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Canceled my Hellcat order today.

78K views 432 replies 112 participants last post by  2quik6 
#1 ·
It's time to vote with my dollars and show FCA that they have done nothing but drop the ball on the entire
Hellcat rollout. Their latest release just proves that FCA does not give a **** about the customer or sold orders
and they are going to chastise dealers who took sold orders at MSRP.

I emailed Bob and he got back me as quickly as always, within 10-15 minutes and he's sad that I had to go this
route but he understands. I really wanted to buy a car from Bob but it appears FCA is going to do anything in
their power do dick over anyone they can.

That's ok FCA, you have shown your hand and I will take my money elsewhere. Not sure what my next ride will
be, but it won't be anything you offer.

I won't be spending much more time on the SRT part of the forums. I will still participate in the off topic section
but I will likely be dumping my Toxic for another brand as soon as the weather clears up.


Good luck to all of those waiting and congrats to all of those who were fortunate enough to get a Hellcat and
not get bent over a barrel without lube.
 
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#89 ·
If you love your car, then don't bail on it just because the new owners made you unhappy. What do they have to do with your existing ride?

That being said, if I had a lift I'd probably be looking at classic muscle instead of modern. Not as much performance, but simplicity and style sure to speak to me.
 
#90 ·
I priced a Hellcat 3 weeks ago and the dealer wanted $15,000 over MSRP. They were not willing to move on the price at all and in the end they did not get my business at all. I went to another dealer and they told me right up front they did not have the allocation to get a hellcat and was right up front about everything. I wound up ordering an SRT392 for under MSRP from them. So it just goes to show that there are some good dealers out there that are willing to work with you and some that want to gouge you.
 
#92 ·
I know some guys don't want to hear it but the Hellcat isn't the greatest thing in the world to everyone. There are so many great cars by so many different manufacturers.
Every year it's the same thing, some car is the greatest thing ever made. Next year something comes out that is supposedly better or faster or whatever. The Challenger is just a car ultimately and every one will be outdated one day. Cars are just one small facet of our lives. I applaud Toxic for standing his ground and acting on principle rather than finding a way to wait or justify overpaying for a car with options he doesn't want simply to say he owns one. You don't see many people stand up for anything anymore. The Challenger I own is fun, but when the ride is over, I'll likely do something totally different. I don't have brand loyalty, I like too many things to keep one car anyhow. It's up to the dealers and manufacturers to earn or lose my business, there's always another car.
 
#93 · (Edited)
What conceivable reason would Dodge have to lie and mislead their customers.
It just comes down to the fact that there was more demand for the car than anyone could predict.
And some decided it wasn't worth the wait so they settled for an SRT.Makes perfect sense to me.In a couple of years when the demand dies down they can trade up.When the SRT came out in 08, I wanted one bad,but the dealers were playing the same game.
I just put it off and paid 6000 under MSRP.And that's my plan.Patience is the key.Which is not one of my virtues.But my cheapness overrides it.There are dealers in the area selling at list,but I can't play a waiting game,and there is no way in hell I would leave a non refundable deposit.Never ordered a car,just scan the state for the one I'm looking for.
And I can see your point Toxic.If I were to have started the journey when you did, I would be fit to be tied.
But what I wouldn't do is shoot myself in the foot and rush out and buy a Ford or Chevy.But that's just my oplnion.
I love my car, or cars,and I can ride it out.
 
#94 · (Edited)
Toxic, sad to see you go but like many others here totally understand why. I had the same frustration in 2008 with the limited availability here in Canada. I almost gave up and was shopping for a classic Mopar at the time. My deal was finally made across the country.

Funny thing is, I'm not as hot on the Hellcat as I was a month ago either and I wasn't even planning on ordering until 2016. Lots of cool cars out there, and yes I do dig Porsches. Good deal on low mileage used ones.

And not you too Sorbs. In 2008, a dealer called me up 2 days after I made a deal and deposit and upped the price on the "super rare, ultra in demand upcoming 6spds" :notallthere:
 
#95 ·
No doubt there are so many options out there. My mind is racing even if my ass isn't :) The more I think about
it I might just ride this whole summer out with Toxie. I haven't made my mind up on anything other than no
Hellcat. Still love the ride I have! Still turn around to check her out when I walk away.
 
#96 ·
I bought a 2015 srt 392 2 days ago and get upset when i think that my car only "cost" about 8 grand less than a hellcat at sticker... but in reality was probably $25,000 after dealer markups.

