Chrysler will limit stores selling SRT Viper

[Camfab]

There is a big difference between a Chrysler dealership experience and a Porsche/Jag/Audi/ almost anything that "breed" implies experience.

The "new Breed" people will not want to have the service dept experience as it is in my local dodge dealerships, in fact I cannot even think if the worst exotic dealership is even close to the best Dodge dealership on a number of levels,

decor, cleanliness, people, competency, ass kissary, wash your car for you no matter what you brought it in for, have a loaner car ready for you, kiss your ass again, in a classy way,

I don't think they have the ability to deliver the goods to the customer they want, and from the sounds of it they want the "new Breed", which begs the question, "what about the breed they have already been dealing with?"

Unfortunately I have to say that you are right on the money. I've never been to Woodhouse, however I've never seen a Dodge dealer that was up to par ANYWHERE in CA. Same old same old, the worst of the worst.

 

[mnc2886]

Unfortunately I have to say that you are right on the money. I've never been to Woodhouse, however I've never seen a Dodge dealer that was up to par ANYWHERE in CA. Same old same old, the worst of the worst.

Which is another reason why I don't think they should dare ask Porsche pricing. I've learned there is a lot more in buying a car like this than just the car. It is the whole experience. However, lucky for me, I don't live far from Tomball.

 

[Mopar Steve]

And I'm lucky to have Steve for a friend, and he lives nearby!!

Thanks, that is very kind. I have had many Viper owners bring their cars here, I am always glad to help.

 

[kennyhemi]

Let's face it! Dodge needs to address their service department issue, they basically have an no idea how to make the dealer experience a pleasant one. I have been a mopar lover with the mentality of mopar or no car for most of my life! But I have to admit when I used to take my daily drivers over the last twenty years or so to various dealers ie..BMW Mercedes even Toyota/lexus for crying out loud. The service experience has been way better than the dodge one. Look at the last JD power survey that came out in march, Dodge is dead last in dealer satisfaction! Yes! Even worst that then the smart car, Suzuki, Kia, hyundai ! Are you getting the picture? I have an idea? Chrysler should let SRT break off to a small specialized segment selling only SRT cars ie...300, charger, challenger, the new coming dart and last but not least the barracuda to go along with our beloved Vipers. I believe this will work real well specializing on customers that have the $$$ and want their cars to be sold/worked on by people that truly care and have passion for their work.

 

[bcmarly]

I'm one of the new potential customer's for the 2013 Viper. I've never owned a Chrysler, Dodge vehicle so this is very big leap of faith. What attracts me to the new Viper are its exterior and interior looks, quality of materials,overall performance and horse power to weight ratio. I understand that Ralph is hoping to attract new non Chrysler customers. These next few months will be crucial to the realization of his expectations. At this price point the new Viper has to deliver on fit and finish, minimize the 1st year teething problems that can plague a new car. When faced with a problem they have to have a solution and respond in a timely manner. The new Viper cannot have the sqeaks and rattles that have occasionally characterized the chevy and ford brands. For myself I don't really care about the interior appointments of the dealership, as long as the mechanic knows what he's doing, others will care. 1st year ownership experience will be so important to the success of the 2013 Viper.
Bob

 

[kennyhemi]

I'm one of the new potential customer's for the 2013 Viper. I've never owned a Chrysler, Dodge vehicle so this is very big leap of faith. What attracts me to the new Viper are its exterior and interior looks, quality of materials,overall performance and horse power to weight ratio. I understand that Ralph is hoping to attract new non Chrysler customers. These next few months will be crucial to the realization of his expectations. At this price point the new Viper has to deliver on fit and finish, minimize the 1st year teething problems that can plague a new car. When faced with a problem they have to have a solution and respond in a timely manner. The new Viper cannot have the sqeaks and rattles that have occasionally characterized the chevy and ford brands. For myself I don't really care about the interior appointments of the dealership, as long as the mechanic knows what he's doing, others will care. 1st year ownership experience will be so important to the success of the 2013 Viper.
Bob

Your correct sir, but let me state that having personetly met Ralph at the viper owners unvaiing in new york and speaking to him just a little plus watching him and his team have the passion for what they do is commendable. I just don't share the same opinion on the rest of the decision makers at chrysler to hold dealers accountable for lack of quality service the provide. people that are interested in SRT vehicle really don't care much for say a journey sitting next to a Viper or vice versa for that matter. I mention this SRT idea but there was too much going on at the time to talk much about it. I would be willing to put my money where my mouth is and set up this kind of dealer if Chrysler would show some interest in this concept.

