GM is offering employee pricing again...

[otis24]

Automobiles are not priced "realistically" because no matter what price you quote, the customer always says "that's too much"?
Really? And what, Mr. Customer do you base that on?
I had a customer come in the other day and look at new pickups. He made an offer of $22000. His justification was that "that's what I bought mine new for in 2004".
I told him that I would like to buy two tons of his wheat at 2004 prices (probably about half what it is selling for now). He just looked at me dumb founded. I can only say that this guy really needs to breath some cleaner air. Too many pesticides!

 

[firemachine69]

Kinda surprised he didn't go lower, with the market and all...

 

[MrCritical]

No, the employee has no other incentive or lower pricing.

But to answer your question, about 50% off sounds good to me for being their loyal employee.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: MrCritical

But to answer your question, about 50% off sounds good to me for being their loyal employee.


Local Dodge dealer has one of those lighted flashing arrow signs in front of the dealership with a message on it that Dodge Rams are 40% off.

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04


Since when has every single Toyota and Honda sold at the price listed on the window sticker? I saw a new Accord in the Hertz line at the airport yesterday, so that's impossible.


Maybe not at sticker, but it is obvious the have less of a problem selling cars at or near sticker or with thier reputation than GM does....



Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
When I bought my Silverado, I bought it as a great vehicle, otherwise, why the h_ll would have I bought it?
maybe because you might be one of those brand loyal people who wouldnt buy anything else because it wasn't "American"?

 

[cousincletus]

^^^What's wrong with insisting on American made products from American companies? The trade deficit is biting us all pretty hard in the [censored] right now.

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: cousincletus
^^^What's wrong with insisting on American made products from American companies? The trade deficit is biting us all pretty hard in the [censored] right now.


Amen.

 

[H2GURU]

The employee pricing is probably one of the perks given in the glory days as a way to stiffle the UAW. Now it seems as though this is out-dated and I'm sure rather than outraged the employees will be gratefull for any and all vehicles sold in this down market. Afterall, who cares how they're bought as long as I get to "punch-in" this Monday morning? I would aggree that the pricing of vehicles is way overcomplicated and improvements s/b in the works. After slashing the dividend and cutting off retires healthcare... it is more doable? Before it was publicly available this pricing was offered to major GM suppliers and it didn't have much of an impact on sales.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Tim H.
maybe because you might be one of those brand loyal people who wouldnt buy anything else because it wasn't "American"?


Brand loyal? Before I bought the Silverado, I had owned two Fords, a Chevy, a Buick, and four Hondas.

American? On the bottom of all of my posts is a line that states I own a Honda Goldwing....

Is Honda an American company now?

Sorry, I just happen to think that the Toyota Tundra and the Nissan Titan are simply butt ugly. Plus, I'd never buy anything from the gem of a Toyota dealership that we are forced to suffer with.

 

[double vanos]

Let's don't forget how much money ALL auto manufacturers send on advertising.

When a new vehicle is launched the amount of $$$ spent on adverts borders on the obscene.

I realize that advertizing is necessary, but, at times, when you hear how much money is spent you wonder how they make any profit at all ( or how unholy their markup from factory cost really is).

Lots of money in making cars.....

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: mstrjon32
Originally Posted By: cousincletus
^^^What's wrong with insisting on American made products from American companies? The trade deficit is biting us all pretty hard in the [censored] right now.


Amen.


If you want to spend your money that way, that's fine.

Given my experience after about 25 years of mostly domestics, I ask what's wrong with expecting MORE from American car companies than what they gave me the 25 years prior.

And I'm not the only one in that boat. When I've had to rebuild just about every GM transmission I've owned, save for a '66 Powerglide, yet have two Toyota that have gone 200K miles or more each, one with minimal repairs and the other with ONE repair, an axle replacement, why would I be compelled to buy another GM or Ford or DC, given my experience.

I don't think anyone should be GUILTED into buying.

I think we can build the best cars in the world. The most reliable, lowest cost, best performing cars.

But we don't.

Toyota and Honda beat us in reliability.

Most Europeans beat us in handling.

We may have the straight line performance thing down, but going around corners is still suspect in many of our cars.

Why can't we build a small, RWD car with four doors than has 50/50 weight distribution and still get 30+ MPG on the highway?

BMW can do it, Lexus, Infinity and Mercedes come close, and we have overweight offerings from Chrysler that come no where near 30MPG nor 50/50 weight distribution.

 

[21Rouge]

We were able to take advantage GM "employee pricing" for the most recent two vehicles (2000 Montana and 2005 Vibe). Likely in 2009 we will purchase another vehicle using our GM Visa points and "employee pricing".

I sometimes wonder how this pricing would compare with a traditional negotiation in terms of the bottom line...final price.

 

[opus1]

Not to call anyone in particular out, but I'm constantly hearing how people with GM products have nothing but problems with them and are constantly rebuilding transmissions and so forth so I have to ask: what the heck are people doing with their cars that they need so much repair, or am I the lucky person who gets the one well-built GM car whenever I buy one.

