My '95 Z28 A4 was the most fun car I've owned.

 

Man, when Jason E talks about his dealership and bringing that many birds in, I'm reminded of about every Ford dealer within 100 miles of me. Almost every one has at least 5 mustangs, many of them have a lot more. Is there any wonder why Ford sells so many?

I too have also had dealers try and steer me away from an F-body when I was looking around.

Hopefully when the F-bodys come back, they'll get the support the deserve both from GM and from the dealers, and that should go a long way towards trying to catch up to the mustang.

 

It's funny that the thought on this board is so negative towards the dealers. GM wanted this car dead, as Brandon said. True that some (most) of the dealers didn't want to stock them and didn't know anything about them, but mostly this is from having models sit on the lots for two years. That's what variety can do. Jason, being that you are only 23, and selling these cars during its final year, trust me, you know less than you think (not saying you know nothing, but you haven't been in long enough to know the sales history of the f-body) . Being in the business for twenty years tells me that in metro areas, these lastest and greastest f-bodies were VERY streakish in sales. Most dealer KNOW that if you stock ten f-bodies at a time, you will just have more sitting around at the end of the year. You may sell more, but f-body consumers usually what a certain car that you wind up hunting for anyway. True also is that the f-body is very regional in sales, at least here in the mid west. I don't question that out east like you, Jason, that such a rapid turn around in f-body sales in its last year is possible. I'm not saying that many dealers that could have sold them didn't, this is true. But to completely blame the f-body's demise on the dealers is just plain stupid.

 

Fascinating final thought, seeing as how no one on here has said dealers were solely to blame

Go back up above and read the reasons why it is dealers ARE to blame...all are valid, all make sense, but they are not the only reason. Again, who the hell will buy a car they can't even test drive?!?!?!?

I agree, a certain amount were bought because it was the last year. But I'd say almost 75% of them were not. And of the ones that were, those were Hawks. The guys that came in and bought the Formulas just wanted a friggen car As I said, if I had had 5 more Formulas on hand, I could have sold them too. I ran out of Formulas by mid July...and I had stock well into October. I agree, sports car sales can be and are volatile. I think you need to give my 23 years on this planet a little bit of credit here...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine people need a Montana more often than a Firebird. But the point is, sports cars can be sold if you create a want, a need. In order to create a need, you have to a) have something, b) know something about it, c) market it and d) sell it, not discourage it. Where's the flaw in that logic?

I'd like to say thanks to Darth and others about the accomplishments we made last year. It took the support of my sales manager though to make it happen. When I ordered the first 5, one of the co-owners came up to me and said "so next fall, when 4 are left, what will you do?" I said, rather cockily, "Hand you my resignation..." and walked away. He ate his words, and I'm telling you, the enthusiasm of having the cars, knowing the product, showing people I myself owned and loved one...created an enthusiasm around the car. Its amazing what enthusiasm for a product can do...I noticed I have more than doubled my own personal Grand Am sales since I bought mine last July.

Another key thing we did was give people choice...affordable choice at that. Not everyone wanted a $32,500 WS6. Look at the #s...FOURTEEN THOUSAND WS6s were sold, compared to 901 Formulas. And yet, I sold 10 Formulas...so you tell me, if its in stock, can't you sell it? And how many more people wanted to spend $100 a month less over 5 years to get 95% of the performance of a WS6 in their ho-hum Formula?

I may not have 20 years of experience, and I admit, there was a chance I could have gotten burned. But it wasn't gonna happen...if nothing else, I knew the last year cache was going to cash in. I expected to sell maybe 10...but 33 of 35 so far? That shocked the hell out of everyone...period. Its great because 20 years from now, I can go to a car show and see classic LS1 fourth gens, and talk to the owners about their cars...and know them in and out. I had the privledge to drive every type of '02 Firebird...it was an F body lovers dream come true.

Darth, I hope you're right about GM needing to come talk to me. I actually had the honor of meeting Jack Smith back in February when he gave a talk at my and his alma mater (UMass Amherst). I went up to him, introduced myself, and handed him a resume No one in the MBA office there (I'm in the MBA program now) could believe it. I ended up receiving an email from the "Director of Talent Acquistion" at GM (who himself worked at Ste. Therese before!!!), lamenting on the fact there is more or less a hiring freeze due to the economy. I'll tell ya, the only reason I'm in grad school (and paying dues at the dealer level) is because I want a job at GM so bad, I'll do anything to get it...