 

[bcmarly]

Your correct sir, but let me state that having personetly met Ralph at the viper owners unvaiing in new york and speaking to him just a little plus watching him and his team have the passion for what they do is commendable. I just don't share the same opinion on the rest of the decision makers at chrysler to hold dealers accountable for lack of quality service the provide. people that are interested in SRT vehicle really don't care much for say a journey sitting next to a Viper or vice versa for that matter. I mention this SRT idea but there was too much going on at the time to talk much about it. I would be willing to put my money where my mouth is and set up this kind of dealer if Chrysler would show some interest in this concept.

The idea behind a SRT brand dealership is a good one, but it may not be practical at this time. Fiat needs to see some pay back on their investment . The CEO of Fiat/Chrysler said they could afford one failure but not two. It remains to be seen if the first failure will be the release of the Fiat 500.

 

[GTS Bruce]

The separate dealership thing may doom the Fiat. Not many seem to want to put up so much money. Dealers seem amped about the Dart competing with the cruze etc. AND. My dealer "Towne" in Hamburg NY has two srt techs with a reputation for unscrewing peoples Chrysers,Dodge,Jeeps when some other dealers claim normal and can't find a problem. Unfortunately,Although they sell a lot of srt they have never sold many Vipers which means they might not be able to get one for me as they have in the past (01 and 03). AS an earlier post said BUY LOCAL. Towne ends up working on a lot of owners that bought outside the area including an occasional Buffalo Bill. That is if they were able to fit into a Viper. GTS Bruce

 

[GreenVenom]

Spending $150k+ for a toy, I'm not going to be sweating the little stuff

So this is the price of the 2013?

 

[mnc2886]

So this is the price of the 2013?

******* is a helluva drug...

 

[kennyhemi]

Except when you take the toy in for service and they screw up something else and don't give a crap about what you spend because they have a neon to work on!

 

[Kala]

All dealers will be able to continue selling all SRT vehicles except the Viper

In order to sell a Viper, these interested dealerships have to pay $100,000 AND have a Viper tech on hand AND have previous experience selling a Viper...

Add to that "new breed" comments makes it sound like they want dealers to do a remodel of their facilities as well... for this "new breed" of buyer...

In this economy does SRT seriously expect a dealer who's parent company almost went belly up a few short years ago... To throw down $100k, and have the added expense of a full time Viper Tech on site? That's a lot of $$ to make up on the sale of a limited production car... Previously most dealers only saw 2-4 Vipers in their showroom a year. That's years to make up that added expense...

We don't know how many units are going to be made... OR for how long... I think they are shooting themselves and Viper owners in the foot...


The new car is great... Really it is... It's a freaking awesome car! Pictures do it no justice... You gotta see it in person... After seeing it in person, who wouldn't want one?

Until...

You ask yourself where will the warranty service be done... Who is going to stand by a new purchase during the warranty? For an example... If the car has the same window regulator problem... Who here wants to throw down $1k for a new regulator when it is included with your warranty?

At the end of the day, this awesome car is still a Dodge, not a Ferrari...

I just don't see SRT asking dealers in this economy for more $ to sell this car. They are already going to have to upgrade their mechanics as well as make some adjustments to their lobby for this "new breed" of owner. It's a tough call

 

[Smog Dog]

For the sake of comparison, a quick internet search showed 35 dealers in the United States authorized to sell Ferrari and 193 authorized to sell Porsche.

Bill

 

[steve911]

This reminds me of what Fiat did to the Dodge Dealers by making them open a seperate Fiat Boutique (as I call it in order to sell the 500). There are so many smaller Dodge Dealers that would benefit greatly from having the Fiat in the manner of having a small car to sell, but cant afford or wasn't picked by Fiat to be allowed to have the opportunity to sell the car.

I live in Madison WI a City of 300,000 and if I wanted a Fiat 500 Abarth I would have to go to Milwaukee (70 miles away) to get it and have it serviced.

BAD MOVE CHRYSLER.

 

[georgethedog]

No Viper right now, but if I ever do get another one I would imagine Roanoke would be a major dealer and they are less than 40 miles away.

