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They Want My 'Bu Back!

7K views 26 replies 12 participants last post by  Yury 
#1 ·
I'm sure most of you guys have received solicitation letters from your local Chevy Dealers in recent weeks. I just got my second letter from a second dealer asking for my '08 'Bu. The letter states I can walk away from the deal with almost any other '08 or '09 of my choice for little or no out of pocket expense.

If there was another Chevy I was interested in, I would probably investigate this offer. We love our LTZ and the way it is equipped. The '09s wouldn't have the options that are important to the wife.
 
#4 ·
I looked at the trade-in value of my 2008 LS with 10,300 miles (Curiosity, of course!) and they quoted me (Toyota Cookeville) at 13,500. Toyota Knoxville, just one month later, quoted me 19,000. I went into my local GM Dealership (not the one I purchased mine from) and when they were looking into replacing a piece of paneling that was poorly-molded and needed replacing, they offered me to trade it in, clean and even, on ANY 2008 or 2009 model vehicle from GM that is not a Malibu or Traverse. Curious, I looked at their lot and found a very nice up-scale 2008 Cadillac CTS with all options and whistles to boot except the V8. I told them that the Cadillac was the only thing worth an even trade to me, and they let me go :p I can't blame them, but I would had seriously considered a CTS in the drive way instead of a Malibu >.>

I have received my second letter this afternoon, actually, requesting "With great benefits to you" my trade-in for another vehicle.
 
#6 ·
I'm not too sure on this one: I was very skeptical at first.

It is a GM letter, and just requested I call their Customer Service line (with an extension) and talk to them about it. I was just offered the deal by my local dealer a week after I received my first letter; I did not mention anything to them.

They even had a sales associate walk the lot with me, constantly saying "You get your tax exemption as with all trades, you owe nothing, paperwork will be paid and nothing will come out of your pocket except a change over on the insurance." Roughly quoted :D

I think I am going to call up GM Customer Service and talk to them about it, though, with some tricky questions and see what they say. Nothing except the upper Cadillac models or another Malibu will replace my 'bu, but I am curious.
 
#7 ·
As long as you go into negotiations with your eyes open, I see no problem checking things out. Remember there is only one more week in October, they may make legit offer.

As far as being a scam is concerned...... perhaps. But, times are different now-a-days!
 
#8 ·
Maybe scam was too harsh of a word, but companies do send these form letters out as sort of bulk mail for dealers, and there's really NOTHING special going on other than a random attempt to see if you could be in the market again, potentially wanting to trade in your current car--which they have a listing of, with your name and address.

No special deals, no special events typically, just like any other time you would go to try and trade your car. This time, you've just received a bulk mailer the dealer made a company to have send out, to see if they can rope any takers with such a ploy on words.
 
#10 ·
Well, if it is too cold to wash the 'bu then I will be going into the dealership here and talking to a sales associate about "Trading in my Malibu...just too much car, need something different." No lies, I promise:D It is too much car, and the only thing different I need is to install floorboard LED lights to match the blue interior lighting ;)

Seriously, though, guys. If I go in a they're idiotic enough to offer a CTS (my original choice for new car but could not afford) I may take it. Then again, I'd still be extremely skeptical.

Heck, I can see how they would take our 'bus, make them "GM Authorized" and sell them just as "good as new" and only a hundred or two less than the newer ones are selling for. I've seen it done to the Camry and Mustang multiple times throughout the year.
 
#12 ·
Again, don't believe letters you get in the mail like this for ANYTHING. Kind of like your warranty "expiring". Not reality.

Head to a dealer, and it will be like any other car deal at any other time. "This is our price on A and we'll give you $xx for your car." Nothing more, nothing less. Just a daily car deal.
 
#13 ·
In general, I discard these offers. This time, the economy is way different. Sales are way off not only because of the slumping economy, but also because of the tighter credit restrictions being imposed upon the buyer. This narrows even further the availability of purchasers.

Dealers are hurting, no doubt about it. My Chevy Dealership closed 6 months after I purchased. Dealers are giving discounts as never before seen. Even Honda is selling some of their models below dealer invoice.

Any movement of inventory is better than it sitting idle.
 
#14 ·
Well, I got out of class early and decided I had enough time to stop by the dealer then.

