Factory Pickup, Retail Store Pickup, Or Delivery

[BADBOY]

"Let's get the bad news out of the way first: That destination charge listed on every new car's window sticker is something you'll have to pay. According to U.S. law, car delivery -- transporting the vehicle from port or assembly plant to dealer showroom -- is always listed as a separate line item on a new-car window sticker. Automakers may use different names to describe it, but it always works the same way, with buyers covering the cost.

Freight, delivery or destination charges ensure that the buyer pays equally to cover the cost of delivering a vehicle to a dealership, regardless of whether the dealership is nearby or far away from the vehicle assembly plant. For example, a Kia Optima buyer in Seattle is not required to pay more for the vehicle than a buyer in Atlanta, who's thousands of miles closer to the West Point, Ga. plant where the Optima is built.

Instead, Kia passes the cost on to buyers with a delivery charge of $800, regardless of where the seller is located. The fee is not included in the MSRP. Instead, it's typically listed as one of the last items on the window sticker, right above the total price."

http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/car-tips/213280/new-car-delivery-or-destination-charges-ex
your article above states it is a cost from assembly to dealer showroom but my understanding the question is if it is picked up at the assembly rather than show room and that is not covered by your post.

your post is about delivery from assembly to show room but question is if picked up at assembly & not transported to show room and your post does not cover that.

 

[zelio]

"Let's get the bad news out of the way first: That destination charge listed on every new car's window sticker is something you'll have to pay. According to U.S. law, car delivery -- transporting the vehicle from port or assembly plant to dealer showroom -- is always listed as a separate line item on a new-car window sticker. Automakers may use different names to describe it, but it always works the same way, with buyers covering the cost.

Freight, delivery or destination charges ensure that the buyer pays equally to cover the cost of delivering a vehicle to a dealership, regardless of whether the dealership is nearby or far away from the vehicle assembly plant. For example, a Kia Optima buyer in Seattle is not required to pay more for the vehicle than a buyer in Atlanta, who's thousands of miles closer to the West Point, Ga. plant where the Optima is built.

Instead, Kia passes the cost on to buyers with a delivery charge of $800, regardless of where the seller is located. The fee is not included in the MSRP. Instead, it's typically listed as one of the last items on the window sticker, right above the total price."

http://www.autotrader.com/research/...delivery-or-destination-charges-explained.jsp

The Elio is a motorcycle according to Federal standards. What you say is true for cars. Can the same be said for motorcycles? My guess is no but I honestly don't know because I have never owned a mc. :-) Z

 

[zelio]

your post is about delivery from assembly to show room but question is if picked up at assembly & not transported to show room and your post does not cover that.

With cars, from what I understand, even one picked up at the plant is charged the same. However, as I mentioned before, the Elio is not a car even though it looks like one. :-) Z

 

[Truett Collins]

With cars, from what I understand, even one picked up at the plant is charged the same. However, as I mentioned before, the Elio is not a car even though it looks like one. Z

Going through several state laws they all talk about motor vehicle and don't break down a difference between a car or motorcycle..... The only across the board standard I can find is that dealers are required to give the shipping cost up front in a breakdown of what all goes into the cost of the vehicle.

 

[zelio]

I have seen some of this info from other sources but not all. As most of you I am researching for any tidbits.


I do not remember anything about marshaling centers being posted but they make sense, if we can now find where they will be at least that should get completed vehicle closer to us. http://gas2.org/2014/07/04/elio-
motors-qa-w-paul-elio-part/

I believe goofyone has discussed this in another thread but am not sure where. Of course these centers will not be set up the for first year deliveries as near as I understand. :-) Z

 

[BADBOY]

Z I'm hoping the "marshalling centers" be opened fairly quickly even if not the retail centers

 

[goofyone]

Z I'm hoping the "marshalling centers" be opened fairly quickly even if not the retail centers

In my conversations with Elio VP Jerome Vassallo a few weeks ago in Birmingham he told us that they had a pretty good idea where the marshaling centers, or alternatively named finishing centers and/or distribution centers, would be located however this network would not open until the retail stores are open as these are intended as part of that system.

The Shreveport plant complex includes an area that will become a marshaling center and this will be where all pre-order reservation vehicle orders are outfitted prior to factory pickup and/or shipping. The Shreveport marshaling center will also eventually handle factory pickup orders, custom orders which need to be handled at the plant, and orders headed for retails stores within driving distance of Shreveport.

