Ferrari of San Francisco, wow... really?

Gentlemen,

I really don't know what else to say, when did this forum turn into a haters club? We are all here for the same purpose, the admiration and enjoyment of Ferrari and the accomplishments and lifestyle that goes along with the brand. I have been around the brand for 20+ years, appreciating the people and product side by side, never once did I wake up expecting to disappoint or upset someone who came to enjoy it with me, how can you all attack with such ferocity when I fail you once in a blue moon?

I will not post again to this thread as it is obvious that we are not going to see eye to eye on this topic. In closing I only want to state what should be the obvious. This is a fun product frought with incredible history that has consumed us all to the point that we defend the product, people, and experience, for this I applaud you all. I will continue to do the best job I am able to do for all that care to engage me and I will continue to appreciate all things Ferrari including the clients who own them and those who do not so please get over the moment, accept the fact that I am repentant and make mistakes as do you all, and let's get back to enjoying this together as it was meant to be.

Xavior, to you personally I would like to speak privately when convenient as this matter is between you and I and will surely be a non issue once we have spoken. I am in all week and hope we can speak soon.

Brad Goldstone

 

You need to write FNA a letter and relay exactly what happened.
State names, dates, and times

They (FNA) do play a big part in evaluating dealers and when you make an appointment, just to get blown off then they need to know how their clientele are perceiving said dealership.

Remember when they revamped their dealer network just a few years ago? One of the things FNA did were to poll the Ferrari Owner's clubs and ask if the dealers had participated in club activities. This shows they are concerned, why not give them your point of view?

 

+1.


I had similar experience there when I walked in on Saturday morning and received no assistance from the staff after 30 minutes. Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere.

 

What, did they chase him out of the building with a fire extinguisher telling him not to dress like a homeless ******? Uh, no.

It's a car. get over it. you buy one, you buy 10. get over your sense of entitlement.

 

I've never had anything but friendly and courteous treatment from Brad and the other people at FSF. Beyond being good people, the FSF team are all car buffs and motorsports fans. They are very knowledgable not just on Ferraris, but on a broad range of cars from the low end to the high end. I haven't found that to consistently be the case at other high end car dealers.

It might look like it's all fun and games selling Ferraris, but delicately managing a roster of hundreds of clients (many with an inflated sense of self importance) who want a production run of only dozens of cars is no easy task. Add to this the countless tire kickers who come into the showroom posing as real buyers and I would imagine that there are many tough decisions to make about how and where to spend time. None of this means that people shouldn't be treated courteously and I think Brad's post on this board was sincere.

I'm fishing here, but perhaps the real explanation of what transpired is that someone at FSF actually viewed the video link that the thread starter posted. If I were a Ferrari sales person and a potential customer sent me a video that highlighted them driving recklessly on public roads and getting into some sort of trouble with the police I wouldn't be in a hurry to engage in any communications that might end up in me having to ride shotgun for a test drive.

 

Brad and Evan have always been professional and respectful to me. I have known them since the store opened.

 

Just wanted to share my good experience with FoSF and Brad.

In August 2002 my wife and I visited FoSF. Note: at the time I did not have an F-car nor was I even remotely close to buying one. Brad gave us the "full tour", upstairs, downstairs, service area - the whole thing. He spent approximately 1.5 to 2 hours with us. Again, ALMOST 2 hours with us. We took several pics and have since moved out of the area. His first car was a 328 which he used as a daily driver and I believe IS a true believer. He is a busy guy becasue EVERYONE always says "go see Brad at FoSF" Give him another chance.

Incidently, I had literally the same experience with Benn Correale at Shelton Ferrari in Florida. Again, I was not anywhere even remotely ready to buy a Ferrari and I told both Benn and Brad that I would buy in Oregon . IN FACT, I was surprised that they both told me to buy in Oregon as they we my local dealer and service center. What??? someone in sales telling me to buy elsewhere?? Needless to say, I was impressed.

Even at my own dealership (portland, oregon) sometimes they get busy when I am there. Oh well, we are only human. Perhaps we should try to clone our best (favorite) sales people.

just my two cents. Michael and Melinda Brown

 

Maybe this was just a sign for Xavior to stop smoking cigars.

