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Also, where did you come up with the $4750 rebate figure? The best deal I could find for paying cash was either $2000 or $2500 cash back, depending on your region.
Your second figure ($2250 + 0%) I understand: The College Grad program provides $750 on the purchase/lease of a 2002/03 Saturn if applied for through GMAC Financing. The $1500 is cash back (DPA) with GMAC financing. The current nationwide GMAC financing offer is 0% APR for 36-60 months.
My mother lives in south central Pa. and just bought a new Chevy. I think she got 4K rebate. I tried to get her to look at the Ion, but back in the woods they think Saturn is a foreign car. And It's plastic. Also the closest dealer is about 35 miles, which is a pain when it comes to service.
"a local dealer offered me a $1500 rebate (DPA)"
--Okay, start with $1500 Down Payment Assistance regardless of financing APR...
"To that I am adding the $750 College Grad rebate since I am almost finished with my degree."
--Plus $750 College Grad cash makes $2250 cash...
"The $2000 cash allowance is listed on the GM corporate site"
--First you said $2000 which would total $4250 total cash, but then you said...
"I have been trying to figure out if (a) the $2500 cash allowance was in effect in my area and if so, (b) whether I should take the $2500 cash allowance"
--It was this $2500 figure which made me come up with the total of $4750 that I mentioned.
Of course, if you take the 0% APR, then you only get the $2250 you are aware of.
Also, there is a difference between "Rebate" and "Down Payment Assistance." A rebate is yours. You can get GM to cut and mail you a check if you want. It does not belong to the dealer until you assign it over to them in the finance office at delivery. Down payment assistance is not yours. That is money GM will automatically give your dealer when financed through GMAC. So, if you buy a car with a $4000 rebate, that money is yours to keep. Go to Disney World if you want. New plasma TV anyone? But, when you get to the finance guy, he will give you a paper to sign that will assign (give) your rebate to the dealer. You will never see it. It will, however, come off your bottom line and you will not have to finance it. If you buy a car with $1500 down payment assistance, you will not see this money--it was not yours. That money is from GMAC to basically act as though the dealer marked the car down that much. It shows up as cash on your bill of sale even though you will not write the check. By the way, FWIW, a rebate will also show up as cash on the bill of sale. It does not come off the price of the car, so your sales tax obligation will not be reduced by the amount of your rebate.
Currently there are programs like I have never seen nor imagined would ever exist for the ION.
They are
1000 + 0.0% APR OR 2000 rebate
500 Ion "bonus cash"
1000 Saturn loyalty or 750 GM loyalty
500 conquest cash *techincally this is dealer cash*
750 College grad
750 Military
GM card is allowed
Nearly all of these programs can be combined so for example the college grad could get a total of 3750 + 0.0% APR or 4750 on any ION if someone in his household owned a Saturn and a non GM vehicle.
Amazing but true
A non college grad non military with a GM vehicle and non GM vehicle would still get 2750 + 0.0% APR or 3750.
This on a vehicle that can be had for under 13,000 with AC
The ION is a good vehicle, with the current incentives it becomes a rather amazing value...
Sorry for any confusion this may have caused someone.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-010730steering.story
Is the variable transmission(Vti) on the various Saturns holding up?
I have negotiated a deal for an ION 2 automatic silver and applied as many of the "rebates" as permissible. You are right; they would not allow both the Loyalty and the College Grad programs even though I qualified for both.
I am financing at the 0% APR thru GMAC. I was able to get a good price after offering a down payment, taking off $2500 in current incentives, maximizing my trade-in value, and asking for approx. $500 in market adjustment/ savings/ dealer cash.
Also, do you know if you can apply the current incentives with $1,000 in GM card earnings as well as GMS discount?
see: http://www.epinions.com/content_96995020420
Also, uga91 (thanks for the in-depth explanation in #2314!) and then afk_x were right to point out that Saturn isn't offering rebates in the true sense of the dealer's lingo. In my dealing thus far (it's an ongoing process), there has been no implication that they are going to cut me a check for those programs.
Although not applicable to me (so I did not research it), it might be possible that the GM Card points and the GMS program are stackable on top of current offers. If you are a GM employee, you'd know better than I. See, for example, http://www.jerrysweatherford.com/en_US/f_MiscPage_1.chtml.