Red Planet, are you listening?? I'll wax your car collection every day if you'll give me a job

 

JasonE, if you had these to sell, no doubt you'd sell even more (most of you have seen this one before).

http://wieck.com/public/*2PV_051847

(click on photo for larger picture)

 

Now there's a man with passion Got me all fired up just reading the post.

Hire him RP

 

Why'd you have to post that guionM? I LOVE THAT CAR! Everytime I see it I want to go buy one.

 

You have no idea, at all, how bad I want to work for GM. In my cover letter I handed Jack Smith with my resume, one line read "it has been said in automotive publications that one problem with the American auto industry is that there is a lack of "car" guys in the business. I feel my enthusiasm for the auto industry in general, and GM specifically, would lend itself well to any position GM might consider me for."

I want to work for them...bad. GM is the reason I'm doing the MBA. I don't need an MBA to sell or order cars, or go to auctions. I don't need an MBA to do a lot of jobs I'm already qualified for. But I'm the type that I don't hold back on something if I want it bad enough. For me, GM is the goal...anything else for me after college is done in another year is just settling. Mark my words...if they ever give me an interview, I will have a job.

Believe me, watching all these Firebirds go through our lot was amazing...the only frustrating thing was that I under-ordered. It never dawned on me I wouldn't have enough. We're a small, family owned, hometown dealer...I mean, we didn't even sell 15 Grand Prixs for '02, and yet 33 of 35 Firebirds?? I should rephrase...33 Firebirds left the lot. 3 or 4 were sold to other dealers. One, the SLP Firebird GT, went to a dealer for $500 OVER INVOICE! I can't imagine what the hell they charged the poor guy who bought it...I was selling all mine retail for that! It was rather amusing being 23 on the phone with GMs from dealers in NYC and Chicago offering to send flatbeds to my dealer and pay me $1,000 over invoice for a Hawk to sell their customer...and turning these guys down

25thTA, thanks for the kind words. To say I'm passionate about GM is an understatement. One look at the driveway at home shows the kind of GM car crazy family I come from:

'01 GTP (moms)
'98 Grand Am SE (sister)
'02 TrailBlazer (dads)
'02 Formula (dads)
02 Grand Am GT (mine)
'97 Z28 30th (mine)

I feel like I've taken over this post and gone way off topic...sorry guys But I admit it...I take any opportunity I can to let people know what the hell I was able to do with a car line that was "dead" in the eyes of so many. In a time where dealers and many enthusiasts had given up on the car, I wanted to make 2002 a year for myself and the dealership to remember...if I can, I want to scan my pics to show you guys what we had. I like to think of those 35 Firebirds as a tribute to the cars that fueled my automotive enthusiasm since I was old enough to wash the hubcaps on my dad's '79 Chevette (yes, we even had a CHEVETTE ). When grad school is done, as soon as the last tuition bill is paid, a yellow '85 or a maroon '89 IROC will be added to the garage alongside the 30th...now THAT to me, is the ultimate F bod

 

Guion...if only I've had to replace our stock of new ones with used F bodies...it just isn't the same. Its cool driving into the dealership though...I have sitting out front on the grass an '00 SS, '00 Z28, '00 Z28 vert, '01 V6 Camaro, '02 V6 Camaro vert and an '01 WS6...its just easier to find Camaros at auctions I may be able to buy used ones, but it will never, ever be the same...GTO or no GTO The F bods will still take the front grass, for as long as I am in charge of the lot

 

Jason, if I were calling the shots...I'd hire you in a New York minute.

 

All levels of the industry could use more "car guys". There's obviously a shortage of them at the OEM level, and working for a supplier can really frustrate a car guy due to the fact that you get to work on such a small chunk of the vehicle. And promotional structures don't really favor the advancement of the car guy's career, so they tend to get advanced only to the point where they no longer have any effect on day-to-day stuff but yet aren't high enough to affect things on a strategic level.

 

Well thank you

Please forward that comment to the HR Department deep within the abyss that is GM

 

You can use me as a reference.