche around and desided to stop by the local Chevy Dealer to find out a little bit more about the ZL1. After looking at some of the SS's a sales manger came up to me and asked if I had any questions. I stated I was interested in more info on the ZL1, without hesitation he said "if you are want a ZL1 you should just get a corvette! The ZL1's will be priced at 60-70K." I asked why would they be prices so high ? Why would they be priced higher than the GT500, isn't that the target competition?? He stated a fully loaded SS is close to 50K, add in the motor and the mag suspension on the ZL1 and that's where the price will be. He then said I would be better off getting an SS and sending it to Hennessey for conversion. I asked about production numbers on the ZL1, he didn't know. I asked in that price he quoted for the ZL1 included dealer mark up, he said no. But to be honest that dealer marked up the GS Corvette and the SS when they came out, so you can bet they will mark up the ZL1. I asked if I could order a ZL1 and he said that they would be lucky to get 3-4 total allocations and he was not sure when you could order them. I must say I was shocked at his answers. I know he just wanted to sell a car that he already had in stock but this is a perfect example why Chevy losses customers to Ford.

I then went to the Ford dealer right down the street and talked to them about the GT500 in regards to the ZL1, they would have talked to me all night long about the next generation GT500. They said the 2013/14 GT500 would be a twin turbo coyote putting out over 600HP. They are opting for the turbo's because the supercharger is heavy and the turbo's are more efficient. Who knows if any of that is correct but the fact that they just wanted to talk up the car was a nice change to the Chevy dealer.

I know you are going to have good dealers and bad dealers, but Chevy needs to get people excited about their newest addition to the Camaro family, not just try to sell you something else.

pcw

IOMZL1 · 09-19-2011, 09:10 AM

Yeah…

I try not to talk to dealers I don’t know if I can manage it. I find my Chevy, Toyota, or other dealer that I can work with and go from there. Many are greedy (markups, hidden fees, etc.), most are uniformed and just make stuff up (how do I know more about the car when it isn’t my job to sell it?), and it is rare to find one who will actually listen to what you want as opposed to trying to sell you what they need or want to sell.

A few cars ago I had two competing dealers – the first guy was a con artist and tried to mark up the car and the second guy offered me a deal straight from the start. The con artist eventually beat the other guy’s price by a few hundred but I drove the extra 30 minutes each way to reward the honesty and price of the good dealer. I’ve since bought 2 other cars and referred a few friends who have bought cars from him. He gets it, the others don’t.

Joebot8484 · 09-19-2011, 09:11 AM

No offence but you made a mistake when you went to the dealer to try and find out more info on the ZL1.

There is way more info on this forum then a dealer will ever know.

Switchin2Chevy · 09-19-2011, 09:21 AM

Y'know, not that I am an expert by any means. But just as we've all been able to read and learn about the ZL1, I think it's safe to say that it's an entirely different beast than the SS. I don't think even the Hennessey conversion would be the same. Just my opinion though...

Switchin2Chevy · 09-19-2011, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joebot8484

No offence but you made a mistake when you went to the dealer to try and find out more info on the ZL1.

There is way more info on this forum then a dealer will ever know.

Ditto..!

*radz28* · 09-19-2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcw

Last Saturday night I was out driving the Porsche around and desided to stop by the local Chevy Dealer to find out a little bit more about the ZL1. After looking at some of the SS's a sales manger came up to me and asked if I had any questions. I stated I was interested in more info on the ZL1, without hesitation he said "if you are want a ZL1 you should just get a corvette! The ZL1's will be priced at 60-70K." I asked why would they be prices so high ? Why would they be priced higher than the GT500, isn't that the target competition?? He stated a fully loaded SS is close to 50K, add in the motor and the mag suspension on the ZL1 and that's where the price will be. He then said I would be better off getting an SS and sending it to Hennessey for conversion. I asked about production numbers on the ZL1, he didn't know. I asked in that price he quoted for the ZL1 included dealer mark up, he said no. But to be honest that dealer marked up the GS Corvette and the SS when they came out, so you can bet they will mark up the ZL1. I asked if I could order a ZL1 and he said that they would be lucky to get 3-4 total allocations and he was not sure when you could order them. I must say I was shocked at his answers. I know he just wanted to sell a car that he already had in stock but this is a perfect example why Chevy losses customers to Ford.