This is kind of like what Infiniti does (not exactly but a little anyway) as they only go into areas with a certain population. Peoria, IL does not have enough so we do not have a dealer and even if I bought one in Chicago I would have to take it there to have it serviced. Nissan dealers can't service Infiniti. So, I did not buy an Infiniti M45 last year as a daily driver like I wanted--lost sale for Infiniti. I figure most Viper people will buy no matter what because it is a Viper and what SRT would lose in sales would probably be picked up by new buyers.

 

[SADVIPER]

All dealers will be able to continue selling all SRT vehicles except the Viper

In order to sell a Viper, these interested dealerships have to pay $100,000 AND have a Viper tech on hand AND have previous experience selling a Viper...

Add to that "new breed" comments makes it sound like they want dealers to do a remodel of their facilities as well... for this "new breed" of buyer...

In this economy does SRT seriously expect a dealer who's parent company almost went belly up a few short years ago... To throw down $100k, and have the added expense of a full time Viper Tech on site? That's a lot of $$ to make up on the sale of a limited production car... Previously most dealers only saw 2-4 Vipers in their showroom a year. That's years to make up that added expense...

We don't know how many units are going to be made... OR for how long... I think they are shooting themselves and Viper owners in the foot...


The new car is great... Really it is... It's a freaking awesome car! Pictures do it no justice... You gotta see it in person... After seeing it in person, who wouldn't want one?

Until...

You ask yourself where will the warranty service be done... Who is going to stand by a new purchase during the warranty? For an example... If the car has the same window regulator problem... Who here wants to throw down $1k for a new regulator when it is included with your warranty?

At the end of the day, this awesome car is still a Dodge, not a Ferrari...

I just don't see SRT asking dealers in this economy for more $ to sell this car. They are already going to have to upgrade their mechanics as well as make some adjustments to their lobby for this "new breed" of owner. It's a tough call

great post but, you forgot that a Viper's man is a CRAZY MAN. I couldn't care less about those issues

I just hope SRT's plan will work no matter what and the car will be a huge success for every1.

 

[Kala]

I figure most Viper people will buy no matter what because it is a Viper and what SRT would lose in sales would probably be picked up by new buyers.

I'm saying charging dealers $100k for the right to order a Viper in this economy is not a good idea at all... SRT is going to lose Dealers to sell the new Viper... To the New buyers...

When you add up the cost of an onsite Viper tech and what ever showroom upgrades are expected for this new breed of buyer SRT is chasing... That is still a lot of overhead.

If 3 dealers are getting most of the Vipers made... (not meant as a knock on any of the major Viper dealers)

then how do you expect your friendly local Dodge dealer to be happy getting 1 or 2 Vipers to sell when they have this huge outlay of expenses even before they can buy the freaking car??? Then get 1 or 2 cars out of the allotment... Business wise it doesn't make sense for them to jump in both feet first... How many Vipers do you have to sell to make up the $100k cash investment? ROI would ****...

AND I think... who it's going to hurt in the end is the buyer old or new breed...

The buyer who wants the car and now can't get the warranty repairs done locally...

 

[Mopar488]

I think for this to be successful, service is going to have to be a priority. The area I live in does not have a Lexus dealer, but does have the rest of the high end German and *** cars. I know of 2 Lexus dealers, one about 110 miles away, the other 180 miles away. The closer one advertises pick up and delivery service. The other one does it for a friend of mine which winds up being close to 200 miles away. Keep in mind, they are driving the cars back and forth, not hauling them and I doubt the average Viper owner would allow that.

 

[emericr]

I fit with bcmarly as a potential new breed customer. I went away from owning US brand cars because the dealers do not seem to understand that the car buying process does not end at the sale but is a never ending story.
I have been spoiled with awesome service with MB, Porsche and Audi and I now expect this level of service even when I buy a $40K vehicle.
I am very interested in the new viper as it seems Ralph is dedicated to making it happen however the horror stories of the past are giving me cold feet. I understand that SRT is asking a lot of investment but the payback is huge. All the new breed buyers going to the new dealers will eventually lead to more sales of regular cars if the quality and service is there. It is not rocket science. The Japanese are a master at it and we should copy them for once. I may have to wait a year or so before I buy that Viper...

