Zone Director Sells First SRT

[Cris]

Interesting advertisement by a Zone Director of the VCA. Sounds like the final word on whether VCA leaders would use their position to make a personal profit. Note this "leader" has 2 cars on order. Both with early builds. Coincidence???

ViperClub.org > Classifieds

For Sale: 2003 Viper SRT-10

Date Posted: 12/29/2002
Expires On: 03/29/2003
Ad Number: 3227

Ad Information

Category: New/Pre-Owned SRT-10's

Subcategories: '03 SRT-10's

Price $95,000 or Best Offer

Year 2003

Model SRT-10 Convertible

Mileage 0 miles

Exterior Color Red

Interior Color Black leather

For Sale By VCA Member

Description

2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10. Viper Red. Brand New just took deliverly. Still on Factory MSO and in original factory wrappings. Wont last, Serious inquires only. 313-806-7331
Contact Information

Contact: Jim Bielenda
Location: Detroit, MI

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

so! Whats the big deal! I don't see a problem.

 

[getbit]

Do what you have to do.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

It's his car, he can sell it or whatever. The more serious issue is it should NOT be on an open MSO, the MSO MUST be in his name and he must pay state sales tax before he can transfer title, so buyer beware!

 

[knuk]

So what's your point?

 

[Tom and Vipers]

I think the point is that some people are being helped to flip theirs while other people are being squeezed to give them up.

 

[SCS]

I fail to see the problem with selling the cars...Look it was last January when the opportunity was given to VCA members to reserve the new Viper and here it is a year later, A lot can change in a persons life in a year...I personally don't want to sell mine when it arrives but will more than likely have no choice due to the business climate...As was said earlier you do what you got to do...

 

[Sonny 00 GTS ACR]

Amen!

 

[Cris]

I have a different perspective on this. I believe that a person with direct influence over a non-profit organization should not use that influence for personal profit. Selling an SRT for 95k+, with original purchase (i.e. bypassing sales tax) provides about a 20k profit, minimum. If not criminal it is at least immoral to use their VCA and DaimlerChrysler employee influence to provide personal profit.

With VINs 103 and 165 it appears that influence and/or inside information was used to obtain such early builds. I also have no doubt that the individual never had an intent to purchase 2 vehicles but the foreknowledge to profit from the certificate program, of which he was a promoter and facilitator.

 

[Frank 03SRT]

Hey, there is nothing you can do about it. If he did an immoral thing, then God, the Devil, the Karma accountant, Mother Nature, or Something will pay him back. And, it is only $20K, hardly a lifestyle changing amount (now, if it was $20M, well ---).

If he was a bad boy, he'll more than likely get his someday.

 

[knuk]

Why shuld DC have any say in a persons finances? They are happy they sold all the cars and I don't really believe it matters to them where the money comes from. Last time I checked it was a free country...

 

[MiamiJeff]

Sure, this is the USA and we all can do our own thing. Some Mercedes dealers sure riled me up last year with the clause in their SL sales contracts giving them a right of first refusal (or a cash penalty!) should you sell or trade in your car within one year. As is the case with 99.9% of new, hot cars, the dealers were in control and they could do what they wanted.

Just wish the SRT sale was somehow done more discreetly so we don't further PO the dealers or Dodge...and that we can have a similar program one day for the Gen 4! (Obviously if a person's financial situation changed, their objective is to unload the car as favorably as possible and not to be concerned with the chance they're contributing to upset one of the world largest corporations or their dealer network.)

When I recently visited my local Ford dealer about placing a deposit for a GT (a/k/a GT40), they were happy to accept a deposit with the price being not MSRP but "the prevailing market price" which obviously means with "as much markup as we can squeeze out of you". It's the USA so, again, the dealer has this right to ask whatever price they want. My point: The SRT could've been sold this way to us (and would've been by many dealers) but thanks to the certificate program, it wasn't. Let's hope we see another certificate program down the road some day.

 

[91ZR1#661]

Who care's if he is trying to make a profit.It is HIS car.
95yellovett(Z07)

 

[Nsane1]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge capitalism fan, but I think a lot of us will change our tune in ~2006 when the new coupe comes out, and DC points to these transactions and says "you guys abused it, now the dealers get their turn", and in this case they can look to the VCA officers as an example.

Then, the dealers band together, and say they will sell no car for less than 15k over sticker "it's not a life changing amount" but seems to be the profit everyone I know is selling them for.

Yes, his car, he can run it off a cliff if he wants, but I have a feeling this will be the last time we buyers get a chance at a good deal at a new release viper.

 

[Joseph Houss]

The VCA worked hard to get the certificate program in place, to provide those THAT WANTED THE SRT, flexibility AND priority on purchasing this outstanding new supercar.

Needless to say, we are looking into this issue. Stay tuned!

 

[Mike Brunton]

Some of you guys are missing the point. This is not an issue of freedom or who owns the car or anything like that. The guy selling the car IS NOT the registered owner. The car is still on MSO, meaning "new from the dealer", and so the buyer will be the original owner. The issue is not that he wants to sell his car, but rather what he is doing appears to violate the certificate program - all us cert holders agreed that we did want to take delivery of our car. Dealers have stated that DC has told them NOT to sell the car to anyone but the cert holder.

