Opinion: With the Corvette Moving Upmarket, Chevy Dealers Need to Make a Few Upgrades

In this new world of more and more expensive models, Chevy dealers need to make some upgrades to retain new Corvette clientele.

A 2LT C8 Stingray with just a couple of options will cost you about $75,000. You get one hell of a sportscar for that money, but $75K is still a lot of money. But prices only go up from there. Way up. A Z06 starts at over $106K and a 3LZ Convertible is nearly $130K. And with dealer greed tax tacked on the real transaction prices are likely to be much higher. And it won’t stop there. New C8 variants are rumored to be coming. There will be the E-Ray, and likely a ZR1 and a Zora model. A Zora might set you back $200K or more. There is no question the C8 and future Corvette generations are moving upmarket. Those prices put the Corvette in rarified air. Chevy engineers will make sure the car can compete in that space. But can Chevy dealers?

Customers who shop for cars in these price ranges expect more than just a great car. They expect an experience. They expect to be made to feel special and to be pampered a bit. The car itself plays a large role of course, but at these price points, the entire ownership experience needs to be exemplary. If not, the person who decided to buy a Zora instead of a Ferrari 296GTB will get rid of the Corvette and head back to Ferrari and likely never return to a GM product. As great as a Zora might be, that customer is not going to sit in a dingy service department fighting over the last pack of stale Ding Dongs with someone who just dropped off their Chevy Spark for an oil change.

In this new world, Chevy dealers need to make some upgrades to retain new Corvette clientele.

Luxury Experience

A high-end C8 Corvette is a luxury purchase for sure. In some ways, it is no different than buying expensive jewelry or clothing. If you need a watch you can head to Walmart and grab a Timex, go through self-checkout and be on your way. But go into a Bucherer boutique store and buy a Rolex. You are offered champagne while you shop. Special attention is paid to you. You are invited to special events in the future. A Rolex and Timex will both tell you what time it is. But the Rolex is not just a higher quality watch, but the buying and servicing experience is much different. This is the type of experience that a high-end C8 buyer is likely used to. What can Chevy dealers do to keep these demanding buyers happy?

C8 Corvette Technicians

My local Ferrari dealer has Ferrari Master Certified Technicians that do all the service work including just oil changes. Take your C8 to a Chevy dealer for an oil change and the job will likely be passed to a teenage automotive tech school apprentice for the work. Some of these techs can be less than professional. It would make top-tier C8 Corvette model owners more comfortable if the dealership had techs that were dedicated to just the C8 and were the more senior and professional techs available. This will help the C8 Z06 owner sleep better at night.

Service Appointments

Luxury brand dealers make it very easy for owners to get service completed. A friend of mine had a Lamborghini Aventador. When it needed service, the dealership arrived at his house with an enclosed trailer to pick it up. When service was done, they would return it in the same enclosed trailer. Other brands such as Porsche will send a tech to your house, pick up your car from your home, and drive it to the dealership for service and then drive it back to you. Convenience is big for high-end car buyers. Yes, the cost of service for the brands I mentioned above is high, but when you spend $200K+ on a car you know that is part of the deal. Chevy would be wise to look into ways to offer exceptional service to the buyers of its most expensive cars.

Special Events

My local McLaren, Ferrari, Porsche and other high-end dealers all offer special event invites to previous customers. These events include things like new vehicle reveals, invite-only track days, road rallies, and so on. And these events are always top-notch with gourmet food, live music and so forth. Similar events should be held for the Z06, ZR1, and Zora C8 buyers. Buyers of these vehicles expect some special perks beyond just an amazing car. Luxury brands offer this. If Chevy wants these top Corvette models to compete with these other brands they will need to do the same.

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Building Upgrades

Walk into a high-end car dealership and you feel like you are walking into a luxury apartment lobby. Fine furnishings, clean and well-lit space, and gourmet food and beverage offerings are the norm in these dealerships. It aligns with the types of establishments that the folks that have $200K to drop on a weekend toy are used to frequenting. The average Chevy dealership is more functional than luxury. Redoing every Chevy dealership in the country is probably not feasible. But even if a portion of the dealership could be upgraded to cater to the buyers of the most expensive models that would go a long way toward client satisfaction.

Exceptions

Not every buyer of a C8 Z06 or higher model is going to care about the above points. There are plenty of enthusiasts that could not care less about what kind of coffee is served in the waiting room. These folks just want the car, and all the rest is unimportant. Mark me down as one of those people. But Chevy has made it very clear that they are going after Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche owners. And the fact is those dealership experiences are currently vastly different than a typical Chevy dealership. If Chevy wants to move upmarket and hunt the big game, then they may need to cater to buyer expectations. And that goes beyond just 0 to 60 times.

Images: Chevrolet  

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