New car question

[Lohman446]

Any time I have walked into a dealer with my dad, myself, or a friend if you wave cash it is kind of funny to watch the reaction. It has been proven through several studies that we as a society have gotten used to swiping the card or signing on the line. You show cash and people's pulse and blood pressure increase and they are much more willing to deal. I've seen my dad walk away from a lot with $5000 dollar cars numerous times only paying in the $3000-3500 range cash. People are just more motivated when it is cash.
As for you giving a better deal to someone who has the cash in hand or a check from the bank, that is the buyer not really knowing what they are doing. A buyer should never reveal what there budget is, how they plan to pay, whether or not they have a trade in, or basically anything until they have settled on a price for whatever car they are buying; then you pull out your aces and work a great deal... Boy, I spend way too much time thinking about this crap

Consider this, most dealers make more money on financing you buy the bank essentially "paying" for points. Most salespeople (and frankly anyone selling you anything) "qualify" you as you walk in. If you look like you can afford it they will spend more time with you. If you look like you can't they simply do the least necessary to answer your questions. That being said there is a lot of other qualifying going on by salespeople. I employ zero commissioned salestaff - I find I really don't like salespeople. That being said very few people can beat the real professionals at there game, there is little doubt that commissioned salespeople earn dealerships more money per vehicle. I deal with it, most my income comes from service anyways.

[olinar]

Im too sleepy to read much so I dont know if this was said.

Vehicle manufacturers are required by law to keep producing any parts for any lines of their verhicles for 10 years after that model is gone.

So...
If you get a pontiac that lasts more than 10 years, its time for a new car anyway.

[Lohman446]

Im too sleepy to read much so I dont know if this was said.

Vehicle manufacturers are required by law to keep producing any parts for any lines of their verhicles for 10 years after that model is gone.

So...
If you get a pontiac that lasts more than 10 years, its time for a new car anyway.

I don't think its ten years. I know there is a certain period (I thought it was 7 but not sure on that) but I bet bankruptcy changes that.

[kevdupuis]

I don't think its ten years. I know there is a certain period (I thought it was 7 but not sure on that) but I bet bankruptcy changes that.

It depends on the popularity of the model, we've scrapped tooling in as little as 5 years after a model change and yet also produce service parts for others past 10 years.
One example of a line going past the 10 year line is the 95-99 Chev Lumina/Monte Carlo for which we'll be producing h/l assemblies for a couple of years yet.

[MANN]

I don't think its ten years. I know there is a certain period (I thought it was 7 but not sure on that)

I could not order a bearing for a 2003 (or maybe it was 2004) vehicle. It was for a CVT transmission. The guy caught the transmission in time that only the bearing needed replacement (not the shaft or cover that the bearing mates with). Saturn would not sell just the bearing. They wanted ~2000 for an "assembly", and 3000 for a new trans.

No dealer in the US, England, or Germany had the bearing separately. *** dealers in the US and Germany said the bearing is no longer being made.

IMO parts should be available for 12yrs. after the last one is mfgd.

[Lohman446]

I could not order a bearing for a 2003 (or maybe it was 2004) vehicle. It was for a CVT transmission. The guy caught the transmission in time that only the bearing needed replacement (not the shaft or cover that the bearing mates with). Saturn would not sell just the bearing. They wanted ~2000 for an "assembly", and 3000 for a new trans.

No dealer in the US, England, or Germany had the bearing separately. *** dealers in the US and Germany said the bearing is no longer being made.

IMO parts should be available for 12yrs. after the last one is mfgd.

Thats the key to the equation. The part was technically available, just not how you wanted to buy it. The idea is to keep them from causing obsolensence by not making a very proprietary (sp) part that is a one of - making no aftermarket for it.

That being said someone, somewhere, makes that bearing. Around here I would call a company called Applied Industries and they would find a bearing that matched the specifications. Failing that they would build one.

[MANN]

That being said someone, somewhere, makes that bearing. Around here I would call a company called Applied Industries and they would find a bearing that matched the specifications. Failing that they would build one.

