We think we have it bad!

[richmcc]

I just stopped by the Pontiac Dealer down the street from me. They had a Yellow Solstice, auto fully loaded. Sticker price of 27,000 something. then on a separate sticker "Sales Markup" 7499.00 they did not even to bother hidng it. ! ~$34.800.00 total price

The salesman came up to me, I told him that I stopped because I thought it might be a GXP. Then told him I am buying a Redline and the out the door price was for the same amount ot the Sticker.

[nolates]

Wow...someone will buy it though

[Moparrbust]

There's always a fool that'll pay the markup. I used to work for Mercedes-Benz when the current SL's just came out...............Retail $87,xxx, we bought the first three back from the customers for $25k over sticker and sold them "used" for $187,500. Talk about a markup!!!!! All sold within a week.

[cerberus]

A yellow Sol for 35k? Now that's mean.
Did you get a price for the GXP?

Think I'm going to have to swing by by local Pontiac dealer.

[cerberus]

Originally Posted by Moparrbust

There's always a fool that'll pay the markup. I used to work for Mercedes-Benz when the current SL's just came out...............Retail $87,xxx, we bought the first three back from the customers for $25k over sticker and sold them "used" for $187,500. Talk about a markup!!!!! All sold within a week.

You just watered my eyes.
Um.. I guess if you've got the money...

The ongoing question remains, given limited production how long it takes to saturate a niche market to the point where Sol/Sky markups are done.
Another 12-18 months? Longer?

[Pitcom]

Originally Posted by richmcc

I just stopped by the Pontiac Dealer down the street from me. They had a Yellow Solstice, auto fully loaded. Sticker price of 27,000 something. then on a separate sticker "Sales Markup" 7499.00 they did not even to bother hidng it. ! ~$34.800.00 total price

The salesman came up to me, I told him that I stopped because I thought it might be a GXP. Then told him I am buying a Redline and the out the door price was for the same amount ot the Sticker.

Between two pontiac dealers where i live, there were 6 for sale today. Each one was a 4500-5000 markup. NO THANKS

[Fformula88]

We have seen some Pontiac dealers will add an outrageous markup to a Solstice so they DON'T sell it. It gets people to come and look, inquire, and hopefully order one. However, it discourages them from taking the car off the lot, since the dealer generally wants to keep it on the lot to keep the attraction and draw coming in the door to see it. Odd strategy... maybe.

[richmcc]

Originally Posted by cerberus

A yellow Sol for 35k? Now that's mean.
Did you get a price for the GXP?

Think I'm going to have to swing by by local Pontiac dealer.

That was for a regular Solstice not a GXP!

[ykS]

it begs the question though:

if you were the owner of a dealership in a market (like SoCal for example) where you COULD get $5000 over sticker, and you knew you were only getting 20 for the ENTIRE YEAR, would you charge it?

I don't know if i would, but i think its a good honest question to ask.

well, I guess I probably would, after all, i'm a student, and i pay over $600 a unit.............lol. tuition=current inflation rate x 4=broke college students=student loans=broke college grads. simple formula.

[Teacher1]

Oh my word, you are kidding aren't you Ernest? I assume you were making a point about being judgmental, right?

As I posted previously, the reason I did NOT got with a Ford Cobra was because of the blatant 5K markup.

One of the reasons I did go with the Saturn is because of the "no haggle one price."

I think I would have been a fook to have paid 5K up for the Cobra, don't you? And the first Cobra they had come in was priced at 40 thou ... OVER MSRP.

Yes, I think you'd have to be a fool to pay that ... or so wealthy you just don't need to care.

I hope this forum doesn't get into judging postings ... that can get real ugly real fast. :-)

[Ernest]

My point was I paid 2500 over markup, which to me isn't foolish, but yes 40K is a little to much, however if people can afford to pay it then so be it. Again I wasn't trying to be argumenative and if I was I'm sorry it wasn't intended to be that way. In the end nothing is foolish if someone is willing to pay and is happy with the end result. With that I willpull my post.

[Teacher1]

I'm with you there, Ernest.

I once hear that a "good deal" is what anyone thinks is a good deal.

Point well made!

[jimbo]

If nobody paid the mark-up, the dealers couldn't charge it and would not expect it. People who pay more than MSRP just ruin it for the rest of us who refuse to do so.

That said, you certainly have the right to do so, and it is not right or wrong, and not foolish or wise. It is just supply & demand and human nature. In a free capitalistic society, it will never change, nor would I want it to.

Having the freedom to pay extortion money to greedy dealers is one of our fundamental freedoms here in America, and if it means I have to wait longer for the gouging to run its course, then that's what it means.

I don't like it. But freedom is much more important to me than being able to buy a newly introduced car for MSRP. Freedom 1st.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by jimbo

If nobody paid the mark-up, the dealers couldn't charge it and would not expect it. People who pay more than MSRP just ruin it for the rest of us who refuse to do so.

In a perfect world that is the case. But this is a unique car, and with it brings uinique situations. However I don't think that it is proper to do large mark-ups, this isn't a perfect world. Law of supply & demand. Free enterprise.

If I really wanted something bad enough, I would pay whatever the price, provided I could afford it. Heck I could have bought a 100k+ car if I wanted to with cash, but don't see the need when I can drive a totally awesome SKY with the remainder making money for me, and lately the stock market is begining to climb again

[cerberus]

Originally Posted by richmcc

That was for a regular Solstice not a GXP!

Yeah, that's why I wondered what the GXP would run.


So, I just got back from errands and stopped by my friendly Pontiac dealer.
In Jan, they were putting a 5k market adjustment on the Sol there.

Walked around in the showroom.
Walked around in the lot.
Looked at a nice Black Sol with 20" chrome wheels, but no pricing stickers.
Walked around a bit more.
More than 20 minutes passed, I started to walk off the lot, but then decided to give it another 5.

