negotiating sale price with post bail-out GM

[soulsea]

Anyone know when the new incentives are coming and what they may be?

So far as I can tell there's still a $2000 customer rebate till 7/5/11.

August is usually when the big incentives kick in.

 

[GM Customer Service]

Samgvb,

Unfortunately, I do not get incentive information until the day they are released. Our current incentives end on 07-05-2011. Our next set should be available sometime on the 6th.

Thank you

Elizabeth, GM Customer Service

 

[Tahoenator]

Took my first Tahoe test drive yesterday, as I had the mom's 2010 Camaro SS in for service. I honestly had never even been inside one before. Very nice interior, and the back seat thing is better than I had believed it to be. I feel, and the salesman I like (he was great to my mom) agreed, the Tahoes are a bit overpriced and the Camaros are under-priced. I mean honestly, that SS will smoke an $80K 911 for $38K. I guess you're paying for all that extra steel with the SUV. The head-turn factor in my mom's candy apple red SS is pretty amazing (not to mention feeling like Steve McQueen in Bullitt last night as I had it floored at 100, and watching the analog speedo climb and the engine roar like 100 is no big deal). But I keep coming back to the safety and utility of an SUV. And I think I'd get a lot less tickets in a Tahoe.

I remain overwhelmed by all the options. I at least was able to rule out 4X4, but those air-conditioned seats looked cool, no pun intended. But worth the LTZ price premium? I dunno. Every car I ever owned had something happen to the upholstery, and I don't even want to ask what those leathers cost to fix.

I really fell under the spell of the Vettes there, but that is a second car and for if/when the markets come back.

I'm getting the impression from here and elsewhere that better deals are just around the corner. I'm not going to sweat $2, but if it were more like $5K...I was supposed to start looking in December, so this is getting ridiculous...

 

[GM Customer Service]

Tahoenator,

I am glad that you liked your first test drive in a Tahoe. I would advise you to weigh the options of a Tahoe and the Camaro. If you need to haul things or store things inside the vehicle, then you should look at the Tahoe. If you don’t haul trailers and don’t need a lot of storage, then go with the Camaro. If you are looking for a family vehicle then the Tahoe would be the best choice. If you’re just looking for a nice looking sports car then go with the Camaro. You should sit down with a piece of paper and write down the pros and cons of each vehicle. I would encourage you to visit the Chevrolet website to do a search for a Tahoe to see what the prices are in your area. You can even looked for a used vehicle on www.gmcertified.com to see what types of prices are being offered on the vehicle with the options you want.

Thank you

Elizabeth, GM Customer Service

 

[Sheriff]

Every car I ever owned had something happen to the upholstery, and I don't even want to ask what those leathers cost to fix.

The heating elements went bad in my Cadillac DTS. The dealership had to take the seats out of the car and send them to an upholstery shop to have them fixed. Under warranty -- I don't know how much General Motors had to pay for this repair, but I am sure I also don't want to know.

And I surely don't want to think about the cost to repair air conditioned seats and steering wheels.

Even better yet, who really needs heated seats, air conditioned seats, and/or an air conditioned steering wheel. Have we become a nation of wimps?

 

[Tahoenator]

Tahoenator,

I am glad that you liked your first test drive in a Tahoe. I would advise you to weigh the options of a Tahoe and the Camaro. If you need to haul things or store things inside the vehicle, then you should look at the Tahoe. If you don’t haul trailers and don’t need a lot of storage, then go with the Camaro. If you are looking for a family vehicle then the Tahoe would be the best choice. If you’re just looking for a nice looking sports car then go with the Camaro. You should sit down with a piece of paper and write down the pros and cons of each vehicle. I would encourage you to visit the Chevrolet website to do a search for a Tahoe to see what the prices are in your area. You can even looked for a used vehicle on www.gmcertified.com to see what types of prices are being offered on the vehicle with the options you want.

Thank you

Elizabeth, GM Customer Service

To be honest Elizabeth, I think it might be time for me to join a Corvette forum.

---------- Post added at 11:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 PM ----------

The heating elements went bad in my Cadillac DTS. The dealership had to take the seats out of the car and send them to an upholstery shop to have them fixed. Under warranty -- I don't know how much General Motors had to pay for this repair, but I am sure I also don't want to know.

And I surely don't want to think about the cost to repair air conditioned seats and steering wheels.

Even better yet, who really needs heated seats, air conditioned seats, and/or an air conditioned steering wheel. Have we become a nation of wimps?

The thing is, black car, black interior, in the summer with business attire, A/C'd seats might be kinda nice.

 

[Sheriff]

The thing is, black car, black interior, in the summer with business attire, A/C'd seats might be kinda nice.

Drive naked.

I wish my grandfather was still alive. I would sit him in the Tahoe and show him all the bells and whistles on cars nowadays. And I feel sure he would say...

 

[GM Customer Service]

Tahoenator,

I understand. We have several Corvette forums that we are on. Any of our agents would be happy to assist you.

Thank you

Elizabeth, GM Customer Service

 

[vtx1800sba]

By far the best way to get the best price for a vehicle/truck is the following, and it does not involve the dealership ... you need 3 things:

1. Cash
2 A friend who has a dealer license
3. Dealer only auctions in your region.

You need to drive with a 'dealer' to a dealer only auction. The ones around here have hundreds if not thousands of cars/trucks when they take place. They have pretty much every vehicle imaginable on those, often times close to brand new. The auctioneers are incredibly well organized with everything you need right there. And you are bidding against dealers only who will only purchase vehicles at a price point which allows for profit margin. Heck, last time I went to one with a mate who wanted a truck, he bought an 09 RR Sport Supercharged with 18k miles for $31k, gave our dealer buddy $300 tip, and $300 for a flatbed standing by to to take it to his house.

This is really the only consistent way to achieve significant savings, everything else available to the consumer is either in the form of factory incentives and a couple of hundred bucks play with the dealer's profit margin.

I've done the same thing. Worked like a champ. Also did Steve's method by telling them up front what I will pay over invoice. My shoes work in forward or reverse.

 

[Tahoenator]

I was wondering if anyone had either used carsdirect.com to buy a car, or at least to print out a quote to let a dealer match or beat? They seem to be a lot closer to real market price than the starting prices the dealers list, or that GM lists on its Website for that matter.

I was just running numbers on a build-to-order, and they are already $5K below MSRP, plus $3K rebate:

MSRP PRICING: $65,535 (note: for a Corvette, but GM)
Sales Price: $60,528
Manufacturer Rebates: ($3,000) (exp. 7/5)
Net CarsDirect Price: $57,528

Any ideas if the post 7/5 deals/incentives will be better, based on previous years?