Trust me, you don't want ME farting on your seat(s) after I've had some beer and pizza...

 

The original msrp on our car was close to seventeen thousand, and none of the dealers we went to, and we went all over the Phoenix area, wanted to give us what we would consider a good deal. Hubby figured fifteen might be good out the door, but they only came down to fifteen five and we figured that was most likely as good as it was going to get. We did see it in an ad for $11,447.00 but that dealer acted like he had no idea what we were talking about, and when we went in the very next day when the ad was in the paper again, they told us it was sold. Of course we knew it was a trick to get folks in there but we also figured that with all the O7's they still had on the lot, and the 08"s coming out before you know it, they might just want to sell us another HHR for that price, but they would not come down. We drove to a near by town and the folks there did not use any high pressure and were just as nice as could be.

Good luck in your hunt, and don't let anyone high pressure you. We found it quite funny how they act like it's the last car in the world, and if you don't buy it right then and there, you will be walking to work forever.

 

Either that's a very unscrupulous dealer or it was actually a used car they conveniently overlooked describing as such. "Reputable" dealers who use bait & switch tactics (sounds like an oxymoron but in the car business "everybody does it") will always put a stock number with the lowball unit so they can either show you the vehicle or evidence on paper they did have one. It will usually be so stripped-down nobody wants it--HHR's don't come that stripped so you'll never see a legit lowball price on a new one that low unless it includes obscure rebates most customers can't get. That's another ad tactic they use which, if disclosed at all, is usually in print so fine most people would need glasses or new glasses to read it.

 

Oh they did have a stock number, and the ad said "loaded", even though the salesmen tried to tell us it was stripped. We don't do business with folks like that. Other dealers told us that the car in question must have been on the lot within the past 30 days in order for them to keep advertising that car.

We're immune to high pressure tactics, but we just wonder, how many folks go in to check out a car and buy into the high pressure? 96% of these dealers seem to play the same game, and they clearly all went to the same school. It's an instant replay most everywhere you go. What's really funny is how you tell them, "I want this car, in this color, with this on it" and they run around and try to sell you a car you don't want or care about at all.

Can't say it was not a royal pain to go car shopping, but it sure was fun to go drive salesmen crazy when we didn't buy into their hype! We hope we gave them a headache!

We have to admit that it was a pleasure doing business with Saturn when we bought our previous car. We went in, told them exactly what we wanted, they printed out all the details and prices, we thought it over, told them we wanted it, they told us when it would be shipped and exactly when we could pick it up, and that's just how smooth it went. Of course they don't deal at Saturn, and we did pay more for it with the same options that come "with" the HHR, but it was a nice car that never gave us a problem in all the years we had it.

 

those prices sure seem cheap. i looked at one here in san jose, ca and the sticker was just under $24K. It was a LT2, leather, sunroof, and running boards. some other little things. i know some of the ones you are talking about are ls, but dang, that is cheap. i dont know what to offer them on this one.

 

Went looking for a HHR today.
Stopped at Mcelveen chevy in MT. Pleasant SC, my experience was anything but pleasant.

They had a NEW 06, yes a new one, no real sticker on it, well many of the vehicles I saw had printer prices
Anyway it was 23xxx for invoice and then 24xxx for total ( mid numbers )
Was a LT, leather, sunroof, just like the 21K and 22K ones at a deal down the road, not sure all the options since I could not see the sticker.

Talked to the sales guy and one of the sales managers asking what the extended warranty was ( $1200 was what I was told ).
Told the sales guy in the office I would pay $17 out the door, he came back with 24K, this was after I had already said isn't there a $3250 off for a 06.
Told him again $17K
After about 10 minutes the, I guess main sales manager, come up and asks "Bo whats your problem ?"
Has a print with him and shoes me the bottom few rows, shows a $799 DESTINATION CHARGE ( funny all others I have seen have been $599)
His bottom line was 21xxx, funny looked like the printer price minus $3250.
He continues to call me Bo and was getting loud with me, I tell him $17K cash right now out the door. he ask why would he take that offer ? I tell him its a 06 and as soon as I drive away it's worth 13K in a trade if I am lucky.
He starts off on another rant and calling me BO, so I interrupt him and say $17K with the 100K warranty and that his 21K papers show me that he needs to subtract the $3250 is close to what I will pay, and I tell him my name is not Bo.
He loses it and yells he is not in the business to lose money but to make money and he is not paying me $2500 to drive away a new car, he then stomps off in a hissy fit.
So I guess he has $24500 in a 06 HHR
I stopped at another dealer on the way home ( of course they were closed ) but they had many new 07's loaded for $21K with no extra printed stickers

 

Buy Used. Start Negotiations from Trade in Value and go up. Pay no attention to what their price is. Know what you will pay BEFORE you find the car you want and if its a grand or so above book and they don't take it. Walk.

They told me they had $16k in my car. I told them I am sorry to hear that, but I certainly am not paying for YOUR mistake! We both laughed. I told the manager what he had in the car which was around $13K or less.If he had any more he made a mistake and they don't make those kinds of trade in mistakes. He knew I did my homework.

I traded in a 2003 Ford Explorer which low booked at $9600. I initially offered $4,000 OTD ALWAYS Speak in OUT THE DOOR TERMS and my car against their $18000 price LOL. They came down to $5500 and my truck. Not bad. I pulled out the only check I had in my wallet and made a check out in the amount of $5000. I told them "It was my only check. Should I put their name in the pay to the order of spot?"

He asked about fees. I told him do the math any way you need to...there's my check. They did. We were both happy.

 

Well I did see another used one I like but with no price, found it on the net, has a few things that scare me though, the car fax for one, rental then new owner, then auction ?
Worth a look ? How much to offer ?
Thanks

used 06 link

CarFax link

 

Trust me for $9000 you can crap on my seats. It'll clean up.

 

If the car was test driven by someone else prior to you getting it, it is possible that someone may have done a toot test on the seats.

Could be part of their buying ritual