[tennis4789]

How much difference cost difference do you think there will be between buying the first car off the line and waiting two years?

I would think with some rebates/incentives plus negotiation the Solstice would be a grand or two or three lower in two years (and the added benefit of any fixes to problems with first year model).

 

[jimmyo]

I sure wouldn't count on the price coming down or getting a rebate on a Solstice in the forseeable future. Being a low volume car, I believe GM will control the supply to keep the price up. With inflation, and considering they drew a line in the sand at $20K for the launch, I don't see the price going anywhere but up. About the only thing you can wait on and expect the prices to drop is electronics!

 

[tennis4789]

Being a low volume car, I believe GM will control the supply to keep the price up. With inflation, and considering they drew a line in the sand at $20K for the launch, I don't see the price going anywhere but up. About the only thing you can wait on and expect the prices to drop is electronics!

I can't really think of any GM cars that have gone up in price except maybe the Corvette. I think most GM cars had $5000 in rebates recently. & Most American cars always seem to drop in price ie PT cruiser style.

 

[mceb]

I think there will be a little drop off of MSRP but maybe not rebates. Sports cars usually don't get rebates.

 

[RODEO]

I think there will be a little drop off of MSRP but maybe not rebates. Sports cars usually don't get rebates.

OK, you all knew I was going to junp in here. 2004 MSM sticker at 26K, now are 7-8K off sticker. I don't know about the Sol, but if they don't come down with the same incentives/discounts/rebates, I'll only be admiring them from the MSM. My plan is to get one at 7K off sticker, if it don't happen, oh well........ That said, the Sol sticker wil likely go up from the base 20K it's starting at.

I'll still be smiling though

 

[jimbo]

OK, you all knew I was going to junp in here. 2004 MSM sticker at 26K, now are 7-8K off sticker. I don't know about the Sol, but if they don't come down with the same incentives/discounts/rebates, I'll only be admiring them from the MSM. My plan is to get one at 7K off sticker, if it don't happen, oh well........ That said, the Sol sticker wil likely go up from the base 20K it's starting at.

I'll still be smiling though

Rodeo, you are dreaming. You are never goingto be able to buy a base Solstice for $13,000 or a loaded one for $17,000. $7k off sticker is never going to happen. That is for the $30+ loaded rigs.

 

[tennis4789]

Rodeo, you are dreaming. You are never goingto be able to buy a base Solstice for $13,000 or a loaded one for $17,000. $7k off sticker is never going to happen. That is for the $30+ loaded rigs.

I don't know they sometimes have $1500 loyalty & then knock off $1500 to $3000 in rebates & then throw on the gm card of up to $3500 for the old card & then negotiate them off list about a grand (1500 loyalty + 3000 rebates + 3500 gm card + 1000 negotiation = $9000 off). But, Solstice could go up in price if Pontiac only makes a small number & Pontiac creates a buzz about this product, but typically haven't seen in past from US makers.

 

[RODEO]

Thanks for making my point tennis. I've seen someone get 9K off an msrp MSM sticker. I didn't say I'd pay 13K for a base or 17K off a loaded, but I did say I will get one for 7K off sticker, and it will happen, mark my words, I will say the the base Sol price will rise before I get that 7K discount. And, like always, someone will beat my price by 1-2K. Add to any argument here the fact the roadster market it going to get saturated, no doubt 7K off of msrp is going to happen.

And if it doesn't, then the 19K I paid for my 26K msrp MSM is looking all the better.

Now, no mi*ta bashing to justify your arguments cause a MSM will beat a base Sol in a straight line and in the twisties.

 

[tennis4789]

welcome Rodeo.... It would be really cool to be one of the first kids on the blocks to own a Solstice. I still remember someone coming up and asking me questions about my newly leased 1996 civic LX in 1996. It wasn't that exotic or anything the person hadn't seen it though.

Waiting a year or two might also add option for a couple extra horses under the hood. The Vette rarely ever sees any incentives. I think the Solstice will probably need a few incentives to get it to move sometimes during the year especially with some good used options convertible vette, s2000, toyota spyder (left market for some reason) miata, boxster. If the price creeps too much then it's up against an RX-8 for me except for the darn gm card.

