GM Pricing increase
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
GM Pricing increase
I recently emailed GM about them raising the price of the 09 corvette by 1500. It already had gone up about a grand from 08 so thats an increase of 2500. Thats ridiculous!! They gave me a B.S. answer how they made a raft of improvements from 08. I cant believe they would do this especially with the economy being so bad. Any way heres their email address just in case anyone wants to give them a piece of their mind. cac@chevrolet.com We should make a big deal about this. They should know that corporate greed will not be tolerated. Hope you can voice your opinion.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 960
Likes: 0
From: Chicago IL
It is not a good thing for the consumer. I can understand GM's decision though. Rising labor cost, rising health care cost, more government regulation (new congress), supplier cost's have certainly gone up recently. Our country runs on oil. And when oil goes up so does every single thing we buy from Vette's to food.
Last edited by Jeff Pedersen; Oct 4, 2008 at 07:22 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,835
Likes: 6
even before the oil/gas price runup SUVs sold for a very large discount off "msrp". MSRP was, in fact, a joke on SUVs and many other types of vehicles. Everyone knows it even in good times the discounts were huge.
So it looks like the vette is headed in the same direction. It's a marketing decision. They want to be able to claim you have gotten a good deal when , in fact, you are paying more. Next time they run the employee discount promo guess what? You'll be paying at least the $1500 more.
So we have vettes selling now way below msrp. And we have vettes on lots of those dealers who do not discount vettes. It's a free market.
You need to vote with your feet in cases like this. They are milking the loyal following they have in the vette brand. If they milk too hard , though, they will lose customers. My 05 coupe still runs fine and I've put off replacing it for a variety of reasons including just not wanting to go through the process of sorting out a new car.
So it looks like the vette is headed in the same direction. It's a marketing decision. They want to be able to claim you have gotten a good deal when , in fact, you are paying more. Next time they run the employee discount promo guess what? You'll be paying at least the $1500 more.
So we have vettes selling now way below msrp. And we have vettes on lots of those dealers who do not discount vettes. It's a free market.
You need to vote with your feet in cases like this. They are milking the loyal following they have in the vette brand. If they milk too hard , though, they will lose customers. My 05 coupe still runs fine and I've put off replacing it for a variety of reasons including just not wanting to go through the process of sorting out a new car.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham Al
I agree,,the amount of the increase is reasonable. What is unforgivable is GM not notifying their dealers in advance of an increase so that the dealers can notify customers they're in the middle of negotiating with that the price is about to increase.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Price increase
I dont think its justified to raise the price without any notice and especially during these economic times. You cant tell me they couldnt of waited a little longer until the economy bounces back a bit. Besides the reason they gave me for the price increase was not because of labor costs, oil prices or anything like that. They said it was because of the and I quote "raft "of new features on the 09 compared to the 08. The only difference I see on the 09 compared to the 08 is the the audio controls on the steering wheel come standard on the base model. Lets call this what is really is corporate greed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 5,411
Likes: 2
From: N Carolina 08 Z51 Coupe
It all works out... GM raises the price then gives you a steep discount, a bargain you can't pass up. Yet you will pay more than last year... happens year after year.. There are some new features standard over the 08's, then figure in new age energy costs which made everything more expensive.
So their need to raise prices is as valid as everyone elses... even in spite of slower sales..
These are tough times for the auto industry and just about everything else.. and we are all feeling the pain.
So their need to raise prices is as valid as everyone elses... even in spite of slower sales..
These are tough times for the auto industry and just about everything else.. and we are all feeling the pain.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 30,688
Likes: 11
From: Ocala FL
Why is it that most everyone on this forum thinks they are smarter than GM? Yes, they are losing money, but I doubt there is a lot of CEO material posting on this board that could fix that problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,718
Likes: 80
From: Crossville Tennessee
It is not a good thing for the consumer. I can understand GM's decision though. Rising labor cost, rising health care cost, more government regulation (new congress), supplier cost's have certainly gone up recently. Our country runs on oil. And when oil go up so does every single thing we buy from Vette's to food.
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: Lawrenceville GA
I recently emailed GM about them raising the price of the 09 corvette by 1500. It already had gone up about a grand from 08 so thats an increase of 2500. Thats ridiculous!! They gave me a B.S. answer how they made a raft of improvements from 08. I cant believe they would do this especially with the economy being so bad. Any way heres their email address just in case anyone wants to give them a piece of their mind. cac@chevrolet.com We should make a big deal about this. They should know that corporate greed will not be tolerated. Hope you can voice your opinion.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 17,373
Likes: 6
From: Chatsworth California
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,933
Likes: 13
From: The Beautiful Inland Empire WA.
Have you priced a loaf of bread lately compared to two years ago?
Everything in this country moves by truck, which takes diesel fuel folks, and that and medical costs driving premiums through the roof...........I agree wholeheartedly with the others here that a 1 or 2% price increase is very moderate.
And yes, GM should have notified their dealers...that WAS an error on their part.
Everything in this country moves by truck, which takes diesel fuel folks, and that and medical costs driving premiums through the roof...........I agree wholeheartedly with the others here that a 1 or 2% price increase is very moderate.
And yes, GM should have notified their dealers...that WAS an error on their part.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,566
Likes: 2
From: Goleta CA
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Material and production costs are going up. If you're upset about a 2% increase, I hope you're not looking at buying a new sportbike. Their 2009 prices have gone up 5%-7% from all the manufacturers!
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 547
Likes: 3
From: Silicon Valley California
St. Jude Donor '09-'11
What are you complaining about?
I was one of the first to buy a 2009, mine was made the first week of production. Boardwalk had to repeatedly drop the price, since other big internet dealers were doing the same. It was down to about GM supplier at the time I bought, before it had dropped to around GM employee as with some dealers.
There was a price increase officially for 2009 but with the discounts, by my calculations, it cost the same as what Boardwalk would have sold me a 2008 for before 2009's came out. The same is still got to be true now, perhaps even better.
Yes, GM raised the price. But do you actually experience it buying a Corvette in the current economy? I don't think so.
I was one of the first to buy a 2009, mine was made the first week of production. Boardwalk had to repeatedly drop the price, since other big internet dealers were doing the same. It was down to about GM supplier at the time I bought, before it had dropped to around GM employee as with some dealers.
There was a price increase officially for 2009 but with the discounts, by my calculations, it cost the same as what Boardwalk would have sold me a 2008 for before 2009's came out. The same is still got to be true now, perhaps even better.
Yes, GM raised the price. But do you actually experience it buying a Corvette in the current economy? I don't think so.
CF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,226
Likes: 2,878
From: Charlotte N.C.
I do NOT agree this could be even remotely considered corporate greed, not even close. This statement from Truman911 makes me wonder his age. Sounds like he needs a reality check.