New car is coming...'08 Malibu

[Oracle of Delphi]

Very nice color combo & trim level on your family's new Malibu, caddycruiser. Looks sharp. Is your Dad still adverse to the dark gray color, even after seeing the car?

Passed by there many-a-time on my way to OCMD. (that was of course, BEFORE Delaware was closed)

They allow people from Filth-A-Delphia to enter now! :AH-HA_wink:

[K.C.]

Congrats Caddycruiser! Nice 'bu ya got there! Love the color and those are my favorite wheels on the new Malibu! I hope it serves yall well!

[caddycruiser]

Very nice color combo & trim level on your family's new Malibu, caddycruiser. Looks sharp. Is your Dad still adverse to the dark gray color, even after seeing the car?

Passed by there many-a-time on my way to OCMD. (that was of course, BEFORE Delaware was closed)

CP Diver Lewes, Delaware. I know it well I bought my new at that time 1999 Pontiac Bonneville SSEI there. I was coming home from the beach and on a whim stopped in. When I left 45 minutes later, I was in my new Bonneville. Nice dealer, friendly people.

Hah, yes, and we LOVE the dealer too! Confirmed today, sad and maybe good, is that an outside person who owns many dealers in other states made an offer about a month back and bought them. People and such won't change, but boy was I said...I even loved the name, and seeing the owner often around there and even in the store. Should still be our friendly GM store at the beach, if the best stays as is.

As for the color...he's coming around. He's finally over his anger about her getting rid of the Suburban (secretly, HE wanted it...well, if he could only find someone to make the payments and fill it with gas), and I just showed him the pictures. I think he was thinking of something else, because he said "Oh, what color is that?" Of course, then he made snide remarks on:

1) Sunroof: "Why the heck did you get THAT? Who would want that? Those things leak", etc., etc...then I reminded him she had a 300M with one, he himself has said the Suburban wouldn't be so cavelike with one, AND this isn't 1950 anymore.

2) Heated Leather: "And leather, with HEAT. Jeez, what a stupid feature. We live in Delaware...when would you EVER use that?" This was so dumb, I was just mystified...only could remember that last week it was 15 degrees AND despite the fact that he'll shiver his skinny butt off on a frozen leather seat, he'll still refuse to use seat heaters "just because".

This was after too, apparently, he asked her today what engine she got and then carped "That's dumb, you should have gotten the V6, it's a better engine"...remembering here, he knows not ONE engine even offered in a Malibu. Then he asked me, of all things, "What's the cubic inches?" of the 4-cylinder.

Nut doesn't begin to describe it. But too bad, he pays for gas and insurance (both of which should go down) and she the rest. I'm never around, and only will be for a few more days.

She's excited, and I am too. I just helped her clean out the Suburban...and had to remind her, 3 times, "You CANNOT put this much stuff in a car. There just aren't that many cubbies and you'll have the trunk exploding".

Ah, the life and times of 2 screwballs...I'll have to keep checking in from time to time to make sure neither hurts the lovely Malibu...

Edited January 10, 2008 by caddycruiser

[caddycruiser]

I have a feeling, after seeing it and their reaction, that the dealer will be ordering more like ours.

The last one they sold was a base Dark Gray/Titanium 1LT, and several of the salesmen were commenting on how good the color and wheels looked, and how gorgeous they thought the 2-tone gray interior was with the suede. I must say, pictures can be odd, but the gray--which so many think is cheap rental car looking--is SO nice in person, especially when in a 2LT like this. The whole effect is more than impressive.

My salesperson was not happy about the license bracket, of course thinking we wouldn't be, but was having it taken off and they had some kind of little things to go in the holes. Still not sure, but it should be fine.

I wanted to drive it, and without plates, just spun around the lot. Once again, holy jeez, is the 2.4L spunky! Barely hit it to start and the thing just roars forward...yet, thankfully, is almost devoid of that "4-cylinder buzz". Won't be that big of a shock going from the 5.3L in the tank, really, and hopefully the gas mileage will compare to my 2.2L '07 Malibu rental.

Edited January 10, 2008 by caddycruiser

[Oracle of Delphi]

Hah, yes, and we LOVE the dealer too! Confirmed today, sad and maybe good, is that an outside person who owns many dealers in other states made an offer about a month back and bought them. People and such won't change, but boy was I said...I even loved the name, and seeing the owner often around there and even in the store. Should still be our friendly GM store at the beach, if the best stays as is.

