WHY do I want one so bad?

[33OH]

Sorry to hear that Tom. Good idea on hanging onto the Cobalt, and you never know.. they may call you and give in to your wants.

You should still stick around the forums, we could use a cool guy such as yourself.

Ryan

[SLIK4]

^ agreed please stick around. and your son can get on too

[tomato]

Awwww. How disappointing for you. We know how much you wanted it.

Well, look at it this way: you have a good car, and you know you're interested in the Yarii. Keep your eyes open for deals, for new models. Maybe in a year or two...

I too, hope you stick around. We love having you here!

[tomato]

By the way, how much did you pay for the Cobalt, just curious, thanks.

[Giobatera]

Hey, I know you REALLY wanted the Yarii, but as you said yourself, maybe was just God's sign for you to keep the Cobalt for now. Keep in mind that it doesn't mean you won't get it eventually though. Anything that it’s your heart’s desire and you ask with faith, you’ll get it. You just have to wait for God’s perfect time. I hope you stick around and have your son join us! Be glad that you did everything that was under your power to make it happen

[YarisOwnersDad]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, my friends.

I really am OK with this. I would have traded, if I could have gotten the deal that I thought we had worked out, and I know I would have been happy with that little Yaris. But, I am also very happy with my Cobalt, so I was kind of in a "can't lose" situation.

Mater, you asked about the deal I got on the Cobalt. I was thinking that I had spelled that out earlier in this thread, but I don't mind doing it again.

The Cobalt stickered for $15,530. GM had a $2000 rebate in effect, so now we are down to $13,330. The dealer knocked off $400, so we are at $13,130. I had approximately $1800 in accumulated GM Credit Card earnings, which I redeemed on the Cobalt, so now we are at $11,330. They gave me $700 trade-in on my old S-10 pickup with 219,xxx miles on it, and that brought the price of the Cobalt down to $10,630. There was tax and license, of course, on top of the $10,630.

One way to look at it would be that it would be a shame to trade a car that I had gotten such a good deal on so soon and take a beating that would offset the benefits of that great deal.

Like I said, I have made new friends, and that is the best thing about all of this.

Take care, Peeps. I'll be checking in pretty often.

Hey, I think I know what Yaris means:

You
Are
Riding
In
Style


Tomster

[SLIK4]

^ true that

[tomato]

Y..
A..
R
I
S


^ Word!

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I think I missed that part the first time around. See you around, Tom, thanks for the great thread! :)

[YarisOwnersDad]

My salesman, Jeff, Emailed me to say he was sorry that things didn't work out on my Yaris. He said he is not happy either, since he gets no commission when there is no sale.

Jeff told me that they already have 17 Cobalts in their used car inventory. That sure didn't help matters any. He also reminded me that with all the crazy incentives that GM is giving now on new cars, the used GM cars are suffering big time in depreciation. That makes sense. Why would someone buy a used car, if they can get a brand new one for $1000 to $2000 more?

Banks are more likely to provide financing on a new car, longer term loans can be obtained on new cars vs. used cars, and interest rates are lower on new units. All of these factors hurt the value of used cars, especially the later model used cars like mine.

I can see why they only offered me $8000 trade-in, but I just can't trade like that. It's not the dealer's fault.

Tomster

[tomato]

Originally Posted by YarisOwnersDad

Banks are more likely to provide financing on a new car, longer term loans can be obtained on new cars vs. used cars, and interest rates are lower on new units.
Tomster

I didn't know that. Why is that? Some used cars hold their values real well (Hondas come to mind)

[33OH]

Maybe someday, Tom.

I rented a Pontiac G5 (which is the exact same car as a Cobalt I believe), and it wasn't too bad. Was getting around 30 mpg highway, had a little more pep than the Yaris.

I usually get around 40-44 mpg highway in the Yaris even with 17's on it, and if I really try I can reach 50, but that's with over-inflated tires and going 60mph.

[YarisOwnersDad]

Beats me, Mater. The biggest hit on depreciation on a car occurs when it is new as soon as it is driven off the lot, so if it is a matter of security, it looks to me like the used car would come closer to covering the principal in case of default.

