Why the **** do we have dealers: Tesla

[Kushina]

What benefit do they offer?

None.

 

[xeemzor]

Because money.

 

[Markbnj]

Garage thread?

I don't think the whole dealer model originated for no reason, or because there were no benefits. Perhaps it is obsolete today, or perhaps not. At the very least Tesla should be able to choose how they want to do business.

 

[DesiPower]

To protect local buyers, enforce local buyer protection laws

 

[Insomniator]

Uneducated salesmen need jobs.

 

[mizzou]

Dealers historically provided a combination of service and sales. A way to keep your brand functioning at a high standard. I build them and train you how to sell them and maintain them.

I wonder though, if Tesla will also prevent independent mechanics from working on their cars.

 

[DesiPower]

Uneducated salesmen need jobs.

Elon is already a billionaire. What's wrong with spreading the dough around? Afterall we want to be a nanny state, don't we?

 

[Linflas]

Dealers historically provided a combination of service and sales. A way to keep your brand functioning at a high standard. I build them and train you how to sell them and maintain them.

I wonder though, if Tesla will also prevent independent mechanics from working on their cars.

This. And at the state and local level they wield serious political clout.

 

[Raizinman]

Having worked in dealerships most my life they benefit in many ways:

They make test driving a vehicle easy as they are local.
If you need any special parts for your vehicle, they are there.
Service often requires proprietary tools and training for warranty or non-warranty repairs.
A dealer will usually trade quicker for their model cars.

Whatever type of vehicle you drive, try and imagine what it would be like to travel 300 or 400 miles to get warranty service for a transmission or engine repair.

 

[DrunkenSano]

Having worked in dealerships most my life they benefit in many ways:

They make test driving a vehicle easy as they are local.
If you need any special parts for your vehicle, they are there.
Service often requires proprietary tools and training for warranty or non-warranty repairs.
A dealer will usually trade quicker for their model cars.

Whatever type of vehicle you drive, try and imagine what it would be like to travel 300 or 400 miles to get warranty service for a transmission or engine repair.

Tesla seems to allow you to test drive with no issues. Dealerships may have parts, but they will charge you an arm, a leg, your first-born, and your house for it. They are incredible con-artists.

 

[Jodell88]

Car dealerships want your $$$$$.

 

[Jimzz]

Dealers historically provided a combination of service and sales. A way to keep your brand functioning at a high standard. I build them and train you how to sell them and maintain them.

I wonder though, if Tesla will also prevent independent mechanics from working on their cars.

How would they. They do not stop any one from selling their cars right now. They just do not give preference to a dealer or single seller.

You can order a Tesla car and sell it if you like.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I wonder though, if Tesla will also prevent independent mechanics from working on their cars.

What. Where did you get this from?

 

[zerocool84]

Having worked in dealerships most my life they benefit in many ways:

They make test driving a vehicle easy as they are local.
If you need any special parts for your vehicle, they are there.
Service often requires proprietary tools and training for warranty or non-warranty repairs.
A dealer will usually trade quicker for their model cars.

Whatever type of vehicle you drive, try and imagine what it would be like to travel 300 or 400 miles to get warranty service for a transmission or engine repair.

All of those points you made give zero reasons why we need dealers. Saying you'd have to travel far to get warranty service, how do you think a company like Kia was in the beginning? They didn't have dealers in every city. A dealer fixes none of that.

 

[boomerang]

Having worked in dealerships most my life they benefit in many ways:

They make test driving a vehicle easy as they are local.
If you need any special parts for your vehicle, they are there.
Service often requires proprietary tools and training for warranty or non-warranty repairs.
A dealer will usually trade quicker for their model cars.

Whatever type of vehicle you drive, try and imagine what it would be like to travel 300 or 400 miles to get warranty service for a transmission or engine repair.

Additionally, they employ a ton of people both directly and indirectly and in good paying jobs. But that doesn't seem to be very important to many people these days. I guess as long as it's not your job going bye-bye it's all good.

 

[boomerang]

Car dealerships want your $$$$$.

Good thing you don't expect the same from your employer, eh?

 

[Kushina]

Having worked in dealerships most my life they benefit in many ways:

They make test driving a vehicle easy as they are local.
If you need any special parts for your vehicle, they are there.
Service often requires proprietary tools and training for warranty or non-warranty repairs.
A dealer will usually trade quicker for their model cars.

Whatever type of vehicle you drive, try and imagine what it would be like to travel 300 or 400 miles to get warranty service for a transmission or engine repair.

BMW/Toyota/Mfr could do all this much better if they had their own local stores/lots.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Additionally, they employ a ton of people both directly and indirectly and in good paying jobs. But that doesn't seem to be very important to many people these days. I guess as long as it's not your job going bye-bye it's all good.

We could claim this for EVERYTHING. Everything in the world could have a middleman and provide tons of new jobs.

But at some point, that middleman is inefficient and necessary.

 

[EvilYoda]

Given that this subject is very closely related to my job, it's a fascinating time in the industry. I always like to ask the people talking about "why have a dealership" if they have actually been to a Tesla store seeing as how most major cities are lucky to have a single store unless you live in California or the NE. Tesla has only basically had one product to sell at a time with most of its buyers not making their decision based on budget. They have, to this point, no direct competitors. With Tesla coming out with more affordable models, it'll be interesting to see how things progress.

 

[boomerang]

We could claim this for EVERYTHING. Everything in the world could have a middleman and provide tons of new jobs.

But at some point, that middleman is inefficient and necessary.

So, come up with a method to support the people of the world and post back. Middlemen make the world go around. Do you expect that if a surgeon made his own surgical instruments he could or even would lower the price for his services? I could go on and on forever on this.

Spouting pretzel logic to justify something you want so very, very much is truly symbolic of the times we live in. Everybody wants what they want and they want it NOW! The consequences be damned!

 

[IronWing]

Dealers are fine. Having state franchise laws stifling competition sucks.

 

[ElFenix]

Additionally, they employ a ton of people both directly and indirectly and in good paying jobs. But that doesn't seem to be very important to many people these days. I guess as long as it's not your job going bye-bye it's all good.

if ford didn't have independent dealers they'd still need to employ pretty much all of those people doing the same jobs they already do. they'd just now do it directly for ford instead of an independent dealer, and might even be union. the only people who wouldn't be doing quite as well as they did are guys like bud adams and red mccombs.

 

[PricklyPete]

Additionally, they employ a ton of people both directly and indirectly and in good paying jobs. But that doesn't seem to be very important to many people these days. I guess as long as it's not your job going bye-bye it's all good.

You think none of those jobs would exist if the manufacturer handled sales and servicing directly instead of through dealerships?

Having laws requiring dealerships is ridiculous. If some car manufacturers decide that is the way they want to handle their sales/service, so be it...but having the government meddle in that process is bad for all of us.

 

[DesiPower]

if ford didn't have independent dealers they'd still need to employ pretty much all of those people doing the same jobs they already do. they'd just now do it directly for ford instead of an independent dealer, and might even be union. the only people who wouldn't be doing quite as well as they did are guys like bud adams and red mccombs.

But then by your logic, the managers of these "outlets" would be as rich as bud adams and red mccombs, wont they? if not then how come Ford will be spending the same? I guess then warren buffett will get that much richer? You logic is sadly flawed.

 

[master_shake_]

who else is gonna up sell you on the undercoating and fake plastic wooden shift knob?