In 20+ years of car ownership, I have never had to rebuild a tranny or even have to have engine work done, the exception being my '99 Malibu for the infamous "lower intake manifold" repair. I keep my vehicles for at least 13 years and put well over 100,000 miles on all of them. At the same time, I hear stories from people who drive imports and have off-the-wall things happen to those vehicles that they forgive because "even [Honda/Toyota] aren't perfect."

Signed,

Dazed N. Confused.

 

[GMBoy]

As a GM salary employee (mgt,not UAW) I do get a little disgusted when GM offers employee pricing to everyone. This is because I am watching my benefits drindle away more and more every year and more salary cuts are coming in the next few months. So, employee pricing for everyone is another hit to me. However, I do realize that things are really bad and it this helps sales, then it helps me too. So, while I may not like it, I know it must happen and may help the company. I just wish they would say to GM employees, hey we're going to give you a special $500 bonus cash while the everybody in the world gets your discount so you cans still save more than the non-GM person.

As for what the deals are at GM Emp, price as was asked by another poster - I just purchased a new fully loaded Cadillac CTS with a sticker of $48,978 for $44,612 - that is on the road taxes/tags and all out the door. Good deal for sure.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: mpvue
...
please. like the Asian imports don't have sale promotions. what do they call it, the toyota saleathon???

why would the employees be upset at a promotion? GM IS TRYING TO SELL CARS. ALL companies have short term promotions, wh ydo you have an issue w/ that?
and lastly, it doesn't matter how good GM gets, or is right now, the public won't believe it for 10 years. prejudices and biases hold on for awhile and they are hard to get rid of, as you aptly demonstrate.


Please right back at you. You totally missed my point. I have absolutely no problem with GM, Ford, or any make, from wherever, trying their best to peddle their wares.

There's an important difference between something like "Toyotathon" and GM's "employee discount for everyone". The former is a silly attention getter, and little more. "Employee discount for everyone" is silly too, but it's also deceptive. If they're giving it to everyone, it's simply not an "employee discount". Period. And it's more than just the semantics. Assuming a true employee discount is premised upon selling at reduced profit (or maybe even at a loss), employee discounts for "everyone" are obviously not a realistic, sustainable selling mechanism. No, it's just more puffing from the "we build excitement" folks...

Hey, I'd love to see stuff from GM that's truly on par with its competition. Some is, but a lot isn't. As I mentioned in my nearby thread, I picked up a near-new 09 Camry hybrid this weekend. In preparing, I noticed that the Malibu hybrid, roughly the same size and weight, gets fully 10 mpg less in town and 2-3 mpg less on the highway than the TCH does. Lopsided stats like that aren't exactly going to be luring the Koo-Aid sodden import buyers back into the domestic fold very quickly...

 

[rjundi]

Is GM employee pricing really that much better than negotiating invoice - holdback(guess of 3%) with a dealer? What is it?

The mention of a $48k caddy cts for $44k does not seem like much to me.

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
As a GM salary employee (mgt,not UAW) I do get a little disgusted when GM offers employee pricing to everyone. This is because I am watching my benefits drindle away more and more every year and more salary cuts are coming in the next few months. So, employee pricing for everyone is another hit to me. However, I do realize that things are really bad and it this helps sales, then it helps me too. So, while I may not like it, I know it must happen and may help the company. I just wish they would say to GM employees, hey we're going to give you a special $500 bonus cash while the everybody in the world gets your discount so you cans still save more than the non-GM person.

As for what the deals are at GM Emp, price as was asked by another poster - I just purchased a new fully loaded Cadillac CTS with a sticker of $48,978 for $44,612 - that is on the road taxes/tags and all out the door. Good deal for sure.

sorry, but it's kind of hard to feel bad for you considering all the toys you have listed in your signature.

 

[MrCritical]

He's including tax and tag which is probably well over $4 grand.

 

[bretfraz]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
Is GM employee pricing really that much better than negotiating invoice - holdback(guess of 3%) with a dealer? What is it?

The mention of a $48k caddy cts for $44k does not seem like much to me.


No, there isn't a huge diff between what you get with GMS, GMO or good ol negotiating.

It's just A LOT easier to get the price you want on the exact car you're interested in than having to grind out a comparable deal.

I've bought using GM's Supplier Discount and the net price wasn't much different than what I could negotiate, but the whole buying experience was much better and easier.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: bretfraz

It's just A LOT easier to get the price you want on the exact car you're interested in than having to grind out a comparable deal.


What? Grinding out a deal is what makes buying a vehicle so much FUN!!!!!

Here's how I grind out a deal. "I'll give you $XXXX for the vehicle, out the door. That's my one and only offer."

More times than not, I leave with the vehicle, the same day. $XXXX is usually right at wholesale value of the vehicle, plus a little if the vehicle is in tip top shape with low miles.

The key is not to show any signs of NEEDING any particular vehicle. Sales droids feed off of the emotion that a buyer has when they show the NEED for a vehicle.

There's plenty of fish in the ocean.