Keep It For You

keepitforujpg1jpg1Following a controversy about his Hydrogen Powered World Speed Record, Jesse James was voted out of the Land Speed Racers Club, one of the 12 individual clubs members of the SCTA. (South California Timing Association), an all-volunteer organization comprised of 12 individual racing clubs. The SCTA mission is to provide safe and friendly Land Speed Racing (LSR) events for racing enthusiasts in both Southern California at the El Mirage Dry Lake, and at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. So, Jesse is also out of the SCTA and I bet…he doesn’t care – Fresh out of bankruptcy, the new General Motors hopes to soon start selling its whole line of cars on eBay through a pilot program. GM decided to try selling cars on eBay because 80% to 90% of GM shoppers already spend a lot of time researching their purchase online. Automakers are prevented by state laws from selling cars, new or used, directly to consumers. Only licensed dealers can do that. Could Harley-Davidson be next? Harley buyers bid on eBay and take delivery at their dealership? Why not? Your shot…

11 Responses to “Keep It For You”


  1. 1 Fluke Jul 11th, 2009 at 8:04 pm

    Didn’t eBay just come out with a press release saying this GM deal with eBay was in fact news to them and there was no deal. Just full of themselves GM execs prematurely announcing stuff that wasn’t in fact true in the hope it would be if they shouted it loud enough. They just made themselves look like idiots.

    As for Jesse James, see above comment about making premature inaccurate announcements.

  2. 2 nicker Jul 11th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    RE: (car/scooter purchases over e-bay)
    Does that mean not having to sit in a cubical with a salesman…… ???
    Cool.

    -nicker-

  3. 3 JC Jul 11th, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Cyril,
    Interesting words you say?
    “Automakers are prevented by state laws from selling cars, new or used, directly to consumers. Only licensed dealers can do that.”

    Motorcycle Manufacturers fall in this same category…..at least in Texas this holds true.

    All Texas motor vehicle manufacturers must have a licensed dealer to sell their product.

  4. 4 Jim C Jul 12th, 2009 at 8:23 am

    What other states require a manufacturer to sell their vehicles thru a dealer? Does anyone know or maybe know where to find this kind of info?
    As far as GM selling their cars on Ebay-sounds like another way for them to shove out their dealers. I like talking with someone face to face and building a relationship with whatever company I deal with. What do you do or who do you talk to when you have a problem? Have you ever tried calling a big company and try to get thru their phone system so that you are able to talk to an actual person? I don’t know,maybe I am just getting too old. I don’t mind change for the most part but I really feel like we are going in the wrong direction. If everyone just thought of customer service and kept that thought central in their mind no matter if they are in sales,govt,ect…….

  5. 5 Woody Jul 12th, 2009 at 8:55 am

    Seems wierd hearing people feel sorry for car salesmen 😉 Nobody seems to mind ordering online for items their dealer sells, I suspect folks will do the same for cars. Service is where the real money has been made in dealerships anyway so it wouldn’t be a big stretch to have dealerships become service centers and new car “delivery locations”. You order online and it gets sent to the local place for prep & pickup. can’t say I care one way or another. The minute you buy a car the salesman doesn’t have much to do with things other than smiling and being your buddy to get the next sale-any problems with the vehicle and you have to head off to the Service Department anyway. I’d be more concerned with the pricing structure that results-you know; where they “Eliminate the middleman and pass the savings on to you.” 🙂

  6. 6 FUJI Jul 12th, 2009 at 11:28 am

    How could or would this work:

    A. HARLEY LOGO SITE
    Buy the bike on-line;

    B. HARLEY LOGO VAN
    Have the bike drop-shipped to your door, ready to ride;

    C. HARLEY LOGO COMPUTER
    Any engine malady, plug into USB port, download and send to corporate service;

    D. HARLEY LOGO PHONE
    Any and all other service problems, call Harley Davidson service; they will send a well decorated van with some one else’s logo on it.

    E. HARLEY JEWELRY- CLOTHING – CHROME, VAN
    Want to buy parts or accessories, you get it. Otherwise, they will be at your door once a month

    You ask what do I do with my trade in? The answer. Use E-bay.

    You ask what about my bike if doesn’t plug and play? Answer. YOU GET IT. LOL

  7. 7 busfreak Jul 13th, 2009 at 7:47 am

    We have a dealer in our small town that does more than just sell cars. They always donate lots of time and money for anything that is going on in the community. They just donated a new ambulance to our local hospital. Now thanks to out socialist gov they are going to be shut down. These guys have been around for 50 years and because of change there are a lot of middle class people out of work. Yea I can go to ebay and they will send me to some big city for my pick up. I remember these guys delivering the car to my house full of gas. I guess my way of thinking is just out dated.

  8. 8 Shifter Jul 13th, 2009 at 8:03 am

    Busfreak. You must be the only 1 in the world to think that the US automobile industry has problems because of Obama!?!

  9. 9 A 1 cycles Jul 13th, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    as a manufacturer in florida i must have a licesnced dealer sell my motorcycles, not allowed to manufacture and sell same bike.

  10. 10 Woody Jul 14th, 2009 at 6:48 am

    That dealer requirement really sucks, must be some good dealer lobbiests out there. Guess everybody’s spouses has to go get a license and some free floorplanning 😉

  1. 1 I Shot Jesse James | All Days Long Pingback on Jul 12th, 2009 at 11:44 am
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Cyril Huze