Chevrolet Equinox Prices Paid and Buying Experience

bsstone737 · January 2010

I'm looking for some help on what kind of total discount people are actually getting. This is my first new car purchase and I haven't owned a car in 10 years.

I have money to put down which can go anywhere from 4-10k and I'm not trading anything in. I'm trying to figure out what I can realistically expect the dealer to negotiate down to on the MSRP. As much as I'd love the options of a sun roof and heated seats they're not deal breakers for me so lets assume I'm talking base model.

I've been told by other folks anywhere from 1500-4500k off isn't unreasonable. I'm also wondering what they're usually willing to add at no cost options wise as well as are there any "extra" fees they're willing to knock off.

Also do people think they'll offer any of the standard incentives like 0%, 1.9% or 2.9% over Presidents Day in Feb?

Appreciate the help!

pete6666 · January 2010

The average difference between MSRP and dealer cost on the Equinox is $1300-$1500, not upwards of $4500. Go to the following website:msn.com. Click on the word autos.When the new screen comes up on the left is a column stateing new cars. Put in the make and model and click on go.The next screen shows a picture of the car you picked. Just to the right of the picture click on price it with options. On the next screen pick the trim of car you want. E.G. 2lt FWD or LTZ AWD. You can then build the car you want and you will get the MSRP including destination and also the dealer cost. Be aware that the Equinox just went up $200 so add $200 to the price on the website. Also-very important-on the final base invoice price add the $200 increase plus dealer advertising which is $400-$600 depending on the price of the car. So if the base invoice price on the car you build is $29,000 add $200 plus another 400-600 for advertising. Dealers are not willing to go much under MSRP on these cars because thet can't get them. But they will negotiate if you order one from the factory. Also you would be entitled to any rebates or incentives at time of delivery, not when you order the car. Good Luck.

reeboc1 · January 2010

the MSRP on the one I built on the website (2LT w/sunroof, power liftgate, leather seats) was $30,540 and invoiced at $28869. I got 1156 off for credit union pricing, 1000 conquest cash and 500 instead of the 60 day guarantee for a net price of $27,884. I went to the dealer with my paper in hand and said this is what I want exactly as I built it. My final price is 27,884 plus sales tax.

pete6666 · January 2010

Without the 1000 conquest and 500 for 60 day you paid $29400. When adding in the advertising you got a very good deal. However if you are waiting for the ca and it hasn't been delivered yet there is no $500 any more and the conquest is down to $500.

reeboc1 · January 2010

Yep, I know. I ordered the car on 10/27/09. The dealer received the VIN number on 12/28. I went to the dealership that day and the finance manager reported the vehicle as sold. Though it won't be here until Wednesday or Thursday, my incentives were locked in on 12/28. I asked for copies of the paperwork, so I have it all in writing. I had a feeling my car wouldn't be here before Jan 4 and I wanted those incentives. I asked how I can get them and was told once they get the VIN they can report the car as sold and lock in the 1000 and 500. I also got a 2.94% interest rate!

fshi · January 2010

too bad, rebates all gone, and according to lutz, equinox has a very tight supply of 13 days inventory, and Terrain has 18 days. and invoice of equinox just went up $200.

bsstone737 · January 2010

I realize this is all speculation and they seem to keep upcoming deals under lock and key but do people think that we'll see some more 0, 1.9, 2.9 % financing for Presidents Day? That usually seems to be a big incentive weekend and I for one am hoping that GMC and Chevy offer at the very least low financing.

CarMan@Edmunds · January 2010

Hi kirkkempen. In January, General Motors is providing $1,000 loyalty cash or $500 conquest cash on the 2010 Equinox. It also has a special lease program on this model.

Unfortunately, the $500 cash incentive that was available in lieu of the 60-Day Guarantee is no longer available.

