I'm about to sell my current daily driver, which will enable me to start shopping around for just the right Cobalt SS/SC. I have a slight dilemma, however. I would really like an SS/SC with only the G85 option, and my color preferences are Victory Red, Laser Blue, and Rally Yellow (in that order). The dealer closest to me has the right option combo, but the car is in Rally Yellow. I actually like the yellow, I'm just not sure if I would continue to like it day after day, which is why it's third in my preference list. Other dealers a little farther away have the right colors, but all their cars are adorned with too many extra options I don't want. A couple of dealers up to an hour and a half away have Victory Red with only G85.

So that was a long introduction, but what I'm really interested in here is how easy it is to have a dealer trade another dealer for a car you want. For example, could the dealer nearby me get the Victory Red with G85 and then sell it to me? How much would this affect my ability to bargain them down and get a good deal on the car? I think I like the red better than yellow, but not so much that I'd be willing to pay MSRP rather than invoice just because they had to get the car from another dealer.

If anyone has experience with this kind of wheeling and dealing, I'd love to hear about it.

 

I had 2 dealerships fighting for the sale. I was not choosey with color (I did end up with Rally Yellow). I wanted the Performance package with the Recaro seats, that was my biggest want. The dealer local to me told me he would get me the same car I had already found on the internet at another dealer, if I would let him sell me a car. The local dealer did not have the ss sc with the Recaro seats. He wanted a sale and jumped through hoops for my husband and I. They will do anything for a sale.

 

Easiest thing to do, is buy the car you want from whatever dealer, then get all the warranty work done at the dealer closest to you.... If that is what you were worried about.

To the dealers they get credited by GM for the parts etc, so a GM warranty is the same no matter which dealer you go to.

Now the swapping of rides from dealer to dealer might vary depending on the dealers. When the dealers order the cars from GM they might have ordered the specific colour and options for a reason... i.e. other colors with more or less options might not sell well for them..

Example; a dealer that sells Red Cobalts really well might not be able to move a Yellow one as easy.

Best thing to do, is ask the dealers :P

 

I made the dealer go get my car on a dealer trade. I told them if they get it I will buy it. So the drove 2 hours away and picke dup as I only wanted the laser blue with the G85 only and nothing else.

 

LOL, that's probably very good advice.

Nevertheless, thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences.

 

i do know hat the only way a dealer will trade out a vehicle you want...say for instance an ss/sc with g85...is if the dealer that wants it has that same car on the lot with just as many or more options plus a diff. color..then they will trade..otherwise ure pretty much gonna have to go to the dealer that has it to get it

 

get a quote on the yellow one, hardball em
then go buy your red one, and make em beat that price
90 minute drive? so what?

 

Make the dealer work AGAINST each other and FOR you.



Understand?

 

I wanted an exact color and options. No local dealer had what I wanted. I had my local dealer find what I wanted. They did and I had the car three days later. They had to go get it about 150 miles away. Piece of cake. I think they said that they had to trade a 2 doorbase Cobalt for it.

 

You don't have to trade exact options. My wifes car (2LT, Sport, Sunroof, MAM(or purple)) was located at a dealership in another state. Dealer went and got it no problem. Depending on where you are in the country, dealers are linked together on a trade database and have no problem swapping out cars with each other, unless they have a potentual sale on one of them.

*EDIT*
A dif dealer from the one we bought at had the same car as well, but he wouldn't deal well and refused to trade it because he figured he had the only one in the state and to get those options we had to go to him. Foolish man, he pissed me off and missed the sale.