 

[mnc2886]

What is the $100k charge to the dealers for? I don't get it. It is either a way to keep only financially stable dealerships selling the car or, it is padding the business case of making the Gen V to begin with. Anyone who has enough experience in a bureaucracy knows that it is advertised as the first reason to hide the second reason. A little math....

15% of 2400 Dealerships = 360 Dealerships
360 Dealerships * $100k = $36 million

Hmmmmmmmm

 

[SADVIPER]

What do you think guys of this move effect on international sales?

 

[Kala]

What is the $100k charge to the dealers for?

There are conditions for Dodge dealers have to meet to be able to sell the new Gen V Viper. All dealers will be able to sell the other SRT vehicles... The new conditions only apply to sales of Gen V Vipers.

1. $100,000 License fee
2. Trained Viper Tech on staff

There's also the implied Dealership makeover to attract the new breed of buyer.

To me that is asking a lot. What's sad is I have doubts that my local dealer will do it. Like Mark J said, they can make a lot more $ with a lot less hassle working on a Neon... Why should dealers bother? So they can say they have a new SRT Viper on the showroom floor? In this economy? I don't think so...

Thanks mnc after seeing the math, I get why SRT wants to run the program that way... $36M before the car is even on the streets. At the end of the day, you know who is really paying for that! We are... The Dealers are going to have to make it up somehow.

I love the new car, I think Ralph did an incredible job of bringing Viper back. Once you've seen the car, you can't help but want one... I hope that the powers that be, make a correction to this sales program before it's too late.

The GTS-R starts winning races. Magazine coverage isn't far behind... People start buying the car... Then can't get it serviced under warranty...

Guess what the magazines are going to start saying...

It can't be good...

 

[kennyhemi]

I sure hope Ralph reads these concerns in this thread! I have an analogy, the difference between a Ferrari and Aston Martin is the Ferrari dealer network. The Aston Martin in my opinion is just as beautiful if not more so than a Ferrari, but anytime I mention to people that have a Ferrari that thinks the same they tell me who is going to work on it ? Nothing kills your passion faster than not getting something fixed the first time followed closely by "I need to take a time off work to deliver or arrange delivery of the car for service" If SRT follows it's plan, my next Viper will be a Gen 4 until I'm able to get a pre owned Gen 5 and save tons of $$$ so if I have an issue I will fix it myself with all the money I saved on buying used! Of course this will not help in keeping the car in production if we all do this! I can't tell you how many times I have left a dealer thinking I can't wait until my warranty is over so I can fix it myself, I just have this mentality that if I'm going to pay retail I'm going to get my money worth and have them fix it!

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

This is an interesting thread , but the realities are there are very few actual Viper Techs in the US, so what is everyone doing now? The truth is many Dealerships don't even have Viper Techs now, as training has been virtually non-existent for years. Surprisingly, to many of you , a couple of Dealers began complaining about this 6-7 years ago, because the feeling was Dealers were selling Vipers with no accountability , no passion, and no committment. Folks would buy a Viper and they could not find a Tech to do something as basic as changing the oil. Why , you might ask , was this possible, and yet the answer is simple, Chrysler did not require it. So you had Dealerships who made ludicrous claims, and they could walk away anytime if the things changed ( which they did) as they had nothing invested. In today's society they were just like so many others who felt they were entitled because they had a sign out front. The Dealers who understood your passion and desire stayed committed and even some others joined in the passion, but the bulk went on their merry way, doing nothing because they were not required too. The SRT Marketing Team, Ralph , and others are now in charge and the past is just that, so blame needs to be put aside and one must approach the glass and realize it is not only full , but overflowing. They see your demands, they want accountability, they want true committment that only a few have shown in the past, but they are not going to open the flood gates like in the past to let just anyone sell the Snake -- that was the entire crux of the problem. Know that SRT wants Dealers who understand they will need to treat a Viper customer with respect, and that they will need a trained staff --this will extend to Sales also.

The end result, is we as Viper owners will get what we used to have a Decade ago, but even better. Select Dealers all over the Country that want to sell Vipers and realize it is a privilege to do so, but like many privileges in life it will come with a cost ( sorry Kala , but I have no idea where your 100K idea came from , but believe that to be completely erroneous ). The cost will be a contract, a covenant with SRT to train service and sales personnel to the high level you as a consumer desire with a car like the Viper. There is no reason we should walk down the path expecting less because this vehicle is made in the US, instead we should expect the same treatment , expertise,etc. as any exotic or semi exotic car. This is the standard bearer for Chrysler Corporation and there are now folks in charge who respect the machine, will bring honor back to the page, and expect Dealers to do the same. Entitlement is over, as it should be, and the concerns so many of you have voiced over the past years are being addressed. Be positive, be optimistic , be thankful, someone has been listening and is doing what we all know is right!