Car_man
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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum

fshi · January 2010

If you read the fine print, 1000 loyalty case does not apply to 2010 equinox.

boomxr · January 2010

We ordered the 2010 Equinox 4cyl AWD 1LT with Sunroof in mocha at the end of October 2009, and took delivery on the 11th of January. As we were able to get the VIN before the 4th, we were lucky to take advantage of the 1500 in rebates. The total net we paid was 26,200 - 1,500 in rebates got us to 24,700 before our trade and taxes. The dealer was pleasant to deal with, and we were prepared to wait on production of the vehicle. The wifey loves it. Thanks to the forum for having a place to chill while we waited.

rdmiller94 · January 2010

After many weeks of working through many dealers in the Chicago area, I was finally able to purchase my 2010 Equinox. I purchased a 2010 LTZ model (Cardinal Red with Black leather, V6, AWD, trailering equipment, 18" machined AL wheels, and Sunroof) from a dealership North of Chicago who had this model in stock. The MSRP was $33,435 with the purchase price of $32,351 (before rebates and Tax/Title/License). I also qualified for the $750 USAA rebate but this was not compatible with the $500 conquest rebate. USAA has an excellent car buying service program where they pre-negotiate pricing on vehicles which is guaranteed with certified dealers. On the Chevy Equinox, they have a certified dealer in the Chicago area which would sell the Equinox for $500 below invoice (plus you would also qualify for the $750 rebate for a total of $1250). However, this dealer had no vehicles in stock. The dealership I worked with had the LTZ in stock but would not sell it for the USAA pricing. However, they did give me more for my trade-in to make up for it. In addition, I had $3000 of GM points from their GM Card earnings top off program ( which expire Feb 1) which I was able to use as well. GM's incentive programs can be complicated and change frequently - different dealers would give me different answers on which rebates were applicable - be sure to do your homework.

broadstbu11y · January 2010

Please review this and let me know if i am missing something bc i think i did pretty well today, this was my first time negotiating with car dealers... they were successful bc i drove the car home but i think i got a good deal, any feedback would be great.

Thanks to all the info here on the forum and on Edmunds, I was able to go into a dealership today and pluck an Equinox right off the lot in Northern New Jersey. It came with just about everything I wanted, excluding the GPS interface... but no biggie, i have a moto droid so i can always use the google maps...

Anyway, I went with the Silver Ice Metallic, Jet Black Light Titanium, Premium Cloth, 1LT (AWD) 4 cylinder
Options included: 8 way power seat adjuster, rearview camera system, pioneer 8 speaker system, cargo management package, vehicle interface package (leather wrapped wheel, remote starter, usb port, audio controls, etc), XM, onstar, etc.

When I plug all of this on edmunds, the results were....
MSRP - $27,950
Invoice - $26,457
True Market - $27,428

I talked the dealer down to $25,000, traded in my 2007, Mazda-3 for $8,300, (researched what I should have expected to get with my mileage and $8300 was competitive) I owed $9,775 so I ate the $1475 and rolled that into my new finance agreement so even adding that amount in, the end result was...

$26,475 at 6.9% (I dont have the best of credit) but considering I was at 12.5% when I originally bought my Mazda three years ago will tell you that I was okay with 6.9% (Obviously my credit improved since than but still not great by any means)

So, I just want to make sure I am correct with all of this but it appears that I made out okay, right? I would have definately liked a lower interest rate but what could i have done? I dont belong to credit union or anything... but in the end, $26,475 and invoice was $26,457...

Sorry for the novel, wanted to put as much info as possible...

Thanks to all!

bilbo6 · January 2010

What dealer in northern NJ were you able to get a price of $25,000 on a car with list of $27,950.

firefly8 · January 2010

Ordered my 2010 LT2 Nox 4cyl FWD on 10/22/09. It arrived 1/25/10. Mocha with black/ brownstone leather, chrome package and 18" wheels. MSRP was $28,360
and invoice was $26,840. I paid $27,272 minus $500 conquest. Final coast was
$26,772. Dealership also allowed top blue book price for trade in. Except for the three months wait it was a hassle free experience.

colt_hero · February 2010

What's the big deal here? After the smoke cleared, he only got $1500 of MSRP - and he had to trade in his 2007 Mazda to get it! He could've gotten most (maybe all) of that just by joining a Credit Union prior to purchasing ($1200-$1500). And had he purchased a month or so ago, he could've gotten an additional $500 off MSRP just by refusing the 60-day return policy!

