Tips for ordering your Solstice or getting it sooner

[Gizmo]

FIRST SOME ADVICE TO FORUM MEMBERS: This is only advice, you do not have to do any of this.
If you have not already done so, please go to User CP near the top of any page and complete your Profile and add a Signature. In the Profile indicate your city and state of residence. In the Signature indicate your VIN last 4 digits, color ordered, date delivered to customer if applicable, and whatever else you care to.

You might want to print this instruction post out so you can follow along as you perform the procedures.

So many members have been waiting, patiently or otherwise, for their Solstice to come in. Others have been observing, quietly or otherwise, the dealings we have had with dealers. So here are some tips on placing your order for the first time or moving on to another dealer because you just can't wait anymore.

Most importantly, let me say that it is a good idea to get your order in writing, signed by an official of the dealership (higher than salesman). It would be nice if the sales order stated that the sales price will be MSRP.

For those who prefer to use a specific dealership, you should ask your dealer how many they have sold so far, how many have been delivered so far, how many customers are currently waiting for delivery, and IS THERE AN ALLOCATION available for you. If no allocation is available right now, ask how many allocations does this dealership get for each four-month allocation period.

For those who were born to shop (and you know who you are, but this applies to guys too), it would be a good idea to contact other dealers, perhaps expand the radius out to 500 miles or more in your search. Ask if they have a Solstice on the floor or in transit or at least at Event Code 2000 Accepted by GM. With Code 2000, it is in the dealership's current allocation and the process will advance rather quickly.

The preceding paragraph applies to those who are tired of waiting for their current dealer to get to Event Code 2000, or can't get sufficient information from their dealer. Go to www.gmbuypower.com, fill in that you're looking for a 2006 Pontiac Solstice and enter your zip code. Make a list of each dealership that appears, then repeat the process with zip codes farther and farther away. Now you've got a list of dealerships, call each one at least every week asking if they have a Solstice on the floor or in transit, if they sell at MSRP. You can also do this at www. pontiac.com, click on "Locate Vehicle." I don't know if you get different results or not.

ntouched added that you should contact each dealer in your search area at least 3 times a week (I would settle for once a week ) until you have found what you want and made the deal.

Now for those who seek information on the status of their vehicle, please click on this link to visit the thread with tips on Following Your Solstice Through Production:

Following Your Solstice Through Production

I INVITE ALL FORUM MEMBERS TO POST TO THIS THREAD WITH THEIR HELPFUL HINTS. My favorite expression is:

Forum Members Helping Forum Members. It Just Doesn't Get Any Better Than That!

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[ntouched]

Good info Giz! I'd like to emphasize calling every dealer at least 3 times a week within a 100 or 200 miles radius. Something good should happen to you!

[tweety]

May I add that you need to ask the additional question about taxes when buying outside of your region. That is to say if the region expands into another state.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by tweety May I add that you need to ask the additional question about taxes when buying outside of your region. That is to say if the region expands into another state.

Sales tax can indeed be an issue, but generally when you are moving from one state to another.

When you are buying a new car out of state, you generally just get a temporary tag to get you out of the state and you register it in your state of residence. Hopefully the dealership handles all that for you, even when it's going out of state, especially for those who are financing.

I'll be starting a thread with information on each state's sales tax issues. BTW, Montana does not charge sales tax on vehicles, according to Little Red #531 !!!!

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[Gizmo]

Here's what MomsSol did to get her Solstice quicker:

Originally Posted by MomsSol Why I got my order SO fast... You may want to put this in your helpful threads. The dealer had a stock order that was already at status code 3000 on 9/21/05. They changed the order to match my order. People may want to see if dealers will do this for them...and don't let them say "it can't be done" .....I'm proof that with help from the factory rep good things happen. To parapharse an old FRAM commercial: "You can sell it to me now....or you can sell it to me later."

Thanks, MomsSol, that can help someone cut months off their wait time!

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[homeport]

I would add, don't burn any bridges with your local dealer even if they have been unable to get you a car right away. I had originally placed a sold order with my dealer in May. The order never got picked up by GM and I cancelled it in October. But I parted ways with my dealer on good terms, making it clear that I understood it was a difficult situation for everybody. Well, on Saturday morning 12/17, the dealer called to say they had just taken delivery on a loaded Deep and did I want to take a look at it since the original customer had lost patience with the wait and given up on it. A couple of hours later, I'm the owner of #1590.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by homeport I would add, don't burn any bridges with your local dealer even if they have been unable to get you a car right away. I had originally place a sold order with my dealer in May. The order never got picked up by GM and I cancelled it in October. But I parted ways with my dealer on good terms, making it clear that I understood that it was a difficult situation for everybody. Well, on Saturday morning 12/17, the dealer called to say they had just taken delivery on a loaded Deep and did I want to take a look at it since the original customer had lost patience with the wait and given up on it. A couple of hours later, I'm the owner of #1590.