Respectfully Submitted,
Bill Pemberton

 

[PDCjonny]

Bill as it stands right now there is no one in the northeast short of maybe Virginia(!) that can be trusted to work on a Viper, certainly none that can be recommended.
The one debatable dealer has had his top guy leave. (New Jersey)
There are NO volume dealers here, and it's very doubtful any Long Island/New York dealers are going to be among the "select" group.
Buying the car is easy.
As it is now, us Gen 4 owners with warranties just pray we don't need repair work.

What are we to do, and how is SRT going to address this issue of a large metroplitan area with NO dealer for service?

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Jon,

Keep in mind the problem existed when you purchased your car and the folks in charge actually understand your concern, and that is a segment of what they are addressing. There will likely be a Dealer in your area that will be solicited , but they will be required to maintain new standards, when virtually none have been in existence. I have no doubt that the Metro areas will find Dealers who want to sell the new Viper, but also are excited to know they will be an Elite Dealer for a very special car. Just like Corporate , there is a distinct advantage in many Franchise's eyes to say they are an SRT/Viper Dealer. Keep the faith and realize that this change was one some Dealers have been pushing for years and years, and Viper owners have requested too. SRT is looking into areas where there has been a distinct lack of Viper service and sales.

There are so few actual Viper Techs in the US, that an intensive training program is being instituted and only the cream of the crop are going to be allowed to be certified. In other words , instead of just scrambling and filling a void, SRT is demanding excellence and is taking things to heart they know needed changed/upgraded. The Techs that will be working on the new Viper, as well as the old , will be able to stand tall , and the designation as a SRT trained Viper Technician will be a badge of importance -- few are even being allowed to take this training. One must have already attained a high degree of profiency to even be elected to take this extensive course of specialized instruction.

Hope this helps you and others who may have concerns, but the system was broken and we now have management who is forging ahead, no longer the days of Cerberus and others where their heads were buried in the sand.

 

[Kala]

privileges in life it will come with a cost ( sorry Kala , but I have no idea where your 100K idea came from , but believe that to be completely erroneous ).

My info came from my local dealer. Who got this info from a representative of SRT who was at his dealership recently.

 

[3whitevipers]

Interesting all this talk about service,warranty and non-warranty, with the Gen 5, when Dodge will not step up and fix the very obvious problem with Gen 3 and Gen 4 window regulators. By what leap of faith do you really expect that, suddenly, SRT will do the right things with the Gen 5? SRT will EARN my business when they act on the window regulator issue. Until then I expect business as usual. Can you imagine the issues that will develop over time with this new Gen 5--especially the first year or so? So I guess I'm saying that it really doesn't matter about service if SRT leaves the owners holding the bag as they have done with the Gen 3 and Gen 4 owners. ---Dave

 

[mnc2886]

Sooooo......is there a licensing fee or no???

 

[emericr]

I applaud Bill for his very thoughtful responses and his faith in the new leadership. Obviously he has a strong interest in it as a sales manager but he brings us valuable comments from a dealer perspective. Communication and openness is key to make this work and attract new customers (referring to first time and existing viper owners).
Changes start at the top and it seems that SRT management is laying the path for a new era. Only time will tell. I would tend to agree with Dave that SRT should make a strong effort to satisfy current owners with existing problems. However, I will add that better brands like MB or BMWs are also notorious for not fixing common problems. I do not know the specific issue with the Viper window regulators but most BMWs from 2002 thru 2008 were plagued with bad ones. I had 4 replaced on my X5 and M3 and The response I got from my dealer was "we know it is a widely spread issue and that is the reason why we keep many in stock".
May I repeat again that I believe that this investment SRT requires will pay off as if quality and service rise, then the viper buyers will likely buy other cars and recommend the dealers to friends.
Dave: I see you are close to where I live (Naples). I wonder if I could invite myself to meet with you and see your viper collection if I come to Sarasota