[SSRGUY]

The market for 03/04 SSr's is certainly not strong and weakening more by the day as GM has not provided any incentives (low cost financing or rebates to dealers) as of this week. :cry

This is surprising as there is a lot of product (if you are willing to take a fully loaded vehicle) and prices have come off a premium to MSRP> to MSRP> to just under MSRP> to $500 over dealer invoice in most markets over the past 90-120 days.... virtually nothing is selling on eBay at anything near MSRP and some larger dealers, who are aware of the market 'overhang' are telling sales folks to move the vehicles in stock by dealing. :jester

There is little doubt that, with the arrival to the upgraded 2005 at a similar MSRP, the value of the first generation (03 & 04) SSr will deteriorate further over the summer and into the fall such that something like $7.5k or, likely, more less than the market transaction cost of a '05 will be necessary to give an incentive to take one. I say more as the feedback from the showroom floor is the vehicle is nice but is really an overpriced product/toy; most dealers I speak with suggest the MSRP for a loaded 2005 truck should be more in the order of $39.9k, and that a basic unit, (i.e. with the 1SA Preferred Group) should be $34,995 to attract the volume GM is targeting (i.e. 12.5-15k units p.a.). Some feel that even that might not do it.


WTS, seems that it has been a month or so since there was a flurry of information on the changes for 2005..... am wondering if anyone has anything "new" to report?

 

[SSR290]

2005 Powerplant



The engine for the 2005 SSR is a 6.0 liter unit. It will be like the Corvette engine, however it is to be retuned to 385 HP.

:thumbs

:flag

 

[BMBLBEE]

I think GM in Canada has a rebate of $7500 on 2003 SSR's but I'm not sure if it also applies to 2004 models. I believe the intent was to get prices more in line with US prices but they are still too high to move many.

I suspect GM is trying to figure out what price they need in place to continue production long enough to recover their cost and I agree that the production life may be cut short if they don't get to a more affordable price.

 

[Guest]

From what I have observed/heard from those who have not made the plunge, low sales are due mainly to; a) too high priced for a "toy". b) too low of horsepower to weight ratio for a "pure driving machine" (as GM called it). c) greedy dealers. d) lack of manual tranny.

It is really a shame too, because it really is a cool truck.
GM can ony blame themselves.

 

[SSRGUY]

Canadian Pricing is BAD for Dealers & Customers

In Canada, the SSr is even more mispriced than and over equipped than in the United States. Many of the SSr’s that are on the road are trucks that individual owners actually imported from USA. The facts include:full list price of a loaded (excluding chrome wheels) 03/04 SSr is in the order of C$80k; this is about US$60k at the current exchange rate, so it is easy to understand why anyone with any common sense who wants an SSr would buy in the USA and import. It is also interesting to note that the dealer cost in Canada for the MSRP C$80k SSr is about C$68k so even Canadian dealers could buy at retail in the US and be better off…. Let’s just say that GM Canada really did the Canadian consumer and dealer network a BAD turn in this situation….

What they have done is offer a C$7500 incentive payment and C$1500 of GM credit card money (if you have the points). There are rumors circulating that the ‘05’s will have exchange adjusted pricing such that they will be basically the same price as in the USA. The really need to get the kick back up to north of C$15k and then pray if they expect to move the 03/04 SSr's in stock as everyone seems focused on the upgraded/improved ’05.

 

[SSRGUY]

While most of us agree the SSr is a fun toy there is little doubt it is a real shame the way GM has positioned and marketed the truck. Fortunately the screw-up in USA is not as bad as Canada (see my comment above), where it is a real nightmare for dealers as well as consumers.

It will be interesting to see the effect that the upgraded ’05 will have as the power should be there as will the manual too. To deal with the price problem, all customers have to do is order a truck that has none of the overpriced RPA’s that you really do not want and forget about the 1SB package. One of my buddies has an ’04 with the 1SA Preferred equipment group, the compartment trim and the running boards that he ordered in March from a nearby b dealer that was not greedy (he paid $1500 over dealer ‘invoice’ and was out the door for about $42k plus taxes. You cannot tell the difference from this truck with another in town that is loaded and the guy paid $5k over MSRP (about $51k plus taxes). I see careful selection of options and finding one of the many scrupulous dealers who do not want to make a killing on the SSr as one of the keys to the problem of price (as well, Chevrolet Division should be making some downward price <i.e. $3.5 to 5k> adjustments and including items like heated seats as standard). They could also build a decontented single color, no options, SSr’s as a special edition at a low price of something $36, 995; all options would come as RPA’s via dealer parts.….