Thanks for a GREAT post, homeport! Be sure to start a Delivered To Customer thread so we can all share in your joy!

To add another tidbit of information, I was in Nacogdoches, Texas yesterday for my step-daughter's graduation. Afterward I thought I'd stop by and visit the Pontiac dealership, maybe they haven't seen a Solstice yet.

I was right, the salesman yelled at the sales manager on his way out the door: Hey, Joe, come see a real Solstice!

They HOPE to be able to place their FIRST order in February IF they get their first allocation!

The point is, anyone in that town that wanted a 2006 Solstice in 2005 had to order someplace else.

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[cwt137]

Hello,

Your local Credit Union might be able to help. Look at my previous post for background info.
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/s...952#post157952

[PAO]

Originally Posted by gizmo2004 Sales tax can indeed be an issue, but generally when you are moving from one state to another. When you are buying a new car out of state, you generally just get a temporary tag to get you out of the state and you register it in your state of residence. Hopefully the dealership handles all that for you, even when it's going out of state, especially for those who are financing. I'll be starting a thread with information on each state's sales tax issues. BTW, Montana does not charge sales tax on vehicles, according to Little Red #531 !!!! .

do a google for your local DMV requirements for registration as well...also ask your dealer if you are buying out of state..what are the tax requirements for that state...do you have to pay any at all....and if you do will you get reimbursed if they exceed the taxes required in your state of registration.....

our example..purchased in MD...registered in VA....MD dealer charged $15 for temp tag....no sales tax..which is %5....to register in VA..simply had to show dealer documentation for purchase price of the car...VA tax is %3 thus we saved just over $500 in costs..between taxes in MD vs VA..but had to pay the VA tax at DMV at time of registration...

[archer]

Originally Posted by Gizmo Here's what MomsSol did to get her Solstice quicker: Thanks, MomsSol, that can help someone cut months off their wait time! .

I had no help from DMV, they said the dealer should know these steps, but the dealer has no idea also. If I buy it from Alabama and drive it to Florida with temporary tag, is it really hard to register, pay the tax and apply for tag by myself? Do I really need a delaer or someone else to do it? I appreciate if anyone has an idea on this. Thanks.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by archer I had no help from DMV, they said the dealer should know these steps, but the dealer has no idea also. If I buy it from Alabama and drive it to Florida with temporary tag, is it really hard to register, pay the tax and apply for tag by myself? Do I really need a delaer or someone else to do it? I appreciate if anyone has an idea on this. Thanks.

Originally Posted by State of Alabama Revenue Rule 810-6-3-.42.02. Nonresidents, Sales to. (1) Other than the exceptions noted in (2) and (3) below, sales to nonresidents are sales at retail subject to the tax even though such purchasers claim that the property purchased is for use outside of Alabama, except where the seller delivers the property outside Alabama or to the U.S. Postal Service or to a common carrier for transportation outside Alabama. (Sections 40-23-1(a)(5), 40-23-4(a)(17) and 40-23-62(2)) (2) Sales of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, truck trailers, or semitrailers that (i) will be registered or titled outside Alabama and (ii) are exported or removed from Alabama within 72 hours by the purchaser or the purchaser's agent for first use outside Alabama are not subject to Alabama sales tax. To be exempt from Alabama sales tax, the information relative to the exempt sale must be documented on forms approved by the Revenue Department. (See Sales and Use Tax Rule 810-6-3-.42.03 entitled Sales of Certain Automotive Vehicles to Nonresidents for First Use and Registration or Titling Outside Alabama.) Sales of other vehicles such as mobile homes, motor bikes, all terrain vehicles, and boats do not qualify for this export exemption provision and are subject to Alabama sales tax unless the seller can provide factual evidence that the vehicle was delivered outside Alabama or delivered to a common carrier for transportation outside Alabama. (Section 40-23-2(4))

As you can see, there will be no Alabama sales tax, per #2 above. The Alabama sales tax agent told me "when the purchaser intends to remove the automobile from Alabama and register it in another state within 72 hours, he may, at the time of purchase, complete a Drive Out Certificate to avoid paying Alabama tax."

You will of course pay sales tax when you register the car in Florida.

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[archer]

Originally Posted by Gizmo As you can see, there will be no Alabama sales tax, per #2 above. The Alabama sales tax agent told me "when the purchaser intends to remove the automobile from Alabama and register it in another state within 72 hours, he may, at the time of purchase, complete a Drive Out Certificate to avoid paying Alabama tax." You will of course pay sales tax when you register the car in Florida. .

Thanks! You are fast! This forum rules.