GCRoberts

I've never leased or purchased a new Chevrolet before. However, I must have been randomly selected when entering my information on the Corvette section of the Chevrolet website. Today I received a private offer for $3000 towards a 2012 (or 2011) Corvette. The offer is good from today to 7/2/2012. I was pleasantly surprised that I made the "mysterious" list with the Top Secret selection algorithm!

I'm VERY VERY serious about purchasing a Corvette, but was heavily leaning towards picking up a 2013 in about 9-12 months. I wasn't planning on waiting in an attempt to pay the absolute lowest price on a vette. I just would prefer to get my wife's car paid off before I pick up another payment! I'm sure there are no guarantees that you'll be on future lists if you don't take advantage when you receive the offer. I know most here will say "buy it now", but that's not the advice I'm seeking. I have enough patience to wait and buy when it makes the most sense to me.

Can anyone here educate me on their experiences with private offers? Do you tend to get them regularly once you're on the list...or is it a "use it or lose it" type situation?

Thanks in advance!

VETTEPLAY

I use to be in the car business yearsssss ago. When you entered in your info in the "corvette" section you are presumed to be a "solid" buyer since you are looking at high dollar cars. So what they offer you a measley $3k towards the purchase of a new vette. I bet they do. You could negoiate that $3k, and more, any day any time you get ready to buy and they know your serious. That "offer" is to get you in the dealership where they have a chance of putting you in a car. Be patient and get the one you want and negoiate that $3k and more.

GCRoberts

I hadn't heard it was a negotiable value. I'd just be happy to have the same value available to me later.

ATC399

Walk away and purchase when you are ready....its only 3k on a 49K+ new Vette...

VETTEPLAY

NEVER let someone tell you a car's price isn't negoiatable, lol. Carmax is a particular dealership chain that does that one price bs. Used cars though not new. I tell you what GC. When your ready to buy that 2013 go to the dealership and get your BEST price and then email me and I guarantee I can get the same car cheaper.

LMB-C6

I thought the private offer was on top of what you negotiate - so it's not just 3k off a $49k car, it's on top of that - right? I didn't see anything that said "valid only off MSRP" anywhere on mine.

VETTEPLAY

It all depends on who exactly is offering that 3k. If im the dealer and I know I have to honor 3k right off the bat then you can bet Im not going to let you beat me up pricewise THEN give you the 3k. Dealers only have so much profit built into every car and they wont go below a certain price on a car like a vette. But there is alot of money there trust me. Holdback alone on a $50k car is several hundred dollars. Thats additional profit in addition to what he makes off you and most people are clueless about holdback when they negoiate a car's price.

Classic-Chevy-Guy

I believe that the Private Offers from GM do not affect the dealer profitability. GM rebates the dealer.

VETTEPLAY

Then if that offer is from gm I would negoiate my BEST price from the dealer THEN spring the private offer on him. That is a good deal.

LMB-C6

Keith Tedford

Most of this offer stuff is nothing more than smoke and mirrors to get your money into their pocket. Me, I have always let someone else take the first big depreciation hit. We just bought a 2005 Corvette with 12K miles on it for well under half of new price. The engine was cleaned with Q-tips and the car could go back into the new car show room. If you have to have new and take the big hit, that's fine by me, I'll be waiting.

SolidlyStated

My last sales job had "private sales" with "friend n family" pricing, which was really a mailer that went out every time to anyone who had our store credit card. If you got it once, you would then get it for the next one and the so on.

AORoads

it's a bit of a sucker play. doesn't mean you'll never get it again. every car co. will try different things to get people in the showroom. how about free coffee? or free car wash?

buy on your own timeline and with your finances in line. anything else, and you're looking down the wrong end of a barrel and always worrying about the payment, the job(s), the economy, etc. be wise.

maxp

I got one today but I can't use because when I had to supply a name and address I made one up (I don't like giving that info out to the net) but used my email so I would get the requested info!

Dave@Ciocca

Hang on guys!

He's talking about the $3,000 Target In Market Retention from General Motors. It's worth $3,000 over and above whatever he negotiates from the dealer.

I can't tell you exactly how they make that list every 2 months but I can tell you it's usually one of two different customers. The first is a previous GM owner who purchased a car about 3 years ago. The other is someone they consider a solid lead, probably from the GM site.

If you are a previous GM owner who bought a car a few years ago, they'll probably repeat it a few times before they pull you off the list. If you a not a customer who regularly buys GM products but just a solid lead, they usually only give you one shot and then move on.

$3,000 over and above your best deal at the dealership is nothing to walk away from lightly especially when you add in the 0% APR for 60 months which can be combined with your offer.

There's no guarantee that you will have this offer 7-9 months from now and there's no guarantee that there will be 0% APR available either.

Dave

VETTEPLAY

Im with Keith. I NEVER buy off the lot brand new. I let someone else take that hit and then save thousands by buying a year or two old.

RickintheOC

It's been my understanding that $3,000 offer is given by GM and not the dealer. So whatever you negotiate, you can take an additional $3,000 off. For example, three weeks ago I purchased a new 2011 that was advertised $15,000 off MSRP and 0% financing for 72 months. If I would have had your offer, I would have received $18,000 off sticker and that would have been a staggering discount.

mpuzach

Thanks for the straight scoop, Dave.

hawkgfr

^^^^My private offers have all worked like this...

RickintheOC

Your right, you do take a big hit when you buy new. However, if you have the financial means to do so, why not? Besides, look at all the jobs you create everytime you buy new and for me, there is nothing like a new car and I buy one every 3 years.