Loaning a car to a dealership showroom

[Buick35]

I've seen some dealerships displaying a vintage car in their showroom. I wondered if anyone had done that to their car or if theirs any dealership interested in doing so.I have a 35 Buick and am in central east coast Florida. 

[Steve Moskowitz]

Well I have, rather simple since I owned the dealership.  I had it stanchioned off but it was a nice ice-breaker on the floor.  Some dealers have zero interest in history and would feel that a collector car would take valuable real estate from them.  However, I know of many dealers back in my time who had a antique car in their showroom.  I would be sure it is protected.  Check on it with some regularity and be careful who you loan the car to.  No harm in asking a local dealer!

[46 woodie]

It's been done, but if you are thinking about doing it, I would have some recommendations for the dealer. Remember, you aren't dealing with "old car people". Everyone that enters the dealership will want to sit in the car, so all your switches and other dashboard items will be played with, ask the dealer if you can lock the doors. Everybody will want to touch the sheetmetal and say "boy, they don't make them like this anymore", so you may want to rope the car off. At a car show most people are car people and will respect your car and at a show you have some control of what goes on with your vehicle. Most dealerships are open for 12 or so hours, seven day's a week and you won't be there to babysit your car. It's your car but if it was me I would not do it.

[avgwarhawk]

Rich Morton Mazda near me displays the classics. 

 

[George Smolinski]

A dealer up here in Minnesota has a Hemi Roadrunner on the show floor. He owns the dealership.

[Buick35]

Thanks,On a related subject,when did dealers start putting the window stickers on their cars with the options and the prices. I know the base price for my 35 but not for the radio and heater.It would be cool to have one made for car shows.

Edited January 13, 2023 by Buick35
Spell (see edit history)

[CChinn]

37 minutes ago, Buick35 said:

Thanks,On a related subject,when did dealers start putting the window stickers on their cars with the options and the prices. I know the base price for my 35 but not for the radio and heater.It would be cool to have one made for car shows.

Buick35, that’s a cool idea!  One could have a dealer window sheet listing the period correct base price of your car along with prices for dealer add-ons for various makes from the past. Similar to the reproduction vintage inspection stickers sold by Bob Hoyt at Hershey and Carlisle and advertised in Antique Automobile. That would complement the car story boards many have made for their cars when shown at meets and local cars/coffees

[TTR]

While “loaning” your car (or any other personal property) for static display at a dealership, museum, etc, MAY not be potentially as hazardous as loaning or renting it to some commercial photo shoot or filming (for a commercial or a movie), I’d highly recommend having a clear and definitive contract stipulating insurance coverages and other liabilities, etc in case of any accidents or mishandling of said property throughout the duration.

 

OTOH, if the said car or other property is very dear to you, I wouldn’t recommend loaning it in any case.

I could fill a book or at least few chapters in one with horror stories I’ve witnessed when owners of vintage cars have loaned/rented theirs to filming or photo shoots.

 

 

[Marty Roth]

Despite a collectible being roped and stanchioned off, I've seen multiple occasions where a show-off will cross the barrier and use their High School Class Ring to bang hard on a fender, telling his lady friend "Look How Solid - They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore !"

[Bhigdog]

I guess I would ask myself "What's in it for me". If the answer is a bit of an ego rush followed by weeks/months of worry I'd pass.

The AACA museum displayed my 55 Century for 6 Month or so but that's a whole nuther kettle of fish.............Bob

[Buick35]

25 minutes ago, TTR said:

While “loaning” your car (or any other personal property) for static display at a dealership, museum, etc, MAY not be potentially as hazardous as loaning or renting it to some commercial photo shoot or filming (for a commercial or a movie), I’d highly recommend having a clear and definitive contract stipulating insurance coverages and other liabilities, etc in case of any accidents or mishandling of said property throughout the duration.

 

OTOH, if the said car or other property is very dear to you, I wouldn’t recommend loaning it in any case.

I could fill a book or at least few chapters in one with horror stories I’ve witnessed when owners of vintage cars have loaned/rented theirs to filming or photo shoots.

 

 

I would love to see mine in a movie,but I've heard some of the horror stories too.

[wayne sheldon]

1 hour ago, TTR said:

I could fill a book or at least few chapters in one with horror stories I’ve witnessed when owners of vintage cars have loaned/rented theirs to filming or photo shoots.

 

Like the fellow that loaned his car to a local production of "Annie"? There was a good way to get the car onto the stage, but some dim-bulb decided that using a nearby forklift would be easier? Not only did he seriously damage the car with the forklift? He didn't know enough to balance it properly and while raising the car to the higher level entrance, he dropped the car onto the ground? After the damage was done, the owner's insurance refused to cover it because he had loaned the car out to a commercial production (the exclusion was in the policy!)? 

