Anybody get called yet from Fiat about Prima Edizione Delivery?

[Fiat500USA]

dipstick1 wrote

My car is at Larchmont, Alfredo told me they are waiting for there license to come through. I called to check on my car , after I saw my brothers car appear at Fiat of Hartford Studio. For some reason my car went 80 miles away to New york while his car went 3 miles away to Hartford.

They are getting closer.  The state is really dragging it out.

[jamesday24]

I'm waiting on Prima Edizione 345, bianco with sunroof.  Hopefully it should be ready later next week.  

[sjmst]

Thanks, Paul!

[Jim]

Question is why were all these license issues nor taken care of ahead of time? And why wont the dealers just level with us?

I know they are at the mercy of the system but that is no excuse for the lack of communication.

[kmarei]

because most dealers are clueless?
you wanna hear more?
my dealer has had his license since early march
and my car has been delivered to jessup MD (less than 1 hour away from dealer) since the 23rd, but my dealer is powerless to get the car.
it's more of a "it will come when it comes" attitude
it's a total joke
i called the manager yesterday
he said well we're sorry it's a new brand blah blah blah
i told him no, it's not
you are using the same system as chrysler
you build them in the same factory
use the same moving services, and you have the same tracking info as chrysler
so this is basically someone not doing his job, and management is powerless to stop this.

my dealer knows nothing
fiat helpline knows nothing
and even the fiat rep knows nothing
they all say it should get there any day now.
there is no such thing as any day now.
if i send a package, or even container, anything
any shipping company can tell me exactly where my box/container/parcel is
heck, even USPS can do that!

[Jim]

I tried to send an email to the contact I was givin from the dealer and his mailbox is full.. That alone would cost most people their job, when customer emails are rejected and sent back because an employee don't check their email, it just screams incompetence. Im going to make sure that is very well known to anyone who will listen. A few more days and ill buy a ford.

[Jim]

I just called the 1-888-242-6342 number to express my complaints, and concerns. She validated my concerns. and is calling the dealer now to see what the hold up is.  not 5 minutes later i got a call from the dealer stating they don't yet have a license to sell fiats. I am Really upset and it will be a couple more weeks!

Why would they not just tell me that in the first place.. Im leaving work and heading straight to the ford dealer to see if they want my 20k.

[sjmst]

Sorry to hear that! Dealer's will be dealers. Hate to see you not get the Fiat because of this.

[Guido]

I had to beg Power Fiat of Torrance to send me a buyers order. I called over 20 times and they finally agreed to do it I just got it in my inbox to take down to the credit union to get the check. Car's been in Denver for 3 weeks just sitting!  They wanted to wait until April 4th to do the paperwork. They've had their license for over 2 weeks. Just shuffling their feet.

I've never had to beg a dealer to sell me a car!!!!

Might have it by the weekend now finally!

Guido

[fredfrey]

I went through several weeks of calling the FIAT call center once or twice a day. While they are very nice, they are of little to no help. They are only there, it seems, to placate the caller.  The only way I was ever able to have any progress made on my delivery was to contact my local Regional Brand Manager.  So, call your dealer and ask for the name, phone number and email address for the Regional Brand Manager. This will work for you.  The call center is a useless but the good news is FIAT is aware of this and perhaps one day will fix it. - At least  you're not calling India though! :P

[Gianni500]

Thanks Again for your help Paul!!!

#216 current location: Arrigo Fiat Sawgrass  Yes I will pick it up today.

I will let you know guys and try to post some pics.

Gianni

[Gianni500]

Thanks Again for your help Paul!!!

#216 current location: Arrigo Fiat Sawgrass  Yes I will pick it up today.

I will let you know guys and try to post some pics.

Gianni

[FiatDude]

Thanks Paul.  I just got a call from the dealer, Kelly near Boston.  My Grigio #210 has arrived.

[SeaDawg]

I think the Call Center is perhaps the best functioning part of this introduction.  I have called them twice.  Got very polite representatives who faithfully called me back within 24 hours with a helpful/informative answer.  I'm sure they don't have the same access to some things as the Regional Rep you were referencing, but none-the-less.

