View Full Version : Negotiations?
westbayou
11-07-2005, 02:46 PM
Ok, how would you guys approach this. I have been talking to my local Chevy dealership (where I bought my Tahoe) for like 2 months about the SS. I finally got over there this weekend and testdrove a regular V8 TB to get a feal for the TB in general, and I liked it well enough. The internet guy also told me I am still the only one to have asked them about the TBSS, and as expected I know a LOT more about them than he does (Thanks Trailvoy!).
Well, he told me on Saturday that the dealership has already ordered their 4 vehicle allocation so I couldn't put in a custom order. Today he faxed me the spec sheets on the 2 black TBSS' that are on their way. Both are loaded to the gills with virtually every option except heated seats, including Navi and DVD (neither of which I really want). Sticker is coming in at right around $39K+ and they are both 2wd. They are trying to scare me into buying one now before the $2500 rebate goes away, oh, and that is at full MSRP because they feel there will be a HUGE demand for the TBSS once the word gets out (remember how he told me I was the first to ask about them???)
So, what would you do? Should I even bother negotiating with them? Right now I am feeling pretty annoyed. They even gave me the order #'s and TPW dates.:undecided
TrailblazerSS
11-07-2005, 03:00 PM
Personally I would try other dealerships. You may be loyal to them but they don't seem all that interested in you.
I approached 5 dealerships before my original order. All 5 delaerships were willing to do wither GM Supplier discount or sell at dealer invoice. That's where I am now.
I don't believe allocations will be an issue very long, they are backed up because of the engineering stop that was lifted a while ago. I still have a hard time believing they will sell out full production for the year.
Rebates never go away, they only get bigger. I would be more worried about the interest rate going up. (it went up around .5% in 3 months). If you don't want to pay full price or more I would just wait a few months. The targeted market for the SS is very small. They can't sell regular Trailblazers for even close to MSRP and people will be unwilling to pay more than $5-7000 more for an SS over a regular TB. The SS is a fantastic vehicle but I wouldn't pay MSRP for it.
Envoy Fan
11-07-2005, 03:09 PM
If it were me I would find another dealership. :yes:
Buy what you want, not what someone tries to sell you when it is not what you want. The discount structure was changed on several vehicle lines, so that a dealer makes more on a loaded vehicle than he does with a stripped one. Thus the push to get you in a loaded truck.
Driving a V8 TB is not going to be the same as a TB SS. Different engine, brakes tires suspension steering and feel of AWD.
My feeling is MSRP is for dealership profit only. AND, October sales were in the pits across the board. If it wasn't for new fleet deliveries, the numbers would look even worse. Dealers will work the supply vs demand angle any time that they can, and since the TB SS is just now getting delivered there are not very many of them. They can ask whatever they want, even a premium over MSRP, it is up to the buying public to tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine.
When the 2003 Full Size Chevy PU SS came out, dealers were trying to sell them for MSRP and over on Ebay and other venues. It wasn't long before deep discounts hit the truck. The first wave probably did pay MSRP, but the continuing demand was not there. If money is no object, go ahead and buy, but get the AWD you want. If it is an object, shop around, there are more than one Chevy dealership in FL. If you do buy somewhere else, take it for an oil change at the dealership that wanted you to buy only what they had available and show them that another dealership listened.:m2:
I say scr** 'em. Unless you live in the middle of BFE, you'll be able to find what you want, Florida is a pretty populated state. I'm sure the Stealership would love to put a couple on the road at MSRP-rebate, so good luck to 'em. I would not, however, pay full MSRP for something I didn't want. I'm sure the demand will NOT be very high as for the limitations and other issues discussed on this fourm. There will be folks who want them, already know about them, and there will be the casual buyer who may decide, yes, I want a 40,000 dollar vehicle that gets poor gas mileage and can pull my boat / trailer, AND I can race it, too. The TBSS is a niche market vehicle, due to the cost, and most folks who want one that I know want a nearly stripped version so they can play with it. Don't get me wrong, I love 'em too, yet I cannot afford it, and if I was comparing a TBSS to say a TB or even a Tahoe, I would be getting more bang for my buck w/ the TB or Tahoe in terms of what I need out of a SUV. I can always mod / change what I need to make me happy. :m2:
westbayou
11-07-2005, 03:34 PM
Thanks for the input guys, I think you are all dead on. I'm gonna fire off an e-mail to the other local dealership and see what they have to say. Basically I want a Black 2wd LT TBSS, maybe with heated seats. I don't want a sunroof, Navi, or the DVD player, a quick $4500 in options. It annoys the crap out of me that "my" dealership is trying this. They did the same thing when the Silverado SS came out, and that joker languished in the showroom for months. Guess I need to put in a call to the owner, a guy I grew up with and see what he can do for me. I know you gotta pay to play, but this is just silly.
