My Camaro Story...not the ending I hoped for

[GaryTucker]

I thought I would share my story as I'll be coming here a little less often for awhile. I will still be here and reading what I can, but I have reached a frustration point right now with GM and their dealer network. I will start by saying that a couple of dealers on this forum have offered to get me the car I want, but at this point I am not going to go that direction.

Here is my story (sorry for the length in advance):

Mid-July I visit my local dealer to check out the car and figure out what their pricing is. I get quoted MSRP and that they have available cars.

July 24th-visit same dealer and say "I will be in right after we close on our house next Friday to order a car. Please check to see if you have allocations."

July 31st-arrive at dealer with my spec'd order in hand-how much easier can I make it? Dealer sales manager says, "I've been out of town for a week and didn't get around to checking on allocations, how bout I call you Monday." I then ask if he will honor the GM credit union supplier pricing that I've discovered is available for the Camaro. He looks at me and says "absolutely not on something like a Camaro. This is the same guy who NEVER called us back to let us know that the GT1 Corvette could be ordered...finally had another dealer order it for us at INVOICE! This was to be a limited run of cars (600 total, only 142 were built, ours is one of 10 yellow convertibles)

I leave the dealer a little disappointed that I didn't get my car ordered, but I have an idea-I'll call the other dealer. This dealership owner says "sure we can order you a Camaro at supplier price." He then goes on to say, "you are 17th or 18th in line, but we've already delivered that many and production is ramping up...shouldn't take too long."

All is well and good, I get the preliminary order from the salesperson Saturday morning, call back and OK the order, mail my $500 deposit check and I'm happy as can be!

August 26th rolls around. I've asked for an order status 3 or 4 times at this point. I mention to my wife that I'd sure love to have my order number at least for our anniversary (today). She calls the salesperson who starts asking for a copy of the order from my wife. Finally he "locates" our order and calls me (instead of my wife) with the order number. Upon rushing to Camaro5 and Corvette Forum to put in my number to get its status, I notice my order number seems to be "pretty late in the game" as far as its number versus others out there.

August 27th or 28th the SS constraint hits...I "panic" and call the dealership. My salesperson is gone for the day so I speak to the sales manager. He proceeds to say, "we got that order in the other day, and you are 40th in line...probably 6-7 months before it gets picked up." I'm livid to say the least. I proceed to tell him to cancel my order and mail my check back. He agrees to do so. I ask him how my order went from 17th or 18th to 40th...he tells me the owner of the dealership doesn't know what is going on!

August 29th I go to drive my "other choice" for a car. Local Nissan dealer has had a NISMO Z on their lot for almost a year...hard sell in this economy and in a small town. Drive the car...rides like a covered wagon, I'm done. Walking around the lot I see this gorgeous 2006 350Z Grand Touring Roadster. My interest level is up, but it is red and it is used (16k miles, but still used)...so I look at it but don't drive it...

I head home to ponder the route I'm going to go as I'm getting tired of hearing how "hot" the Camaro is. I'm also becoming wary of not driving a car before buying it...I'll admit it. No one that has cars wants to deal and the dealers that want to deal don't have cars...this really sucks.

At this point I conversed with a couple of dealers that are out of state (Ohio and Texas...you know who you are) that can get me a car at supplier and can get one in a reasonable time frame...so I'm not forced into making a decision. I've also got other cars, so I don't have to have one tomorrow.

Monday rolls around and I tell the wife that I'm going to go drive the roadster at the Nissan dealership. I admit that it will give us two cars with only two seats in them, but I want something enjoyable. Her words are, "a car isn't a value proposition, get what makes you happy." I'm in love with her even more for this statement.

I drive the Z and I fall in love. No, it isn't as fast as a Camaro, doesn't have the retro look of the Camaro, and doesn't have 4 seats...but it is a roadster and it is damn fun to drive. It is a 6spd manual, rare to find in a grand tourer...so it is pretty quick and it rides as good as our '09 Vette.

So, that's my story to this point. Will I get a Camaro? At some point, yes. Maybe when the convertible comes out or when the hype wears off. Do I love the Camaro? YES! I'll drive the Z for at least a year, maybe two.

Before someone flames me for not being "true GM", here is a list of past and current cars, keep in mind I'm 41 years old.