Anyway, I need to replace my car and drove the ION1 with auto. Nice. This is the current deal they are offering me:
$14703 + tax, title, reg. = $16123.01
then subtract
$1500 down payment assistance
$1000 Saturn loyalty
which leaves me at $13623.01 financed at 0.0% for 60 months or $227.05 a month.
What do you guys think? They won't do the College Grad, which I would qualify for.
Still happy with ours, no issues to report, just gas and go. I'm sure you will like the Ion as it's much bigger than the S.
The ION looks "richer" than the S-series, especially sitting in my drive way. I'll try to keep an eye on this message board and report anything I discover or don't discover...
Enjoy.
The sun visors are terrible, way to short both vertically and horizontally. I think they are mounted to far back also. I worry about the retention bracket breaking, seems awfully weak.
I really miss my arm rest. Will purchase one as soon as there offered. Any suggestion in the mean time?
Very good pick up and the steering is great. I did notice a little bit of pull when accelerating but that seems to have faded. I'll keep an eye on it.
Great road vision with the center instrument panel, no problems getting used to that. Do wish I had cruise though. Any suggestions?
My wife told me yesterday, "I'll drive the Saturn if you want the Jeep." That's saying alot, she hated the SL1.
Now all I need to do is find a good deal on window tint. Any suggestions?
I have never installed one of these, so I have no idea how hard it is, but it looks like an option for you. They also make after market seat heaters that I am thinking about for my leather seats before winter comes!
On a new vehicle, it is probably a good idea to have it professionally installed and make sure they will stand by there work.
If you really want to do it yourself, there is a board here on Edmunds for after market accessories. Go over there and ask questions.
Purchase Cost - It cost me $14,100 with 0% APR financing for 60 months. We took advantage of the $1500 DPA (as part of the financing deal offered) and the $1000 loyalty discount (my husband drives a '92 SL1 sedan). We got $500 for trading in our 1988 Pontiac Bonneville. They also gave us a $700 market adjustment/savings. My monthly payment is $183.38.
Free Car Mats - I had heard that some people think they are getting car mats (MSRP $80) for free, but I think you have to be careful when you say that. The manufacturer's MSRP sticker says that the destination charge is $485, but when you sit down with the dealer to talk options, he will show you an orange/white ION spec sheet which lists the destination charge at $565. That's an $80 difference. If I hadn't been so happy with the deal I got, I would have challenged it.
Initial impressions - Thin upholstery and odd seating position makes my body ache. The seat is not supportive enough for my lower back. The steering wheel is not as ergonomically contoured as the SL1 steering wheel. The dash and instrumt panel looks lovely both in styling and coloration. Love the car's power, ride and nimble handling. The 145-hp 2.2L engine has more go than the 85-hp SL1. Gotta love all those options above - it makes driving this American econobox so much more enjoyable. I drove 751 miles in the first 3 days of owning it (you may have seen me driving up and down I-95 between DC and Phila). I am getting 35 mpg.
Our dealer doesn't have the arm rests available yet.
I probably would have the cruise done professionally.
Lastly, the cheer and cook outs went away years ago, I'm afraid. When we bought a new SL2 in 1995, we got the cheer, the applause, a calendar with our picture (and our new car as well) on it, a balloon bouquet delivered to our house with Saturn coffee mugs attached and an invitation to a cook out at the dealer where they went over the maintenance schedules, warranty and other good stuff. Did not get that on our 1999 SL2, but it was considered Used when we bought it, so I thought that may have been why. Well, the ION was new, and there was nothing then, either. Have fun!
The seat in my Ion 2 was also initially uncomfortable. After adjusting the seat downward, it felt great---much better lower back support.
That jazzes the spec list up considerably!
or 'jiffy pop' wheel.....
take your pick, all apply.
I was reading in the paper that Ion sales continue to rise. I guess this new improved interior should help also though I don't see a lot of change. I guess the seat materials look richer and the dash is a little more matted. I will have to sit in one next oil change.
Still no issues to report on the Ion. Runs great. Saturn should do some advertising though, I never see any ads on TV any more. The car is still fairly new and many people have not heard of it.
Anyone need some popcorn? Or is it SMORES TIME? need some marshmallows........
POT PIES ARE READY!
The interior is improved, no doubt. Plastics and cloth all look better. Change the steering wheel and I'd say it's very good. Still want to see one live and feel it though.