August 26, 2005

[Redwood]

-Vortech Supercharged 2005 Ford Mustang GT
-GM extends employee discounts for everyone
-Spy Video and Photos: 2006 Bugatti Veyron
-A Car That (Really) Drives Itself: The 2008 Opel Vectra
-(Pics) Jaguar to launch production version of new XK at Frankfurt; vehicle set to arrive next spring
-"Spyshot" Next BMW M3 convertible
-"Spyshot" Next BMW M3
-2006 Honda Civic Si Pics - Good thing they put tape over the Honda and Civic badges so we'd never know who made it
-French Automakers Discover SUVs
-VW May Sell Chrysler Minivans - I just saw pigs flying outside the window
-Lincoln to Discontinue LS Sedan
-Spyshot: Dodge Caliber SRT
-Nanotechnological advances in F1?
-Awesome in Aluminum - tech behind Ferrari F430
-New 612-hp Maybach 57S to Debut in Frankfurt
-Gas station staff bear brunt of anger over prices
-'Black boxes' keep eye on bad drivers
-rFactor video game delayed
-Video: Reducing Traffic Congestion
-Lexus has plan to grow sales with IS
-GM 6-Speed Coming in Saturn Aura (scroll down)

[Fair!]

GM extends employee discounts for everyone

Good gravy... this is the FORTH extension! They keep running ads trying to lure in buyers with "hurry! offer ends xx.xx.xxxx" but then they squirrel around and extend it.

This insanity must stop! GM must quit the blood letting and just re-price ALL of their hoopty ass cars/trucks with a more realistic "no haggle/no rebate" price and then cut out the "sales trickery" forever. They need radical changes like this to help get their 8 divisions back on track. It works for Saturn, it works for CarMax - give us no haggle prices and lower the stress level for new car purchases!

[John in Houston]

This insanity must stop! GM must quit the blood letting and just re-price ALL of their hoopty ass cars/trucks with a more realistic "no haggle/no rebate" price and then cut out the "sales trickery" forever.

They are trying (and suceeding) to reduce their huge inventory. Expect to see lower production (especially of larger vehicles) in the near future. Clearing out all the trucks and suburbans before the gas crunch hits too hard and they can't sell them.

[theNewman]

Well, the 2006 model year will be rather short for GM suv's anyway; they will begin to produce the new GMT900s (Tahoe, Yukon) on Jan. 1st and the other configurations will be spaced out over the remainder of the model year. That has more to do with the GMS being offered on those vehicles so soon. Kind of hard to push the old model when the new one is right around the corner . . .

[McCall]

GM extends employee discounts for everyone

Good gravy... this is the FORTH extension! They keep running ads trying to lure in buyers with "hurry! offer ends xx.xx.xxxx" but then they squirrel around and extend it.

This insanity must stop! GM must quit the blood letting and just re-price ALL of their hoopty ass cars/trucks with a more realistic "no haggle/no rebate" price and then cut out the "sales trickery" forever. They need radical changes like this to help get their 8 divisions back on track. It works for Saturn, it works for CarMax - give us no haggle prices and lower the stress level for new car purchases!

Agreed. It needs to stop. They really should learn from this and just go to "no haggle/no rebate" pricing across the board. People like knowing they are getting the "best" deal. It also eliminates the "slimmy" feeling you get when you deal with car salesman/managers when trying to negotiate. Getting their dealers inline and portraying better reputations (Sewell not included) will also help GM get people back in their dealers and if "no haggle/no rebate" pricing does that, it can only be a good thing for them. It takes the negotiations out of the deal and really makes you focus on the actual product being sold. Of course then it's up to GM to make a decent one!

[theNewman]

I agree with most of your statements; we have had the same discussions here at work. Unfortunately, the American buying public has been so conditioned towards haggling, I don't think that they would do it. And you would also have to contend with the Friendly Chevrolet's of the world that would take the "one price" and try to discount it another $1000 to make a sale and so on and so forth. The dealers have done some of the damage to themselves, but the cheap buying public has too. Try going to a doctor and negotiating your surgery, etc.

[Redwood]

I would like a no haggle price, because I hate the bargain process, but I think I saw a poll or read something about much of the public doesn't actually like that when it comes to cars (probably because they're cheap and are used to it). I don't think it would go over well with enough people. That's too bold a move for GM to try across the board.

[McCall]

Unfortunately, the American buying public has been so conditioned towards haggling, I don't think that they would do it. And you would also have to contend with the Friendly Chevrolet's of the world that would take the "one price" and try to discount it another $1000 to make a sale and so on and so forth. The dealers have done some of the damage to themselves, but the cheap buying public has too. Try going to a doctor and negotiating your surgery, etc.

I think times have changed. When you go to a Honda or Toyota dealer, there's not much negocation that goes on. That is especially true of BMW or Mercedes dealerships. You pretty much know the car is "value priced" and getting a few hundred off here or there is all you can expect. GM has dug it's own hole with the thousands off they do now. If GM were to take some control of their dealers (like threaten not to ship them product if they practice certain sales techniques), like other manufactures do, then you would no longer have problem children like Friendly.