Superformance Dealing

OK Racing · #1 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 10:50 AM

I have been told that dealer sale price for Superfromance is not negotiable. What have others found? What kind of deals did you get (if any)? Did they agree to throw anything in (shipping, hardtop, etc.)? Any help appreciated...as I always like to save a buck..

Tom

bonyhadi · #2 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 10:54 AM

I hear the same, unless there is a car on the water that the deal fell through on. Never have I heard of an unhappy Superformance owner. ....oh yeah, I hear there is a stolen one that might
be offered on the cheap, I would avoid it...hehe.

Mr.Fixit · #3 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 11:38 AM

Prices are fixed at all the dealers. They can't even sell (a new) one to a customer who's from outside their area, they must refer the customer to the local SPF dealer. Big fines and such for the dealers who don't follow their rules. Barely used SPF's don't count, only new chassis's.

CMansfield · #4 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 06:26 PM

Tom,
I believe both the gentlemen above are correct, being a SPF owner and having been to events such as VIR, with 70+ other happy SPF owners, I can honestly say I have not run into an unhappy owner nor have I met one that didn't think the car was worth every penny they paid. I also tried to get a deal but it ws not to be had, and considering the high resale values, the difference in cost between a used and new was not justifiablewhen considering the upgrades on the newer chasis.
Best, Chas

fl1946 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 06:55 PM

Just got back from visiting SPF dealership here in Costa Mesa, CA (SoCal). Whatta buncha nice people, especially John Marshall who attended to me, answering my Q's and embellishing on a lot of Cobra history. Their top engine man took me for a ride in one of the Cobras this afternoon...of course I'm now hooked. (I think they do this to cause us fence sitters to fall down on the side of SPF). I was/am grinning from ear to ear.

Anyway, I'm sold on SPF,these people and am now making up my spec list.

FLee

bmalone · #6 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 07:07 PM

Fl, Hillbank is a great place. You won't be disappointed.

Dan Semko · #7 (**permalink**) 07-25-2002, 07:53 PM

I've been associated with the Superformance family for 2 years and can honestly say that you won't find a better customer oriented group anywhere. The quality, fit and finish is top shelf and they've been very supportive in all major owner participating gatherings and events. If you investigate the progression of each of the Superformance series, you'll find that modifications have made each new series more comfortable and safer.
Wait until you see what's in the future pipeline. They're raising the bar to a platinum level!

agro1 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 01:52 PM

Hillbank, although they may come off to the unsuspecting as nice people, friendly and easy to deal with; they are (IMO) absolutly terrible. I just bought a car from them and the experience was and continues to be very unpleasant. No business sense AT ALL, backwards dealing, slippery sales tactics, and their salesman John is nothing more than a professional story teller who sits around and shoots the sh!t with prospective buyers. Ask some in depth questions about the car, setup and chassis and he will spout off some bullsh!t that is absolutly completely dead wrong. He told me the AVO shocks that came on the car would be "great for the track..." That is just one example of the misinformation they provided.

I could go on and on but don't feel it is appropriate to trash them any further in a public forum. Please don't get me wrong here folks. I know my stuff and I know all the questions to ask - they however were extremely difficult to deal with. I'm sure they are nice people, but it take ALLOT more than a friendly person for me to feel good about giving them 40grand. In short, they are elitest snobs who constantly talked down to me and assumed my ignorance because I wore jeans and a baseball cap. Little did they know I could have afforded to buy every car in their showroom.

I would be more than happy to give you a detailed account of my dealings with them in private. Feel free to email me and I will discuss further.

cobrap51d · #9 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 03:26 PM

I had a similiar experience. Their attitude prevented me from dealing with them in my home state. They have a used SPF I'm interested in, the little time I spent on the phone led me to believe I may not be pleased with their service. I found a similiar used spf in Ohio at Dynamic, after talking with these guys I chose to fly to Ohio and test drive the car. I'm currently in the process of puchasing it. Dynamic folks in Nevada and Ohio are great. They have gained a customer for life with me. It's not often I find service like I have received at Dynamic Motor Sport.

