What's The Deal With Dealerships?

"Taylor Martin" (tjmartin)
10/18/2020 at 18:07 • Filed to: None

Especially whens ya don’t wants to deals with nobodies...

Bad Brooklyn accent aside, I went to my local Holler Honda dealer today, not because I needed a new car or was looking for parts, but because I was curious about the 1974 Honda Civic CVCC they have on the showroom floor and, specifically, if it were for sale.

Well, because I didn’t want to deals with nobodies, I didn’t actually ask. Being in dealerships is kind of my least favorite thing, especially now that I’ve been here and read some of your dealership stories. Also, I didn’t want anyone thinking I was going to buy a 70s Civic today... though I secretly wanted to even if I have no money.

It had the original paper that listed the features of the car and the price and all that good stuff. This car’s clearly been places. The paper is from a dealer in Cali, the car came from P ortland before that ( and ended up in P ortland) . And it was being delivered to Minnesota . I want and wish a nd pray that the $ 3,349 was the actual price tag, and the only reason it hasn’t been sold is because nobody is crazy enough to buy a classic Civic... but my common sense knows no dealership is that crazy, there had to be a catch or something.

Again, I didn’t ask, but I bet there’s someone on here who knows something about Classic Cars being displayed in dealerships that I don’t know about. This car isn’t listed on ANY of the dealerships websites. It’s barely mentioned on their official Twitter account...

Oh what a pretty car...

DISCUSSION (38)

XJDano > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:13

You could make a call. Thy way you wouldn’t have to deal with them face to face.

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:15

Its rather common for dealerships to have some cool legacy model on their showroom that they refuse to sell. It attracts customers, and helps the dealer sell on its brand heritage. If it were for sale, it would be for an astronomical # that no sane person would ever pay.

Taylor Martin > XJDano
10/18/2020 at 18:15

I didn’t even think about that... I’ll give them a phone call tomorrow out of sheer curiosity .

50ford500 > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:18

Can’t speak for all but when my family owned a nissan place we had a 1600 roadster, a 70 yellow 240Z and a 68 Patrol in,our showroom as display pieces. The coolest part about them aside from being classic was that me and my stepdad basically did most of the resto work to all 3 and being as my grandparents had been Datsun/nissan dealers since 67 we had plenty of spares an d easy access to NOS parts

Tekamul > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:31

That’s a common dealer move. It’s not for sale, it’s display piece.

If you show up with a stack of money, they’ll probably sell it to you for something ridiculous, like $30k. And it probably hasn’t been started in at least a decade.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:34

It was probably traded in by someone who bought it new and kept good care of it and the dealership is keeping it as a trophy of sorts.

XJDano > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:37

I may call they tomorrow too, just out of curiosity.

onlytwowheels > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 18:49

https://www.hollerhonda.com/dealership/meet-our-staff.htm

Speak with a sales manager. Skip the “let me go ask my manager” crowd.

Urambo Tauro > XJDano
10/18/2020 at 18:55

But then they’d have your phone number. Ew

Brickman > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 19:06

inflation adjusted price of $15,31 9.00 ;)

Taylor Martin > Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's
10/18/2020 at 19:09

That’s a great shame... the only car on the lot I actually want and they won’t sell it to me. Why must dealerships be so cunning and crafty (other than to attract customers... we know that’s why, but it’s not fair to the guy like me who doesn’t want to be scammed).

Taylor Martin > 50ford500
10/18/2020 at 19:11

That’s quite a collection! I always wondered what it’d be like to have a dealership family, people who know about cars and can get you discounts because... well... family. Sounds like your stepdad has excellent taste (particularly for Datsuns, but Nissans all around ).

Taylor Martin > Urambo Tauro
10/18/2020 at 19:12

Eh, I’m not going to be in Florida forever, that’s no biggie.

Taylor Martin > onlytwowheels
10/18/2020 at 19:12

A legendary edition to our curious journey. Thank you.

Taylor Martin > Tekamul
10/18/2020 at 19:13

Gotta save this car from the evil clutches of the dealership if the poor thing hasn’t run in years. How could they excellent service if they just hang that beauty out to dry...

Taylor Martin > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
10/18/2020 at 19:14

Yeah, that sounds right, but it doesn’t make me any less annoyed that it sits in a dealership and is just a show piece.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 19:25

A lot of dealers have a classic that belongs to the owner. Our local Acura dealer has a mint NSX.

Shawn > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 19:48

I know this dealership well having purchased a verity of Honda’s from them over the years. The answer is No, this car is not for sale. It is from the owners personal collection and for Display only. The owner has an amazing collection. The car does run and drive. It’s moved around the showroom depending on what vehicles they have.