As for the color...he's coming around. He's finally over his anger about her getting rid of the Suburban (secretly, HE wanted it...well, if he could only find someone to make the payments and fill it with gas), and I just showed him the pictures. I think he was thinking of something else, because he said "Oh, what color is that?" Of course, then he made snide remarks on:

1) Sunroof: "Why the heck did you get THAT? Who would want that? Those things leak", etc., etc...then I reminded him she had a 300M with one, he himself has said the Suburban wouldn't be so cavelike with one, AND this isn't 1950 anymore.

2) Heated Leather: "And leather, with HEAT. Jeez, what a stupid feature. We live in Delaware...when would you EVER use that?" This was so dumb, I was just mystified...only could remember that last week it was 15 degrees AND despite the fact that he'll shiver his skinny butt off on a frozen leather seat, he'll still refuse to use seat heaters "just because".

This was after too, apparently, he asked her today what engine she got and then carped "That's dumb, you should have gotten the V6, it's a better engine"...remembering here, he knows not ONE engine even offered in a Malibu. Then he asked me, of all things, "What's the cubic inches?" of the 4-cylinder.

Nut doesn't begin to describe it. But too bad, he pays for gas and insurance (both of which should go down) and she the rest. I'm never around, and only will be for a few more days.

She's excited, and I am too. I just helped her clean out the Suburban...and had to remind her, 3 times, "You CANNOT put this much stuff in a car. There just aren't that many cubbies and you'll have the trunk exploding".

Ah, the life and times of 2 screwballs...I'll have to keep checking in from time to time to make sure neither hurts the lovely Malibu...

2 screwballs? They sound like fun. I'm glad she's happy and I'm glad he's coming around. He's right about the Delaware climate and heated seats, you would hardly need that option there. We went down to the beach about 3 weeks ago since I was home in Delaware on vacation. Some of the surf shops and restaurants down there have planted Palm trees and they were still alive in December.

Anyway enjoy the new car! :AH-HA_wink:

[pow]

Looks great! Grey is always a classy color. It's not as generic as silver and easier to maintain than black. Our Silverstone Grey Passat looks fine even three weeks after a wash. The interior looks great in those pictures, too; I'm starting to come round and like more than just Cashmere/Cocoa.

Btw, did you get the lower MSRP that GM initially advertised? They have a habit of quietly increasing MSRPs after the hype, reviews, and comparisons (think $19,995 Solstice). Malibu 1LT, 2LT, and LTZ prices went up ~$500 each.

Edited January 10, 2008 by empowah

[caddycruiser]

Btw, did you get the lower MSRP that GM initially advertised? They have a habit of quietly increasing MSRPs after the hype, reviews, and comparisons (think $19,995 Solstice). Malibu 1LT, 2LT, and LTZ prices went up ~$500 each.

No, this car was built before the recent $500 bump. Not really a ploy by GM, but an increase in sheetmetal costs across the board made this bump on all GM vehicles. Oh well.

The one we ordered on Monday had the increase, and though this one didn't, I think there were ad fees that still bumped it up a tad. Our dealer doesn't charge ad fees themselves (they opted out of that), but when they swap a car in from a dealer that does...those fees have to be passed on. Didn't care, as even at sticker the cars are great deals, and we got $200 over invoice anyway, no haggling.

2 screwballs? They sound like fun. I'm glad she's happy and I'm glad he's coming around. He's right about the Delaware climate and heated seats, you would hardly need that option there. We went down to the beach about 3 weeks ago since I was home in Delaware on vacation. Some of the surf shops and restaurants down there have planted Palm trees and they were still alive in December.

Anyway enjoy the new car! :AH-HA_wink:

Hey, I live here, and I use mine in the Fleetwood ALL the time. Even when it's not that cold, it still feels great, with the leather. Like I said, it was 15 degrees last week, and in my car for example, he still wouldn't use them--by principle, or some convoluted logic.

Edited January 10, 2008 by caddycruiser

[CARBIZ]

I've tried to stay out of this discussion (Congrats, BTW), but selling a $20k for $200 'over invoice' sounds fishy. Think about it: they have to pay one or two drivers to get the vehicle, they have to re-PDI it at their expense (GM only credits the original dealer for the PDI), they have to pay the clean up guy and commission the salesperson - for $200?

Wow. Glad I don't sell cars down in the U.S. If those numbers are true (and they don't sell cars down there like Chrysler does here, with all kinds of 'hold backs' and other crap), then frankly the dealer is in the hole! Better pick the car up quick, the dealer won't be around long to deliver it!

[caddycruiser]

I've tried to stay out of this discussion (Congrats, BTW), but selling a $20k for $200 'over invoice' sounds fishy. Think about it: they have to pay one or two drivers to get the vehicle, they have to re-PDI it at their expense (GM only credits the original dealer for the PDI), they have to pay the clean up guy and commission the salesperson - for $200?