Great Asp · #10 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 03:47 PM

agro1, please e-mail me about Hillbank at ericbrown1@hotmail.com

I have bought two SPF's from Dynamic. They are first class, and want everyone of their customers to be happy with their cars. A tall order with some people for sure.

I had an experiance early before my 1st SPF, with a company that "I thought" perceived me as a non-buyer. I did not like it at all. I just don't think it's fair for me to bash them on-line as it was "my experiance", and I am not the barometer of humanity. Therefore I understand others may, could have a different experiance than mine.

Also, FYI, there are some hazzards to slamming people and business on-line. I'm not interested in getting into that mix.

No hate replys please. I am not preaching or defending. Just leveling the playing field.

Eric

bmalone · #11 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 04:31 PM

Agro1, sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. My dealings were quite pleasant. I dealt only with Lance, the Mgr. and his wife Debra who were good people and did everything they could to make it possible to get in an SPF. They went out of their way to meet me on several occassions and I took quite a few test drives.

In the end, I went with a used car, as it was a better deal for me.

Lance is a racer and I know he knows the right shocks to use. I consider myself very discriminating and it took me over one year to pull the trigger. I would do business with them because they made it easy to do so.

I seem to remember you stating that you are in S.D. from another thread. Feel free to e-mail me about getting together sometime.

bonyhadi · #12 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 04:54 PM

agro
====
Your the first Superformance owner I have heard bad mouth their dealer. Have no desire to stick my nose in. I have heard good things only about Hillbank.

It seems the great shops, HOUSE OF COBRAS, DV etc. work hard to meet the demands of perfectionist owners. Take a look at the THANK YOU THREAD - BRUCE BOTTI that creeper started last night.

What Eric (thanks for getting the ears moving again) alludes to is that you expose yourself to serious legal actions by taking a big dump on someone. Check a thread on ELLIS VOLKSWAGEN
started by TOY COLLECTOR on what happened to a poor slob on the VW OWNER'S FORUM.

I prefer to feed Jamo on social ocassions, not as part of a legal dealing where he is saving my tiny little butt. Just my 2¢. Enjoy your
weekend.

God Bless America,
daniel

Great Asp · #13 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 05:33 PM

boni,

You are correct sir!

agro1, I knew you were looking for a car, or looking at a car back on 6/3/02, but did not know you bought yourself a car. What number did you get? We need pictures!!!!

I want to see dyno sheets for a 600 rwhp SB motor.

My motor dyno'd on the stand at 556 hp max, but made 414 rwhp in 90 plus degrees and 80% humidity with the air cleaner still on. Reading my Demon tuning book, it tells me that these are important relative to the volumistic displacement, or something like that.... I digress.

WHUCHA GOT ????????

Eric

fl1946 · #14 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 05:59 PM

I'm surprised that a forum poster could be sued. Since this is a public forum, not an advertiser-supported service, isn't it protected by the 1st Amendment? We're not commercial companies bashing another company; instead, citizens simply anteing up our opinions.

Semper Fi,
Flee

cobish · #15 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 06:15 PM

I bought mine from Dynamic in 2000. I went there to look at the car and I very impressed with Dean Rosen for presenting this product,and signed the papers right then and there. Of course I asked for a discount, and Dean said you can ask, the price is fixed. Delivery to my house was free.
Great people to deal with, specially Mark when I had replace a gauge under warrenty. When there was a problem with the lower control arm bolts, they picked my car up inspected it and returned the car at no cost to me.
Great folks to deal with.

Cobish

Great Asp · #16 (**permalink**) 07-26-2002, 06:23 PM

Flee,

Ever hear the legal term "slander" or "libel".

You bet you can get sued. It would be rare I think, but none the less, why take a chance.