Then he could've sold his Mazda privately and picked up another $500-$800.

I'm not saying he made a bad deal - selling the car privately (especially when you're paying a loan on it and with such a thin margin) could be dicey, but don't get hung up on the "I talked the dealer down to $25000" because he really didn't (and neither will you - without some kind of serious collateral).

Personally, I refuse to buy a 2010 Equinox at only $1000 to $1500 off sticker. That's why I just passed on the $1000 "Loyalty" rebate offer. Just not enough incentive. And it shouldn't be enough for anyone else either. That's Japanese pricing - and GM is simply not in that class right now...

pete6666 · February 2010

As a point of information, there is only about a $1500 difference between sticker and invoice with GM pricing and I know because I recently retired as a GM dealer sales manager. And Chevy is in the driver's seat on the Equinox. It is one of the hottest selling cars in America. Dealers only have a 12 day supply of them when normally they carry 60 day supplies. The factory in Canada is working 24 hours a day to compete with the backlog of orders and GM is planning on opening the Spring Hill, Tenn. plant (old Saturn plant) in a couple of months to produce the Equinox there also.That is why they don't have to be so generous with rebates. They know they have a winner-FINALLY!

colt_hero · February 2010

Let's HOPE they have a winner. There's something called "Long-Term Testing" that will prove whether or not GM is building better cars this time around. Remember - we've been through this kind of thing already once before with Saturn.

New company ... better cars ... attention to detail .. blah, blah, blah. We all know where that ended up.

I'd say right now all we can say about GM is that their cars LOOK better. Whether they actually ARE any better (quality-wise) remains to be seen (3-4 years from now).

fushigi · February 2010

Well, colt, they are selling better. Look back at this thread and you'll see lots of posts from people who had to order & wait for their 'nox. And if the prior poster is to be believed, which we've no reason not to, there's only a 12 day supply which is very low especially given the current market.

The Equinox is definitely a sales winner.

I agree, though, that long term reliability is less obvious. For GM's sake I hope they turn out to be great vehicles that satisfy their owners enough that they buy more GM products.

I'd like GM to succeed and gave the 'nox consideration when I was shopping but I wound up buying a competing CUV.

realtor4 · February 2010

I have a 1998 Honda CR-V real time, and I am thinking about buying a 2010 Equinox. Do you think I would miss the AWD if I got the FWD? I live in Michigan so I do have to deal with the winter elements. What's the difference in gas mileage?
Thanks,
Realtor4

kris113 · February 2010

Hi...

I am looking into buying a 2010 Equinox All-Wheel Drive LT w/2LT in the New York/New Jersey area and I priced it on the Chevy website and came up with a Net Price of $28,115.

I would like to know what I could expect to pay in the dealership. I would like to go in with as much information as possible so I can get the best deal.

Also, does anyone know what type of finance rates they are offering. I have excellent credit, close to 800.

Thanks

realtor4 · February 2010

I got a price for a LTZ but you can see the price difference. The quote was from
Thompson-Wasik Inc. from Ubly, MI. GM's deal is 6.9% that expires March 1st. I checked with Team One Credit Union and their rate is 3.9% for 60 months. I know you live quite a ways from here, but maybe this will help you.

2010 FWD LTZ Equinox sunroof no navigation and 4 cyl engine. MSRP $31305 your price $ 29605 plus tax, title, plate and fees. Both prices were quoted with the GMS pricing. Let me know what you are thinking. We would like the opportunity to earn your busness.
Thanks,
Realtor4

pete6666 · February 2010

I ordered an LTZ with 6 cyl., 18 inch wheels and sunroof. MSRP was $31595 and I got it for $29,900. It is being built this week and delivery should be first week of March. I shopped all over and got best deal at Atlantic Chevy in Bay Shore,Long Island. Salesman was Ben Kowal. He was great.

aaki · February 2010

I bought an LTZ last sat, 4 cyl, 18" wheels, power sunroof, nav, rear entertainment for $31870 (gms) + ttl (upstate sc). Most of the dealers around here, offer between $300 - $500 off msrp. It seems like recession is not a problem for them. Some of them were willing to work with you last year around sep, not any more. In my experience, if the car is on the lot, they might be willing to give you a good deal, not if one wants to order.
What I can't get over is, it does not have a home link to garage door opener.

