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Flying to get my Abarth

3034 Views 20 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  phillawson
I've had an order going since November for an Abarth up here in Washington & I've not been impressed with how it was handled & the way I was being treated. Lots of "check back in 2 weeks & maybe have a delivery date" plus the markup that I was not made aware of until after the order. So yesterday I decided to see what there was at the dealership in San Diego where my mother lives & amazingly they have the exact white with red interior Abarth I want. Only option missing is the brembos but just an excuse to get that nice Wilwood kit soon as I use up the factory pads. So called them strait away to put a deposit & now I'm making my flight plans to head down, give them the rest of my cash, & make the 1300mile drive home. Glad the dealer up here had no problem refunding me my down payment once I took it to the manager level. San Diego Fiat beat my local Fiat by $6000, that's crazy.
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That's great!! Not only are you getting your car sooner but a lot cheaper also. I have seen here in the Phoenix area that they are now putting $2000 mark ups above MSRP on their 124 Abarths. Ridiculous:mad:
There are some dealerships that are trying to make the most they can off buyers. Luckily, Badwolf found one of the few deals out there and you can break in your new 124 on the way home.
If you have the time you are invited to stop by my house in Long Beach on the way home. If you got the Gelato white we have twins. I'm having the Wilwoods installed today, along with the red mirror caps and red lower front facia trim.

If by chance you are dealing with Linda in Carlsbad, tell her I said hello. I had an order with her for awhile but cancelled when I found the car elsewhere. Maybe you're getting my car!

Congratulations!
Where did you get the red parts? I was think I'd just have to wrap what's already on there. Plus I need to source badges for after I get the heritage stripe painted. Yes I got gelato white, only manual on the lot & was told at least 3 perspective buyers will be upset they waited too long.
I've done the drive a few times but never in anything fun. Once in my wrangler on 35s that is more fun off the highway & a few times in a very boring pickup with tons of gas stops. Probably gonna have to stop to stretch more often than gas since the 124 gets much better mileage.
Enjoy the drive home - an epic adventure in your new 124!

There are many, many wonderful roads between San Diego and Washington... How much time can you spend finding them all before you have to be back home?
Where did you get the red parts? I was think I'd just have to wrap what's already on there. Plus I need to source badges for after I get the heritage stripe painted. Yes I got gelato white, only manual on the lot & was told at least 3 perspective buyers will be upset they waited too long.
It's been mentioned several times in other threads. Get your mirror caps from your FIAT studio. They may not have the accessories parts catalog but you can download that off the web and email it to them, it's also posted elsewhere on this board. Get your front spoiler here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/112182498304

No ones been able to find the tow hook covers in red in the US AFAIK.
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I've had an order going since November for an Abarth up here in Washington & I've not been impressed with how it was handled & the way I was being treated. Lots of "check back in 2 weeks & maybe have a delivery date" plus the markup that I was not made aware of until after the order. So yesterday I decided to see what there was at the dealership in San Diego where my mother lives & amazingly they have the exact white with red interior Abarth I want. Only option missing is the brembos but just an excuse to get that nice Wilwood kit soon as I use up the factory pads. So called them strait away to put a deposit & now I'm making my flight plans to head down, give them the rest of my cash, & make the 1300mile drive home. Glad the dealer up here had no problem refunding me my down payment once I took it to the manager level. San Diego Fiat beat my local Fiat by $6000, that's crazy.
From a dealer's perspective, that's a case of "you don't know what you've got till its gone," as the song says. Some dealers with plenty of inventory are discounting cars. Those with short supplies are adding on to the price. In neither case have those dealers ever heard of a thing called the internet.;)
You should totally stop by LongBeatJim and have a little photoshoot ! Twinning :)

But seriously, congratulations on finding a great price and at least you'll be able to have a nice little drive back :)
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The U.K. site Bffmike mentioned above also has the "124 Spider" chrome trunk badge (I had to get a new one after the wrap). I got my side fender badges from 500Madness. Make sure you get Italian badges and not the Chinese knock-offs. The round tow eye cover is still missing in action, as mentioned by Bffmike. Today I'm having the installer mount a "temporary" domed stick-on red spider decal in that location. We'll see, lol.
I'm gonna have to make the trip north just a straight I5 shot over 2 days, fitting the whole trip into a week. Flying down this Monday & need to be back by the weekend. Plus spending some time with my mum while I'm in SD.
Trying to get the lady at Orbitz to understand I just need a one way flight was more trouble than it should have been.
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Good choice, Badwolf! Have a great drive; last week I picked my Abarth up at Las Vegas and drove the coast to Port Ludlow, WA. I can recommend some restaurants if you get some time off to take that route! What dealer in WA were you using?
Fiat of Kirkland, the sales people are nice if a little uneducated, I shouldn't be the one finding things out about my order online. Their manager was the only one who was unpleasant, talking to him felt like I was on a used car lot in the Bronx.
Well fresh **** this morning. After 2hours of fighting orbits customer service for messing up my flight I get a text, a TEXT! Not a call from the Fiat dealer to let me know his manager sold the car to his friend. So he's looking into ordering one for me since I could get it with brembos e other didn't have & apparently the heritage stripe is now an option though it adds 2 weeks to delivery. Supposed to get back to me later with a cost & delivery date.
Bummer. Unless you have a contract that requires "specific performance," you are sol.
Wow, this must be deeply disappointing for you. Sorry. I'm surprised the salesperson didn't ask for a deposit to hold the car for you. Did they know you were making plane reservations? Sounds really underhanded. If it were me I wouldn't want to do business with this dealer ever again, and I certainly wouldn't trust their "special order" promises.

A few of us here have found our cars by doing a nation-wide search and having them shipped. My car was shipped 2,300 miles for only $1,100. Good luck. You'll find the perfect car.
Well fresh **** this morning. After 2hours of fighting orbits customer service for messing up my flight I get a text, a TEXT! Not a call from the Fiat dealer to let me know his manager sold the car to his friend. So he's looking into ordering one for me since I could get it with brembos e other didn't have & apparently the heritage stripe is now an option though it adds 2 weeks to delivery. Supposed to get back to me later with a cost & delivery date.
Some dealers would rather sell to customers living around the dealer especially if they're the only dealer around the area cause they want that customer to come and service the car. While your case, once you get the car they don't see you anymore.
Servicing the car, is where dealers make good money. good luck
Wow, stinks to hear that the manager pulled a move like that, especially on someone they knew were going to fly in... May be best to move on to another dealership if that's how they're going to treat customers.
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