Eric

Good to go!

bonyhadi · #17 (**permalink**) 07-27-2002, 09:22 AM

Eric
===="reading your demon book" hey, you are misdirected young man. Should be reading Hustler,
Penthouse etc.

Flee
==== See the Ellis Volkswagen post started by Toy Collector. The guy that started the thread was sued. His post was not that offensive. Just sad the service of the dealer was not very good. Then
a bunch of other Atlanta area clients chimed in and said how bad it was. The dealer sued the
originator of the thread. There was a legal fund and many folks including myself kicked in.
I think the originator of the thread was a kid just out of college. Anybody can sue anybody, then
the person being attacked has to pay for his defense. VERY EXPENSIVE.
Hell, if I write and say things that damage you shouldn't you have a recourse?? The answer
is yes. I am not a lawyer, but send enough food to feed and clothe several.

fl1946 · #18 (**permalink**) 07-27-2002, 10:47 AM

Yeea, you guys are right, why chance a lawsuit. Why throw good money after bad -- and I'm not going to petition the ACLU to handle the case. With the exception of my daughter who's assist DA in MSP, lawyers are not my favorite party animals.

Flee

agro1 · #19 (**permalink**) 07-27-2002, 07:50 PM

Let me make one thing very clear here, I am not bashing Hillbank nor am I trying to hurt their business. I am but just one person describing my dealings with them and my account should not be considered the standard by which they operate as I am sure there are plenty of satisfied buyers out there – I however, am not one of those people.

I consider myself a very intelligent and well-informed individual (in this particular context) and have done hours upon hours of research regarding Cobra replicas. I have, in large, relied upon the questions and answers that I have asked and been provided with from this forum. I have also searched this site (as well as others) for every conceivable topic imaginable and taken these results and talked to people familiar with Cobras about my findings (in doing so I probably read at least 1000 pgs of text). Thus, I have done my homework and as such, expect who I am buying my car from to have put forth the same due diligence. I am a perfectionist, especially when it comes to cars and racing. I have been around both my entire life. Hillbank however, put forth no effort to make sure I was happy (even after taking delivery of the car) and furthermore made me feel as though I was asking too many questions and should just buy the car or leave them alone. I was told at one point when trying to negotiate on the price, “Come see me when you have saved some more money…”

Let me set the record straight. I did not deal with Deborah or Lance until I put down a deposit on the car, and I only met Lance once when I picked the car up. The overwhelming cause for my upset was as a direct result of my dealings with their salesman. I will not go into detail. All I will say is that before trust can be gained it must first me earned. If in your initial dealings with someone you find out they have been dishonest or not completely willing to divulge all information, or you had to dig to get answers or facts that should have been provided to you upfront; this tends to make for an adversarial relationship from the get go.

When this happens to most people they tuck tail and run for cover. However, when I sense something is amiss, I investigate further to uncover the truth. It pains me to think that others are treated similarly during a process that is supposed to be enjoyable and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, which this has been for me. That is the reason why I chose to voice my opinion. It is only an opinion and it is the truth. Anyone familiar with the law will know that opinions are not actionable and the truth is considered the ultimate defense. Furthermore, I will rely on the integrity of this forum and the people who run it to make sure that what I have said in this thread is not considered libel. If it is, or could be considered as such, it is their (Club Cobra) responsibility to check with general counsel and remove it.

I just want to say thanks to all of you who have replied to my questions, you have given me invaluable advice and I truly appreciate it. You guys are a great bunch and I look forward to many further discussions (hopefully a bit lighter than this).

NEVER LIFT

computerworks · #20 (**permalink**) 07-27-2002, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by agro1
...Furthermore, I will rely on the integrity of this forum and the people who run it to make sure that what I have said in this thread is not considered libel. If it is, or could be considered as such, it is their (Club Cobra) responsibility to check with general counsel and remove it.

From the ClubCobra TOS:
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