realtor4 · February 2010

Thanks for the information. Why did you go with the 18" wheels instead of the 17"? Does that effect the gas mileage?
Thanks,
Realtor4

trofie · February 2010

i would like to purchase the 1LT or 2LT. i was having some difficulty deciding between the vehicle and the GMC terrain but i believe i have made my decision. it seems to be pretty hot right now and i have a lease due in a couple of weeks. can anyone share their northeast experience as to how much i can expect to pay for this car? i will be putting down $2500 and my husband belongs to MCU credit union. thanks in advance.

pete6666 · February 2010

I ordered an LTZ with 6 cyl., FWD ,18 inch wheels and sunroof. The MSRP was $31535 and I got it for $29995 plus tax and tags. I ordered it from Atlantic Chevy in Bay Shore, NY on Jan.8th. My Salesman called me yesterday and told me the car was built and will be at the dealership March 8th-exactly 8 weeks. You can negotiate more if you order the car. There is limited inventory and the dealers want more if it is in stock. Good luck.

trofie · February 2010

hello pete. thanks for the quick reply. as opposed to everyone else in this community, i recently decided to purchase this vehicle so i am a novice. i have already started researching msn.com per your ealier suggestions. i will contact atlantic chevy later this morning. i was wondering if you had the name of your salesperson. it is my hope that if he comes highly recommended, he may be willing to do right by me as he did with you. thanks in advance.

pete6666 · February 2010

I tried to send you the young salesman's name and number but it was deleted by Edmunds. It is Atlantic Chevrolet in Bay Shore New York. Don't call on Tuesday because that is the young mans day off. My Cardinal Red LTZ is due at their dealership on 3/8/2010. Good luck and let me know how you make out.
Pete

pete6666 · February 2010

Check post #285

sforz · March 2010

How'd I do guys?

Black, AWD, 4cyl, leather, liftgate, sunroof, navigation, 17inch wheels,

$31,270 + tax and tags

fair price? Any incentives going on I should know about?

Thanks in advance!

firefly8 · March 2010

Is this a LTZ?

bdb1 · March 2010

I have a 2010 noq LS awd with the 4 cyc motor I took it back to the dealership where i bought it because I thought I had a noisy lifter the service people told me it was the injectors that where making the noise and that was normal I find this hard to believe - it is so loud I can here it inside the vehicle I was also told the reason it sounded so loud is because the motor is so quiet (am I missing something here) love the car but the loud injectors are becoming an issue has anyone else experienced loud injectors

pete6666 · March 2010

I have heard from a friend at a Chevy dealer that there have been a lot of complaints about the noise in the 4 cyl. That is why Chevrolet put a noise suppresion system in the rear cabin of all the 4 cylinders. There have been no complaints with the 6 cyl.

back2front · March 2010

LS 4cyl. 2010 Nox and I have noisy lifters too, it sounds like they are starving for oil.....

bdb1 · March 2010

have you had it back to the dealership _ if so what do they say as to a fix for the problem

realtor4 · March 2010

That sounds like a fair price. I got a quote for the same thing and I was quoted 31,290. Thisquote is with the gm discount. Is your with the gm discount? There is no other discounts out there at this time that I am aware of. I thought in March they might come out with something, but they haven't.
Thanks,
Realtor4

back2front · March 2010

My last oil change I asked them about it and they said this sound is normal for this engine. We even started one they had on the lot and it sounded like mine, so for now I guess I will take them at their word.

awesomeone · March 2010

Sounds high. What's the retail, trim? Do you have GM points? USAA membership gets you special pricing, Our FWD, 4 cyl, LTZ with 18" wheels and DVD entertainment listed for a little over 30K. We had loyalty of 1K, an extra 1K added to our GM points for 3.6K on those, and citi points of 1.5K. We negotiated the price to invoice and walked out with a sweet deal plus 3.49% financing. We are happy with everything except the fuel economy, but I think that is a different forum. Oh well, what the heck, it's 23 MPG overall, well short of the 26 MPG advertized. I think that is the norm as the vehicle is heavy and an SUV.

