2007 vs. 2006 prices

[mkaresh]

I just uploaded 2007 TrailBlazer prices to my database. My site makes it possible to get feature-adjusted price comparisons between model years.

The big difference is that the SS is now a trim level. Isn't this just semantics? Actually, no. When GM cut prices earlier this year, it reduced the margins on base prices and increased them on options. When the SS was an option package, it had a relatively large margin. Now that it's a trim level, the margin is about $700 smaller on a loaded SS, so dealers will not be able to discount the price as much. Add this to the $500 increase in MSRP, and the price increase for 2007 is really over $1,200 assuming that you'll be paying a certain amount over invoice. It's the sort of invisible price increase that many manufacturers are employing recently.

[Wojski]

So I guess the dealer wasn't lying about the upcoming price increase. I just chalked it up to "something dealers say to close the deal".

So anyone know if the reclassification of the SS option to a trim level would also increase insurance rates? That's another one I heard from them.

[2002SLT]

So anyone know if the reclassification of the SS option to a trim level would also increase insurance rates? That's another one I heard from them.

Not sure, buy my insurance company (State Farm) had the SS option listed when I called. However, my rates only went up about $50/year over my '02 Envoy.

[mkaresh]

They'll know from the VIN which engine you have.

I wouldn't expect them to raise rates unless they find that people are wrecking these more than they wreck regular TBs. Since I doubt the average SS owner drives it like a Honda S2000, and most of you have been driving for a while, probably won't happen.

I priced insurance on a bunch of sports cars when I thought of buying one last summer. The Honda S2000 was about twice as much as anything else, while the M version of the BMW Z3 was only about $30 more per year than the regular car which has half the power. In the end, horsepower alone has little impact; it all comes down to claim rates.

[BLKBUTY]

Im with Allstate and they had the SS in the computer as well. Mine was no more than most suv's, with full cov. about 1K a year.