"Set Price"

[b0son]

But how 'fixed' is the price? Will dealers still be allowed to charge a delivery fee? If so, it seems like the only thing that's changing is that everyone will be paying more.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by b0son

But how 'fixed' is the price? Will dealers still be allowed to charge a delivery fee? If so, it seems like the only thing that's changing is that everyone will be paying more.

What you see, is what you pay, no more.Everything is inclusive.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by b0son

But how 'fixed' is the price? Will dealers still be allowed to charge a delivery fee? If so, it seems like the only thing that's changing is that everyone will be paying more.

Not always. With the Mach 1 and GTF, dealers charged big money for dealer delivery inflating the price on these cars. Fixed price, as with Tesla, is $1350 no matter what the car, no matter what the demand.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Ben73]

Worst price guaranteed scheme.
I will not support a business like this if I have the option.


We ordered a car for my wife that has a 9 month wait and still got a slight discount. The whole "demand outweighs supply so we can't discount" is just bull tried on by dealers to increase profits.
They know people will negotiation so they take that into account.

I have a question for people supporting the agency model, did those companies drop prices when they went to agency model since they know there will be no negotiating? Or did they keep prices the same?

Mercedes and Honda down double digit percentage every month. That's what I like to see.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Worst price guaranteed scheme.
I will not support a business like this if I have the option.


We ordered a car for my wife that has a 9 month wait and still got a slight discount. The whole "demand outweighs supply so we can't discount" is just bull tried on by dealers to increase profits.
They know people will negotiation so they take that into account.

I have a question for people supporting the agency model, did those companies drop prices when they went to agency model since they know there will be no negotiating? Or did they keep prices the same?

Mercedes and Honda down double digit percentage every month. That's what I like to see.

You won't have a choice sooner rather than later, you won't have humans working in traditional sales positions anymore, the automotive industry as a whole has been moving towards this model for the past 5+ years.

Something where humans have an advantage over computers is the ability to use initiative and think outside the square, but if you put them in positions where you take the initiative and ability to make decisions and think outside the square away from them, there's no point having humans doing it (not allowing price negotiations, you take away their ability to cut deals with customers).

When I buy a product, all I want to know is how much does it cost and when can I have it? And the when can I have it better be next business day at the latest or you're doing a **** job.

I don't see why cars have to be any different than any other products you can buy and it turns up to your workplace or house.

The guys here on AFF who have put down deposits on Ranger Raptors, imagine if they didn't even have to go to dealerships to have that conversation and the car just turned up at their workplace or driveway? They've literally committed to a car they've only read things about on the internet, that costs nearly 6 figures, they shouldn't have even needed to go to the dealership or pick up the phone. They sure as **** weren't getting discounts for their efforts either, you want one, this is the price, if you don't want to pay that price then someone else will.

For those that actually want to see a car and drive it before they commit, you just need a venue that acts as a showroom, where a potential customer can look at it in person, book a test drive, then the sale side of it can be done online.

Then maybe a few smaller workshops located around the joint near your population centres you want to provide good levels of service to, there's a Ford dealership workshop in North Melbourne that is literally just a large format workshop with a few loan cars hanging about, there's no showroom.



Or should I say - was

With 'retail' customers, you only need one price, then your other types of customers can fit into a price matrix where the price on this type of product depends on their spend, sales volume or sales potential if you wanted to grow a prospect, or maybe those ones you would allow to talk to humans to have price negotiations with (fleet customer for example).

Me and you buying one new car, website, this is your price if you want to talk to a human then its website price + 10%

One assumes the agency model would have your states broken down into sales regions, certain 'dealerships' would get the sales of the customers placing orders in those regions, or its an opportunity to completely rid yourself of dealership model and have the customer dealing direct with the OEM? Cut out a middle man taking a cut, thats the way the parts industry is going, the resellers are getting cut out and killed off with the wholesalers now selling direct to public via various methods.

Life experience tells me nothing ever gets cheaper, when they start throwing around terms like 'we're improving and simplifying your experience' it usually means you're getting less for the same amount of money, or there's a price rise coming.

I think this is a warning to anyone who owns a dealership franchise, the model is on deaths doorstep.

[oldel]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

For those that actually want to see a car and drive it before they commit, you just need a venue that acts as a showroom, where a potential customer can look at it in person, book a test drive, then the sale side of it can be done online.

Who's going to pay for that? The manufacturers won't which is why we ended up with the dealer experience for stock holding, test drives, warranty and servicing.

You take all that away then fine, you go order a car just knowing price, specs etc and if you don't like how it drive tough sh!t you bought it off the shelf and unless it's not fit for purpose you'll have to take the manufacturer to court for a refund for "change of mind".

I'm not arguing against a future model of car sales you're talking about, but it's not a win/win, there's a downside. We had the dealership model because manufacturers don't like dealing with the general public, wasting time with them, buying land for showrooms and so on. If the model changes I doubt they'll supply test drive cars if there's supply issues, low stock etc. You just get what you bought (like tesla and all their f/f or other problems).

Again, not a problem with it but consumer expectation has to be dropped, you don't test drive a house or all the big dollar stuff people buy - or even sub 10K stuff), so people got to get used to buying cars without a test drive or showroom if you think online buying is the future.