2010mochanox · March 2010

Ordered: 1/4/2010. Delivered: 3/5/2010
Dealer: Van Chevrolet/Cadillac, Kansas City, MO
Very pleased with vehicle and dealer. (150 miles). When ordering, they made it clear that the trade in may be degraded. I made it clear that I was willing to walk away if it was. There was no degrade.
Trim Level note: prior to ordering they attempted to find what I wanted on other lots. They showed me window stickers for two vehicles, an LTZ, and an LT2 with the options I was looking for: Leather, power lift, cargo cover. The LTZ had all those options and more, but was $1500 less than the LT2.

2010mochanox · March 2010

GM shortened the height of the pistons in the Ecotech 4 cylinder engines. Less mass, more power and better gas milage. Unfortunately, this allows the piston to rotate and "slap" the sides of the cylinder wall. This does not harm anything, it just makes noise. During a recent launch with the Ecotech, GM was tuning the soundproofing and began hearing the slap. They had to further tune the vehicle to reduce that frequency. Not sure if this is what you are hearing, but the slap sounds like lifters. Have not heard this in our MochaNox yet, but have only had it for a few days. So far, I can't believe how quiet the thing is.

colt_hero · March 2010

If you're going to plunk down $30k for a GM SUV, you should be driving away in a Traverse - not a 'Nox. Just my opinion.

I think people take a liking to a particular vehicle model and then they get carried away adding all the packages onto it, and by the time they're done they end up paying more for less.

Reminds me of the Pontiac Grand Ams that used to come with the V6 option. I'm sure many of those buyers liked the base Grand Am, but ultimately ended up with the V6 Grand Am when they could've just bought the Grand Prix for about the same price (maybe even less).

carsh · March 2010

I'm looking at the equinox LT1 with the Vehicle Interface Package and the Rearview Camera. Right now, I've got a price of $23,779 with the GM discount (including $745 delivery, not including TTL). I'm planning on custom ordering since there aren't many Noxs on the lot here in Texas that aren't loaded with options. My questions are:

1 - Has anyone had luck negotiating down more than what I'd get with the GM discount? The sales guys all keep telling me that they can barely keep them on the lot and so they're not negotiating. I just don't trust salespeople and I can't believe that with this economy.
2 - If I do a custom/factory order, how do the discounts work? Right now, there's an extra $500 with the GM discount but it expires 3/31 and there's no way the car will be ready by then. So do I get whatever deal is out (if any) whenever I take delivery of the car? It seems risky to place an order but not know what the final price would be.
3 - I'm trying to keep the cost down by choosing as few options as I can. Does anyone who has one of these have advice on something that they can't live without?

Thanks for your help.

pete6666 · March 2010

What engine are you getting and is it FWD or AWD. I ordered an LTZ 6 cyl., 18 inch wheels and sunroof. The MSRP was $31585 and I negotiated down to $29900. plus TTL. The car was ordered Jan.8th and was due in yesterday but has not arrived yet. There are no rebates or incentives except points on a GM card. What is the the $500 GM discount you are talking about? The dealer will negotiate more on a factory order because they don't want to give discounts on cars in stock because they can't get them.

pete6666 · March 2010

The price you got is fantastic. It is almost $100 UNDER dealer invoice. Sign it up before the dealer changes his mind. Dealer cost on that car with 4cyl. and FWD is $23821 and MSRP is $25095.

kseric · March 2010

That is a great price. Less than I paid for the same vehicle. I paid 24,299 for a Lt1 4Cylinder Blue with Vehicle Interface Package and Rear Camera Package. This was in Olathe, Kansas.

mof22 · March 2010

I had ordered an Equinox in early September, but it still hadn't come in by December (didn't even have an order #). I had already been without a car for 2 weeks, so ended up searching on the Chevy website for an Equinox with all the features I wanted. None of the dealers in Houston would negotiate when I was looking to order in August/September or in later December to see what they had on their lots. The only dealer that negotiated and who I ended up buying from was Bob Tedford Chevrolet in Farmersville, Texas. My salesman was fabulous and extremely helpful.

