[ember1205]

Originally Posted by CamaroSSStlfan

Hertz is going under and got rid of a lot of their performance cars last year.


I live about 40 miles from hertz HQ here in FL.


When I was looking last Sept they had some really good deals on the SS and Mustang GT. I mean under 30 thousand miles and 2019 and 2020 models.


You could get a 2ss ragtop, 28k miles 2019 for about 32k! The only thing missing was they didn't have NPP but that kind of price that's a steal. Still has a bit of warranty left too but the downside is you know that car was ran hard and not broken in properly.


Same with the Mustang GT Premium. Killer deals on 2019 ragtop premiums for about 29 to 31k they were going for.


If you were willing to roll the dice on a fleet cars those were amazing deals for a car only one or two years old.

And every one of them was driven hard and put away wet. I wouldn't touch a rental car to own...

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by ember1205

And every one of them was driven hard and put away wet. I wouldn't touch a rental car to own...

Depends. If I was a teen or college student those are not bad cars. No, not a Mustang GT, but a DD sedan or SUV at a steal of a price would be a good car for a college student or young, newer driver versus buying a POS older used car.


That was the main reason I didn't buy a rental rag top SS or the GT. Even though that was a great price. Same rag top would be going for 45 grand at a dealer and could got it for same price as my low miles 2016 SS hardtop.



My 2016 SS hardtop was 16k miles but was owned by an old guy.

[MichaelG]

Good news.

Anything to help my dream of owning a 7th gen Camaro!

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by ember1205

They also have basically moved to a hard pricing model as well. There is no more negotiating with them. You pay what the market dictates, end of conversation. So, they've basically fixed their profit margin (which is way higher than it should be) and are telling EVERY customer to stick it right from the start. Unwinding a few deals here and there is a small price to pay when you're making money hand over fist.

Not a fan of the fixed pricing, but I get it. It goes part & parcel with big contractual agreements in highly competitive retail markets.

One thing I will say is it then boils down to the dealership itself & what they do, or don’t do, to earn your business since the same optioned vehicle is the same price from place to place.

As an example of our most recent Toyo purchase was decided by that very thing. Two dealerships had a Highlander exactly like my wife wanted. We went to look at one & it took forever for someone to finally even talk to us. Before then we walked around & looked after going inside. On the way in they had a “No Firearms Allowed on these premises” sign by the front door.

Someone finally came out & answered some questions. I went back inside to get some literature when the sales manager came over & asked the usual questions about when we were looking to buy & if there was anything they could do to “Earn my business.” I said, “Well for starters you can take down that sign by your front door.” pointing to the sign. He replied the owner wouldn’t do that. Believes in a safe space blah blah blah. The salesman then tries to give me his card & I let him Know that wouldn’t be needed because I would never by a car from them.

Next place we went to, no sign. Test drove the car, made the arrangements & signed the paperwork. While the wife was getting the walk through from the salesman the sales manager came out & talked to me & asked how everything went & thanked me for the purchase. I told him I mainly purchased it from them & not X dealer because of the other dealers policy towards my right to self-defense. He grinned & pulled his coat back & he was sporting a M&P .40 S&W. I grinned back & lifted my shirt to show him my M&P as well. We had a good laugh & talk after that.

I will also add their salesman was also top notch.

[MR's 2SS]

Originally Posted by gtfoxy

Not a fan of the fixed pricing, but I get it. It goes part & parcel with big contractual agreements in highly competitive retail markets.

One thing I will say is it then boils down to the dealership itself & what they do, or don’t do, to earn your business since the same optioned vehicle is the same price from place to place.

As an example of our most recent Toyo purchase was decided by that very thing. Two dealerships had a Highlander exactly like my wife wanted. We went to look at one & it took forever for someone to finally even talk to us. Before then we walked around & looked after going inside. On the way in they had a “No Firearms Allowed on these premises” sign by the front door.

Someone finally came out & answered some questions. I went back inside to get some literature when the sales manager came over & asked the usual questions about when we were looking to buy & if there was anything they could do to “Earn my business.” I said, “Well for starters you can take down that sign by your front door.” pointing to the sign. He replied the owner wouldn’t do that. Believes in a safe space blah blah blah. The salesman then tries to give me his card & I let him Know that wouldn’t be needed because I would never by a car from them.

