Nissan Z now open for reservations, to be allocated via raffle

It will be easier to get a new Nissan Z at fair prices, but with a big catch. PHOTO BY SAM SURLA

In a previous story, we covered Nissan Philippines president Juan Manuel Hoyos’s announcement regarding the systematic and transparent distribution of the all-new Nissan Z. Well, now it’s official, and the automaker has released a statement with more details.

Starting October 3 until January 15, 35 participating dealers will begin accepting orders for the Z. Nissan has confirmed that a P50,000 reservation fee shall be collected to verify the order. This fee shall then be deducted from the P3,888,000 purchase price.

Once the customer pays said fee, his or her name shall be entered into a consolidated database of orders. Only one reservation per person shall be accepted.

To curb scalpers, Nissan Philippines is resorting to a lottery system to sell its latest sports car. PHOTO BY SAM SURLA

Here comes the interesting (albeit controversial) bit: Allocations will not be given on a first-come-first-served basis, but instead via a raffle. This means it doesn’t matter if you reserved right on October 3 or on the last day of submission.

Putting money down is just an entry into the raffle, and new Z owners shall be chosen at random. The first draw will happen on October 12, with the deadline for entries set for October 10.

There is no news on how many “winners” will be drawn on the 12th. It is also not clear whether the draw will be broadcast for all entrants to witness, and exactly how the raffle will be conducted. Spin-the-wheel, tambiolo, or scantily clad lady drawing ping-pong balls out of a fishbowl are all options on the table for all we know.

Both automatic and manual versions have their own separate raffle draws. PHOTO BY LEANDRO MANGUBAT

Draws for the automatic and the manual variants will be conducted separately, so customers will have to decide which one to put their money on. If the customer is open to receiving either, he or she must put reservations down for both. Should you run out of patience, the P50,000 fee is fully refundable.

Hoyos explains that because many have made reservations prior to the creation of the database—and there is no way to verify the chronology of each one—distributing allocations at random seems to be the most equitable way to do it.

So, if you want a Z, head on over to the following dealers to place your bets orders:

METRO MANILA

• Nissan Abad Santos
• Nissan Alabang
• Nissan Caloocan
• Nissan Commonwealth
• Nissan Global City
• Nissan Mantrade
• Nissan Manila Bay
• Nissan North EDSA
• Nissan Otis
• Nissan Pasig
• Nissan Quezon Avenue
• Nissan Shaw Mandaluyong
• Nissan Sumulong Highway
• Nissan Valenzuela

LUZON

• Nissan Bacoor
• Nissan Baliuag
• Nissan Batangas
• Nissan Cabanatuan
• Nissan Camarines Sur
• Nissan Dasmariñas
• Nissan Taytay
• Nissan Tuguegarao
• Nissan Marilao
• Nissan Pampanga
• Nissan Santa Rosa
• Nissan Taytay

VISAYAS

• Nissan Bacolod
• Nissan Cebu Central
• Nissan Cebu North
• Nissan Dumaguete
• Nissan Iloilo

MINDANAO

• Nissan Butuan
• Nissan Matina
• Nissan Tagum
• Nissan Zamboanga