Exactly. Certain things can relatively safely be purchased based on spec sheets and photos, but other things (at least for me) require physical access.

I'm not going to buy a car if I can't drive it first.

^^^ And TADA agrees. Tesla has been trying, it isn't happening.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to drive various 911s and Caymans and Boxsters. I really don't remember which model it was but the options and interior layout was just not comfortable for me. I got out and even said to myself, I will never buy that model with that layout. Something was rubbing on my knee and it would be real uncomfortable on a daily drive.

Most 911s I just love, and my car fits me like a glove. I have done dozens of 11 and 12 hour drives in it and only stopped to get a room at a good motel and not some place in the sticks.

So yea, a test drive for any car is vital. Of course what do I know about buying cars for myself. Since 1974 I have only bought three cars, and still own two of them.

me, i dont think you can learn on a test drive what you need to to buy a car. because they wont let you test drive it at an autocross or race track. cars only really become interesting at the limits of grip/power, and street driving is just not something that can actually get you there. i mean this why by and large ive stopped doing any street car driving, its just not terribly interesting.

so when i walk into a dealership or anywhere else to buy a car, i've already driven an example harder than any test drive will let you. cause i borrowed someone's for a few laps, and now im here to buy. i would love a model 3 performance pack ... and i dont need to test drive one, because ive hot lapped one, autocrossed one, and run one on the lake. its just a formality to go in and buy one.

but i have very strange habits when it comes to cars. as detailed, im just kinda done with street cars, street driving, etc. i buy cars for competitive desires now, and that trumps any annoyance with a minor thing.

Dealerships are never going away. The manufacturers need them for a variety of reasons and the public would be poorly served without them.

capitalism would disagree with you there.

Obviously you never went to business school.

Anybody that did would disagree with you.

:shrug: they had to cheat to continue existing. thats usually a pretty good sign they wouldnt otherwise exist.

I have my MBA and I'm not sure he's wrong. Any step in the sales process that costs money, but can be removed, eventually will be.

There are far cheaper ways to sell cars. Tesla is proving it's possible.

if you have to legally mandate your existence, that means the market won't support your costs, which means you are not providing added utility to justify your added costs.

see also: booze/beer distributors etc

It looks like you see no value in the dealer network. Most would see more than that. Parts is a different thing- available online from lots of, guess what, dealers. Free market shopping and shipping makes that a nationwide game.

Service doesn't necessarily have to cost much more than indies. Shop online for specials or negotiate a deal. A lot of manufacturers do the first 3-4 visits for free, so you need dealers for that and warranty work. Plenty of ripoffs to be had from indies, too, including going out of business.

Say- what do you think about vaccines?...

the parts are actually coming from the manufactures. the dealers are not having parts made, they are buying them from the manufactures. so there is no reason why you couldnt just have a database, like mazdamotorsports does, and simply order the parts you need and have them sent directly to you, no need for a dealership step. no need for a dealership cost etc. aftermarket parts suppliers would still exist, simply OEM parts, would not need to shipped to dealers, and then out to you.

dealerships are far more expensive than indy shops.

A simpler system, where the manufacturer keeps the profit, not an independent dealer, seems more feasible long term.

And we need a CRAP forum. Covid, Religion, And Politics.

Trademarked...

For ****s sake, learn to spell. It’s manufacturers.

The rest of your post is crap, as usual.

Let’s just throw out a few hypothetical questions for you.

As a consumer, do you want to look at a car in person before buying it? How about driving it? How about being able to compare it to others? None of those things have value?

As a manufacturer, do you want to keep your production lines running smoothly? Car sales are fairly seasonal, where would you like to put your excess inventory between manufacturing and the final sale? Do you realize how many cars are in inventory of dealers lots given moment? That’s a hell of a useful buffer, to the manufacturer.

There are a dozen more examples like this, not everything needs to be reviewed by your own personal bottom line.

not a counterpoint.

can car manufactures not manage inventories and have showrooms?

there no need for a third party to manage these things. it simply adds cost that the consumer has to pay. which is why dealerships had to be legally protected.

A BMW dealer's service dept. recently gave me a $200 discount on a $1400 repair to my car's A/C system simply for asking.

They could, in theory. Do you think they would do that for free, or you think that would add to their cost, which they would then pass on to you?

Can you name the famous manufacturer that thought about doing that, decades ago, in the US? Tell us how that went.

That law that you speak of that protects dealerships. Is that a federal law? A state law? The local ordinance? Or is it a figment of your ignorance? Show us a citation for that.

No dealerships leaves warranty work in the hands of third parties, that the manufacturer's then have to monitor, evaluate and certify to do that work. I suspect they have little interest in doing that for indie shops, and that more than the law requiring dealerships keeps the whole system ticking.