I did find out that when ordering, the only deals I would have been eligible for was what was available when the Equinox came in.

I ended up with a FWD LTZ 6 cyl., with sunroof and 18" wheels for $29,958 (including TTL). I believe the MSRP was around $30,600. At the time I purchased it, I qualified for the conquest rebate of $1,000 and the GM satisfaction rebate of $500.

Good luck.

carsh · March 2010

That was for the 4 cylinder, forgot to mention, with GM employee discount. My grandfather worked for GM and that makes me eligible for GM employee pricing, which is where the $500 bonus GM discount comes from. That's a crazy delay to get a Nox made - I'll have to order soon because I have to have a new car by early July.

Thanks for the help - I feel pretty good following through on that deal!

colt_hero · March 2010

So this is what it's come to: a 5% discount off a GM vehicle is a "fantastic" deal.

That makes me sad.

The GM discount is worth around $1300 and that's about what the guy's getting for a discount on the car, so again I say: what's the big deal here??? Anybody can get this deal (with or without a GM discount if they just join a credit union instead).

And don't get too excited about "below cost" or "under invoice". GM's new "invoice" prices are markedly higher than they ever were in the past, which leads me to believe that they are not "true". In the past, a GM vehicle in this price range would have an invoice price around $1000 lower than what they're purporting it to be now ($1300?). GM dealers are not going to sell high-demand, low supply vehicles below cost during the prime sales season. As a left-over - maybe - but it's starting to look like there won't be any real "leftover" season on these vehicles because they're not making them in any kind of volume.

Here's an example of a "fantastic" car deal: '02 Impala I bought brand new in 2002. Sticker price: $22,050. Purchase price: $17,600 ($4450 off sticker = 20% discount). Then I deducted $5500 in GM points and Citi points for a bottomline price of $12,100 (a whopping 45% discount off sticker !!!)

Here's another decent deal: '97 Taurus bought brand new in '98: Sticker price: $22,225. Purchase price: $16,700 ($5525 off sticker = 25% discount). Then I deducted $1400 in Citi points for a bottomline price of $15,300 (31% discount off sticker).

NEW GM is laughing all the way to the bank on these 2010 Equinoxes. They won't be laughing later on if it turns out these vehicles are no better than what came out of OLD GM. We'll see in 3 years or 50,000 miles...

I sure hope if you people are buying a GM vehicle that you AT LEAST have GM points to use, because if you think 5% off sticker is a "fantastic" deal, I've got a house full of stuff I don't need that I'd like to sell you...

fshi · March 2010

I do not understand why you keep comparing apples to oranges. There are reasons for the market to set this price for 10 Nox, and that price for impala. If supply and demands does not support this 5% discount, then people will get better deal. People feel fantastic about this 5%, since very few people get this 5% off MSRP on the 10 nox. BTW, GM is making nox as fast as they can, not like what you said they intensionally control the supply. I do not get it why they would not make if they have the capacity and knowing that nox are well received in the market place?

colt_hero · March 2010

5% off MSRP for a vehicle from a company just out of bankruptcy with a long history of major manufacturing defects and customer indifference is a lousy deal. Anybody who feels "fantastic" about that must be leading a very deprived life. And who says 'very few people get this 5% discount"? If you can't get the GM supplier discount, you can join a credit union and get it that way. There's nothing special about getting a 5% discount.

As far as intentionally controlling supply, I don't know if that's what GM is doing, but I wouldn't put it past them. GM's history is to flood the market with cars, sell them at reduced profit margins, then (if you're lucky) recall every one of them for major safety or other manufacturing defects. Maybe the "new" thinking is the opposite - trickle the vehicles out slower, sell at a higher profit margin, and recall fewer cars when the manufacturing defects are discovered.

I'd love to see the sales statistics on these 2010 Equinoxes - the percentage of people buying these cars with some kind of GM connection (GM points, GM discount, GM employees) vs. the percentage coming to GM from another brand. I just cannot picture a Japanese car customer, for example, with no good reason to do so, suddenly defecting to GM to buy an unproven vehicle for a lousy 5% discount.

Chevrolet Equinox Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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