Next place we went to, no sign. Test drove the car, made the arrangements & signed the paperwork. While the wife was getting the walk through from the salesman the sales manager came out & talked to me & asked how everything went & thanked me for the purchase. I told him I mainly purchased it from them & not X dealer because of the other dealers policy towards my right to self-defense. He grinned & pulled his coat back & he was sporting a M&P .40 S&W. I grinned back & lifted my shirt to show him my M&P as well. We had a good laugh & talk after that.

Good story. Have to stick to your principals these days. They were basically telling you at the door they dont want your kind around here... just your money.
The hard pricing is a scam... and yes I think of it as a conspiracy. Buying my truck left me with such a bad taste in my mouth I was one more try away from dropping 6 or 7 thousand into my 125,000 mile 2500 HD and just saying the hell with them all.

The Superdutys were for me... all about 10 grand too much. I knew the truck as I had an F-450 since Jan of 2017. I knew what I wanted... what it was worth. I knew how long the trucks were sitting on the lots because I had been scanning the websites for 2 years. Most importantly I had the wifes blessing! Under those conditions I should have been an easy deal. But they were dedicated to sitting on the deal they offered and werent going to the second level at all. They all acted exactly the same. Like I was insane to think they would deal on these golden bars they had because they were just flying off the lot. One dealer was emailing me 2 months after I took delivery of my special order truck that took 7 weeks to come in... to ask if I was still interested. Thats BS... they could have probably sold that truck and 6 more just like it by taking 1,000 dollars less. I find it hard to understand that mentality.

I just called the Chevy dealer and told them I wanted to come look at the convertible. I had a very nice sales woman and after I drove it they gave me a price. I offered less... they countered... a few back and forths until I felt good about the price. Went with my wife for her to drive it and thats it. Took 2 visits over the course of a week. Thats how Ive bought vehicles my entire life. If they think they are going to just tell me the price and Im signing over a check they are out of their friggin minds. Cars are at best a depreciating asset. Most are really just pieces of crap. If Im about to pay 50 grand for a piece of crap your at least going to have to make me feel like Im getting a deal.

I dont like car dealers. I probably will never set foot back in there even for the free oil change unless I have a warrantee issue. And Ill be nervous for them to be touching it.

In the mean time Im very happy with my F-250 and my Camaro. Hopefully Ill never have to return to the dealer with either. Until them Im doing my own maint... I have zero brand loyalty but I do have strong opinions... They change with the market. I try to buy American made products whether its T shirts or trucks. I walk away if its chinese. Ive been fighting that since the 90s. Their quality is crap and they are turning our dollars into a war machine against us. The comment somewhere above about the GM truck dashes cracking is correct. My 07 had 2 small cracks. I have seen dashes so cracked they looked like they were falling out. Thats chinese plastic garbage.

Now the production lines are halted because the supply lines of chips are disrupted... These corporate SOBs have put us all at risk with their globalist market. Anti biotics.... chips.... defense industry materials...oil... all sourced outside the US from countries that are at best malevolent competitors.
Too much off topic rant....

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by MR's 2SS

Good story. Have to stick to your principals these days. They were basically telling you at the door they dont want your kind around here... just your money.
The hard pricing is a scam... and yes I think of it as a conspiracy. Buying my truck left me with such a bad taste in my mouth I was one more try away from dropping 6 or 7 thousand into my 125,000 mile 2500 HD and just saying the hell with them all.

The Superdutys were for me... all about 10 grand too much. I knew the truck as I had an F-450 since Jan of 2017. I knew what I wanted... what it was worth. I knew how long the trucks were sitting on the lots because I had been scanning the websites for 2 years. Most importantly I had the wifes blessing! Under those conditions I should have been an easy deal. But they were dedicated to sitting on the deal they offered and werent going to the second level at all. They all acted exactly the same. Like I was insane to think they would deal on these golden bars they had because they were just flying off the lot. One dealer was emailing me 2 months after I took delivery of my special order truck that took 7 weeks to come in... to ask if I was still interested. Thats BS... they could have probably sold that truck and 6 more just like it by taking 1,000 dollars less. I find it hard to understand that mentality.