I then went to the Ford dealer right down the street and talked to them about the GT500 in regards to the ZL1, they would have talked to me all night long about the next generation GT500. They said the 2013/14 GT500 would be a twin turbo coyote putting out over 600HP. They are opting for the turbo's because the supercharger is heavy and the turbo's are more efficient. Who knows if any of that is correct but the fact that they just wanted to talk up the car was a nice change to the Chevy dealer.

I know you are going to have good dealers and bad dealers, but Chevy needs to get people excited about their newest addition to the Camaro family, not just try to sell you something else.

pcw

I find it highly unlikely ZL1 will get that high. No doubt I believe it will creap close to $60K if they release a ragtop model with any an all options, but I think it's going to be close to the GT500 price, with a similar premium SS had over the GT. That dealer doesn't sound like someone you should do business with. I know I'm going with one of our Sponsors, even from a couple thousand miles away

Turbos are better performers and more efficient, but they're also a little more complicated. GM tried turbos' no ZR1, but had "thermal" problems. I'm sure that's the direction the GT500 is going, but I think GM has always been at the front of the pack since the introduction of the LS-engine and though it's simpler, it's just a great package. The Gen V SB will be coming soon and will be more than a match for the TT Hound the GT500 will have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joebot8484

No offence but you made a mistake when you went to the dealer to try and find out more info on the ZL1.

There is way more info on this forum then a dealer will ever know.

In all fairness - we do have dealers who actively participate in our Community that have been the first to get us solid information when they could. I'm sure you noticed that, but I just wanted to follow-up on your post, because I do agree with most of it, lol; Especially the first comment

pcw · 09-19-2011, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joebot8484

No offence but you made a mistake when you went to the dealer to try and find out more info on the ZL1.

There is way more info on this forum then a dealer will ever know.

No offence taken, No question that there is more knowledge on this forum but you will have to deal with the dealer sooner or later, unless you can order me a ZL1?

pcw

PAUL SS · 09-19-2011, 09:41 AM

Typical blow hard dealer salesman. Goodbye.

RichieSSZ28 · 09-19-2011, 09:45 AM

SLP package is about $22K with the ZL-550/575 badges. It would have been about $60K total to send off to them and would be just as good as the new ZL1 there doing now. But SLP puts the SVT SC and not the Eaton SC. I'm sure there is a few specs difference in HP. But I know the SLP packages are 550-575 HP. I just don't care for the wheel packages and badges. Keep it SS to surprise people. Like the competitor GT500. So if the ZL1 doesn't have all the bells and whistles. I wouldn't get it for $60K plus. Build your own. It's funner that way and shows more personality. you can purchase ZL1 badges if you want later on.

Joebot8484 · 09-19-2011, 09:46 AM

haha, true radz. Not all dealers are this way thats for sure, but I'd say more are ill informed. My dealer emailed me with the order dates the same day it was posted here so I think mines on the ball.

pcw I wish I could order them from the factory myself! it would be soo much easier that way!

GoldenBear · 09-19-2011, 09:55 AM

Over the years I have found that most car salespersons that I've encountered are salespeople first, and not car enthusiasts. Most could just as well be selling ink, strawberries, or soap.

The few salespeople that I have met who have been car enthusiasts are the ones that have been knowledgeable and helpful, while the others have known, almost without exception, far less about their vehicles than I have, and have generally been less than helpful. In general, the salespeople I have encountered have wanted to discuss vehicles that are currently on the lot that can be sold immediately, and weren't interested in yet to be released vehicles that won't show up on the lot for six months.

These days, with the internet filled with knowledgeable enthusiast sites and blogs, going to a local car dealership is probably not the best use of one's time when trying to obtain useful information about a new, yet to be released vehicle.

*radz28* · 09-19-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichieSSZ28

SLP package is about $22K with the ZL-550/575 badges. It would have been about $60K total to send off to them and would be just as good as the new ZL1 there doing now. But SLP puts the SVT SC and not the Eaton SC. I'm sure there is a few specs difference in HP. But I know the SLP packages are 550-575 HP. I just don't care for the wheel packages and badges. Keep it SS to surprise people. Like the competitor GT500. So if the ZL1 doesn't have all the bells and whistles. I wouldn't get it for $60K plus. Build your own. It's funner that way and shows more personality. you can purchase ZL1 badges if you want later on.

