Best GM dealer in Cowtown?

[Incinerator]

EDIT: DONE DEAL, thanks for all the help & comments everyone! B-)

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I wouldn't get a Subaru, everyone that I know who has bought one has had constant problems with them, and apparently they are pretty bad when it comes to warrenty. A brand that has gotten alot better is actually Kia. Still reasonably priced, but just really well made and well backed when it comes to warrenty.

[snappyk]

I know a sales person over at contry hills toyota, I know they went over to menu pricing just like Saturn, pretty easy to deal with.

[Incinerator]

Originally posted by Mean Mr. Mustard@Jun 15 2005, 03:44 AM
I wouldn't get a Subaru, everyone that I know who has bought one has had constant problems with them, and apparently they are pretty bad when it comes to warrenty. A brand that has gotten alot better is actually Kia. Still reasonably priced, but just really well made and well backed when it comes to warrenty.

Yeah I've heard stuff about Subarus too that's why it's last on my list haha...my heart is kinda set on the new Sonata but of course I wanna give all of them a spin first before deciding

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

I've met the new car manager at Stampede Pontiac a few times through work. Every time we offered Roughnecks tickets for charity donations he jumped in.

Seems like a stand up guy. PM me if you want his contact info.

[calf]

I bought a GM a year and a bit ago from GSL Chev City (was 20 then). One of the factors I bought from them was that when I went in (on my own, in jeans and a t-shirt), I was treated like a serious buyer. I went to a bunch of other dealers on my own and was given the cold shoulder, went in with my dad to a few and they talked to him instead of me (even after it was made clear I was buying the car). Even when I went back to GSL with my dad, I was the one he dealt with. Good experience there.

[Incinerator]

Thanks Bourgeois & calf, I'll check these two places out.

[Sylvanfan]

Well out of your list the Camry is the best one by a landslide . Problem with the GM's is that the re-sale all but disappears on them in 5 years. My wife has a 2001 Cavalier that we probably couldn't sell for what the payments are right now. Had she bought something like a Toyota Corolla back than it would still be worth $12000+. I know I bought a new car when I was 21, and in 3 years my lifestyle and wants were quite different so a car with good re-sale is something I'd definitely reccommend.

[Incinerator]

Everyone I know is a Toyota groupie too lol...I dunno, I really like the new Sonata and I'm gonna drive the other 3 too just in case. So I'll go from there...

[Claeren]

The cost of a car is not what you pay for it up front but what you get for it afterwards, relative to its intial price.

The Subaru and Camry, neither of which i am a huge fan of, will save you thousands over your ownership run.


I drive a loaded, graphite coloured 2003 Honda Accord i4 EX-L and i am VERY pleased with it after 80,000kms(!!!), although T&T Honda is HORRIBLE to deal with. I don't know what is not to like about it. Beautiful interior and console, 5-speed auto, 600km's/tank, tons of smooth power, etc. Incidently, i am selling soon because i drive so much (probably to buy a newer Accord) but probably not soon enough for your needs...

But why not buy near new instead of new? I saved thousands buying my car with 20,000km's on it but still had a 'new' car...


Not to argue with your choices but the Accord, Maxima, Altima, Scion Xb, Matrix, Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 are all nicer and sportier then the cars you have listed. Why do you want such a boring car? (Coming from a frikkin Accord owner!)



Of your choices, the Camry is too boring and the Forester not reliable enough and both are too expensive. The Malibu sucks ass so that leaves the Pontiac G6 and new Sonata.

The G6 in loaded form is probably the coolest of the bunch, but it does nothing really well although nothing badly - it is horribly average.

So that leaves the new and improved Sonata. Hyundai is constantly pushing the envelope much like Honda/Toyota did years ago. There cars are more reliable each year (Near the top now) and the new Sonata is a big improvement looks wise. The only thing missing is that highend engine technology Honda, Toyota, and Subaru have....


Hope that helps....

Claeren.

[Incinerator]

I want a more low key car so the Mazda3 & 6 are out, I've had some bad experience with Nissans in the past and I've already gave the Altima a chance, it didn't impress me much. As for Hondas, I've been driving Hondas and Acuras pretty much all my life so it's time for a change I guess, I feel like I'm kinda past that boy racer stage and this next purchase is going to cover the next 8 years of my life at least. So that's why I want a more "boring" car.

