GM Supplier Discount

scott80

Has anyone been able to get a better price than Supplier discount on an Acadia? Just going to start the process, I'm eligible for the discount and was thinking of leaving that option in my back pocket in the event I could do better without it..? Anyone ?

beach15

Supplier is above invoice in most regards, and on that note, most people can walk into a GMC (or any GM dealer, aside from Saturn) and get invoice either right away or with some haggling. A lot offer it right from step one.

That said, it's still good to hold Supplier "in your back pocket" so to speak, because these vehicles are selling extremely well and sometimes you can't get them to do invoice as easily, wherefore just saying you get the Supplier discount cuts right to the chase, and still gets you a guaranteed great deal that's not all that different in the end.

iacarguy

Gm supplier is a good price. Its an easy way for a no haggle deal. The price is about 1% over invoice and here in Iowa its the best deal you will get on an Enclave or an Acadia. We are a middle size dealership and have yet to sell an Acadia for under sticker except for a couple of supplier deals. The people who have bought these vehicles were just happy that we had them in stock. We currently have a waiting list for people who want them.

hardhawk

Why do you sell Acadia's and Enclave's for MSRP? Because you are taking advantage of people for a popular product. Why not sell them for a reasonable profit, such as $500 to $750 over invoice, and try to build a lasting relationship with customers rather than milk them big time because the product is popular? It could be worse, at least you are not putting the little ADP (Additional Dealer Profit) stickers on them and charging over MSRP. I have never paid more than $500 over invoice for a new car in my life, even on cars that were extremely popular at the time. Dealers need a fair profit to stay in business. MSRP is beyond fair, unless like Saturn that is the only way the cars are sold.

aspesisteve

"I have never paid more than $500 over invoice for a new car in my life"

you're showing your age here. I'm guessing you're under 40.

Before the internet, before pricing information was readily available, MSRP and dealer mark up was the norm. People would stroll in on the lot ill informed and get taken to the cleaners. Some dealerships still hope people like this will walk up with their check book in hand and not question anything. Yes, the gamesmanship hasn't changed much, but the days of the ignorant shoppers are numbered.

If I found a local dealer selling Acadia's telling me the car was in tight supply and the cost is anywhere beyond invoice, I'd just laugh and walk away. There's another GM dealer down the road - trust me - there are other dealers with the exact same product dying for your business.

chaz1869

yes some one may sell it below invoices but you may spend that in gas trying to find that one dealer right before they go out of business.

aspesisteve

"yes some one may sell it below invoices but you may spend that in gas trying to find that one dealer right before they go out of business."

That's the beauty of the internet. You don't have to drive to every dealer out there to get an offer or search inventory. And it's not just gas your saving, it's time, money and your sanity.

Car dealerships usually have someone designated as an "internet" rep. Not all of them will sharpen their pencils over the net or even offer a price, but others needing to move inventory will. You can narrow your search down to the dealers who are motivated. If a dealer knows you live 200 miles away, and they want your business, they'll try to make the drive worth your time.

smart_shopper

I have been monitoring prices paid for 2009 Acadias on the Acadia Forum. First of all, GM has not released Supplier pricing for 2009 Acadias.

One buyer in Illinois got his for less than $100 over invoice- he actually did a little better than this due to a dealer error on the order and he got a reduced price on an option upgrade and some extra stuff for free. Another in Connecticut paid $300 over invoice. Another in MD paid invoice for his 2008. It is senseless in this day & age to shop only your local dealer. When the salesman's opening line after pulling out a "4 Square" (read the undercover car salesman on Edmunds to get more insight on this) is "How do you want the vehicle titled" or "What do you want your payment to be" before any negotiation takes place are classic run away don't walk lines. Another is when the salesman won't tell you the price even when you have a written offer with one.

In this day & age, it is possible to perform 99% of your research w/o visiting the lot. Some items need to be road tested, so the local dealer is handy for that function. Sweeter yet if he is a high pressure "4 Square" dealer, since you are wasting his time in return for all he has done to other customers.

Once that is done, working with data from Edmunds it is extremely easy to compile what you want down to the color & option list, then present this to a dealer. If they are smart, all they need to do is place the order, reap the holdback and any amounts over invoice or from the manufacturer, then deliver the vehicle to you w/o any extra cost of carrying it in inventory.

There are two things with this approach that the dealer needs to ask themselves:
1) Do I want to make 100% of nothing, which is what I will get if this customer shops elsewhere? OR
2) Do I want to make an easy 3% of MSRP (holdback) plus anything over invoice and other dealer incentives for a vehicle I can order in under 10 minutes and that I know is sold upon arrival.

As illustrated in the Edmunds undercover car salesman article, salesmen spend a lot of idle time. If 10 minutes of this were spent placing an order, nothing is lost & much is gained.

There have been / will continue to be stupid customers. These people will get ripped off on their trade in, then stuck with a 20~25% APR due to "poor credit" AND pay MSRP on top of this for a new car with $100 worth of add-ons that the dealer is selling for $500~750. It will be OK, though, since their payment is within range. Seeing as how the dealer spends a lot of time with them, the reward is consistent with the time spent. The educated shopper should be rewarded in like kind by getting invoice pricing w/o any hassle since they have done the research and know the pricing.

Does this happen? Sure, as illustrated above. Does it happen a lot? Probably not, and there are lots full of unsold vehicles all over the country. Just like any other stock or commodity, ask a trader if he would rather make 10 cents a share or lose 1 cent. Of course each would like to make as much as possible, but if the market does not support that price it is not going to happen. The dealers are making nothing on the leftovers, yet are paying floor plan charges on every one of them.

Seems like an easy one to me, but I'm not a dealer & don't play one on TV.

tramm7

Do you know if I can combine the Supplier Discount with my GM card earnings? I know GM has changed the GM card program. I am still under the original plan that earns 5% up to $500 per year for 7 years.

acadia2009

That was a very well thought out reply.

I'm planning on purchasing a Chicago-based Acadia this weekend. With it being end of month, and an large over supply of Acadia's in this market, I'm hearing (from a friend's father who owns a GMC dealership in downstate IN), that my final price before taxes should be "significantly" under Dealer/Factory Invoice, and could be $10K under MSRP. So for the $46,290 MSRP AWD SLT2 I test drove, I'm expecting to pay about $36,000.

Does this sound about right? Any other rules of thumb that might help me take advantage of this unprecidented market opportunity? Thanks in advance!