FoW Ownership Change? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

FoW Ownership Change?

Discussion in 'Mid-Atlantic Region - USA (PA, DE, MD, DC, VA)' started by StanT, Jan 31, 2021.

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  1. jjforsy

    jjforsy Rookie

    Feb 12, 2008
    14
    I am from Central PA and have dealt with Algar purchasing 9 cars from them over the years-Francis was awesome-place not the same since his departure. Tried to buy from FoW but never wanted to even try to deal. The comment that has prevented me from ever going back"Well we would like to do business with people from PA, but we sell every new and used car we have available regardless so we really don't need business from PA
     
  2. StanT

    StanT Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 10, 2007
    356
    Vienna, VA
    That sure sounds arrogant, and off-putting. Would sure keep me away.
     
  3. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    I spoke with FoW a few years ago about a 512 BB they had. Aside from knowing nothing about the car, they were totally obnoxious.
     
    Adamas, LARRYH, 375+ and 1 other person like this.
  4. Piper

    Piper Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 6, 2010
    24,846
    Northern Virginia
    Full Name:
    Bob
    This thread's a little depressing for me. I spent about a decade sniffing around FOW, wandering to the back of the maintenance shop, talking to all the guys, bought several cars there, sold a couple there, and I've always been treated well. How attentive they are on the floor seems to ebb and flow, but there were years when I'd drop in weekly and I'd always end up in a 10 minute conversation. Everyone always smiles and waves. I may actually be done with Ferraris. I don't know. I've been through half a dozen of them and with a C8 coming I'm just not sure what would attract me back unless an F8 maybe some day money depending. So I really have no skin in this. But I think really highly of FoW, always have. Jonathan and Franklyn in sales are both super nice, James does a hell of a job running Service. It's a pity they don't provide consistent service, apparently. This sort of feedback lasts in cyberspace forever. But they are not a bad dealership.
     
    Pis7a2020 and carz80am like this.
  5. Cobraownr

    Cobraownr Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 6, 2008
    929
    Edgewater, MD
    Full Name:
    Donald Silawsky
    FoW is beginning to sponsor and host some events with the Mid-Atlantic Region. It would be nice to have a stronger presence by them, problematic as some of their corporate culture might be. A few years ago FoW put on a meet-and-greet at the dealership and then a group drive to the Salamander Resort in Middleburg with an open bar and quite good buffet food, all at zero cost. I'd do this again any time.
     
  6. carz80am

    carz80am Formula Junior

    Sep 23, 2015
    620
    Northern Virginia/DC
    Totally agree. Probably 5-6 years ago I didn't want to do any business with them. The last few years ago, I think I've bought like 5 cars from them and have put down some deposits for new orders. To me, they've gotten better the last few years but all businesses have their flaws and I know some customers are never happy. Across the board, all businesses seem to be having issues with customer service/employees and unfortunately I think its going to get worse.
     
  7. Piper

    Piper Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 6, 2010
    24,846
    Northern Virginia
    Full Name:
    Bob
    5-6 years ago I was there a couple times a week hanging out and loved everyone and everything about that dealership. And back then the naysayers were lamenting the loss of the fun years with Allie Ash which I just missed. I've met him several times, great guy, probably was a great run for FoW. Opinions always vary, experiences vary.
     
  8. E60 M5

    E60 M5 Moderator
    Moderator Owner

    Jan 2, 2006
    8,061
    Wash DC area
    Full Name:
    Robert
    It was a totally different vibe with Allie and crew. Always someone to come out and talk with you regardless of your status with the dealership.
    The "flagship" ambassador was Redding Finney!! greatest guy and real Ferrari Tifosi. Heck even the receptionist, Karen, I think, was always super helpful and delightful when you entered the showroom.
     
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  9. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2011
    8,325
    East
    I am still there about once a week. I have a problem and need help.... :(
     
    iMrMark, Pawilly and E60 M5 like this.
  10. LARRYH

    LARRYH F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2011
    9,142
    virginia usa
    I really like JAMES he takes care of any issue i have ... Quickly and fairly
     
    ROMO likes this.
  11. becker

    becker Formula Junior

    Feb 20, 2001
    339
    Arlington VA
    Full Name:
    Becker Cuéllar
    Yep the Allie days were the best you could even work on your car on weekends at the shop...ran into Ralf a couple of years ago down in FL and we had a long walk thru memory lane
     
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  12. SVLT

    SVLT Karting

    Sep 29, 2017
    69
    Full Name:
    Julian Sutton
    I bite my lip, because I am on good term with some of the people working at some of these dealerships. This doesn’t apply to them. But I think the problem that you find, and maybe some people will be surprised.
    I sure was. You have quite a good number of people who work at the dealers that are what you would call car enthusiasts. They are there, because it’s a well paying job, and they like the luxury aspect. You can always tell who they are. They are the ones you’ve never seen at an informal event.
     
  13. rampante550

    rampante550 Formula Junior

    Jul 20, 2010
    553
    NC
    Full Name:
    D Day
    Maybe they saw that he was there for service and thought he was passing time... If all five greeted him or one hovered while he looked around, would we be reading a different complaint?

    This whole thing reminds me of that scene in good will hunting where minnie driver is mad at matt damon for not coming over and talking to her at the bar. Instead of stewing for an hour (and longer still it seems), just start the conversation, lol - were you shopping for validation from a stranger or for a car?
     
  14. E60 M5

    E60 M5 Moderator
    Moderator Owner

    Jan 2, 2006
    8,061
    Wash DC area
    Full Name:
    Robert

    You obviously never entered FOW during the Allie years. I'm sure their engaging YouTube on their computers was far more important than addressing a client who was there for whatever reason. It was, is a passion, a connection that was shared on any level at anytime when visiting FOW, sorry you didn't see that or understand it either.
     