I would almost bet a case of beer that there is/was not a replacement. It was standard/metric bearing, and that is why it was so hard/rare. We considered having one made, but that got expensive fast.

The replacement parts from saturn were different sizes hence why you had to buy an "assembly".

lol. I just noticed that AO censored out the bearing company.. it was a F.A.G. bearing.

Problems like these is why more than likely I will always drive a silverado/serria, and not these hybrid new space age junk. You can have your 30+mpg with your 4k+ repair bills. Ill keep my 15mpg & 100.00 repair bills

[skife]

I would almost bet a case of beer that there is/was not a replacement. It was standard/metric bearing, and that is why it was so hard/rare. We considered having one made, but that got expensive fast.

The replacement parts from saturn were different sizes hence why you had to buy an "assembly".

lol. I just noticed that AO censored out the bearing company.. it was a F.A.G. bearing.

Problems like these is why more than likely I will always drive a silverado/serria, and not these hybrid new space age junk. You can have your 30+mpg with your 4k+ repair bills. Ill keep my 15mpg & 100.00 repair bills

$100.00 repair bills huh?

are you replacing a battery or something?

last i checked most shops charged at least $55+ an hour

[Lohman446]

$100.00 repair bills huh?

are you replacing a battery or something?

last i checked most shops charged at least $55+ an hour

My last shop bill was more than $100. And I don't pay labor There is a valid point in there though, sometimes its not the way you think,

Price a muffler for an 07 Silverado if your bored

[Miltonyz]

Lohman is right that a dealership generally makes more money if you finance. The finance company that they hook you up with gives them a kickback. Remember that the dealer is not your friend and whatever APR they offer you is as negotiable as what you pay for the car.

[MANN]

Price a muffler for an 07 Silverado if your bored

just out of curosity how much is it? I dare to say cheap compared to a 07 toyota or honda.

I am considering getting aftermarket exhaust for my 04 2500.

One thing that I dont think people take into consideration is upkeep cost. Gm/Fords are easier to work on/ find parts for compared to foreign cars. I would hate to see a repair bill for a hybrid/space age vehicle. It is sometimes cheaper to buy another as apposed to fixing the vehicle. It breaks my heart when you have to tell a customer that their 04 toyota rav4 is going to cost them 4k+ to fix. The car is only worth ~10k and has less than 100k miles

[MANN]

$100.00 repair bills huh?

are you replacing a battery or something?

last i checked most shops charged at least $55+ an hour

lol. where did you find 55/hr. most are 85+ an hour.
I am a mechanic. I work for free.

[Lohman446]

just out of curosity how much is it? I dare to say cheap compared to a 07 toyota or honda.

I am considering getting aftermarket exhaust for my 04 2500.

One thing that I dont think people take into consideration is upkeep cost. Gm/Fords are easier to work on/ find parts for compared to foreign cars. I would hate to see a repair bill for a hybrid/space age vehicle. It is sometimes cheaper to buy another as apposed to fixing the vehicle. It breaks my heart when you have to tell a customer that their 04 toyota rav4 is going to cost them 4k+ to fix. The car is only worth ~10k and has less than 100k miles

GM / Ford WAS easier to work on. Ford had a policy of trying to lower the number of dealers for years, and GM is going to do it all in one swoop. IMO they are giving up one of the great advantages they had over the competitors. It is also very dependent on where you are. Around here good GM / Ford / Chrysler techs with lots of experience are easy to find outside the dealer, VW etc not so much. Frankly I have factory scanners for GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Even the best aftermarket scanners (There are Modus scanners here now) are not as good as the factory ones.

IIRC the muffler on the 08 Silverado I priced the other day (physical damage) was over $600 - which of course is just a lot on the ridiculous side.

/Need to raise labor rates
//$50 pfrh

[MANN]

Frankly I have factory scanners for GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Even the best aftermarket scanners (There are Modus scanners here now) are not as good as the factory ones.

QFT. We have a modus or solus (same software different computer). It cant touch the options we get from our dealer scanners.