I could have swore hellcats were going to start rolling out last September and that the initial shock would be over by the time i was ready in feb/march.... boy was i wrong.

To be honest, due to the overwhelming negativity i seen on all the forums and social media outlets i go to.. i didnt even try to order a hellcat because I thought it would be just too much of a headache and the srt 392 was just a 1 day delivery away.

dodge, fca or whoever really screwed up the rollout of the hellcat...
 
#98 ·
I still think its odd NOT to get the car of your dreams just because it doesn't have a sunroof you wanted.

Hard for me to understand a sunroof is a make it or break it item.....

Oh well... Moving on..............
 
#108 ·
I am sitting in the same boat as toxic. My wife does NOT want a Hellcat unless it has a sunroof. I am 99% sure I don't want to mess with an aftermarket sunroof. She would rather keep her 14' 392 car than have a hellcat without a sunroof. Personally, I don't want a sunroof but I know there are others like her and Toxic that must have one. If you are going to spend close to $70k on a toy you shouldn't have to compromise.
 
#99 ·
My big question that i still haven't figured out is if this whole thing now helps me or hurts me. I ordered from a smaller dealership. #2 on their list. They haven't received any hellcats thus far. Havent had any allocations. They sell a decent amount of cars but are far from a mega dealer. Some ways the new allocation is good for me because they haven't had any yet. None sitting on the floor for 5 days obviously. Im worried they just aren't big enough to get any allocations still. I wish i knew the magic number they must sell in the past 90 days to get allocation. They are a good honest dealer that i got for $250 under MSRP. He warned me from the beginning that they may not get any but it wouldn't hurt to try and see. Dodge and his regional reps have been piss poor with letting him know what is going on. He calls Denver weekly to see and they don't even return his calls. He's trying hard for me. I dont need the car now since im in north dakota and wouldn't drive it until may.
 
#100 ·
Your post is almost exactly the situation that I'm in. Ordered from a small Utah dealer, they've been up front from the start, but warned of a long wait. Sometimes a week goes by and I don't even think about it, then I check this forum and my anxiety and blood pressure goes up over having to wait so long and nothing definitive about a build. One of two things will eventually happen, Dodge will build and deliver the car, or at some point I'll give up like Toxic and move on. For sure, I will not pay over MSRP for the car, ever.
 
#101 ·
Just called a dealership in Montana that just received a cat on friday. I asked if it was at msrp and he laughed and said no. Its going to the highest bidder. He said that dodge isn't building anymore. What is built is built and there won't be anymore. I laughed and said thats definately not the case. I said fca just came out talking about their new allocation standards. He said he's never heard of such things. Why are we as the customer having to tell dealers whats going on. This is getting really old....really fast.
 
#105 ·
The biggest problem in getting these cars is that the dealers knew when the order banks were opening so the owner of the dealer put his name down for one as a "sold" unit, then he got 3 of his GM's to do the same thing etc.. So when Dodge got the orders in they were "sold" to customers so they built those cars. Unknowingly to Dodge, the intent was to get these cars in and put them on the show room floors to get the most money for them with huge markups. General public Joe who then came in and ordered after them, has to sit and wait until all of the other cars are built and shipped. That's why you have dealers that have Hellcats sitting on the show room floors. Goodluck to all of those people waiting. I figured out this scam right away and bailed on ordering a Hellcat and bought a 15 SRT Challenger instead.

R.K.
 
#106 ·
Small dealers still don't have much of a chance. They are still limited to one car per month max, how does that help somebody like Bob with 40+ plus outstanding orders? The allocation rewarded the big dealers, we get that. Now that the big boy dealers all have their Hellcats, just dump the allocations and build the sold orders!

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#107 · (Edited)
I said this before and got a little heat for saying it....but I still believe it: In today's internet world, there is absolutely no reason we consumers need a dealer to order a car. I understand the utility of service support, but those things can exist in a market environment without a sales center. We should have been placing orders to the factory via web sites 10 years ago. Now good men like Toxic get jammed by the situation that exists between manufacturers and dealers.


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#109 ·
Just ask Tesla how that's going.....

I agree with you 100% by the way, but they have a powerful political lobby that donates a ton of money...no more need be said.
 
