C6 Batch Release
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Plantation, FL FL
C6 Batch Release
I was told today by a friend at GM that the release on the C6 was being held up for three reasons:
1. As many dealers as possible will get their inventory at the same time in the same market so that some dealers do not gain a sales advantange.
2. The batch release may discourage the 'over sticker' pricing that GM is very much against.
3. GM wanted to reduce the inventory level of '04s because the dealer council complained that it would be difficult to sell the remaining C5 models once the C6 is out, which GM has tried to address with extra incentive money, but inventories remain high.
I can't vouch for any of this, but my buddy has a pretty high job and has been a GM for 20 years.
1. As many dealers as possible will get their inventory at the same time in the same market so that some dealers do not gain a sales advantange.
2. The batch release may discourage the 'over sticker' pricing that GM is very much against.
3. GM wanted to reduce the inventory level of '04s because the dealer council complained that it would be difficult to sell the remaining C5 models once the C6 is out, which GM has tried to address with extra incentive money, but inventories remain high.
I can't vouch for any of this, but my buddy has a pretty high job and has been a GM for 20 years.
Race Director
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From: I am Jack's out-dated Fight Club reference. MD
1 and 2 seem the most likely of the three. At this point I think that someone who wants a C5 wants it because it's a C5 and they don't want the C6. But who knows.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,076
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From: San Jose CA
The same thing happened with the Mazda RX-8. A year ago there were many pre-order people whose cars were at the port for over a month. Mazda finally admitted that they were holding back so they could release them to all the dealers at the same time, and to have cars at the dealers when they had their big introduction.
Melting Slicks
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From: los gatos, ca
Originally Posted by Mardav
I was told today by a friend at GM that the release on the C6 was being held up for three reasons:
1. As many dealers as possible will get their inventory at the same time in the same market so that some dealers do not gain a sales advantange.
2. The batch release may discourage the 'over sticker' pricing that GM is very much against.
3. GM wanted to reduce the inventory level of '04s because the dealer council complained that it would be difficult to sell the remaining C5 models once the C6 is out, which GM has tried to address with extra incentive money, but inventories remain high.
I can't vouch for any of this, but my buddy has a pretty high job and has been a GM for 20 years.
1. As many dealers as possible will get their inventory at the same time in the same market so that some dealers do not gain a sales advantange.
2. The batch release may discourage the 'over sticker' pricing that GM is very much against.
3. GM wanted to reduce the inventory level of '04s because the dealer council complained that it would be difficult to sell the remaining C5 models once the C6 is out, which GM has tried to address with extra incentive money, but inventories remain high.
I can't vouch for any of this, but my buddy has a pretty high job and has been a GM for 20 years.
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
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Melting Slicks
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From: All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies. --Bokonon
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'07
Originally Posted by sorka
None of these reasons should apply to "sold" orders.
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
are ready. So unfortunately, it appears not to matter if a C6 is sold or
ordered for inventory. Maybe the Zen thing, "they will arrive when they
arrive", is how to look at it.
Last edited by John George; Aug 14, 2004 at 11:18 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Westlake Village CA
Originally Posted by sorka
None of these reasons should apply to "sold" orders.
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
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From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
Originally Posted by RonnieC6
This is not only logical, but completely correct, simply because there are not and will not be (for a long while) any C6's built that are not pre-sold. I know for a fact that the reason that production is slow and shipping will not start until thiss week or next is because chevy wants a product with no bugs or flaws from the get go. every car coming off the line must be inspected.
Safety Car
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From: Reno NV
Originally Posted by HiloVette
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Joined: Aug 2004
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It is all about profit and more importantly cash flow. You have got to balance the cost of capital of the c5's versus the c6's. Gm knows they have a very captive customer base that has been expanded based on a pretty creative design. You have to admit they are building positive anxiety! How many of us are going to cancel our orders. Is there a real alternative? 
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 158
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From: Las Vegas - Winter Vancouver - Summer
Are they just sitting in the marshalling area?
Does anyone on the Forum have any info if the completed cars are just sitting or are they having a "corrective line" work on them?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Chula Vista CA
Logical Explanations
Originally Posted by sorka
None of these reasons should apply to "sold" orders.
:
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
:
1) These aren't inventory vehicles.
2) Price is already agreed to in writing.
3) No effect on '04s as they're already purchased.
You're right about that, but we zealots who put our orders in and put down deposits months ago are but a tiny fraction of the overall sales goals that GM must have for the C6.
I suspect that the reasons given above in this thread are pretty close to the truth. Frustrating as it is to wait for my Museum delivery, I'd rather believe that the cars are being held for some sort of dealer relations handwaving rather than for substantive quality issues. The discouraging thing about waiting until all dealers can have a couple of cars is that Chevrolet has about 3000 dealers. At 50 a day, it will take forever to produce enough cars for most of the bigger dealers to have a couple of cars.
Likewise, you have got to believe that GM is dead set against dealer price gouging. Just read some of the threads here to see how deep the resentment goes against dealers who gouged on the original C5's. People don't forget being taken advantage of and GM knows that. The dealers do the gouging and make the profits, but GM gets tarred with the same brush of resentment.