Forrest > Tekamul
10/18/2020 at 20:41

Yeah. There is a VW dealer in my area that has a restored 40 or 50 year old VW Bus in the showroom. They also have an old Beetle that’s restored. There are signs around these cars saying not to open the doors or sit in them.

50ford500 > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 21:09

Oh for sure he’s who I learned all my wrenching from. We actually drove the three as well on occasion though for some reason I never did get to drive the Z. Fml

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 21:58

Patrick MINI had a white classic MINI that had been used in one of the Austin Powers movies in the showroom for a time. Even had signatures of Mike Meyers and others. I believe it was destined for some kind of charity auction. They actually let me sit in it, so there’s that.

Bill Jacobs BMW/MINI had an Isetta in the showroom last time I was there.

Taylor Martin > Forrest
10/18/2020 at 22:30

B-b-b-but I wants to touch :(

That makes sense though. If I bought a classic car, I don’t think I’d want anyone grabbing it with their grubby grease stained fingers you know? Gotta keep it showroom clean, even if it won’t be sold.

Taylor Martin > 50ford500
10/18/2020 at 22:32

Daaang that’s a bummer. Of the three though I think I’d take the 1600, simply because of how good it looks, and how adorably small it is.

Taylor Martin > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
10/18/2020 at 22:35

There ought to be some sort of challenge where you go around from dealership to dealership and see which ones have the coolest classics on display. And while, yes, you could just waltz into a classic car lot, the real challenge would be finding them in regular dealerships, surrounded by modern cars.

Maybe you buy a car from the dealership with the coolest classic...

Or maybe not, since dealerships are kinda meh, especially since they won’t sell you that cool car.

Taylor Martin > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
10/18/2020 at 22:35

That’s sick! I’m guessing they’ll never sell it though...

Taylor Martin > Brickman
10/18/2020 at 22:36

Still more than 5 grand cheaper than the brand new 2020 base model Civic that sat beside it... oh inflation, we love you so...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 22:37

No it’s not for sale, the owner just puts it in the showroom.

dieseldub > Taylor Martin
10/18/2020 at 23:02

Well, there’s a hell of a lot more tech, safety and power packed into the 2020 base model, that’s for sure.

The CVCC probably gets better mileage, though. lol

When you look at how few wires, sensors and gadgets these old cars have, it’s amazing that new cars are still within 10% of inflation-adjusted prices of what they were back then.

Cars, despite the advances, have been amazingly consistent in keeping pace with inflation without becoming a massively overpriced commodity like so many other things in our country have in the last few decades (housing, healthcare, education etc...).

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Taylor Martin
10/19/2020 at 00:11

Knauz, a big BMW, JLR, Merc etc dealership near here has a whole separate building where they sell restored/mint classics. I think they even had a 600 Grosser one time I drove by. Bastards sold off their MINI division which had the best old Englishman service writer, not sure what happened to him.

And that was cool at Patrick and while I’ve had decent experiences in their service dept the car prices were not great even by MINI standards

Long_Voyager94 > Brickman
10/19/2020 at 07:38

And I’d gladly pay $15k for that old Civic long before thinking about paying the $20k+ for a new one.

JustAnotherG6 > Taylor Martin
10/19/2020 at 09:36

There is a Mazda dealership near my work that has a Cosmo on the show floor.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > dieseldub
10/19/2020 at 13:21

If only wages had risen with inflation.

Taylor Martin > dieseldub
10/19/2020 at 13:27

Oh yeah... you know I sometimes forget cars have airbags now since I never use them. That makes a lot of sense.

That, and the 2020 is brand new, whereas the CVCC is over 40 years old... not exactly hot off the production line, and if you were to buy a used 2020 Civic it would probably run you closer to the $ 15,000 of the CVCC post inflation.

Taylor Martin > JustAnotherG6
10/19/2020 at 13:30

Very nice!

Taylor Martin > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
10/19/2020 at 13:31

There are a few classic dealers near me (though they’re not apart of any bigger, modern dealer). Would love to just peruse one sometime, even if I don’t have the money for a like-new classic car.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Taylor Martin
10/19/2020 at 14:41

And actually there’s a classic car showroom I can see from my house. Mostly American muscle though which isn’t really my bag.

Taylor Martin > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
10/19/2020 at 20:37

That’s pretty cool, though I’m not a big fan of gas guzzling 70s land yachts myself, though they’re still cool to look at (and quite colorful).

Taylor Martin > MiniGTI - now with XJ6
10/19/2020 at 20:37

That’s pretty cool, though I’m not a big fan of gas guzzling 70s land yachts myself, though they’re still cool to look at (and quite colorful).