The Shreveport marshaling center is actually the limiting factor in how many reservations Elio Motors can handle in the first year as within a few months the plant will be able to easily produce more vehicles than could be outfitted with options in Shreveport.

 

[RUCRAYZE]

In my conversations with Elio VP Jerome Vassallo a few weeks ago in Birmingham he told us that they had a pretty good idea where the marshaling centers, or alternatively named finishing centers and/or distribution centers, would be located however this network would not open until the retail stores are open as these are intended as part of that system.

The Shreveport plant complex includes an area that will become a marshaling center and this will be where all pre-order reservation vehicle orders are outfitted prior to factory pickup and/or shipping. The Shreveport marshaling center will also eventually handle factory pickup orders, custom orders which need to be handled at the plant, and orders headed for retails stores within driving distance of Shreveport.

The Shreveport marshaling center is actually the limiting factor in how many reservations Elio Motors can handle in the first year as within a few months the plant will be able to easily produce more vehicles than could be outfitted with options in Shreveport.

thanks for the clear explanation

 

[Ekh]

I have read the Ohio law governing dealerships, franchisees, etc.

Ohio does not distinguish between motorcycles and automobiles for this purpose: both are classed as "motor vehicles." That means that Elio cannot hide behind "well, it's a motorcycle, not a car" for purposes of this issue.

The law governing the 3-tiered system (manufacturer, distributor, franchised dealer) was established in 1937. It is murky, and last Spring was being contested due to Tesla's growing success. The dealers argued that Tesla threatens the long established 3-tier system, which operates to protect consumers from fly-by-night manufacturers of "junky" automobiles. Tesla (and consumer groups) argued that the 3-tier system exists chiefly to protect dealers, not consumers, and that Tesla is demonstrably not a fly-by-night operation.

Subsequently, on March 27, 2014, Ohio's legislators reached a compromise over the Tesla issue -- while Tesla is authorized to open one additional factory store, that's it -- and no other motor vehicle manufacturers will be permitted to operate retail stores in Ohio

Here's the relevant text:

"In a big win for Tesla Motors' auto dealership battle, the state of Ohio will allow the automaker to sell its electric vehicles directly to customers. According to AP, Tesla Motors and the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association negotiated the deal Tuesday, and it was approved by a Senate panel.
...
The bill also made sure to prohibit other automakers from opening manufacturer-owned stores in the state of Ohio. This ensures that others can't follow Tesla's path and try to get rid of auto dealers altogether. - See more at: http://www.dailytech.com/Tesla Motors Ohio Auto Dealers Come to Agreement on Direct Sales/article34602.htm#sthash.4Sliicg9.dpuf "

I am writing to Elio's Govt Relations dept. asking what is being done about this -- there needs to be a Plan B, because according to this report Ohio law now precludes direct factory-operated sales locations in the state. I can think of several possible alternatives -- Plans B, C, D -- but perhaps Elio's folks are already on top of this. I will hope for more of an answer than "we're working on it."

 

[Ekh]

Not to disagree with you as you found some interesting facts but using Ohio as the example a simple google search show dozens upon dozens of custom motorcycle shops in Ohio. They manufacture and sell without any of the constraints of "car" constraints. As long as Elio (which they have from the beginning) classify and register this as a motorcycle, they will in no way be in the same predicament as Tesla nor any imposed car laws from days past. Smart move actually for Elio, I would guess they seen this goofy regulation long ago and took the safer and less regulated route by design. Following the motorcycle classification, there are 1000's of custom chopper shops etc across America. In my opinion there is no way they are going to have a leg to stand on as long as Elio maintains its position and classification as a Motorcycle which will hold up in every state.

Nice try, but wishful thinking. I thought as you did -- until I read the actual law. In Ohio law, motor vehicles includes motorcycles. That is the law, and it is not ambiguous. Go read it yourself. It may not have been enforced, but after the Tesla legislative compromise, it most certainly will be.

The law does make some distinctions between remanufacturing and manufacturing. Perhaps that covers chopper shops. There is no LEGAL shelter for Elio in being a motorcycle, but there may be PRACTICAL shelter, at least until the sales really take hold and the dealers start screaming.