E: You can't cut out the middleman but still expect the services that the middleman only supplied. Manufacturers aren't going to supply that service or eat that cost.

On another note, every ebay ford parts supplier I've used seems to be closing ;(

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by oldel

On another note, every ebay ford parts supplier I've used seems to be closing ;(

Pretty sure that's because Epay have Upped the Rape & Pillage regarding Commission, Paypal fees, Returns & feedback Manipulation. !!

[MITCHAY]

Honda has been taken to court by the ACCC for misleading customers after going this model.

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-releas...rship-closures

In theory it sounds good but I'm not so sure about it in reality.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Honda has been taken to court by the ACCC for misleading customers after going this model.

https://www.accc.gov.au/media-releas...rship-closures

In theory it sounds good but I'm not so sure about it in reality.

I've got an even better idea, take your new Honda and take it to an independent Jap specialist workshop or a trustworthy mechanic, once you find one of those stick to them like **** to a blanket.

You don't need the dealership monkeys working on your car to keep the warranty.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I've got an even better idea, take your new Honda and take it to an independent Jap specialist workshop or a trustworthy mechanic, once you find one of those stick to them like **** to a blanket.

You don't need the dealership monkeys working on your car to keep the warranty.

For sure. I have taken my WRX to a Subaru specialist for a long time, **** the dealers.

They started as a small workshop, then bought out the one next door, and have moved to a huge space including a dyno now.

But having said that, Honda seems to be in the wrong here and have made up BS.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I've got an even better idea, take your new Honda and take it to an independent Jap specialist workshop or a trustworthy mechanic, once you find one of those stick to them like **** to a blanket.

You don't need the dealership monkeys working on your car to keep the warranty.

Absolutely not!

[Adamz Ghia]

If there is more direct sales from manufacturer to consumer, might we see more and more auto shop fronts in shopping centres? Kings Mitsubishi has one in Geelong, Subaru has/ had one in Werribee Plaza. No real need for a dealership with an agency model.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

If there is more direct sales from manufacturer to consumer, might we see more and more auto shop fronts in shopping centres? Kings Mitsubishi has one in Geelong, Subaru has/ had one in Werribee Plaza. No real need for a dealership with an agency model.

there's a 'showroom' upstairs & the main dealership/showroom out at waurn ponds close to bunnings.

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by mad2

there's a 'showroom' upstairs & the main dealership/showroom out at waurn ponds close to bunnings.

Yep, so under an agency model, the dealership is redundant. Test drives are available at Westfield, the dealership site would only be needed for servicing, which doesn’t require a showroom or car yard.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by hackney

Absolutely not!

None of our cars have ever been serviced by dealerships, even when they were new - those monkeys aren't touching our cars.

Well one has been there once and that was enough, mechanics are bad enough as it is let alone dealership clowns

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

None of our cars have ever been serviced by dealerships, even when they were new - those monkeys aren't touching our cars.

Well one has been there once and that was enough, mechanics are bad enough as it is let alone dealership clowns

Must admit, I have never had an issue,ever.I do get my little Fiesta serviced @ a local workshop.The new Honda Hybrid that is coming will be going to the dealership, not letting any near an independent near a Hybrid.The dealer that I use is actually very good.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

If there is more direct sales from manufacturer to consumer, might we see more and more auto shop fronts in shopping centres? Kings Mitsubishi has one in Geelong, Subaru has/ had one in Werribee Plaza. No real need for a dealership with an agency model.

I remember the Proton range did this in the 00's. The Jumbuck ute seemed to be the most promoted at the time.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

When I buy a product, all I want to know is how much does it cost and when can I have it?

Sort of reminds me of those "Tankworld" TV ads, They like using the double asterix under the price.
Freeze frame reads price based on a black tank, not incl GST, not incl transport.
What dummy would buy an above ground black water tank in Australia ?

Meanwhile the local competition has the any colour all up price on their ads delivered.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Mechanically they're good, they're underpowered and boring though.

They used to make exciting cars, then they decided to kill off the Integra Type R/Type S, S2000 and then that absolute joke of the 8th generation 'Civic Type R' we got from the UK

The Civic Type R we got from the UK was absolute crap in comparison to the real 'FD2' Civic Type R Japan had, it was a 'Type R' only by name.

The Accord Euro was also another great car they killed.

The current model Civic Type R is great though, but its too little too late, they went from one of the great Japanese manufacturers, then tried to emulate Toyota with their white goods strategy (which has suddenly changed to attract younger buyers) and failed miserably.

What Bossxr8 says is correct in my eyes, you wouldn't get me in a Honda aside from the current model Civic Type R.

Honda should look into a RHD variation of the Ridgeline IMO, might be what their brand needs in our market thats obsessed with dual cab utes:

https://www.caranddriver.com/honda/ridgeline

Last version of Legend was interesting - advanced 4wd system in a sedan body and decent V6 . Honda has expertise but it seems to be lost in defining its purpose . Economy cars have gone to Hyundai , Toyota and VW . Honda (and Subaru) should look for niches .