So, this guy is a cert holder AND a DC employee AND a VCA officer, and is selling his car listed as being on the original MSO. This appears to violate the cert program and violate the agreement he made to DC to take the car he was allotted. THAT is the problem. It is compounded by the fact that he is a VCA officer and a DC employee... it's only compounded because the "official" VCA stance has been to stand behind DC's cert program which states the cert holder must take the car.

 

[Y2K5SRT]

The only thing I want to know is how the car has "0 miles"! After all, the cars are all run on a rolling chassis test with the gauges hooked up. My factory delivered 2000 GTS had seven miles sitting at CAAP. Are these cars REALLY showing up with zero miles or is that just a mild exaggeration? If it really is zero, does this mean that the rolling chassis test (watching for drivetrain abnormalities on the factory line) is no longer performed? Curious...

Oh, and so as not to completely hijack the thread, my only peeve with the selling of this SRT was that he ordered two. I know very, very well how financial circumstances can change in a year (between the time we placed the order and the time the cars started shipping). It's not any fun at all and for some it is absolutely miserable, especially if they end up having to sell the very car that they waited so long to get. On the other hand, if you were to order two cars you would hope that even if it was financial hardship you would still offer the "extra" to a VCA member at MSRP. Most would still make a small profit even if they paid the sales tax already. That's my 2¢ anyway!

Chris

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

The thing about having 2 on order is that I know of people who tried to order 2 but were squeezed out and only allowed 1 how can it be one way for some and another for others?.

I think this is beyond preferential treatment.

 

[Joseph Houss]

Definitely still running the cars in "go cart fashion" through the "run-up" machine.

Additionally, as always, one car a day is picked for an even more thorough test run that checks for squeeks, rattles, noises, etc... that particular unit would have somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 miles on it, and of course NO squeeks, rattles or noises!

The inspection procedure at the plant is absolutely impressive. There is a Team Viper employee that is specifically selected to thoroughly inspect each and every visible, audible, and textile component of a random car, and has a scoring sheet that he uses to determine its' "Viper perfection". Some things are so detailed that we wouldn't even be aware of it (well, most of us!), things like whether the left to right alignment of the glove box is exactly equal, etc. If ANYTHING is found not to meet the very strict inspection, ALL vehicles in the plant are checked for this issue, correction is taken if necessary, and then things continue with whatever corrective action is necessary imbedded into the build procedure so to not have it happen again.

Our cars are absolutely built with TLC!!!!!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Y2KGTS:
The only thing I want to know is how the car has "0 miles"! After all, the cars are all run on a rolling chassis test with the gauges hooked up. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[Mike Brunton]

My car came with 7 miles on it too - I think cars that do not get the "closer inspection" leave with 7 vs. about 20-30 for the inspected ones.

I think "zero miles" is just a term some folks use - it's meant to be "delivery miles". Like when they say "car is scary fast" - is it REALLY fear-inducing or just a term?

I wasn't aware that some people asked for 2 SRT's but were only allowed one. Is this true?

And for the record, I think people SHOULD be allowed to sell their SRT's, but it just peeves me that some seem exempt from the rules and others don't. Or rather, it peeves me that some are breaking the rules while I have to abide by them.

Then again, Joe says he is looking into it and that's good enough for me! Waiting your response, Joe.

 

[StratusR/T]

I think if he has PAID for the car and PAID all the taxes, it is his right to sell the car. NO ONE should be angry at that, he is just basically taking an investment risk by selling it more then its worth. Anyone looking to make money would do it. No, if he hasn't paid the taxes and such and is trying to offload the car, then there might be some issues at hand.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

A couple comments:

1)

DC wanted to "give something" to current owners of Vipers that bot them new. This thing was intended to be the ability to order the new SRT. This thing has a cash value determined by the market place.

The purpose of this program was to reward people who stepped up and bot a new Viper and still owned it. These people demonstrated 2 characteristics: patronage and loyalty.

Why should someone who did neither benefit from the cert program?

If a car is sold to an "outsider" it is still ethical for the certificate holder to "collect his bonus."

1a)

It is unfortunate that people who bot new Vipers but no longer had them did not get certs. Nor people that currently own used Vipers. A person who bot a new Viper and totalled it should have gotten a cert. Also, no consideration was made for people that participate heavily in Viper Days. That was really unfortunate.

2)

Selling under MSO to an outsider is exactly what happens when a cert holder doesn't take the car and it is turned over to the dealer.

A dealer has his clients, the cert holder has his friends. Who is to say which group gets the car once the dealer gets possesion of it? If the cert holder is a friend of the dealer, I would expect the dealer to sell the SRT to a friend of the cert holder.

 

[Joseph Houss]

We have contacted the parties involved, and the classified ad has been deleted. Additional discussions are continuing. Thanks all for your comments!

Lets put this on hold until I get further facts.