A few minutes later, I got a salesman and told him I was comparing prices on Sols & Skys.
I never really got a straight answer.
He didn't have any cars (the black one was sold) and they still sell as soon as they come in.

"...maybe I could get in you one for maybe 34, maybe a little more... uh I don't know, they're in such high demand..."

And get this. "...it'll run a little more because the factory wheels don't look like much,
but we've got these really bitchen 20" chrome wheels... but we're not like those Saturn guys (with a look on his face, pointing down the block)..."

Well, I don't know what a Sol runs in my town, but the car you saw is probably, maybe more.
..not like those Saturn guys.... huh? The home of the 20" wheels?
At least they come right out and offer you a coke.

So, I don't know if the "equipment" was mandatory.
And, when I asked for the markup for the GXP I really got a lot of fast talk, but no price.
("..oh, well, those are really going to be in high demand and there wont be many of those...")


Don't get me wrong here.
I'm not scoring this as a bad dealer trip.
I've been to a ton of em since this Sky thing started.
Ya just gotta shop around and really really do your homework and know your stuff.


The only straight answer I got tonight was if increased more the prices would go up.
No surprise there, and probably same for Skys.
So long as folks buy em and are happy, sounds like the free market at work.

[MidniteBlues]

Intersting thread--We were in a multi-car dealer buying my daughter a GMC Sierra, when my wife noticed the a Black little number over thar and called me over--Says, honey I want it--I said sure buy it--Go talk to the sales dude--Mind ya, we already bought the Sierra, doing paperwork n stuff--Mama looks at the sticker was bout 26-27K, I said NP--Talk the sales dude--

She comes back pissed--I said "honey whats the problem?? She says "They want $5,000.00 over the sticker price". I asked what that mean? Ya, they want 5K premium over sticker price. My ole lady was pissed--Says, I WON'T PAY OVER WHAT THE STICKER SAYS!!--The pontiac dealer would not budge--Wanna guess what we did???

[richmcc]

Originally Posted by ykS

it begs the question though:

if you were the owner of a dealership in a market (like SoCal for example) where you COULD get $5000 over sticker, and you knew you were only getting 20 for the ENTIRE YEAR, would you charge it?

I don't know if i would, but i think its a good honest question to ask.

well, I guess I probably would, after all, i'm a student, and i pay over $600 a unit.............lol. tuition=current inflation rate x 4=broke college students=student loans=broke college grads. simple formula.

I guess it depends on you business plan/philosohy. If your are not interested in building a loyal customer base, then making as much as you can on every sale makes sense.

However, I am sure for a lot of people even if they were happy paying x amount over MSRP would not feel that much loyality to the dealer.

So lets say you sell all 20 for 5,000.00 profit. That is a hundred thousand in pure profit.

Lets say out of the 20, 10 became loyal customers and felt positive enough to recommend your dealership. However 3 of your other customers were so turned off by seeing a dealership that prides itself on treating customers right, mark cars up they decided to find another dealership.

Now lets say you sell at MSRP and by doing so you get 5 more satisfied customers. How many cars would you have to sell as result of return sales and recommendations to make up that $100 grand.

I know nothing about the car business and I am sure my numbers are way off, I am just trying to move the discussion over.

[snaponbob]

Originally Posted by MidniteBlues

Intersting thread--We were in a multi-car dealer buying my daughter a GMC Sierra, when my wife noticed the a Black little number over thar and called me over--Says, honey I want it--I said sure buy it--Go talk to the sales dude--Mind ya, we already bought the Sierra, doing paperwork n stuff--Mama looks at the sticker was bout 26-27K, I said NP--Talk the sales dude--

She comes back pissed--I said "honey whats the problem?? She says "They want $5,000.00 over the sticker price". I asked what that mean? Ya, they want 5K premium over sticker price. My ole lady was pissed--Says, I WON'T PAY OVER WHAT THE STICKER SAYS!!--The pontiac dealer would not budge--Wanna guess what we did???

Well, the obvious would have been saying no to the "Black little number". I assume that it was a Solstice. I would have also tossed them the keeps to the GMC as well. THAT would have pissed THEM off. Sols and Sky's are rare. GMC's are NOT.

[RedSky07]

What really convinced me to not buy a Solstice, was the arrogance of the local Ponitac dealer. He told me of the 'market adjustment' of $5k!! I asked what did that mean. He told me 'you want the car, you pay the price'. WOW. THe next thing I said was Bye, Bye!

Thanks Saturn, for treating for treating us customers with respect

[deluke]

Originally Posted by richmcc

I just stopped by the Pontiac Dealer down the street from me. They had a Yellow Solstice, auto fully loaded. Sticker price of 27,000 something. then on a separate sticker "Sales Markup" 7499.00 they did not even to bother hidng it. ! ~$34.800.00 total price

The salesman came up to me, I told him that I stopped because I thought it might be a GXP. Then told him I am buying a Redline and the out the door price was for the same amount ot the Sticker.

My dealer has a yellow Solstice here in CT, automatic pretty much loaded for MSRP. So all the dealerships aren't bad with premiums just some.

[deluke]

Originally Posted by Moparrbust

There's always a fool that'll pay the markup. I used to work for Mercedes-Benz when the current SL's just came out...............Retail $87,xxx, we bought the first three back from the customers for $25k over sticker and sold them "used" for $187,500. Talk about a markup!!!!! All sold within a week.

They tried to buy back my sisters, she had it on order for about 2 years and said no, I don't need 25,000.00 I want my car. But talking about mercedes did any one see in one of the magazines the new 2 seater one that will be coming out in I think 2008/2009 model. Get one of those ordered and you'll make alot of money when it do comes out.