Tom

[tomato]

"The biggest hit on depreciation on a car occurs when it is new as soon as it is driven off the lot"

Yeah, I would think so, too. Thanks for the response. :)

[YarisOwnersDad]

Went back this afternoon to the car dealer where my son bought his car and humored them. (I test drove a black Yaris that they have in their inventory and then sat in the "hot seat" while they tried to low ball me big time on my Cobalt. I had tried to get them to figure me a deal last week, but they wouldn't do it unless I test drove a car and then let them put me in the hot seat.)

They offered me $6875 for the Cobalt, which is the Kelly Blue Book value for a 2008 Cobalt LS with auto tranny and a spoiler, which is the way mine is equipped, in "Fair" condition. Fair condition my foot! My Cobalt is spotless! Never been smoked in, never had any body work, and does not even have ONE door ding! If that car is not considered to be in "Excellent" condition, then NO car in this world is in excellent condition. The value for "Excellent" condition is $8425 by Kelly Blue Book and $9298 by Edmunds.com. BIG difference between the two, and of course the dealer says that Edmunds is way high.

They came up to $8000 pretty quickly, but I told them that I had walked away from a deal like that at Don Moore on Monday. We shook hands, and I told them that I knew that I was in a bad position, with my Cobalt being so new and all. I told them I would give them another shot sometime down the road when I was looking to buy a car.

I had not driven more than a quarter of a mile when my cell phone rang, and it was the sales manager saying that he had BEGGED the used car guy to give me $8500, and that the guy had agreed. (Some pretty high speed begging, huh?) I had told them earlier that I would trade on the spot, if they would give me $9000 on my Cobalt. The guy said he was meeting me half way, but I told him that he might have to meet me half way again and go to $8750. I told him I would sleep on it, and that I might decide to take $8750. Of course, THEY have not agreed to the $8750 yet..

We are at invoice on the new Yaris, plus $145 for a lifetime warranty on the drive train. They advertise that as being a no cost to the customer, but they said that since there was a dealer trade involved in my deal, they would charge me for the warranty. They don't have a Yaris in Flint Mica, so they will need to do a dealer trade to get one from a dealer about 50 miles away.

So, the saga continues!

Tom

[tomato]

"he BEGGED the used car guy ... " Puuuuuuuuuuuuuleez!!! They're so full of it!!!

Well, here is keeping our fingers crossed for ya, and welcome back!

[PreciousPups4U]

And the saga continues.......................

Excellent. Glad you are not giving up. Hopefully a new Yaris owner very soon. You are only asking for another $250. Surely that's doable. Good Luck!

[MauiDan]

Hi Tom...Dan here...I just bought our 2nd Yaris Auto (no power) sedan in under 2 years. The first was an 07 Flint Mica- love the car and color..last week I bought an 09 (wife is getting the 07 and her old Taurus going to our son).
The 09 is Silver Streak Mica althoiugh another Flint Mica woulda been fine.

I'm 53. I thought this may help you.

I have never bought a car without the dealer going into holdback on it.

That said I have always bought either at the end of a model year or end of a month. I bought the 09 on 3-31-09. Better bargaining position in my humble opinion.

Now back to dealer holdback. The dealer does have more room on your cobalt because in effect if he is selling you the new yaris AT invoice (and ask to see the invoice of course) he still has approx. $275.00 which was the dealer holdback on my 09 auto sedan (with no power just conv. pkg,all weather and mats).

So if he "begs" the trade in guy to go to 8750 on your cobalt then tell him you are going to wait until May...go in on the 29th or 30th of April and tell him you will buy if he goes 8750 on the trade AND goes 200.00 into the Holdback. Or just give you 8950 for the trade and sell the car to me AT invoice.

Hope that helps Tom.

Both times I was under invoice on the Yarii because I refused to buy at or over invoice and played 3 dealers (Bermuda Triangle) against each other in a 45 mile radius. It always works for me here in upstate NY.

Good Luck.

-Dan

[tomato]

Originally Posted by MauiDan

I have never bought a car without the dealer going into holdback on it...

... The dealer does have more room on your cobalt because in effect if he is selling you the new yaris AT invoice (and ask to see the invoice of course) he still has approx. $275.00 which was the dealer holdback on my 09 auto sedan (with no power just conv. pkg,all weather and mats).

What is "dealer holdback" and also what EXACTLY is invoice and how much negotiating room is there around that?

Thanks