• Bocky@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    7 months ago

    Thwy should skip the dealers and pass the savings on to the consumers by selling direct like Tesla does.

    I shopped the dealers, it was annoying, so I went online and ordered my car there exactly how I wanted.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      They can’t. There’s a long history of entrenched law protecting dealers from unfair competition by manufacturers. Once you have dealers, there’s no way back

      Tesla worked around it by

      • not having dealers
      • making deals with native reservations not subject to state laws
      • clearly distinguishing “service centers” and “showrooms” from places where cars could actually be bought and sold

      Ford is trying by splitting out the EV half of the company, but I don’t think you get to wave your magic wand and say “this half the company is now something new that doesn’t have dealers”

    • guacupado@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      7 months ago

      I’m planning on getting an EV at the end of the year. I hate Musk as much as the next person with common sense, but I’m probably going to get a Tesla because the dealer markups and “We don’t have what we told you to build on our site, but here’s something that’s the same model at least” are just obnoxious.

      • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        7 months ago

        While that might be convenient for some, that is still selling vehicles through a 3rd party.

        I don’t understand why Hyundai even has a “build your own car” feature on their website as you can’t actually order that way directly from them nor can you just waltz down to the dealership and have them order it for you as they’re only allocated whatever Hyundai decides to build and send them (at least with the new EVs).

        • guacupado@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          7 months ago

          This is where I figured I’ll end up getting a Tesla. I built the Ioniq 5 and it has no option to order. Just “We don’t have anything matching that. Here’s something that’s ‘close enough’ you can spend $65k on.”

          • ShepherdPie@midwest.social
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            7 months ago

            Same (though I’ll probably just keep driving my Camry)! I want a RWD Limited Ioniq 5 with matte paint but they’ve been pretty impossible to find out in the wild and definitely impossible to order. I suppose I’ll just wait a few years and maybe get an EV when Toyota finally releases a real one and not just some compliance car.

        • evenglow@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          7 months ago

          It’s a step in the right direction. Another example of legacy auto copying Tesla. It is a good thing.

          Keep in mind that some people buy private party to not go through a dealership.