While this is true, I didn't know that SLP upgraded the entire driveline; bigger drive and axle shafts, differential, transmission, and all the auxillary coolers to supplement and control temperatures when running around the track. OH WAIT - they don't... Absolutely - getting SS and mod'ing it will definately personalize it, AND, those SLP cars will be putting more power to the tires and weigh less, but enough with this comparison, IMVHO. Comparing tuner cars to ZL1s (if you keep the prices about the same; well, what we believe the price will be), just doesn't make much sense to me. I didn't even cover all the enhancements of ZL1 (remember SS was modified by a full 1/3 to create ZL1?...). While I really do respect most of the tuner cars, they are just not an engineered package to the extent ZL1 is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joebot8484

haha, true radz. Not all dealers are this way thats for sure, but I'd say more are ill informed. My dealer emailed me with the order dates the same day it was posted here so I think mines on the ball.

pcw I wish I could order them from the factory myself! it would be soo much easier that way!

IOMZL1 · 09-19-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radz28

While I really do respect most of the tuner cars, they are just not an engineered package to the extent ZL1 is.

Thanks, RADZ. This just sums it all up for me. This is why I'm buying a ZL1.

Scarrzz · 09-19-2011, 10:15 AM

.

What dealership were you visiting, if I may ask?

Perhaps you could get the email address to their customer service department and post it here.

I bet if they got a couple of dozen emails inquiring as to why the sales staff was running down the ZL1 to try to make an immediate sale, someone would maybe wake up a bit & start being honest.

Just an idea.

.

09-19-2011, 09:00 AM	#1
pcw Drives: 2011 Porsche Spyder Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Nor Cal Posts: 21	Can't believe what the saleman said to me! Last Saturday night I was out driving the Porsche around and desided to stop by the local Chevy Dealer to find out a little bit more about the ZL1. After looking at some of the SS's a sales manger came up to me and asked if I had any questions. I stated I was interested in more info on the ZL1, without hesitation he said "if you are want a ZL1 you should just get a corvette! The ZL1's will be priced at 60-70K." I asked why would they be prices so high ? Why would they be priced higher than the GT500, isn't that the target competition?? He stated a fully loaded SS is close to 50K, add in the motor and the mag suspension on the ZL1 and that's where the price will be. He then said I would be better off getting an SS and sending it to Hennessey for conversion. I asked about production numbers on the ZL1, he didn't know. I asked in that price he quoted for the ZL1 included dealer mark up, he said no. But to be honest that dealer marked up the GS Corvette and the SS when they came out, so you can bet they will mark up the ZL1. I asked if I could order a ZL1 and he said that they would be lucky to get 3-4 total allocations and he was not sure when you could order them. I must say I was shocked at his answers. I know he just wanted to sell a car that he already had in stock but this is a perfect example why Chevy losses customers to Ford. I then went to the Ford dealer right down the street and talked to them about the GT500 in regards to the ZL1, they would have talked to me all night long about the next generation GT500. They said the 2013/14 GT500 would be a twin turbo coyote putting out over 600HP. They are opting for the turbo's because the supercharger is heavy and the turbo's are more efficient. Who knows if any of that is correct but the fact that they just wanted to talk up the car was a nice change to the Chevy dealer. I know you are going to have good dealers and bad dealers, but Chevy needs to get people excited about their newest addition to the Camaro family, not just try to sell you something else. pcw

09-19-2011, 09:11 AM	#3
Joebot8484 ZL1 # 1307 Drives: 2012 Camaro ZL1, 2008 Hummzilla H3 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Central New York Posts: 1,911 View My Garage	No offence but you made a mistake when you went to the dealer to try and find out more info on the ZL1. There is way more info on this forum then a dealer will ever know. __________________ Click on my signature for my build thread

09-19-2011, 09:41 AM	#8
PAUL SS The Mark of Excellence Drives: 2010 ABM 1SS RS LS3 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Smallest State in the Union Posts: 8,690 View My Garage	Typical blow hard dealer salesman. Goodbye. __________________ BMR, CAI, DynoMax, Elite Eng., Hurst, Jannetty, Clear Image Headers & Hi Flow cats, Jet Hot, LSR, TSW, VMax, Vredestein