The dealership where I was going to order mine showed me their order for 4 black SS's just like you describe. They told me if I ordered one, it would be a substitute for one of the 4 they ordered, and would go to the top of the allocation because it is a 'sold' order. They are happy to do whatever I want, unlike 'your' dealer.
Maybe you should consider going elsewhere, or perhaps first, taking what you've learned into them and giving them one more chance. It's you who has them over a barrel, not vice-versa.
LS2 TB
11-07-2005, 04:23 PM
I agree find another dealer! Initially for me I went thru Edmunds.com and E-mailed all 5 dealers in my area at one time. They all responded quickly and I went with the one that responded the best. My TB SS price is $2K below invoice.
$2K below invoice? Really? How did you manage that? I thought holdback was only about $1200-$1500?
Blulytes
11-07-2005, 04:39 PM
There are no extra bonus points when it comes to loyalty of sales...
screw em... if they don't want to play... go somewhere else!
Chotton
11-07-2005, 04:40 PM
I agree find another dealer! Initially for me I went thru Edmunds.com and E-mailed all 5 dealers in my area at one time. They all responded quickly and I went with the one that responded the best. My TB SS price is $2K below invoice.
Is that price before or after the $2500 rebate? If it's after the basically they are charging you $500 over invoice, stil not a bad deal.
HIOSLVR
11-07-2005, 05:09 PM
I don't know if the dealer is being clear with you on rebates. The rebate is only taken on the day that the vehicle is delivered to the ultimate customer. If the dealer does not have one of those vehicles on the lot to deliver to you, don't sign up thinking that the rebate will stay at $2500.
Also, I don't know if the SS is a controlled allocation or not, but I can pretty much put in a legit. sold order at any time and get it on top of what was given to me by GM
westbayou
11-07-2005, 05:27 PM
Well, I just got a call back from them. Basically said it would come in somewhere around $37500-38500 WITH the $2500 rebate (and IF the rebate still applied when the truck showed up). Sticker was a hair over $42K. They claim the don't even have rock solid pricing yet. So they are dealing now, but that is still a chunk more than I had in mind to pay for one because of all the options. They said a $1000 refundable deposit puts my name on it. Oh, and suddenly there are all kinds of people asking about them. Gimme a break. I'll swing by at the end of the month when it shows up and see if they change their tune. GRRR........
Just an FYI.....
At the local dealer, I sat down with the internet sales rep at her computer and we configured an SS exactly how I wanted it. We printed out both MSRP and Invoice pricing. She told me her offer was $500 over invoice, but I told her that if I was to order she would have to do better than that. I'm sure there would be no problem there. She saved my ideal SS that we configured on her computer for a possible future transaction. :D
We never talked rebates or incentives, because it was irrelevant to the discussion. GM could change them (the present $2500 is good until the first week of Jan.), but if they do, I bet they only go up. If I get her down to $100 over invoice, the $2500 would come off of that. Rebates are only good for what they are at the time of delivery, so it doesn't matter when you talk in terms of MSRP or Invoice price.
LS2 TB
11-07-2005, 08:30 PM
Is that price before or after the $2500 rebate? If it's after the basically they are charging you $500 over invoice, stil not a bad deal.
It after ... $500 over MSRP -$2500 rebate = 2000 below invoice.
Steve02SLT
11-08-2005, 07:55 PM
first off, don't let him talk you into getting it now, when it won't be in til say mid dec, you would then get decembers rebate. you get whatever the rebate is the day you sign the paperwork and drive off. second, if they won't budge on price, move on. i say offer them 1k over invoice and see if they bite. that way you get a hell of a good chunk off, and the sales guy still makes 100 or so. i sold them, and i hated when people wanted stuff under invoice, if you can't afford the price, don't get it.
westbayou
11-09-2005, 10:06 AM
Oh, I think I am realistic about he price I am willing to pay for a TBSS, but I sure and heck am not willing to pay $40K for any Trailblazer, SS or not! I'd be fine with a couple hundred over invoice (before the rebate of course!). Around here it seems like the favorite dealer trick is get you to invoice by using the available rebates. I know people that ended up actually paying more than MSRP before the rebates and they didn't even realize it!
slim33slim
11-09-2005, 10:49 PM
Rebates never go away, they only get bigger. I would be more worried about the interest rate going up. (it went up around .5% in 3 months). If you don't want to pay full price or more I would just wait a few months. The targeted market for the SS is very small. They can't sell regular Trailblazers for even close to MSRP and people will be unwilling to pay more than $5-7000 more for an SS over a regular TB. The SS is a fantastic vehicle but I wouldn't pay MSRP for it.
What he said.