Cooler King said:
I'm interested in ordering a turbo Solstice but realize it's going to be awhile before Pontiac releases it. Is there anything more a dealer can do at this point other than just put me on a separate list of their making? Any recommendations? I can wait until the Turbocharged version is released but don't want to wait forever once it's available.
First off welcome.
Right now there has been nothing offical that has come to dealers about future Solstice changes or engines. But it is clear from press coverage that a Turbo could be in the future. Lets just
assume for this post that it will be available in the 2007 model year, at beginning of production, and for all dealers.
As you read around the threads here, I hope one point becomes clear: Car allocation is one place where size matters. To get you car as soon as possible, you want a dealer with the largest allocation.
Make a list of dealers within the distance you would find comfortable. Keep in mind you what to be of the mind that you would have to get the car serviced where you buy. Don't rule anyone out just yet.
Sort those by anything you already know about them, previous experiences or recommendations (or warnings) from others.
Now you have a target list of dealers. Do some research and award points for each catagory.
While it shouldn't be a problem to tell them why you are looking, I would keep the fact that you want to buy sometime next year a car that hasn't been announced under your hat for the moment.
1) Try to find out their current First Four Month Allocation for 2006s. This will give you an idea of who gets more and therefore soonest.
2) Try to see if the already have more Solstice orders then they think will be built in 2006. This could already put you behind for 2007. Or even if they have people in line for 2007s. (May have to tip your intentions here)
3) Seen how long they have been a Dealership.
4) Bonus point if they are a Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealer. Loose a point if single line Pontiac.
5) Try to determine how long their salespeople have been with them.
6) Last catagory, how do you feel about the interactions you had.
Re-sort your list. Go to dealer one and lay it out. Be very clear what you want and expect. ie First Turbo, copies of order verification when entered, price agreement, how you will pay, required deposit, and level of communication you want. Then stay on top of them, in a nice manner of course.
And I would think you want to get this done before any possible actual production announcement, just to stay out in front. Two logical places for Pontiac to make announcements of a turbo (to torpedo 2006 orders), would be a t the SEMA show in Vegas very late October-verly early November usually or at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2006.
One last thing you can do if you really want to lock it up, buy that last silver Aztek in the courner of the dealer's lot. :lol:
