When will "the call" come?

[Mike S]

You don't deserve a Prima!

Book your flight.

[sjmst]

Mike S wrote

We can all meet and pick up our cars. I'm willing to fly up and drive it home.

 I can buy it anywhere I want, and Criswell is the kind of dealer I want to have

I can't wait!!! Glad I got the block heater because I may need it in Maryland when I pick it up. In south Florida it is just an ornament.

I may be in for that! I am in NY (Long Island) and could take the drive. I really do not want to wait until April.

[Fiat500USA]

I had a long day at work and couldn't post this earlier:

Here's the rest of the story....

We all know Criswell will get one of the first cars because they are up and running. Other cars will begin filtering into other dealers and by mid-end Jan the bulk will have demos.

Prima Edizione cars will be ready mid-Feb and will go to the closest opened dealer to the owner. It may be farther away, but they want the cars to be the first ones out there and to take care of us who have been so patient.

Dealers will get actual for-sale product after March 1 only if they are ready with their dealership.

[sjmst]

Fiat500USA wrote

I had a long day at work and couldn't post this earlier:

Here's the rest of the story....

We all know Criswell will get one of the first cars because they are up and running. Other cars will begin filtering into other dealers and by mid-end Jan the bulk will have demos.

Prima Edizione cars will be ready mid-Feb and will go to the closest opened dealer to the owner. It may be farther away, but they want the cars to be the first ones out there and to take care of us who have been so patient.

Dealers will get actual for-sale product after March 1 only if they are ready with their dealership.

Ok, THAT IS good news! Two months, at least we know...

[Vlad92]

Yes... great news on the timeframe... so any word on the "purchase agreement signed by Dec. 31" process?  If the delivering dealer is up in the air then who will we sign the purchase agreement with?  Is the deadline still Dec. 31?  We have 2 weeks left and I'm getting nervous!

[sjmst]

Vlad92 wrote

Yes... great news on the timeframe... so any word on the "purchase agreement signed by Dec. 31" process?  If the delivering dealer is up in the air then who will we sign the purchase agreement with?  Is the deadline still Dec. 31?  We have 2 weeks left and I'm getting nervous!

I have the same questions. It is two weeks away. When will we hear from them, Dec 30th?
My wife had me laughing.
She said “Wow Fiat really takes care of you loyal fans! You get to have the Fiat with just the few options and colors they say, must drive across the country to get it, and oh yeah, they put a fat 70’s style stripe on it!  lol

[Vlad92]

For what it's worth I just got off the phone with the Fiat Information Center and was told the plan was for us to be contacted by email "soon" with instructions and contact information for the Fiat Dealer (Studio) we are to contact to get the purchase agreement signed.  

Good thing I have the week of the 27th off from work... I have a feeling I might be busy hunting down a dealer to sign this thing.  Funny... I have never been in a position hunting down a dealer to give them my business.  Usually it's the other way around!

[sjmst]

Vlad92 wrote

For what it's worth I just got off the phone with the Fiat Information Center and was told the plan was for us to be contacted by email "soon" with instructions and contact information for the Fiat Dealer (Studio) we are to contact to get the purchase agreement signed.  

Good thing I have the week of the 27th off from work... I have a feeling I might be busy hunting down a dealer to sign this thing.  Funny... I have never been in a position hunting down a dealer to give them my business.  Usually it's the other way around!

That IS valuable news. You're right, this is funny. We plunk down $500 which they hold for 6+ months for a car, sight unseen, gotta chase them down for infomation, and then trek to get the car.

Did Fiat see us coming or what?  

[prima 109]

Yes I spoke with the Fiat "lack of" info line.  They told me we should get an e-mail in a week or so.  I'm also getting conflicting answers on where we're supposed to go and finalize the paperwork.  I told the woman on the the phone and Criswell, that I only have 2 days left in the year that I  can drive to Criswell's which is 190 miles away.

Craig

[Vlad92]

One more update... this time from my local Fiat dealer.   He said that Fiat is planning to communicate directly with the 500 reservation clients very soon regarding the dates and what to expect.  All of the dealers are trying to finalize their plans and dealer agreements and that process is taking longer to complete than initially thought.  As such "they [FIAT] plan to delay the purchase agreement requirement."  That delay is to be communicated in the email communication.

Good news as it takes the time pressure way... bad news as it means our Primas may be delayed.

[sjmst]

Thanks for the updates

[prima 109]

I also want to thank you for that update.  That takes a lot off my mind trying to get to criswell's by the 31st.  If I hear anything more, I'll be sure to pass it on.  Giles told me that when thier demo vehicle comes in he will be calling me and others about coming in for a test drive.  He wasn't sure if it was a sport model or not.  I hope it is, so we will have a real idea how our cars will be like.

Craig

[Vlad92]

One last update for today (via an email from the Kansas City area dealer I received this evening):

"This weekend was awesome despite the fact I was stranded in Detroit.  The  Primas will be delivered in the 2nd week of January from what we've been told.  Your nearest FIAT dealer will deliver that vehicle to you.  We should be getting our DEMO vehicle in 10 days if your around!"

Second week in January???  Too good to be true I would think!

[Fiat500USA]

OK, now the info is starting to flow. This is a good thing.  I have the feeling a dam (of information) is about to burst!

[ciddyguy]

All the new since this post originally went up in Nov is indeed good news as I want to check this car out ASAP even though I'm not getting the Prima.

It may still be a few months away before I can do anything remotely close to replacing my aging truck but certainly by mid year I hope to be able to do something and I hope I like the 500 enough to consider it my top pick and that I can even AFFORD, let alone be eligible for a loan up to $20K to begin with.

There are mitigating factors to work with between now and then, but the time-line news is good indeed.

[Jim McKenzie]

Where are you in Florida Mike?  I am just north of Tampa in Wesley Chapel.


@thread This thread through page 2 is the best news I've heard so far.   Looks like non-Prima orders might be taken in February-March, with delivery dates still unknown.  I remain hopeful that test drives of the demo vehicles will be allowed.

[Fiat500USA]

I think what one has to do at this time is to look at the official Dealer list HERE, find a local dealer or two, call them and take it from there.

Hopefully during the conversation, there is a good vibe going on. In the meantime, Fiat should be blasting out an email to us (SOON PLEASE) and then we'll have an option or two.

[Vlad92]

My biggest challenge (at least locally) was to find someone knowledgeable to speak with... in my case the individual listed on the dealers list is the owner of 14 dealerships in this area.  So when I tried to reach that person the furthest I got was his executive secretary with whom I left a couple voicemails, but never heard back.  After contacting several sales managers at the Chrysler dealership I finally got someone who knows what is going on (and is in contact with the owner).  An example of persistence paying off!

[Mike S]

Jim

I'm in Pompano Beach next to Ft. Lauderdale.

[NM dude]

Had a very nice phone conversation with the dealer principal at Fiat of Albuquerque.  He is enthusiastic about Fiat and promised to keep me updated.  As an aside, I have a few Studebakers and his father and grandfather had the Studebaker dealership in Albuquerque in the 60`s!

Fiat500USA wrote

I think what one has to do at this time is to look at the official Dealer list HERE, find a local dealer or two, call them and take it from there.

Hopefully during the conversation, there is a good vibe going on. In the meantime, Fiat should be blasting out an email to us (SOON PLEASE) and then we'll have an option or two.