I just called the Chevy dealer and told them I wanted to come look at the convertible. I had a very nice sales woman and after I drove it they gave me a price. I offered less... they countered... a few back and forths until I felt good about the price. Went with my wife for her to drive it and thats it. Took 2 visits over the course of a week. Thats how Ive bought vehicles my entire life. If they think they are going to just tell me the price and Im signing over a check they are out of their friggin minds. Cars are at best a depreciating asset. Most are really just pieces of crap. If Im about to pay 50 grand for a piece of crap your at least going to have to make me feel like Im getting a deal.

I dont like car dealers. I probably will never set foot back in there even for the free oil change unless I have a warrantee issue. And Ill be nervous for them to be touching it.

In the mean time Im very happy with my F-250 and my Camaro. Hopefully Ill never have to return to the dealer with either. Until them Im doing my own maint... I have zero brand loyalty but I do have strong opinions... They change with the market. I try to buy American made products whether its T shirts or trucks. I walk away if its chinese. Ive been fighting that since the 90s. Their quality is crap and they are turning our dollars into a war machine against us. The comment somewhere above about the GM truck dashes cracking is correct. My 07 had 2 small cracks. I have seen dashes so cracked they looked like they were falling out. Thats chinese plastic garbage.

Now the production lines are halted because the supply lines of chips are disrupted... These corporate SOBs have put us all at risk with their globalist market. Anti biotics.... chips.... defense industry materials...oil... all sourced outside the US from countries that are at best malevolent competitors.
Too much off topic rant....

It seems harder to haggle these days due to the internet. Some dealers price their used cars near rock bottom. It then comes down to the trade in. How I got my used SS. Their listing price was pretty low to begin with and couldn't get them down much more so I told them it was what they would give me on the trade in.


Then you have places like Carmax and Carvana that have set prices lol. Only their set prices are 2-3 grand MORE than what the dealers list for and they wont haggle like a dealer would. I can't believe anyone would buy a car from them. It's a farce what they were selling Mustang GTs and Camaros for compared to normal car dealers. I've also heard they sell crap cars sometimes too.

[SkySerpent]

Originally Posted by Fraxum

I bought a loaded LT1 for a little more than a 1SS with NPP. I am okay with being dumb. I did not want the weight of hardware on the SS that I do not need at all. But of course NPP is a must for me, as well as the Bose, Recaros, and a sunroof.

I want Bose, but you cant get it with a 1ss for some reason... but you can for a LT1!

[CamaroSSStlfan]

Originally Posted by SkySerpent

I want Bose, but you cant get it with a 1ss for some reason... but you can for a LT1!

well, if you buy aftermarket exhaust who wants Bose when you can just listen to the roar?

[len125]

man, i'm blessed..I walked in to my chevy dealer in maryland, ordered the camaro i wanted, (color, npp, V6, leather seats,etc...) no problem. car was delivered about 11-12 weeks later, traded my 2017 4 turbo, they paid my vehicle off and gave me 14,000 on top of that for the trade...i was happy, dealer was happy, salesman was happy...great time...

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by CamaroSSStlfan

It seems harder to haggle these days due to the internet. Some dealers price their used cars near rock bottom. It then comes down to the trade in. How I got my used SS. Their listing price was pretty low to begin with and couldn't get them down much more so I told them it was what they would give me on the trade in.


Then you have places like Carmax and Carvana that have set prices lol. Only their set prices are 2-3 grand MORE than what the dealers list for and they wont haggle like a dealer would. I can't believe anyone would buy a car from them. It's a farce what they were selling Mustang GTs and Camaros for compared to normal car dealers. I've also heard they sell crap cars sometimes too.

People get too caught up in the "prices", IMHO. VERY few people actually look at the final cost out of their pocket. Who cares that Dealer X is charging $1000 more for the car if they're giving you $3000 more on trade? The -only- time that the selling price should be the sole focus is when you are not trading... Otherwise, people have to learn to look at the total deal.