 

When I was just getting into the hobby oh so many years ago, I met a fellow in one of the clubs I had joined that liked to loan his cars to dealerships. He had more cars than he had room to keep them and he considered the idea "free storage"! A few years later he changed his tune. He said the damage to his cars was more than decent storage would have cost him. And that was fifty years ago when people were generally more considerate of other people's property.

[V16]

Last summer we displayed our 1930 Cadillac V16 Madame X Coupe at the Andrews Cadillac Agency in Nashville Tn. Apparently it was a big hit and enjoyed by many more people than it would have been sleeping in our car barn.

[plymouthcranbrook]

2 hours ago, Buick35 said:

I would love to see mine in a movie,but I've heard some of the horror stories too.

My Volare has been in several movies and and tv shows with no issues. That said I know the Movie company owner and trust him not to get me involved with a hack outfit.

[Larry Schramm]

5 hours ago, Buick35 said:

Thanks,On a related subject,when did dealers start putting the window stickers on their cars with the options and the prices. I know the base price for my 35 but not for the radio and heater.It would be cool to have one made for car shows.

 

Dealers did not start putting window stickers on car.  The manufacturers in the US were required to place the stickers on the car starting in 1958.  Not all countries require a window sticker even at this point in time.  
 

Here is some information on the stickers. 

 

When did Monroney labels start?

 

Oklahoma Senator Mike Monroney was concerned by what he saw and stepped in to do something about it. Senator Monroney sponsored a bill called The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958 that required a new type of label be affixed to the window of every car sold in U.S. This sticker was to include certain details about the vehicle and its pricing to enable consumers to bargain with dealers on even footing. The new disclosure requirement changed the car buying experience forever and the window labels soon came to be known as Monroney labels.

 

Go here for more information.

 

https://www.taylor.com/blog/3-things-to-know-about-monroney-labels#:~:text=Senator Monroney sponsored a bill,with dealers on even footing.

[1937McBuick]

If you can't live with the ramifications of the potential problems of loaning(or leasing) out your prized automobile after any damage has been done....  leave it at home.    

 

It's nice to put old cars on display for others to see and enjoy but I think those times should be chaperoned by the car's owner.  And there's times and places for those opportunities.   I don't care how well you know or how much you trust someone,  it's your responsibility to protect your property.    

 

Everyone has different standards and what they feel is acceptable.   Even if you think yours are low,  trust me there's other people who's are even lower.  They may treat your automobile in a way that even you find unacceptable.

 

I may be wrong,  but...

 

To each their own.

[hidden_hunter]

My car was in Falconi’s Cadillac for what I can gather was a long time, mechanically a number of things show very little wear but things like the foot pedals have almost all there checkering worn off

[rwchatham]

On 1/13/2023 at 6:51 PM, V16 said:

Last summer we displayed our 1930 Cadillac V16 Madame X Coupe at the Andrews Cadillac Agency in Nashville Tn. Apparently it was a big hit and enjoyed by many more people than it would have been sleeping in our car barn.

Now that is a beautiful Cadillac !

[TTR]

On 1/13/2023 at 1:11 PM, TTR said:

While “loaning” your car (or any other personal property) for static display at a dealership, museum, etc, MAY not be potentially as hazardous as loaning or renting it to some commercial photo shoot or filming (for a commercial or a movie), I’d highly recommend having a clear and definitive contract stipulating insurance coverages and other liabilities, etc in case of any accidents or mishandling of said property throughout the duration.

 

OTOH, if the said car or other property is very dear to you, I wouldn’t recommend loaning it in any case.

I could fill a book or at least few chapters in one with horror stories I’ve witnessed when owners of vintage cars have loaned/rented theirs to filming or photo shoots.

 

 

Besides, whenever the urge to drive my cars occurs, which is quite frequently, I want to have easy access to scratch that itch.

Edited January 15, 2023 by TTR (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

Having your car in a movie is not so bad if you are also the driver, I've heard. 

[John Byrd]

Back to the "loan to a dealer" question, we have a 63 Mini and when the"New Minis" came out, I went to a dealer in Nashville, TN. and drove my Mini. They must have had 15 or 20 of the new ones, and I picked out one to buy for my wife. Hey, a lady needs her own more modern Mini, right ?  Anyway, the window sticker was a bit over 19 grand and when I asked the salesman what they would take for it, he said "$26,500.00" , then asked me if they could keep my little 63 for a couple of weeks in the showroom. I was not to happy with them trying to rip me for more than retail, and not going to buy their "product" at all, so I asked him if I had forgot to wipe the word "STUPID" on my forehead, and sputter'd off in my little 63. What nerve, I thought, lol.  We have ended up trying two different "New Minis" that were like new, but used cars, and with all the BMW tech built into them, I am convinced our 63 is a better car, lol. We didn't keep either of the new versions more than a few months. 

[Terry Bond]

What  great recruiting opportunity for AACA and your local club!

Terry