Devon Thorpe Interview With Paul Elio

[Ty]

Let's face it, the vast majority of people absolutely hate buying a car because they do not trust the process or the people involved, i.e., The Dealership and Car Salesmen. In a recent Gallup poll, Car Salesmen only ranked behind Congress as the least trusted profession in America - members of Congress, fergodssake! Dealerships only exist through legislative mandate, promoted by huge amounts of money spent lobbying.

I suspect that no one would shed a tear if Dealerships lost this monopoly and disappeared as the result of robust competition driven by an alternative business model.

Thanks for highlighting the link a different color... Why this site doesn't automatically color links, I just don't understand...

 

[Ty]

With all due respect, I can't imagine anybody in the industry fears Tesla - niche cars, at best, expensive toys really. Now, when Elio sells 250k vehicles per year, that will be a definite threat to Dealers and the franchise model as the automakers themselves put pressure on legislators to be able to trim the fat to compete.

VW built really cheap cars... a lot of them with thin margins for years. Then, they tried to make a really nice car ... the Bugatti Veyron. It hasn't done well because the stigma is that they are buying an expensive car from a company known to make inexpensive little cars. Tesla decided to do the opposite. They made a great car, expensive, of course. Later, when they build "affordable" cars, people will clamor to buy one because everyone wants to own the expensive brands without paying top brand prices. Once your brand is established as the best, it's hard to go wrong.

 

[Johnny Acree]

VW built really cheap cars... a lot of them with thin margins for years. Then, they tried to make a really nice car ... the Bugatti Veyron. It hasn't done well because the stigma is that they are buying an expensive car from a company known to make inexpensive little cars. Tesla decided to do the opposite. They made a great car, expensive, of course. Later, when they build "affordable" cars, people will clamor to buy one because everyone wants to own the expensive brands without paying top brand prices. Once your brand is established as the best, it's hard to go wrong.

That's the reason Mercedes won't sell the smart as a Mercedes in the US. They say it would cheapen the brand.

 

[ks6c]

VW built really cheap cars... a lot of them with thin margins for years. Then, they tried to make a really nice car ... the Bugatti Veyron. It hasn't done well because the stigma is that they are buying an expensive car from a company known to make inexpensive little cars. Tesla decided to do the opposite. They made a great car, expensive, of course. Later, when they build "affordable" cars, people will clamor to buy one because everyone wants to own the expensive brands without paying top brand prices. Once your brand is established as the best, it's hard to go wrong.

The problem with Tesla is that if you want to travel outside the City Limits, you have to plan on an overnight stay - to fill up!

 

[ks6c]

Interesting poll, thanks Dan! I would've thought lawyers would make the bottom 3 in "honesty and ethical standards". They are #5, color me surprised! lol

I can't imagine there's much of a spread between #1 and #5 <lol>

 

[ks6c]

That's the reason Mercedes won't sell the smart as a Mercedes in the US. They say it would cheapen the brand.

They didn't sell the Smart as a Mercedes even in Europe when we lived there!

 

[Keith Dahl]

Anyway someone could record it, transcribe it, or at least summarize for those of us who will be unable to attend?

THAT LOOKS LIKE THE same guy who interviewed paul and the start engine guy as we were informed about on the last blog. I cant imagine anynew material being asked. please watch the interview with paul and the start engine guy with this man via the elio blog link. it was great although Skype seemed to have some tech issues. thx. keith in Vancouver wa.

 

[Johnny Acree]

They didn't sell the Smart as a Mercedes even in Europe when we lived there!

I thought I remembered reading that smarts were badged MB in some markets. I could be wrong.
Maybe it was from before Penskie, and MB was resisting, Not wanting smarts imported.

 

[Folks]

Just the narrative no video. But informative.
http://yourmarkontheworld.podomatic.com/entry/2015-08-10T04_00_00-07_00