Imatk

So sad

http://bumpinmyhead.wordpress.com/20...aga-continues/

ford4v429

I was reading on there last night about that mess...unbelieveable. I'd alwayd been a big fan of Shelby cars and moreso the stuff Carroll Shelby has done thru his organ donor charities, but gotta admit this is about as bad as PR mess as could be possible...

I really find it hard to believe that we havent read about a big old ex racer texan going off on his customer support folks about what they are letting happen here...if they start gettiing all 'leagal' about this instead of simply fixing whats broke, I'm afraid Shelby could wind up in a Pete Rose type situation fan-wise...would be a downright shame for all Shelbys racing achievements, charity, philanthropy, let alone the awesome cars to be forever tarnished by a lawsuit happy legal team (especially at this stage of his life)...seems nobody likes lawyers, and fewer folks seem to like those that use them for all the wrong reasons...

metroplex

$21,000 for the carbon fiber roof! Holy sh*t! There were nearly a dozen of those lying around at our test facility. I was even able to play with one and was able to lift it with my pinky. Wow, I didn't realize they were worth almost as much as my GT!!!!!!

bob

Hardly, the big sticker is there to protect the "exclusivity" of the KR and its parts, someone really determined could get a copy for less than half the price (not cheap by any means mind you).

Imatk

Well apparently now you can get the KR hood for the bargain price of $9k!

Although it seems odd that SAI released the $9k figure, but hasn't made it right with this guy... so sad.

houtex

Ok, lemme get this right:

Dude has a wreck with his KR and an animal.

Shelby has every right to charge whatever they want for their fairly exclusive part, because they're rare, they only go on KRs, and they want it to *stay* that way.

They also have every right to demand the damaged parts to keep exclusivity.

Dude has insurance(? Not real sure, mostly doesn't say, but I'm assuming this is the case... surely anyone who has an $80,000 car would think *INSURANCE*... so continuing with that thought

Insurance balks because.... what. They didn't think an $80,000 car might not have $80,000 type parts on it? So they lowballed the insurance rates and now are rethinking the process?

Due to high rabble rabble by the people who don't get the overall concept listed above, Shelby then, to appease people, dropped the price... to 'only' 9k.

And still, people are complaining?

This, people, is why I'll never own such a car unless I can outright pay for the items directly, including all costs associated with it. Because insurance companies are not about you, they're about making themselves money. And the maker of the parts, Shelby, in this case, can do what they want.

Whether they can survive with such a model, of course, *is* up to the people, but the point is very, blatantly clear:

Shelby is right. Dude, insurance, people in general are wrong. The only way to make Shelby wrong is to NOT BUY THEIR STUFF. Don't see it stopping anytime soon, do you?

Don't be buyin' a $50,000 added premium car if you can't afford to play the game. Buy a GT and mod it yourself.

/No sympathy. None.
//Just don't get people sometimes.

ford4v429

IMO...
to me thats the thing, I think thats whats going to come of this. folks with a bizillion dollars wont care, but the rest of the folks that bought KRs were probably folks looking for a investment they could drive...for the price of a loaded SUV you can get a rare Shelby...but bump a curb and its like 4k for a splitter, curb a wheel= 1800, ding the hood=23K...

if Shelby want to cater to the beverly hills crowd, fine- but dont be suprised if this becomes one of the most expensive cars to insure of all time if you compare purchase to repair price ratio.