[MR's 2SS]

Originally Posted by len125

man, i'm blessed..I walked in to my chevy dealer in maryland, ordered the camaro i wanted, (color, npp, V6, leather seats,etc...) no problem. car was delivered about 11-12 weeks later, traded my 2017 4 turbo, they paid my vehicle off and gave me 14,000 on top of that for the trade...i was happy, dealer was happy, salesman was happy...great time...

Yea, thats kind of how it went with our vert. ... it was there...I drove it... we talked... wife drove the car...talked some more... we left with it.
But Im sure others did the same thing between July and December but no joy...

The truck was way more frustrating... but no virus in May 2019... economy flourishing...they really seemed to believe I would pay their price if they held their ground... not one dealership but 3... even as I was walking away...it was as if they thought I would have to come back to them...

As for buying a car online? My god I cant even believe thats really a thing.

[MR's 2SS]

Originally Posted by ember1205

People get too caught up in the "prices", IMHO. VERY few people actually look at the final cost out of their pocket. Who cares that Dealer X is charging $1000 more for the car if they're giving you $3000 more on trade? The -only- time that the selling price should be the sole focus is when you are not trading... Otherwise, people have to learn to look at the total deal.

Absolutely. But I never talk trade unless the price is right first. I also take fanatical care of my vehicles. I keep ones I like for too long to get good money on a trade. I generally dont trade them as I get more in a private sale.
Dealers generally have little interest in a 12 year old truck with 126,000, or a car in the 90s. But if I bought a desirable vehicle in the first place and took care of it the secondary market is still interested.
They offered $4500 for my GMC on trade. But it sold in 2 weeks for $6500.

Also if your going to turn cars over every 3 or so years leasing is a good option.
I mean they are offering loan terms out to 8 years on some vehicles. If you need 8 years to pay of a car or truck you cant afford it.

[digitalfutur]

I bought my black-over-black RS towards the end of the '18 model year, based on the date of manufacture, it was on the lot for about 4 months. Just 4 options: V6, sunroof, RS package and 8 speed AT...nothing dealer installed.

The V6 and RS were the only must haves, as both are performance upgrades over the base LT. I've learned to like the sunroof, especially on warm days when the sun is directly overhead and warms your whole body. I added a few GM accessories like lighted door sill plates, RS logo console cover and mats at the time of purchase. And tinted windows, also through the dealer.

Price (no trade-in) was effectively a no-dicker sticker because I got a discount through my employer at the time, plus "GM bucks", and end of model year discount. It added up to $5K off MSRP plus 0.9% financing for 6 years...too good a deal to pass up.

Only downside was listening to the sales pitch for useless products like extended warranty, electronic rust zappers, and paint protection, all of which I declined.

[gtfoxy]

Originally Posted by MR's 2SS

Yea, thats kind of how it went with our vert. ... it was there...I drove it... we talked... wife drove the car...talked some more... we left with it.
But Im sure others did the same thing between July and December but no joy...

The truck was way more frustrating... but no virus in May 2019... economy flourishing...they really seemed to believe I would pay their price if they held their ground... not one dealership but 3... even as I was walking away...it was as if they thought I would have to come back to them...

As for buying a car online? My god I cant even believe thats really a thing.

New truck pricing, like pretty much everything, is going nuts. You can’t shut down the entire world without that happening. As it is we are seeing the beginning of that accordion effect, & it’s only going to get worse before it gets better, if it ever does.

In the ordering stage right now for another F550, it’s going to cost about 10K more than my 18 550 & about the same price as my 17 650 OTD. Talking over $80K for truck & body. Then I have to add more to it on my end to get it service ready.

I could buy 40acres of property for what I will have in a deprecating asset, but I need it to make money.

All I can say is buckle up folks ‘cause shits going to get crazier. We have the makings of an absolute economy killer. Shortages of product, high demand, labor crisis, increased energy cost, which all leads to the exploding inflation we are seeing. Add that to the threat of a strangling tax increase on the middle class & you have a real recipe for disaster that could make The Great Depression look like a walk in the park.