3rdpower

Well the pre-order program is done! Kudos Nissan! Job well done on this program. The enthusiasts asked you to come through and I believe you have delivered in a very big way. It has been a bumpy road no doubt but I believe that you guys deserve a round of applause for putting it all together.
It is really unheard of by a high volume production car company.

I want to state some suggestions here. Pre-orders should have something special attached to them. A possible designation or something to really distinguish them from the pack. This is a reward for people ordering a car based entirely on trust of Nissan. I am investing roughly $40,000 in a car I have yet to drive! I want to feel special about this and a special key is NOT feeling special. Maybe it's not necessary to go as far as special edition, however, something that seperate us from the bunch would be nice. When I go to sell this vehicle I want to say "this is a pre-order" vehicle - look at "this".

In the future let's get some cameras on that factory floor or at a final staging ground. Create a "Z Members" site. This site could be limited to registered "pre-order" members. The online site would have all the information about your pre-order listed as well as an ESTIMATED DATE of build and delivery. This date wouldn't even have to be true - it would just us Z pre-order guys something to look forward to!

Work with your resellers who are authorized to sell and install Nismo parts. Take a clue from awesome sites like the one JManZ has built. How about a Z home that lists out available installs and modifications that you can add to "your Z car". This site would let you modify your Z online and print out what you want installed, take it to a dealer, and allow you to turn your dreams into reality!

Get a pre-order liason or someone within Nissan who really is a Z specialist. This specialist works in conjunction with Nismo and the dealers to show true partnering. I realize Nismo is not Nissan (a sub?), however, it would be nice to show solid partnership between the two entities.

I'm excited!!! I have some cold feet right now. Keep the information flowing via email or mail to us pre-order holders. I realize we are still in the early stages of production but much information has been withheld.

I work in a corporate enviroment too where information has to be held from consumers. Since I work in the software industry our "special" customers become beta testers. They are responsible for championing our products and in return we give them a lot of extras. Why? Well because they are the beach heads for our marketing efforts. Their risk is higher then a general customer because they are taking on code that is not ready for consumer consumption.

With that said, we are your beta testers to some extent. We are your marketing / sales force extended. The first 350Zs will not be perfect by any regards. Every car is plagued with early release woes - it's a part of mass production! Remember we are the commited customers and we are buying your product.

The pre-order customer base will mostlikely bring in the highest revenue in the long run for Nissan. Why? Because we have made a commitment and that commitment shows that we will continue to make more commitments ($$$!). Analyze the potential we have for purchasing additional high margin items such as luggage, service, etc. I'm not saying Nissan should become a direct supplier! I understand the value of the distribution chain. Challenge yourselves to find a way for customer to get unique "Nissan" feel at all dealerships!

Nissan, what a great step up in customer service for 350Z pre-orders! Get those dealers a little more inline with your "messaging". The Nissan dealer base doesn't have any kind of conformity. Dealerships all look different! If I go to Honda or a Saturn dealership they all look the same - it's like shopping at Walmart, 7-11, or Walgreens... You walk in and you know what you are going to get! It's some what comforting!

If you preach performance and value make sure your dealerships are inline with that performance statement! Sure it's cut throat business as a dealer. It's not an easy job - but hey, they are going to make a lot of money with these new products!

Alright, I'm done soap boxing. I know you don't need me little ol' pre-order 350Z #2014 (no I honestly don't know) telling you how to run your company. Just some simple observations to better the experience at Nissan. I'm sure you guys have more then 2/3rds of this stuff in planning, just want to make my voice heard. You guys are morphing into a truely great company with these new cars! Get that service in place and you guys will be back to leading the pack!

Rabid Nissan Z fan,

Jessie the III

ZISME

Thanks for the feedback....

3rdpower

Thanks for listening

azjimbo

Some very good points.The best one is that Nissan needs a real Z fanatic to be a liason between corporate,the dealers and the pre-order people.Most people in the dealerships that I talked to know squat about the Z and its history.I also agree that something should be done that is special and unique to the pre-order customers.I am not asking for anything for nothing but something should be done to distinguish the pre-order people from the rest.This is my 4th Z and I have spent nearly 90K with Nissan since 1978.Believe me a simple thank you would suffice.I have also been following the formation of the 350Z for nearly 4 years.I admit I am hooked but the Z has brought me some great pleasures.

TCL

From the opposite angle, I was so glad that Nissan brought the Z back that when it came time to buy my daughter a car recently, I opted for the 2002 Sentra over one of its competitors in a hotly contested market segment.

Thought I'd add this to your thread since the title is likely to catch Nissan's eye. This is an example of the Z resulting in the sale of another Nissan vehicle.