 

[RODEO]

welcome Rodeo.... It would be really cool to be one of the first kids on the blocks to own a Solstice. I still remember someone coming up and asking me questions about my newly leased 1996 civic LX in 1996. It wasn't that exotic or anything the person hadn't seen it though.

Waiting a year or two might also add option for a couple extra horses under the hood. The Vette rarely ever sees any incentives. I think the Solstice will probably need a few incentives to get it to move sometimes during the year especially with some good used options convertible vette, s2000, toyota spyder (left market for some reason) miata, boxster. If the price creeps too much then it's up against an RX-8 for me except for the darn gm card.

You couldn't have said it better! I see the Sol getting more hp down the road, but it may be even more than a year or two, but that's why I bought my hold-me-over (see my signature page). Then add a year or so for the gouging to subside, then the discounts will come, then I attack. If I don't get the price I want, no problem, I'll have less than 30K miles on the MSM and will wait for the next great roadster value!

 

[mceb]

I just don't see loaded Sols going out the door for 5-7k off. Rodeo, I think the 7k off the MSM was an extreme situation with Mazda trying to offload inventory before the NC comes out?

 

[Fortimir]

Prices will go up substantially.

Hell, automatic transmission is a $4,000 option on BMW X5s... and extra horses aren't negative multipliers on paper... and being the price point that this car is at, there isn't much headroom for these massive rebates and cash-backs that everyone speaks of.

 

[rlhammon]

Prices will go up substantially.

Hell, automatic transmission is a $4,000 option on BMW X5s... and extra horses aren't negative multipliers on paper... and being the price point that this car is at, there isn't much headroom for these massive rebates and cash-backs that everyone speaks of.

For the life of me I can't seem to understand why you keep quoting BMW prices when talking about the Solstice. Typcial General Motors price increase on an automatic is what... $1,000 - $2,000 I believe, depending on model in this size of a vehicle.

Rodeo isn't talking about getting a Solstice in June of 2005 for $7k below MSRP... he's talking about getting one (down the road) for that kind of a price. I'm guessing here... but like many the base price will most likely go up. It seems to happen to many GM vehicles (despite the givebacks all supplierrs have to provide each year, and cost downs... never figured that whole thing out). I'm willing to bet that if/when? a higher horsepower version is coming out that Rodeo will jump on one of the last 177 hp versions for very close to what he is waiting for.

 

[tennis4789]

Like the links on your web page Rodeo. Your Miata looks good. I'm thinking that in August of 2006 on the 2006 Solstice that will have been in production for a year and a quarter I might be able to negotiate $1000 off + $1500 rebate + $1500 owner loyalty (might have to pick up scrap title for a Pontiac ) + gm card = this is a difference of about $4000 for waiting a year and a quarter and getting the same or hopefully better quality car.

 

[jimbo]

I don't know they sometimes have $1500 loyalty & then knock off $1500 to $3000 in rebates & then throw on the gm card of up to $3500 for the old card & then negotiate them off list about a grand (1500 loyalty + 3000 rebates + 3500 gm card + 1000 negotiation = $9000 off). But, Solstice could go up in price if Pontiac only makes a small number & Pontiac creates a buzz about this product, but typically haven't seen in past from US makers.

I was speaking specifically with the Solstice in mind. It looks to be a very low profit vehicle right now, so I don't believe we will see the above discounts any time soon. Agree or disagree?

Also, I keep reading on this forum that you can use only $1,000 from the GM Card for sports cars.

I just don't see $9,000 off a Solstice now or any time in the future unless the model is discountinued and they are struggling to clear out the inventory. There will never be t hat much profit built into it.

 

[RODEO]

Anytime soon, not a chance. I do recall an old thread where the a group of us figured the gouging woud hold shortly, then msrp, then invoice woud be the norm, and that was thought to happen in the first year. I still think that's the way it will go.

I don't expect to get $9K off. But I do expect to get $7K. Will I have to wait, oh yeah! And I've planned for that. The 7K off MSM msrp wouldn't have happened but for several reasons, I think mostly as it is a previous gen as a new gen was being announced. So, the Sol at deep discount will not occur until they discontinue it or develop a second gen, fine with me.