After a long conversation, he came and asked me if I had received a letter from GM, noting that select Malibu models were requested to come to a dealer for "sales inquiries." I told him I did not know what he meant, and then he proceeded to show me a 2008 Cobalt with some nice bells and whistles. He then praised it, noting that the Cobalt was not fleet-sold and was holding its value very well.

I then asked him if the new model Malibu was fleet sold, and he just said "Not in enough number to ruin its worth, but the last generations have ruined this one's credibility." Upon leaving I noticed a 2008 Malibu LT that looked too dirty to be on the lot (as it had rained terribly the past week and all the other dealer cars looked clean) and found it was a "GM Certified Used Vehicle" and had a sticker price of 21,600-ish! I was stunned, though it seemed immaculate on the interior, but it was definitely used. I am half tempted to have my roommate drive me up there and I inquire as to why they sold it back to the dealer and see what I can find out :rolleyes:

Anyways, I still don't know much about it...and have lost interest.
 
#15 ·
Anyways, I still don't know much about it...and have lost interest.
Again, just a marketing ploy, and not worth a second thought.

As for the comments at the dealer, are you KIDDING me? The Cobalt is the most mass produced, sold, and heavily fleeted "cheap" car from GM, and used values go accordingly. As for the Malibu, last gen and earlier models did ravage the image and earlier resale values as they were fleeted to death, heavily discounted, and just a drab--reliable and pleasant but drab--car. The current Malibu, as per GM's regulations, is still being sold to fleets but only in a fraction of what it used to be.

That 1LT Malibu you saw was, actually, likely a "program" car ex rental, as there are now a lot of such cars on the market and right now quite a few on Ebay--all at turn in mileage for the rental companies. Again, nowhere near as many as before, to keep the image up, but still a lot of them. A tell tale sign is the lack of Onstar/XM antenna, though that's no guarantee. Otherwise, it may just have been traded in for a variety of reasons.
 
#16 ·
Heh. I wish GM would ask for my '07 Malibu back...
 
#17 ·
I have not recieved one of these letters...not that I would do anything about it if I did, but I had a question for some of you who have looked into this.
I see that acouple of you would take a CTS as a direct trade over the Malibu and I completely agree with you...however, have any of you considered a G8?
I would seriously have to consider a well equiped G8 over my Bu if the dealer wanted to trade bad enough...just a thought... :)
 
#18 ·
To be honest...the entry-level G8, trim 2 of CTS (forget it), or the upper level STS would be considered even trade to me.
 
#19 ·
I wouldn't consider a V6 G8 as an even trade. I've test driven the G8 GT, and the V8, size, and RWD nature of the car are very attractive. The exterior is somewhat attractive, but I find my Malibu LTZ to be better. And the interior, while spacious and relatively comfortable, isn't near the Malibu. The Malibu's interior / exterior design is superior enough that it'd take the bigger engine to let me justify an 'even' trade for a G8.
 
#21 ·
Reliability of Caddy's? What's wrong with them? Both of my parents have always driven Cadillacs, one of my last cars was an Escalade and none of us have EVER had problems with Cadillac reliability.
 
#24 ·
With "reliability" Cadillacs run forever. My brother owns a 1987 Deville with the Northstar V8, bought new, and the only problem it has given him (aside from things that typically go out on engines) was covered under warranty: A faulty idiot light alerting him of a problem.

He still drives that caddy, though he has a newer one; a 2007 CTS, which rides as well as the Malibu. Although he has this new toy, his 87 is still his daily and was his second car. I must say, I do not like the interior of the CTS '07, I have not seen the '08 (as I know it has been remodeled) but I know they have changed it up a bit.

That and Cadillac holds value forever, almost as long as JEEP. (I am fighting for Cadillac because it, until my Malibu, was the only GM allowed in our driveway of Fords, Volvos, and Lincolns.)
 
#25 ·
I loved my Cadillacs. My favorite was a 94 Eldorado in that Pearl White color.

I even bought the wife a Catera. :eek: She loved it, but I wasn't as enthused. Dealer asked how I liked it and I told him I had problems with both bumpers. Puzzled, he asked what was wrong. I told him they were too close together. :D
 
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