Wow. Glad I don't sell cars down in the U.S. If those numbers are true (and they don't sell cars down there like Chrysler does here, with all kinds of 'hold backs' and other crap), then frankly the dealer is in the hole! Better pick the car up quick, the dealer won't be around long to deliver it!

No, it's really true. We know the saleslady well, and when I was there for the past week or so searching DealerWorld and such with her...everytime we found one, she'd just print out the dealer invoice sheet for me with MSRP, Invoice, and GMS.

With as hot as the car is and how small margins are, I wasn't expecting to even get more than a couple hundred off, but she knows us well, and right from the get-go said "I don't have a problem just doing a couple hundred over", and that's EXACTLY what was done.

Did the same with our '04 Suburban, but at $300 over, and it came from 200 miles away. A side help here, that wasn't even really considered, was that this car just had to be switched with another at the next closest dealer...so simple. Even still, when we were going up to 250 miles, we still had $200 over (plus ad fees, IF the dealer who had that car did that). And in the beginning, like I said, she was fully willing to do the same or better on an ordered/lot vehicle.

Let me tell you...she did SO much stuff in the past week and a half for me, and is just so nice, I almost feel guilty with the pricing--but that's just how they do it. I'll have to get her something, just for being great, still. Hopefully the same can be true when the dealer takeover happens soon...

EDIT: Oh, and re-reading your post...dealers here do still have Holdback, etc., so they aren't that bad off. That's why, for the most part, you can typically walk into any dealer of anything here and get invoice, a couple hundred over, or in a lot of cases, a couple hundred under--because of holdback.

Edited January 10, 2008 by caddycruiser

[CARBIZ]

Still, the entire thing strikes me as a little under-handed. Then what you are saying is that the MSRP is irrelevant, the invoice price is the starting point for negotiations and the entire process is a mockery. No wonder dealers down there have such a bad reputation.

A hot selling vehicle and they drop their pants just like that? Since the salespeople are paid on 'profit' and all the 'hidden' stuff goes to the dealer, not the salesperson - is it any wonder the salespeople get so aggressive and bitter down there? What did your saleslady make for her efforts $50?

I'd rather work for Target.

[NOS2006]

Very nice choice on your mom's behalf. Glad to hear she liked it! I'd love to test one out.

[caddycruiser]

Still, the entire thing strikes me as a little under-handed. Then what you are saying is that the MSRP is irrelevant, the invoice price is the starting point for negotiations and the entire process is a mockery. No wonder dealers down there have such a bad reputation.

A hot selling vehicle and they drop their pants just like that? Since the salespeople are paid on 'profit' and all the 'hidden' stuff goes to the dealer, not the salesperson - is it any wonder the salespeople get so aggressive and bitter down there? What did your saleslady make for her efforts $50?

I'd rather work for Target.

I hear ya...but that's how the system has been, for years. Actually, the big thing started, I think, with the advent of books AND the internet where people could find invoice prices, knew them ahead of time, and therefore "knew where to bargain to".

Hence, dealers give prices anymore at $xx over invoice, for invoice, etc. Dealers also then run specials, for like "One penny over invoice", etc., etc.

Not sure how much our salesperson made, but I know in general like this, it isn't a whole lot...but different dealers have different systems as far as pay, etc.

Very nice choice on your mom's behalf. Glad to hear she liked it! I'd love to test one out.

Yes...and I was the one who wanted one first. Now I still do, but am jealous beyond belief.

Who would have ever said THAT, about a Malibu even a year ago...

Edited January 10, 2008 by caddycruiser

[76ChevyTrucker]

Not many, but I have to admit, in person they look really nice. I went and looked at one today whilst I was out and looking for my parent's new form of vehicular transport. If my dad would bite on a Malibu, then I think I could easily see one in the driveway at their house.

[caddycruiser]

Well, it's home, picked it up right around when it was getting dark and...cry...RAINING!

Ugh...from an OCD detailer, that's driving me mad, that it already is rain-mucked.

But oh well. She loves it, still has to figure out the radio and such...and seems to want to keep playing with the remote start like a toy.

Dad got in it, apparently, and was already crabbing about things (I think he said it was small...you know...with MORE and deeper legroom than his boat of a Roadmaster, but still), and already again asked me what the gas mileage is like and "how much did she get for her Suburban? Wasn't that low....", etc. It'll take a while to win him over, if ever, but too bad.

The license plate bracket came off fine. They did use tiny little black plugs in the holes, and it really isn't noticeable, unless in light with the color...didn't bother her, so that means it isn't a big deal.

[Bimmer325]

Nice color combo, and I really like those wheels. Congrats.

I've still yet to see one on the road.

I'll have to head over to a dealer and check one out.