This thread isn't just about how low the Sol will go, it's also about what you could expect in 2 or 3 years which will likely be more like 4-5K off sticker. Will everyone get that low, no, but that's true of any car. But what makes the Sol so special that it will be the only car not dropping in price? Remember, mazda still wants to sell its 20K units give or take in the U.S., then add 20K units of sol, and how many sky's, and then other roadsters.....Competition wil force the discounts.

And there's bang for your buck. How much are the 2004 350Zs, I've seen 27K, the MSM can be had for 17K, and I'm sure ther's great deals on others. If the Sol doesn't drop by discounts, they won't move as people migrate to a different car that has more bang for the buck.

I'd love to see some other opinions on this thread, not bashing those that are here, but it's a very significant thread, and worthy of discussion.

 

[jimbo]

Everything has been explained.

 

[Blk37Special]

I'm just one of those guys who has to have it now.

I bought one of the first PT's out of the box, got the limited edition and paid $18,000 which I think was a pretty good deal. My next goal was to get the PT convertible and I started saving my nickles and dimes. That dream lasted until about the time of production and I caught my first glimpse of the Sol. With the faint promise that the Sol was going into production, I held off on the PT convertible until I knew the Sol was going to be a reality. That has been almost 2 years.

Enough waiting for me, I have authorized my dealer to order ASAP. I remember the thrill of having one of the first PT's and I know that if I'm lucky enough to get a Sol I'll have that feeling again.

The reason for the big discounts on the PT was the huge production numbers. I don't think you are going to see that with the Sol. The 2 seater is not going to be practical for many people. Therefore, I see GM limiting production, especially scince they will also have the Sky. Big discounts aren't going to happen, at least not as I see it.

 

[RODEO]

welcome blk47S!

jimbo, you pulled your mini-novel, too bad, it was fun, and you put a lot of thought into it! I'll post my response for those that read yours, and consider yanking it as wel in a short while. But I think it's good banter for those like blk47Special who can't wait, must have first one, it helps them wrap some logic around pricing.

So, here's my response to a jimbo post that no longer exists:

jimbo, no worries, we've be more than cordial in this thread!

I laughed at your "edit" to the mini-novel, hahaha!

The MSM is a bad example now only because it's not the hottest new car on the market like the Sol, but the Sol will not always be the newest thing, that's what I'm waiting for.

A bmw isn't a great example, porsches, mercedes etc rarely get discounted, different market/$.

As for a hold-me over, I am in a unqiue position, I drive less than 5K miles a year, a bit more now with pleasure drives. The MS will not be a major loss of $ for me if I turn it over for a Sol. And I am less enamored of the Sol than the general person on this forum, I've made that clear over time, but I still want to sit in one and have it sell itself to me, maybe it will happen maybe not. If it happens the first year, then I'll buy in the first or second year at 4-5K discount, but I will wait for discounts, no car gets me that emotional.

One problem you said, you compared the 19K MSM to the 19.9K Sol, apples and oranges, the MSM is a loaded roadster, so more a 19K MSM to a 25K Sol. And the Sol hasn't even had a review in car mags. You have to remember, it is possible the Sol could be less than desirable in drivability. Thus, I bought a holdmeover.

One last note, I know someone who bought a used MSM w/ 3500 miles for 18K, so if I want to get a Sol in a year or two, I won't have lost a bundle, and I knew that going in. I will only suffer buyers remorse (if I ever actualy do) for a year or so, but not badly as I'm running a pretty nice roadster.

In the end, I think I'm turning into one of those guys that may buy a new car every other year. But maybe not, ny 4x4 is 6 years old, has 60K miles, runs/looks great, and I have no plans to sell it. Half that 60K miles came in one year while working in DC in case anyone challenges my math/miles above. Maybe I'll keep the 4x4 long term, and get a fresh roadster every two years, sounds like fun!

Or I may wait for 5 years and get a Sol for 7K discount.

 

[glh]

What will happen? Don't know. But what I hope happens is that in Dec. 2006 the 2007s will be showing up in showrooms and left over 2006s will need to be cleared from the showrooms. (2006s that will have been in production for more than a year how) Rebats, gm dollars,incetives or what ever in the amount of 1500$ to 2500$. December not good month to drive a roadster, but hopefully a good month to deal