Heard an old rumor: waiting lists!

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by Gatecrasher

GM can only build and ship so many cars in a given time frame.

I think the point is that if they know in advance that you've preordered one they know how many to build. And if you pre order you've conceded that you will wait to get it. Not a bad deal for GM imo. Of course this is always going to be based on GM's ability to turn a profit on sales. Blah blah.

[stovt001]

Well there is a physical limit to the amount of cars that can be turned out of the factory at any given time. So its not that Chevy doesn't want to build more. They certainly do. But they have a limited amount of orders they can ship out in a given time period. So you can always order one through your dealer, but it the order goes on a waiting list until the car can be built

[Gatecrasher]

At the same time, they may not want to max out capacity to avoid dampening demand. If they keep the car a little scarce, that inflates demand for a 'hard to get item'. They did this with the Solstice and Sky and it seemed to work, at least for a while.

On the other hand, you take a car like the Malibu where they want to build as many as they can. So many, they tooled up a second plant to keep up with demand.

[nbjczk71]

That's exactly correct. Look, the bottom line is that if you want to be one of the first guys to hit the streets with a 2010 Camaro, you had better find a dealer who is willing to put you on a waiting, or call list. Or, if you can wait a few months, when all the initial hype is over with, I'm sure that you will be able to walk into almost any dealer and either order one with the options you want, or buy one off the lot. Who knows, that may take more like 6 months, but we will have to wait and see.

I used to work at a dealer, and the way they would do it is put you on a call list which basically meant that they would call you the second they could order one and you had to either $hit or get off the pot at that point.

[Italianwhiplash]

I'm first on the list at Ramp Chevy, only had to put 500 down

[blindingillusion]

... First on the list at every major dealer around my college, and my home town. I also am first on a few lists around Roanoke. Didn't put money down though, whats the point. I also told the dealer right out I am not paying a dime over MSRP.

[Emu the Foo]

Originally Posted by blindingillusion

... First on the list at every major dealer around my college, and my home town. I also am first on a few lists around Roanoke. Didn't put money down though, whats the point. I also told the dealer right out I am not paying a dime over MSRP.

good call. DONT LET THEM GRAB YOU BY THE LEESH AND TELL YOU WAHT TO DO. your the customer and you tell them. when i was about to get my honda my credit score was only 650. they were going to give me 5 years. originally at 450$/mo but i talked them down to 385$/mo if i got a co signer. this was at a small honda dealership, where as the one that sells more than any other STEALER ship in CA want 4k over msrp and wanted the 450$. anyways, i dont know if there are any dealers here taking orders. i am so glad i didnt get the honda. but i feel bad too for the salesman

[blindingillusion]

Oh, trust me, I am far from new at this.

[stovt001]

Originally Posted by Emu the Foo

good call. DONT LET THEM GRAB YOU BY THE LEESH AND TELL YOU WAHT TO DO. your the customer and you tell them. when i was about to get my honda my credit score was only 650. they were going to give me 5 years. originally at 450$/mo but i talked them down to 385$/mo if i got a co signer. this was at a small honda dealership, where as the one that sells more than any other STEALER ship in CA want 4k over msrp and wanted the 450$. anyways, i dont know if there are any dealers here taking orders. i am so glad i didnt get the honda. but i feel bad too for the salesman

Advice on buying any car: NEVER negotiate monthly payments. Work on a final price first, then an interest rate, then term length. They can charge you any price they want and still give you good monthly payments if they know what they're doing. The difference between $30,000 and $35,000 looks like nothing when it is broken down into monthly payments.