- Joined
- 29 March 2015
- Messages
- 202
My road to owning a NSX has been fraught with problems and impediments. First, approximately a year ago, my client – who owns an Acura dealership – promised to sell me his dealership’s first NSX at MSRP. To be clear, this client is not a personal friend, but rather, merely a client. Nevertheless, I felt secure that he would honor our understanding.
Several months later, my client apparently realized that he could fetch significant premiums for his first few NSXs. Thus, my client advised me that, unbeknownst to him, his dealership staff had promised their first NSX to someone else, and had several people on a list who were entitled to receive NSXs before me. I subsequently saw this purported “list” and, for reasons I will not explain here, discovered that the list was illegitimate and merely a ruse (this is not supposition). My client promised me a later allocation at some indeterminate point in the future. I declined.
Thus, I suddenly found myself out in the cold, devoid of a first allocation NSX. I immediately began contacting dealerships within my state. The vast majority of the dealerships I contacted had either already committed their first allocation, or they wanted a substantial premium for their first allocation. Nevertheless, I found an in state dealership that was willing to sell me their first NSX for MSRP. Ka-ching. I was aware that only "certified" dealerships would be permitted to sell NSXs and, therefore, I expressly asked whether this particular dealership would be certified to sell NSXs. In response to my inquiry, the dealership stated in writing that it would be a “certified” NSX dealer. Thus, I placed a deposit for a first allocation NSX at MSRP, and our communications clearly set forth the deal points.
A few months later, the dealership advised me that, notwithstanding its written assurance that it would be a “certified” NSX dealer, the dealership had changed its mind and elected not to become a certified dealership. In other words, the dealership had misrepresented its intent, and was now breaching its agreement to sell me a NSX (I will give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and assume that its misrepresentation was merely negligent, as opposed to fraudulent).
Thus, I once again found myself out in the cold, devoid of a first allocation NSX. This time, I undertook a nationwide search for a dealership willing to sell me its first allocation at MSRP. I literally contacted well over 100 dealerships across the country. My herculean efforts finally paid off and I found an out-of-state dealership willing to sell me their first NSX for MSRP. I have placed my order and, thus far, everything appears to be proceeding smoothly.
During the course of the foregoing events, I had the opportunity to speak with Acura’s designated in-house NSX specialist. He is a great guy.
While communicating with over one hundred dealers across the country, I was frequently dumbfounded, awestruck and/or horrified by what I heard. First, with very few exceptions, I knew much more about the release of the NSX than most of the “specialists” at the dealerships – I generally educated them, including about information that had previously been publicly disclosed by Acura. Second, I regularly received demonstrably false information from dealerships, including information belied by Acura's public disclosures. Third, I constantly received irreconcilably inconsistent information from dealerships on a myriad of issues -- I am not talking about minor variations, but rather, flatly inconsistent statements regarding policies and procedures (e.g., Acura has expressly prohibited dealers from accepting deposits for the NSX vs. Acura has expressly encouraged dealers to accept deposits). Fourth, the various dealerships across the country are employing wildly different procedures for the sale of NSXs. Some dealerships are literally auctioning their first allocation (and perhaps later allocations as well) to the highest bidder. Other dealerships want premiums as high as $75,000 over MSRP.
Its been a wild ride so far. Hopefully, I am now firmly situated to receive a first allocation NSX. I have placed my order with my new dealership and eagerly await further news.
Several months later, my client apparently realized that he could fetch significant premiums for his first few NSXs. Thus, my client advised me that, unbeknownst to him, his dealership staff had promised their first NSX to someone else, and had several people on a list who were entitled to receive NSXs before me. I subsequently saw this purported “list” and, for reasons I will not explain here, discovered that the list was illegitimate and merely a ruse (this is not supposition). My client promised me a later allocation at some indeterminate point in the future. I declined.
Thus, I suddenly found myself out in the cold, devoid of a first allocation NSX. I immediately began contacting dealerships within my state. The vast majority of the dealerships I contacted had either already committed their first allocation, or they wanted a substantial premium for their first allocation. Nevertheless, I found an in state dealership that was willing to sell me their first NSX for MSRP. Ka-ching. I was aware that only "certified" dealerships would be permitted to sell NSXs and, therefore, I expressly asked whether this particular dealership would be certified to sell NSXs. In response to my inquiry, the dealership stated in writing that it would be a “certified” NSX dealer. Thus, I placed a deposit for a first allocation NSX at MSRP, and our communications clearly set forth the deal points.
A few months later, the dealership advised me that, notwithstanding its written assurance that it would be a “certified” NSX dealer, the dealership had changed its mind and elected not to become a certified dealership. In other words, the dealership had misrepresented its intent, and was now breaching its agreement to sell me a NSX (I will give the dealer the benefit of the doubt and assume that its misrepresentation was merely negligent, as opposed to fraudulent).
Thus, I once again found myself out in the cold, devoid of a first allocation NSX. This time, I undertook a nationwide search for a dealership willing to sell me its first allocation at MSRP. I literally contacted well over 100 dealerships across the country. My herculean efforts finally paid off and I found an out-of-state dealership willing to sell me their first NSX for MSRP. I have placed my order and, thus far, everything appears to be proceeding smoothly.
During the course of the foregoing events, I had the opportunity to speak with Acura’s designated in-house NSX specialist. He is a great guy.
While communicating with over one hundred dealers across the country, I was frequently dumbfounded, awestruck and/or horrified by what I heard. First, with very few exceptions, I knew much more about the release of the NSX than most of the “specialists” at the dealerships – I generally educated them, including about information that had previously been publicly disclosed by Acura. Second, I regularly received demonstrably false information from dealerships, including information belied by Acura's public disclosures. Third, I constantly received irreconcilably inconsistent information from dealerships on a myriad of issues -- I am not talking about minor variations, but rather, flatly inconsistent statements regarding policies and procedures (e.g., Acura has expressly prohibited dealers from accepting deposits for the NSX vs. Acura has expressly encouraged dealers to accept deposits). Fourth, the various dealerships across the country are employing wildly different procedures for the sale of NSXs. Some dealerships are literally auctioning their first allocation (and perhaps later allocations as well) to the highest bidder. Other dealerships want premiums as high as $75,000 over MSRP.
Its been a wild ride so far. Hopefully, I am now firmly situated to receive a first allocation NSX. I have placed my order with my new dealership and eagerly await further news.
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