09-19-2011, 09:45 AM	#9
RichieSSZ28 Emerald Coast Camaros Drives: 10' 2SS/RS & 14' Sierra Z71 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Jay, FL Posts: 165 View My Garage	SLP package is about $22K with the ZL-550/575 badges. It would have been about $60K total to send off to them and would be just as good as the new ZL1 there doing now. But SLP puts the SVT SC and not the Eaton SC. I'm sure there is a few specs difference in HP. But I know the SLP packages are 550-575 HP. I just don't care for the wheel packages and badges. Keep it SS to surprise people. Like the competitor GT500. So if the ZL1 doesn't have all the bells and whistles. I wouldn't get it for $60K plus. Build your own. It's funner that way and shows more personality. you can purchase ZL1 badges if you want later on. __________________ SLP 1-3/4" LT Headers, 3" High flow cats,MGW short throw shifter with Orange SS, Magnaflow 2.5" Street series aggressive full system exhaust with 4" Tips, MGW Short throw shifter, K&N CAI, SLP 160 thermostat, Diablo Sport Tune by SLP, Sinister Street scene Package, Custom Two Tone paint scheme(Pearl black and Inferno Orange) by Owens Customizing, Two tone Engine cover, 22" Gianelle Cuba 10 matte black with ball cut details, Vredestein SUV assanta tires 265/35 and 315/30.

09-19-2011, 09:46 AM	#10
Joebot8484 ZL1 # 1307 Drives: 2012 Camaro ZL1, 2008 Hummzilla H3 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Central New York Posts: 1,911 View My Garage	haha, true radz. Not all dealers are this way thats for sure, but I'd say more are ill informed. My dealer emailed me with the order dates the same day it was posted here so I think mines on the ball. pcw I wish I could order them from the factory myself! it would be soo much easier that way! __________________ Click on my signature for my build thread

09-19-2011, 09:10 AM	#2
IOMZL1 Drives: 2015 Z/28 \| 2017 Viper ACR Extreme Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Brownsburg Posts: 1,009	Yeah… I try not to talk to dealers I don’t know if I can manage it. I find my Chevy, Toyota, or other dealer that I can work with and go from there. Many are greedy (markups, hidden fees, etc.), most are uniformed and just make stuff up (how do I know more about the car when it isn’t my job to sell it?), and it is rare to find one who will actually listen to what you want as opposed to trying to sell you what they need or want to sell. A few cars ago I had two competing dealers – the first guy was a con artist and tried to mark up the car and the second guy offered me a deal straight from the start. The con artist eventually beat the other guy’s price by a few hundred but I drove the extra 30 minutes each way to reward the honesty and price of the good dealer. I’ve since bought 2 other cars and referred a few friends who have bought cars from him. He gets it, the others don’t.

09-19-2011, 09:21 AM	#4
Switchin2Chevy Drives: Currently 2015 Mustang GT manual. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Milton, FL Posts: 816	Y'know, not that I am an expert by any means. But just as we've all been able to read and learn about the ZL1, I think it's safe to say that it's an entirely different beast than the SS. I don't think even the Hennessey conversion would be the same. Just my opinion though...

09-19-2011, 09:55 AM	#11
GoldenBear Bear Backer Drives: 69 Camaro Z/28, 69 Corvette Conv Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,490	Over the years I have found that most car salespersons that I've encountered are salespeople first, and not car enthusiasts. Most could just as well be selling ink, strawberries, or soap. The few salespeople that I have met who have been car enthusiasts are the ones that have been knowledgeable and helpful, while the others have known, almost without exception, far less about their vehicles than I have, and have generally been less than helpful. In general, the salespeople I have encountered have wanted to discuss vehicles that are currently on the lot that can be sold immediately, and weren't interested in yet to be released vehicles that won't show up on the lot for six months. These days, with the internet filled with knowledgeable enthusiast sites and blogs, going to a local car dealership is probably not the best use of one's time when trying to obtain useful information about a new, yet to be released vehicle. __________________ Current Chevrolets: 1969 Camaro Z/28 -- 1969 427/390 Corvette Convertible -- 1970 350/300 Corvette Convertible -- 2013 Camaro ZL1 Convertible -- CRT / Exposed CF Weave Hood Insert / Suede Package / Polished Wheels / MN6

09-19-2011, 10:15 AM	#14
Scarrzz No Fear-No Limits- Camaro Drives: '13 ZL1 or Suzuki Hayabusa Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Louisiana, CO, GA, TX, etc. Posts: 2,033 View My Garage	. What dealership were you visiting, if I may ask? Perhaps you could get the email address to their customer service department and post it here. I bet if they got a couple of dozen emails inquiring as to why the sales staff was running down the ZL1 to try to make an immediate sale, someone would maybe wake up a bit & start being honest. Just an idea. . __________________ . __________________________________ ................................................The Faithful are Watching.