20k for a hood for a 1/4 million dollar car is one thing, but 40% the price of the car for the hood is
just far and beyond any definition of gouging IMO...I think Shelbys shot themselves in the foot already on this. who would want a car that takes 4 months negotiations to get parts for a fender bender repair?

anyone can buy a even rarer supersnake hood direct from Shelby for their v6 mustang at a expected 'slightly high compared to the market' price, but its not rediculous. Why is the rarest shelby not 'protected' from cloning? the whole thing just sounds like too much BS for me to EVER want to risk dealing with...but I aint a bizillionaire either. All I can say is I'm glad I aint got one of Shelby's products, and will never even think of considering one from here on out- even if I hit the lotto.

right or wrong, justifiable or not, whatever- but sure looks to me like most folks out there think its blatent gouging of a customer according to most of the many posts Ive seen on this.

from what was posted at spokentorque, sounds like they were going to sue the insurer for balking at the sky-high pricetag, the car owner for complaining, and spokentorque for telling about it...all over a fender bender on a not that exotic gussied up mustang...


question: if someone wanted a million bucks for the factory replacement hood would that still be their right? would insurer be obligated to pay it without balking? would folks be wrong to say "BS!"

how high is too high, at what point does it become blatent gouging?

05GT-O.C.D.

There are better ways to maintain exclusivity than rape your customers.

I think this situation is truly pathetic, and it really keeps me from ever wanting to display any Shelby part on my car. I could afford a Shelby GT, but I wouldn't do business with a company that treats their customers like this.

Edit: I also don't see what insurance has to do with this. If State Farm would blindly pay the outrageous prices would that make it right? Just say the loss isn't covered by insurance and they guy had to pay out of pocket. Would it then be right to take advantage of a customer and tell him the only way he can restore his car to it's pre-loss condition is to empty his wallet for what should be a small repair?
I understand that it's a private business and they can charge what they want. Lord knows I'm not looking for any type of automotive socialism, but there's a point where you're just taking advantage of people.

houtex

@Tim:

You bring up an excellent point re: the 40% issue. Truly, that is exorbitant. But again, that's their game, their business practice, and *their loss* if it doesn't sell.

On the other side of the coin, what if they simply said this: You get ONE hood. We only make enough for the production run. We don't have extras.

Now what? Anyone with a good hood is going to *really* bend you over, knowing they're made of unobtainium. Perhaps they were hit in the back and kept the front for just such a profit margin.

You either pay, or you have an ugly KR. Your choice.

Reminds me of the +$10,000 the first 2005 Mustangs GTs were getting... Remember that?

---

@John:

See the above, and also, you are proving the point: You don't like Shelby's tactics, and so you'll not be supporting them. Good on ya.

Also reminds me of the +$10,000 markup on 2005 Mustang GTs... and how people swore off dealers that did it.

05GT-O.C.D.

Yup. That was me also. I drove 2 hrs to a dealer willing to sell my 05 at $500 over invoice when other people were paying thousands over sticker.

EagleStroker

This just further justifies my dislike of what "Shelby" has become. When they first came out I didn't like them, and I still don't like them. I want SVT back - until then the Cobra is no longer made as far as I'm concerned!

GONE_N_60

With these figures for replacement parts, they are touching Ferrari territory. 18K for a hood. That's a whole new car. I guess I'll just wait to get a "regular" GT500 that's seems to be better to insure.

bob

Just want to point out that they haven't made an SVT Cobra since 2004.

and

If this is true... wow... just wow and is it for money and/or some sort of gag-order?

Imatk

The lawsuit, and it's not confirmed by SAI or State Farm, is something that according to an insider SAI is contemplating.

He said they were thinking of suing for license infringement as the original KR hood (the damaged one) was not returned to SAI. BUT SAI had already agreed with State Farm and the owner that he could retain the original hood and NOT have to send it back.

It seems to me that basically SAI is looking to point a finger at someone else and take the heat off of them. Which is ridiculous since it will only serve to make people more upset with SAI and their business practice.

jasongt06

Just more reason as to why I will never own anything with Shelby's name on it.

Antigini-GT/CS

I tried to own something with Shelby's name on it. But as soon as I saw the 15k markup on a Shelby GT, I found myself a beautiful CS instead. I realize ADM's are dealers faults, but its just ridiculous what they want for some of their vehicles, and right at the top of that list for me is the KR.

EagleStroker

Understood, but they still use the badge on the side of the Shelby's.