3rdpower

This is definitely special - I'm not denying it :-). I however would like something tangible. The key idea was used with the 300Z. I am hoping when I plop down $40,000 I get SOMETHING that sets my Z apart from all the other Zs that are going to be on the street. Something internally or externally. Doesn't have to be a huge "thing"... it could be a hmm... shifter **** for all I care haha... I just want it to show that I was part of the pre-order program.

Ideas:

1. A decal of some kind (inexpensive)
2. A key chain
3. A super charger setup with free installation
4. A special Z car cover
5. Some thing that can be added to the shell of the vehicle that we can display with pride... something that says I am a super Z enthusiast!

I am a little bias to option #3.

archduke

I agree with most of what you have said, but especially with the idea of setting us and our cars apart from the Z's to be built in the future. It would be a "reward" for our loyalty and to some degree blind faith. A plaque inside the engine area or the driver's door. It could be applied after the cars are delivered and registered to each of the pre-order people. Maybe an autographed picture of Mr. K.
As far as a Z enthusiast that could "represent" each of the markets to give feedback on the pluses and hopefully not too many minuses of the the 350Z I would gladly volunteer.
I am now retired and would welcome the chance to communicate about the Zcar.
Finally, I too would like to say thanks to Nissan and to people like Zisme and yelogto who have helped us through this long and, at times, grueling process.
Job well done!
Rich (aka Archduke)

EnthuZ

iTrader: (2)

Been here a long time, so my memory bank has overloaded. BUT, sometime ago I remember reading about the Hawaiian pre-orderers(new word) getting a leather jacket!

ZISME, make mine a medium!

I don't really have to move, do I? I would rather spend my vacation wearing off tire nipples!

And WTF....who in Hawaii needs a jacket anyways?


S**t, I'll be ecstatic if my dealer gives me a fair trade in value. I'm already sold on the car, put my money where my mouth is, but who is really in control? I will have been waiting, what, 9 LONG Frigging months, and the "Dealer" knows this. I don't like the "deal", cancel the order, "dealer" gets a Z to sell at $2000+ over MSRP. And I get....S#@t. No, make that a S2K....BUT, DAMN, I WANT TORQUE! And My Z!


Worried in the Windy City.

robbyn

I think you are putting yourself in position to be takin advantage of by your dealer ... and HE WON'T EVEN BUY YOU DINNER. I would STRONGLY suggest you sell your car yourself, because you are right, your dealer has an incredibly strong incentive to screw you.

Enforcer

Excellent post 3rdpower


Enforcer

3rdpower

See that's an awesome idea . I'm sure those brainiacs over at Nissan Marketing are putting something creative together!

c350z

Don't flood the market with 50K z's, keep the numbers reasonable so the z retains its value. But a gift would always be welcome. A cool key would be nice or an engraved key chain with our order number, heck splurge how about both.

Actually I think the folks at Nissan have done enough by simply bringing back the Z and making it live up to its predecessors. I always wanted one and now I will have one and its a great feeling. Thanks.

Goober

To give you an idea of how out of the loop the dealers are......

I am driving down the highway today when my cell phone rings. I look at the caller id, " Damn the dealer, can't be!" It's him but not with the news I would hope for. "Have you looked in your mail today?" he asked. Nope. He explains how they just received the Nissan CD and the pictures. I explained that I had already received it and said thanks for the call.

He just received the freaking CD. I guess that is somewhat good for us as maybe we are more important, but I couldn't believe that they were that far out of the loop.

Subw00er

You guys need to chill out a bit! Would you rather have waited until august, with no information or guarantee that you were actually getting a car? I think Nissan has been bold in letting people preorder the car. Who cares if we dont know exactly when it will come, or that it has been delayed. Three years from now, will you really care it came a month late?

Its pretty interesting how many people are so fanatic about the delivery dates - calling representitives and the local dealer weekly. It is not going to speed the process up any more! I suggest that poeple grow patient.

Sorry to rant, just an observation......

3rdpower

I don't think people are calling Nissan, dealers, and anyone else they can find to complain about their car date - they just want the ability to find out when it is coming so they can be prepared. Patience, while important, doesn't apply to a kid in a candy store dude. I know you're not trying to rant or flame hard but people have been really been waiting for their car for a long time (me for one, 1.5 years - yes I did say years). No I didn't call the Nissan to ask about delivery information because I understand the distrubtion chain.

I can understand your point! I think people have the right to try however. Folks have to get insurance and financing straight and this of course is the most important thing of all... how do we pay for our cars :P It benefits Nissan the most!