 

I'm kind of late to this party but I wanted to add my comments to those supporting Brad, Evan and FoSF in general. I was an unreferred walk-in 5 years ago and was treated with the highest quality service imaginable, and have bought two cars from them since. In every way, this is the dealership I hold up as the standard of excellence in the car world, it's probably the best dealership of any marque that I've ever dealt with. I hope you can work out the issue, Brad has certainly done his part to make this right. Move on, buy a nice car, and enjoy what this fine dealer has to offer.

Gary

 

Brad, Evan and the rest of the FoSF staff have been extremely professional and courteous in my dealings with them. I have nothing but good things to say about them. They are both great car guys and share the passion we all do with a marque that is like no other. As with anything, there will be naysayers and haters and to each their own. Brad has shown class by coming here and publicly apologizing to Xavior and if that doesn't speak volume to how he runs his business and his character, I don't what does.

This is best settled privately between Brad/FoSF and Xavior.

 

Ha ........... I guess we should mail them a check and they should ship the cars in a big box Via UPS, then dump it on our doorstep. It's just a widget. So there's no "sense of entitlement"

 

I wish I could get away with that. Actually, why not? Brad next time can I please just wire money and you leave a car in the driveway with keys under the mat or something?

 

200 years from now they'll wire you a car after you've wired them money.

Or better yet, downloadable cars. Must make sure the stereolithographic printer is full of poly-amimetic alloy ink before hitting the print button.

 

I have dealt with many different Dealers, and I have to say that FoSF is the absolute best. Brad and Evan have integrity, and passion for their product. They are very careful not to over promise.

My motto in life is "mistakes are OK, errors are fatal. An error is defined as a failure to correct a mistake.

It seems to me that Brad recognized that a "mistake" was made and went out of his way to prevent it from becoming an error. Of course, those of us who have dealt with him are not surprised by this.

So, to the OP:

Your mistreatment, at whatever level, was acknowledged; an olive branch was extended and unless there is some "hidden agenda" I can't see why you wouldn't avail yourself of the opportunity to visit FoSF and make friends for life.

 

Come on Dan. You cannot say that. If it was "just a car" you and I (as ex-owners of a few) wouldn't be hanging out on these boards.

Where I come from (Wisconsin) most homes cost less than these cars. I think some entitlement is deserved when a purchase of that kind is made. It's the same thing as a country club. Most people don't buy them because they are worth it, they buy the membership because it is a country club. There is definitely an "exclusivity" ideal and certainly people should feel "entitlement" to above average treatment when they are purchasing something that retails at an above average price.

With all that being said, it is Xavior's choice to make. Brad came on here and offered his apologies and committment to make right which was commendable. Or Xavior can go to a place that may make right the first time. After all this drama, I am interested in seeing where he goes and what happens. Would be classic if he went to another dealer and they rolled out the red carpet. Would be almost more ironic though if he went there and they were rude and ignored him.

In a sick way, I almost would like to see him go into another place wearing the same outfit and smoking a similar cigar and see what happens. ;-)

My .02

 

Go to FoSV. When you walk in they say "Hello, is there something I can help you with today?" What a concept!

I've gone to FoSF multiple times, looking at cars for friends on the East Coast, etc. and not once has Brad said a word to me. Not one word. Yes, I know who he is, I've introduced myself to him while at the store, but he still didn't feel any need to help me. I felt like he thought it was a privelage for me to meet him; I don't care who you are or what the situation is but if you can't be generally courtious and respectful to someone (or how about everyone - especially if you are in sales) then curl up under a rock where decent, respectful people don't have to deal with you.

 

I've dealt with Brad for over 10 years. He does what he says he's going to do, and is an absolute gentlemen about the way he does business. As to those that decided to trash him, I suggest that more than a few have an economic incentive to do so, and frankly, it's in bad taste.

Art

 

I think that is the point....An adjustment for a different culture or set of circumstances....