The dealer personnel have NO literature and at the moment are working at the local MINI dealership while awaiting the completion of remodeling of the ORIGINAL Mini dealership in downtown Orlando.  They have no idea of what they will be getting for inventory at this point.  The prospective manager has the demo Cinquecento Owner's Manual at home to learn about the car.  The demo is stored out back at the MINI dealership along with 3 PE's to be delivered when the Fiat dealership opens for business.  Seeing and driving is by call ahead only.

I really don't blame the dealer for any of this...this STUFF should have been anticipated and dealt with at a much higher level BEFORE it ever got to this point where we, prospective customers, are getting annoyed, nay, ANGRY about all the delays etc. and even considering alternative brands (not me).

I can imagine what the dealer up in Peabody Mass., Kelly I think it is, must be thinking with 30 cars on the lot NO advertising being put out and therefore very little traffic except for those who are rabidly in love with the Cinquecento.

[sjmst]

What's happening is a snowball effect. Lots of things, some big, most not so huge, add up.
My dealer made me wait an hour and half for my car while they prepped. OK, happens.
Still delivered with dirty engine bay..oh well. No car cover..no biggie.
Then no front license plate bracket for NY? Hello? Who didn't get that memo?
There's just a few little things, but once you start finding fault, it gets a life of its own.
Overall, they were nice, and about as competent as I expect from a dealer.

[Jim]

I blame the dealer, they have had plenty of time to get a license, its not like this was just thought up yesterday.. had they started early like some of the more serious dealers did they would have been able to deliver weeks ago. There is no excuse for this.

[Giallo Edizione]

SeaDawg wrote

I can imagine what the dealer up in Peabody Mass., Kelly I think it is, must be thinking with 30 cars on the lot NO advertising being put out and therefore very little traffic except for those who are rabidly in love with the Cinquecento.

50+ cars.

I've jawboned with the sales staff and managers about it. They really can't say anything negative but their faces get all screwed up and they look like they are about to scream and tear their hair out.

[RonBatt]

Paul thanks.  Seems Kelly J/C/D is listed as being in Pittsburg, Lynnfield MA and other locations.  I'm in Buffalo and was advised my car would be delivered through Doan Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Rochester.  Problem is they will not have a NYS Dealer license for Fiat so they cannot deliver these cars for at least 2 more weeks even if they get them tomorrow.  It would be nice to know it made it's way safely to my dealer or any dealer.  This whole delivery process has sure take the fun out of the new care delivery anticipation.  I will need to continue to be happy driving my 1971 Fiat 124 Spider which i've had since new!  Problem is it's in winter storage until Late May

[fredfrey]

Kelly is one of the very few dealers who seem to have it together. Sure it sucks for them that they are so far of the vast majority of the other dealers.  Dealers were only chosen by FIAT in November.  Who knows how much bureaucracy and red take is required now to get a licence to sell FIAT. Just imagine a huge DMV staffed with people who say "what is FIAT?".   The official roll out and publicity for the 500 will happen this summer along with the 500C.  Any dealer that is crying about stock of cars now will be happy then when gas is $5 a gallon and they've actually got cars in stock that people want - and not a lot full of hummers.

And I've got my Regional Brand Manager to thank for getting my car on the way to me. It has been sitting in New Jersey for over a month now and all the calls in the world to the FIAT call center could not get it to move. It is now being put on a Flat-bed truck and driven to Sarasota Florida to my dealer.  This is costing FIAT $ so I'm sure they will fix all the problems prior to publicizing the brand.  

Only die-hard fans ordered the Primas.... and only die-hard fans were willing to put up with all the mix-ups.

[sketch]

PE#454 wrote

I heard yours came in today; I'm eager to see pics.

It may be a couple of weeks more for me, but, like I said, it'll make a great birthday present.

I haven't taken delivery yet, but Landers Fiat (of Shreveport) did receive it yesterday afternoon!  Aldric called me to let me know and to tag me in the photos.  I'm still waiting to get financing squared away so I can take delivery.  Should be soon now!

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