Really?

And what kind of garantee you have exactly? Is it only an agreement with your local dealer or it's with GM?

Because if GM does have a waiting list, Lyle would be the first to know.

 

Its just a deposit and wait list with my local Chevrolet dealer, not with GM. I don't know how to answer the part about "what kind of guarantee" I have. I live in a small town where business owners and customers cross paths at Rotary, church, and our childrens' school choir concerts. So, my dealer's word (along with a receipt for my deposit) is enough of a guarantee for me!

 

So you may wait a long time if that dealer is not a priority for GM?

 

No go for me..

I just called the largest GM dealer in my state and they turned me down when I asked if I could put money down to be first on the waiting list.

 

I gave a $500 deposit to my friend's dealership last year to be #1 on his list. I know it doesn't mean much since his dealership is in Woodstock, Ontario, but I don't care.

 

Wow. A $1000? Why so much? Chances are, your dealership won't have any for a long time after the release if it's small and not in a major metropolitan area. Did they guarantee you MSRP? I hope so. Also pray that GM doesn't have a promotional plan to launch the Volt like they did with the Pontiac Solstice. In that case, lots of folks like you who went to the local dealerships and put down money to get the first ones didn't and had to keep waiting. I bought Solstice #51 and went through the process and got mine, but it was heart breaking to see the folks with deposits get denied. If you have questions about that fiasco, I can elaborate.

 

Also pray that GM doesn't have a promotional plan to launch the Volt like they did with the Pontiac Solstice.

Solstice is great! Glad to meet a fellow owner here in the Volt forum! I am not one of the first 1k, but I love the car very much and have had great luck with it as a reliable and very fuel efficient daily commuter, not to mention a sharp ride with the top down now that summer is here! I share your concerns about the initial deliveries and hope that they don't do something similar here.

As to the dealers...I sent an email to 10 dealers indicating I wanted to get on a waiting list...the answers ranged from pathetic to comical...for example...

I didn't give a phone number, only an email address, and most of them had their autoreply set up to respond to me. OK by me, legedimate, even. But some of them had their autoreply worded to say "I tried to call you but the number you left had a problem so please call us..." and two of them had an autoreply that said "I reviewed your request and we have one on the lot with all the options you indicated! Call me now to come in and take a test drive". Only one of them had an actual human respond to me, and say, "we don't have a waiting list right now but when we do we'll contact you".

Which brings up a point...what will GM do to keep the dealers from harming the Volt through typical huge markups and cheesy business practices? GM needs the Volt to be a grand slam home run...the dealers could torpedo this quickly if they start adding a $5,000 premium fee on top of the MSRP.

 

I'm waiting

I plan to travel where ever I have to go to get my volt pretty soon after it is released. I plan on spending up to $40,000 on it. I wouldn't want to be waiting for one dealer to get it. If I have to travel to NY from FL to get it there is a good chance I will. Anything 40k and below is an awesome deal for this car considering prius's are selling for over 3k over sticker in many areas and only fully equipped ones are available for 27K sticker.

 

If GM wants to avoid inflated prices relating to supply issues, they will have to increase their production. That's not something they are going to be willing to do while they are losing money with each sale. And if they impose restrictions on the dealerships, dealers will just choose not to purchase the Volt from GM.

Dealers can make money by selling a lot of cars for cheap, or selling few cars for a lot. The Volt will be limited by GM, so you should expect gouging at the dealer.

 

Demand is going to be sky high the first few years. It's still high for the prius and that's been out since when 2002? It'd be nice if GM just sold direct to cut out that 5k middle man gouge but it won't happen because either way GM sells the cars. The dealers will fight over them bumping up even the wholesale cost. I think I'll wait to get on a waiting list till I can be guaranteed MSRP and a decent spot in line.

I don't know, I'm thinking after initial demand is met and production costs start to come down there will be a price break right? Or will the price go up once the public at large thinks it's trendy to get a volt and pushes demand higher then ever? I wish money was no object for me, but it is. I want a volt no doubt about it but i'm trying to figure out if I'd be able to save a bit if I waited till later or if i got on a waiting list asap. Thoughts?

 

Depending on the length of your commute, eventually the savings in gas will make up for the cost...maybe not the cost of the vehicle, but the overage the dealers apply. Having said that, I am not looking forward to the smack in the face of the dealer markup, which I assume will occur. Dang.

 

sounds like the dealership has money issues.