  15. rampante550

    rampante550 Formula Junior

    Jul 20, 2010
    553
    NC
    Full Name:
    D Day
    How much business was being done over the internet during Allie's time vs the past year with showrooms closed or limited to appointment only? Yet we assume they're wasting time on YouTube instead of trying to make money - oh, bc you know there's nothing related to sales that they could possibly be doing on their computer, lol.

    I understand perfectly, I just think these complaints come across as lame. Just start the conversation instead of leaving with a wounded ego. I was snubbed at Houston once and after about 20 mins, I poked my head into an office, asked my question and the guy gave me his undivided attention for the next half hour and a tour of the back that had some pretty heavy metal. Guy was an enthusiast, he just happened to be in the middle of something when I got there. No big deal.
     
    iMrMark likes this.
  16. E60 M5

    E60 M5 Moderator
    Moderator Owner

    Jan 2, 2006
    8,061
    Wash DC area
    Full Name:
    Robert
    I guess we will agree to disagree. The OP is not in sales, the salesman is, lame.
     
    LARRYH, Adamas and rampante550 like this.
  17. vandevanterSH

    vandevanterSH Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2005
    1,787
    AR
    Full Name:
    Stephen Van Devanter
    "I spent about a decade sniffing around FOW, wandering to the back of the maintenance shop, "
    *****
    Don't remember the exact years (2005-2008?) but I took my 575 to FOW several times for annual service while on visits to see sister in MD. Very pleasant dealership and service dept.; allowed to hang around service dept. and also remember sales dept. taking a 360 CS off the sales floor and allowing me to take a test drive.
     
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  18. fedcoin

    fedcoin Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Mar 11, 2017
    311
    They need to remodel the showroom like this.

     
  19. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

    Jan 19, 2021
    2,429
    East Coast
    I had a long conversation last week with someone on the management team at FOW. He basically told
    me that they have had almost no new customers coming to buy Ferrari for the first time at their dealership, and well over 90% of their cars sold each month are almost exclusively to existing clients only who are either adding to their current collections or playing the trade game. In terms of out of state sales via the Internet, they are also in the bottom third of Ferrari dealerships as well and typically don’t do very much out of state/internet sales unless they get in a preowned highly sought after car like a Pista that doesn’t last long. Walking into FOW is like walking into a California/Portofino used car lot. FOW struggles to attract and bring in any new people to the Ferrari brand and it is their current loyal following that is keeping them afloat. Not being able to attract new clients is a death sentence.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
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  20. Rossocorsa1

    Rossocorsa1 F1 Veteran

    May 14, 2017
    6,200
    Given the incredible amount of wealth in the DC area, if they aren’t successful, it’s nobody’s fault but there own. They have zero presence or exposure in the city or surrounding wealthy areas.
     
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  21. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2011
    8,325
    East
    Interesting to know, you would think if they have identified the issue they would work on resolving it. My experience with the people there is generally pretty good, this goes for everyone from sales to service. Whats interesting is that the McLaren/Lambo dealer suffers from the same. Very few people who are local that I know buy anything from them. I cut them off and then gave them another shot on an Urus and now regretting it.
     
  22. carz80am

    carz80am Formula Junior

    Sep 23, 2015
    620
    Northern Virginia/DC
    I'm sorry but I don't buy this. My f8 that I traded for my f8 spider was sold by them out of state. My 812 was also sold out of state. I'm a relatively "new" customer(started buying from them like 2 years ago). They are one of the top selling Ferrari dealers in the country. They get the D.C., VA, and MD money.
     
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  23. pilotoCS

    pilotoCS F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    May 19, 2019
    12,530
    The Capital of The United States of America
    Full Name:
    Willis
    Not selling cars out of your marketing area is great if one of your goals is to fatten your service portfolio.
     
    carz80am likes this.
  24. iMrMark

    iMrMark Karting

    May 24, 2021
    145
    Full Name:
    Mark
    I’ve been a lurker around the brand for a while, but not an active participant in the past. I remember the open-house style events they used to do years ago, and they were some of the most encouraging for me as someone looking at Ferrari from the outside.

    Last couple months, I’ve popped in there randomly during the week, Saturdays and evening on weekdays. I’ve definitely had the proactive “anything I can help you with today?” prompts from folks, as well as some great conversations back in service when they’ve happened to have some really cool items around (saw my first LaFerrari the other week there). I’ve also had some days where nobody really said anything to me, which is fine for me since I’ve no problem going to the front desk to ask for an assist if needed. But I understand; it’s a service role at heart so I get where someone could feel put off.

    if there’s anything I wish they would do, it’s to get some events going again. I have to believe everyone would love to get out and together at this point. It doesn’t have to be an expensive affair, just something supported by the brand and accessible to old and new faces alike. My take anyway
     
    pilotoCS likes this.
  25. asgor

    asgor Formula Junior

    Sep 8, 2016
    705
    Virginia, USA
    Just had work done at FoW. This was my first time there.

    I got a sense that quantity vastly trumps quality at that place. The showroom is stale and the service department is discombobulated. Service Advisors try to hold things together but overall it just seems like a giant mess.
    This said, the work was done right but the price was exorbitant. Ah, and the car wash following service left etching marks on paint and trim (which took me hours of detailing to remove). Don't EVER have them wash your car.

    With so many viable alternatives for service within a reasonable radius I find it hard to imagine I will take my car back to their service department.
     

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