USA is full of "entitlement stories", and customers fuming for being wronged or demanding something. But.... have you ever eaten in a restaurant on the old continent? Tried to apply the idea of an American standard of customer service in a Paris eatery?

Yes, Ferrari sells the most cars in the US, but it is still a boutique European brand, where the same standards do not apply. I hear the same thing about reliability. If a Ferrari ever breaks down, it is an outrage, b/c for 200K... no car ever should ! Well...There are more Ferraris than customers.
I go back to Europe, my continent of origin fairly often and I catch myself needing to adjust several times during the day, in business and personal dealings. My US habits are on autopilot. Marin is a funny place, too. Sweats, cigars, and hummer do not say "hug me" in that part of the bay area, even if all of them are fine for me on the peninsula.

I would give Brad a call, as he truly "manned up" and extended a hand. I would say that he showed deference to the honor concept, something quite familiar in Japan. Then you can file it all under "cross cultural deference adjustments".

 

Let me give you some insider information that was given to me recently about Ferrari of San Francisco. I was customer of FOSF for 2 years and let me tell you Brad G is their most sought after salesman. Brad has been with FOSF for over 10 years. Since I WAS once a customer of FOSF 7 of the 21 employees are still there in less than 2 years. One of the 7 is Brad.. Despite the fact new car sales are down and the dealership managment and FNA are more focused on future sales than current customers. Example of this is the amount of time and money is being spent on changing the sales center building, for future expansion on the Ferrari, Maserati and soon Alfa products..

Also the company is losing its family feel not only for the customers but the employees, as it is going through a corporate make over, led by new General manager Rich Sherbert and FNA itself..Alot of changes in sales and service has been made to fund the future of the dealership and their personal bonus checks. Changes like cutting sales commissions on new cars and cutting service labor times on the mechanics and so on.
So as you can see alot of good hard working employees are not happy and may care less about going the extra mile for a company who no longer truely cares about the people which it employs..
Alot of good people who have passion for the Ferrari cars have left FOSF but there still are a few people that care like John in service, And Brad in sales!!!!

 

I don't know Richard from anyone else, but I do now Guiseppe is gone after a long long time. And he cut his hair.

 

For the record I'll gladly say that I've been treated less than well at pretty much every other dealership mentioned here at one time or another - FoSV, British Motors, SVAG . . . if I come in to any of these dealerships as an unknown, they don't roll out the red carpet for me, nor should they be required to, IMHO. I don't hold it against them, and it won't stop me from going back if they have something I'm interested in.

I'm kind of with Dan on this one - there should be a difference between our passion for the cars and any entitlement we may feel about owning one. And if you feel differently, then (with tongue-in-cheek) bear in mind that it is a time-honored tradition at Ferrari to shun it's customers - if Enzo hadn't been such a stubborn ******, Ferruccio Lamborghini may not have been persuaded to start his own company! ;^)

 

And Renzo Rivolta of the Iso Company, Giotto Bizzarrini of Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti of ATS. Enzo knew nothing about service he was an engineer.

 

as a newbie!

As I knew I was going to get a 328, I showed up in a "old" 1970 240z, I was treated well by a salesman, and they had nothing available in the 3 series on the lot. I did mentioned the car I was going to purchase, and they were able to show me the service records for the car I was thinking of buying, which I thought was above and beyond "nice". The gentleman there did make some great comments about the 328, and did some comparisons with some newer cars they had on the lot. I spent maybe a hour, and I thought I was well received considering at first I must of looked like a lurker.

Afterwards, I called the service department, as I was checking to see what I was getting into when I got my new car. I asked about what service was needed on "my" car and they gave me a idea of what should be done, and the whole "need to do the belts" story.

Overall, I thought the experience was a good one. I think they are very busy with some very nice cars, there were some there that might still have my drool on them.

My 2 cents,
RG

Just as a added note, made the same call to our Oregon dealership and was treated extremely well too, I think personal service is still around......

 

+ 1000 !

Brad and Evan are the only people I would buy a Ferrari from. They know their Ferrari.

I can understand about not being helped while buying a car. It happens at every dealerships, even KIA, Benz or Toyota. Don't lose sleep over it.