[Incinerator]

Also my company uses Corollas so I don't want to feel like I'm at work while I'm driving my own car haha, so no Matrix or Corolla for me

[Claeren]

Strange concept to me, wanting to be boring! lol....

I guess i am a boy-racer in my Accord? lol... wicked!!!

Just teasing....


Claeren.

[Regulator75]

Originally posted by Incinerator@Jun 15 2005, 12:56 AM
I want a more low key car so the Mazda3 & 6 are out, I've had some bad experience with Nissans in the past and I've already gave the Altima a chance, it didn't impress me much. As for Hondas, I've been driving Hondas and Acuras pretty much all my life so it's time for a change I guess, I feel like I'm kinda past that boy racer stage and this next purchase is going to cover the next 8 years of my life at least. So that's why I want a more "boring" car.

Trying to shed your ganglike past???
Even though I personally would never buy another domestic, I really like the look of the Pontiac G6. That new Hyundai Sonata actually looks like sweet car, looks kinda like an Acura TL, BMW 5 series, Mazda 6 and Passat. (All decent looking cares in my opinion). It's a tough choosing a new car.



Now based on reliability, I would lean towards the Hyundai or Toyota.

EDIT: Stay away from Shaganappi Chev Olds, nothing but clowns. Service sucks.
That is where I bought my 2001 Chev Impala Loaded (Brand new) and we have had nothing but problems since day 1.

[Claeren]

Originally posted by Regulator75@Jun 15 2005, 04:47 AM
Now based on reliability, I would lean towards the Hyundai or Toyota.

Who would of thunk, eh?

Hyundai being uttered in the same breath as Toyota!

I agree though... at least the gap is closing quickly. Something that cannot be said about Domestics (GM is supposedly the exception but... ) despite almost 2 decades of effort (Which makes it that much sad'er).

It is a nice looking car, but it needs to be in its loaded trim....

Claeren.

[Mango]

Originally posted by Regulator75@Jun 15 2005, 04:47 AM
Stay away from Shaganappi Chev Olds, nothing but clowns. Service sucks.
That is where I bought my 2001 Chev Impala Loaded (Brand new) and we have had nothing but problems since day 1.

I second this. My parents purchased the same car (make, year and model) as Regulator and the service department is horrible at Shagannapi.

[North East Goon]

I drive a 97 Pontiac Grand Am and have had little problems with it. "Knock on Wood". I always hear that the foreign cars are much better, but I have been so happy with this Pontiac, I am definitely going to buy another. Dont rule out the G6, poke around on the internet and see if there has been major problems reported on any of the vehicles you are looking at.

[nfotiu]

Doh, I thought this was a thread about Darryl Sutter.

[Bill Bumface]

To back up some points made in this thread:

Sonota was named one of the best cars produced as far as quality in JD Powers last survey. Hyundai just suffers from a bad reputation they earned years ago.

That said, GM was the #2 manufacturer in terms of quality behind Toyota. They also suffer from a bad rep they earned by building shinguardty cars in the past.

Stealerships:
Got one car from Shagganappi Chev Olds (Olds Alero). Everyone here is right, they are HORRIBLE. They're service department is full of idiots. I had better luck asking for the part and then installing it myself.

Got my last car at GSL (Cobalt SS). They knew WAY more about what was going on than Shagganappi (they ordered the car for me when Shag said they couldn't order it for several months). Also they did things like have the car ready for me to take home just a couple hours after it arrived on the lot (usually they take a couple days). As for service, nothing has gone wrong with the car yet *knock on wood* so I can't tell you. There is NO way they can be worse than Shagganappi, and they are also conveniently located if you work downtown. My salesman was Ron Madsen btw.

Hope that helps!

[nfotiu]

Originally posted by hulkrogan@Jun 15 2005, 02:54 PM
To back up some points made in this thread:

Sonota was named one of the best cars produced as far as quality in JD Powers last survey. Hyundai just suffers from a bad reputation they earned years ago.

That said, GM was the #2 manufacturer in terms of quality behind Toyota. They also suffer from a bad rep they earned by building shinguardty cars in the past.

That quality survey is just based on initial quality, correct? Basically just little things breaking or coming shipped broken that get fixed under warranty.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe GM still does pretty poorly in the long term reliability surveys.