1978 280Z 2+2 (25 years ago at 16-had to do all the work on it myself)
1984 Pontiac Grand Prix S/E T-top car...find one of those these days!
1982 Pontiac Firebird MSE #21-still have it today
1971 Chevy 1/2 ton
1972 GMC Suburban
1996 Pontiac Fiero GT-testbed car for Miller-Wood dual turbo systems
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme International Edition 5spd car
2004 Ford Taurus
1972 Chevrolet Suburban 1/2 ton big block dual air truck
1989 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
1992 GMC Typhoon
1998 Olds Aurora
1992 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
1999 GMC Suburban
2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP 40th anniv. edition
1996 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
2002 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe

Current Cars:
2009 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible GT1 Edition (1 of 10 yellow convertibles)
2006 350Z Grand Touring Roadster
1967 Chevrolet 1/2 SWB pickup
1950 Chevrolet 1/2 ton ex-air force base truck in olive drab
1982 MSE Pontiac from above

I've also taught my kids the value of GM...my son (getting ready to turn 9) bought his grandmother's 1969 Impala Hardtop Sedan (two owner, 58k miles) recently with his own money!

Thanks for allowing me to vent my story and get it off my mind. I'll be around!

[ArcAngel]

No worries man you did what was right for you and your circumstances. Enjoy the Z I used to have a 350Z coupe fun as heck

[zebra]

don't feel bad, man. you got the car you felt best suited your needs. that's what matters

[bossbunny]

Wow that sucks. GM dealers can be real jerks. I wish they were all like CamaroScotty or the guys at Classic.

[2010SLVRBULIT]

Look around, you should find one on the lot, and maybe at a decent price.

[rayhawk]

Why would anyone with a 2009 Corvette want a 350Z? Does the corvette stay in the garage most of the time?

[97 ragtop]

my story is very similar to yours, but I want the Camaro and will wait. Enjoy the Z, cars should be fun to drive

[ssump29]

you know what you are a SELL OUT. You need a Camaro. J/K to be honest you have a brand new spanking 09 GT1 vette, everything after that is second rate anyways.

Don't lose sleep over those dealers they will be available on lots sooner then we all know. Just don't be a stranger to the Vette and turn it into a garage queen, drive it like meant to be driven.

[Grimmjow]

Your kid who is only 9 bought a 69 impala?? with his own money?? how much allowance do you give him?

[mcdoogle6969]

I test drove a Z also, but i was abit more dissapointed with it. Plus the price tag it had...45k! I never drove a vette (wish i could) so i couldn't relate to you that it drives like one. On the other hand, i really liked how the key system on it worked!

edit: haha i feel dumb, i didn't read your whole post. I thought you were talking about the 370, not the 350.

[GaryTucker]

Originally Posted by rayhawk

Why would anyone with a 2009 Corvette want a 350Z? Does the corvette stay in the garage most of the time?

Our other vettes were daily drivers. I'm guessing that the '09 will be a daily driver when the "fear" wears off that we are driving a 1 of 10 car on the road. It's been rained on already, so the Corvette purists already dislike me!

The Z and the Vette are more fair weather cars. We've got the '08 G6 for trips and around town. The wife and I both work within 5 miles of work (she is actually 5 blocks away), so we have to be careful to warm them up and drive them a little to keep from rotting the exhaust and such.

I actually sold the '02 vette in anticipation of ordering the Camaro. The funny thing is that I've only liked one import really...and it is the Z. Hard to forget your first car I guess!

[GaryTucker]

Originally Posted by mcdoogle6969

I test drove a Z also, but i was abit more dissapointed with it. Plus the price tag it had...45k! I never drove a vette (wish i could) so i couldn't relate to you that it drives like one. On the other hand, i really liked how the key system on it worked!

edit: haha i feel dumb, i didn't read your whole post. I thought you were talking about the 370, not the 350.

No worries! It was nice to let someone else have the depreciation for awhile! I paid 24,000 for what was a 40,000 car in '06. KBB for the car at a dealer was actually quite a bit more...so I feel like I got a deal.

[GaryTucker]

Originally Posted by Grimmjow

Your kid who is only 9 bought a 69 impala?? with his own money?? how much allowance do you give him?

Not so much allowance as the fact he saves EVERYTHING and grandma cut him a deal...but it is his and only his. It's been named the "old lady blue" car...since my son described it like this to his grandma!

It's going to need some work, but I figure it will make a nice car for him someday. Not too many 4dr hardtop cars out there...most are sedans with the door posts.

[GaryTucker]

Originally Posted by ssump29

you know what you are a SELL OUT. You need a Camaro. J/K to be honest you have a brand new spanking 09 GT1 vette, everything after that is second rate anyways.

Don't lose sleep over those dealers they will be available on lots sooner then we all know. Just don't be a stranger to the Vette and turn it into a garage queen, drive it like meant to be driven.

We've had it since the end of June and we've put on 1500 miles...so not too bad. The family has a trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas planned for the first weekend of October (Corvette Weekend), so we'll have the fun of the twisting, winding roads in both the Z and the Vette! The wife and I will have to trade out I'm sure. The vette is her "daily" driver if she really had one. Many days we just take one car to work.