#113 ·
#115 ·
My point exactly. There are way more sleazy price gouging dealers than ethical high-volume dealers that sell for MSRP
Those of us with patience are on the list and placing orders knowing full-well it may be a year or more before our order is filled. The ADM gang is a majority of the dealers, so the dealer association lobied FCA to cut alloxations to ethicall dealers with a sustainable business model selling for MSRP to get more for themselves to mark-up $40k.
 
#119 · (Edited)
You know I cant figure out why everyone is so bent out of shape with the response from Dodge. The Hellcat is no different than any other Halo Car........Allocated Cars List

GT500, 2015 60th Anniversary Mustang, Ford Raptor, Z28 Camaro, ZL1 Camaro, ZO6 Corvette, ZR1 Corvette and I will throw in the some of the Ferrari's in which you will not even be given consideration for purchase unless you already own a particular model, and the same holds true for a lot of European Halo Cars.....

It is not Dodges fault that some dealers have taken 50+ orders for a car that was limited by parts availability, and the demand far exceeded what they contracted for........

Should have done what my Dealer did......Started a list, when they get an allocation and it was your turn you got to order car, and they knew this starting in September........

So what was the problem with these other dealers........Please explain.........
 
#165 ·
You know I cant figure out why everyone is so bent out of shape with the response from Dodge. The Hellcat is no different than any other Halo Car...it is not Dodges fault that some dealers have taken 50+ orders for a car that was limited by parts availability, and the demand far exceeded what they contracted for...so what was the problem with these other dealers........Please explain.........
I agree the Hellcat is no different than any other halo car and it is not Dodge's fault that some dealers have 50+ orders. Absolutely no issues there.

Where Dodge is out of line is pretending a few "bad" dealers are causing the problem. The problem is many of their dealers, including the chairman of the national FCA dealers association, are putting big markups on their cars. If you could buy direct from Dodge or if most dealers were selling at MSRP, the long lines at a few dealers would not exist. The root cause of the problem is MANY dealers providing such a horrible buying experience and/or asking such a big price that customers are fleeing to the safe harbor of dealers selling at MSRP.

Of course those buyers are angered when FCA praises dealers for keeping their VON counts low by slapping $25K markups on the hood while condemning dealers who are swamped with orders because they sell at MSRP. Things don't get any simpler or easier to understand than that.
 
#124 ·
I admittedly haven't been following the roll-out too closely, but I thought that Kuniskis and the Dodge Gang were quite clear from the get-go that any dealer would have to sell X number of Dodges within a given time-frame in order to receive a Cat, either for stock or a customer order. Has something changed?

For instance, I asked my local dealer (Danbury Dodge in, you guessed it, Danbury) back in September if I could order a Cat from him then. He simply said no, that they weren't allocated one. I walked off and forgot about it. He then shot me an email about a week ago saying that they just got an allocation and ordered one for dealer stock--thought I should know.

I might be wrong, but perhaps the dealers automatically get a VON when they place an order. It is not a guarantee that Dodge has accepted it and will convert it into a VIN. Then, it gets a VIN when that dealer meets the allocation criterion, and the car gets on the assembly schedule. Now, you have some dealers that will make as many VONs as they can in a day, but no VINS are in sight until they sell enough Darts or vans or Chargers.

Sure, the smaller dealers won't get one right away by nature of volume, but this was known right off the bat. Fully transparent, I thought.

Different story if Dodge is assigning VINs to orders from non-qualified dealers, and the dealers are telling their customers "You got a VIN, car should come soon". I hope this isn't the case, but, like I said, I haven't been following it much.

Anyway, as Quint from Jaws says, "Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women."
 
#126 ·
I got my car with one solid day of contacting over 100 dealers...if you want one and you're willing to work it, it can be done. I had to weed through a lot of dealers and phone calls that disregarded my specific request for MSRP and the color/options I wanted...but I hit gold THREE times in a four hour window and closed a deal by the end of the day.

Before I started my one day quest - I had three orders with three different dealerships (10k in deposits, VONs, no VINs)

Is there a lot of bait and switch - sure

Are 90% of the cars sold - sure - but not all and some back out because it took so long and they got something else or just changed their minds...

The point is...they aren't going to car or email you, you have to make the effort.
 
#130 ·
My good friend in Texas just scored a sublime Hellcat today he started with making calls and I told him to chase down the car he was looking for through email as he would get a much quicker response he's doing his paperwork right now the dealer had 2 vins that were unsold both cars have been confirmed D1 status... It felt good to be of help and sending him this picture from our showroom this morning was his inspiration and yes I drove them all into the showroom across the snow covered lot :guiness:



 
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