GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

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OldManoftheMountain
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GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by OldManoftheMountain »

Hello Bogleheads,

Longtime lurker, first time poster. Thank you all for the wonderful information I have gleamed from this site.

We need an AWD vehicle (yes we use snow tires and, no, I don't want to get into the "if you have snow tires you don't need AWD" argument please :happy). My question is, have any of you used the GM Friends and Family Discount? I have access to this and am thinking of purchasing a new Buick Enclave for my family of 5. We currently have a Honda Odyssey but need to upgrade.

I will check out the new Honda Pilot which is supposed to come out in a couple of weeks but I am leery in buying the first model year of a totally refreshed vehicle. The Enclave has been around for a number of years and the reliability data have been improving according to Consumer Reports.

I don't want to purchase the AWD Sienna due to the run flats/no spare.

So, anyone have experience with GM Friends and Family Discount? Can you haggle from this price point or is this typically the lowest price you can expect to get for the vehicle? Thanks in advance!
green tea
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Re: GM Friends and Family

Post by green tea »

Hi OldManoftheMountain,

I asked my husband, this is what he said:
Yes, the way to maximize the discount is to negotiate the price upfront without telling the dealer that you have the GM Friend and Family Certificate. In most case, they are willing to give you the extra discount.
Also, if you have any questions on GM vehicles, he think he can answer too.
killjoy2012
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Re: GM Friends and Family

Post by killjoy2012 »

I would tread lightly. It's been a while since I last went through this, but I'm 98% sure that the GM Supplier price is printed right on the per vehicle invoice sheet (along with the employee price, if you qualify). You should be able to go visit a Buick dealership(s), find the exact car you want, and ask the dealer what the fixed GM Supplier price is for that vehicle (no haggle). It really should be that simple. You can even go to gmfamilyfirst.com, click Build & Price, and it will show you the MSRP & Supplier for Friends price.

Now, sure, you could go in and play dumb, find the car, and then try talking the sales guy into his lowest price... then surprise him with the Supplier discount authorization # and see how the #s compare. But, you're likely wasting both of your time in negotiating a price that's already fixed. To my knowledge, the GM Supplier pricing is not a flat % off of what your otherwise price would have been. Same for employee pricing, if qualified.
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Re: GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (car purchase). I also retitled the thread.
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Re: GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

If it is the same as supplier discount, it is set and about 4% below invoice. If you qualify for a rebate ir incentive given to the public, you still can get those. You don't if you order a vehicle. It has to be in stock. GM will sometimes make some cars inelligable but they tend to be high demand, low supply cars. Often Corvette inn't offered.
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Saving$
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Re: GM Friends and Family

Post by Saving$ »

killjoy2012 wrote: ...It's been a while since I last went through this, but I'm 98% sure that the GM Supplier price is printed right on the per vehicle invoice sheet (along with the employee price, if you qualify). You should be able to go visit a Buick dealership(s), find the exact car you want, and ask the dealer what the fixed GM Supplier price is for that vehicle (no haggle). It really should be that simple. You can even go to gmfamilyfirst.com, click Build & Price, and it will show you the MSRP & Supplier for Friends price.

Now, sure, you could go in and play dumb, find the car, and then try talking the sales guy into his lowest price... then surprise him with the Supplier discount authorization # and see how the #s compare. But, you're likely wasting both of your time in negotiating a price that's already fixed...
+1
and no other dealer would come within $400 of the price I negotiated. The GM F&F discount was $2200 less than the negotiated price.
tim1999
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Re: GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by tim1999 »

Unless you are a professional negotiator, and the car is not in hot demand, or you are willing to spend hours upon hours haggling with multiple dealerships, the GM F&F fixed price is a good deal and saves a lot of time and stress. Do it.
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OldManoftheMountain
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Re: GM Friends and Family

Post by OldManoftheMountain »

Saving$ wrote:
killjoy2012 wrote: ...It's been a while since I last went through this, but I'm 98% sure that the GM Supplier price is printed right on the per vehicle invoice sheet (along with the employee price, if you qualify). You should be able to go visit a Buick dealership(s), find the exact car you want, and ask the dealer what the fixed GM Supplier price is for that vehicle (no haggle). It really should be that simple. You can even go to gmfamilyfirst.com, click Build & Price, and it will show you the MSRP & Supplier for Friends price.

Now, sure, you could go in and play dumb, find the car, and then try talking the sales guy into his lowest price... then surprise him with the Supplier discount authorization # and see how the #s compare. But, you're likely wasting both of your time in negotiating a price that's already fixed...
+1
and no other dealer would come within $400 of the price I negotiated. The GM F&F discount was $2200 less than the negotiated price.[/quote
I am sorry but I dont understand your post. Are you saying you negotiated a price then got the F and F discount?
Saving$
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Re: GM Friends and Family

Post by Saving$ »

OldManoftheMountain wrote:
Saving$ wrote:
killjoy2012 wrote: ...It's been a while since I last went through this, but I'm 98% sure that the GM Supplier price is printed right on the per vehicle invoice sheet (along with the employee price, if you qualify). You should be able to go visit a Buick dealership(s), find the exact car you want, and ask the dealer what the fixed GM Supplier price is for that vehicle (no haggle). It really should be that simple. You can even go to gmfamilyfirst.com, click Build & Price, and it will show you the MSRP & Supplier for Friends price.

Now, sure, you could go in and play dumb, find the car, and then try talking the sales guy into his lowest price... then surprise him with the Supplier discount authorization # and see how the #s compare. But, you're likely wasting both of your time in negotiating a price that's already fixed...
+1
and no other dealer would come within $400 of the price I negotiated. The GM F&F discount was $2200 less than the negotiated price.[/quote
I am sorry but I dont understand your post. Are you saying you negotiated a price then got the F and F discount?
Yes, I thought maybe we could do better, so I set about trying to get the best price I could. Played the dealers off each other, etc. Once I had what I thought was the lowest price, the person with the F&F discount went to the dealer with the lowest price (who was also the most convenient dealer). With the F&F the out the door price was $2200 less than the best deal I had been able to secure. This was 10+ years ago, and the car is still in the driveway, so have not had the need to try again.
2tall4economy
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Re: GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by 2tall4economy »

There are two discounts. The friends and family ("supplier") price and the employee price. Employee price is better and is generally only allowed for immediate family by there are occasionally (like once in 3-5 years) times when this price is generally available.

Both are fixed and are written on the vehicle documents when they purchase the vehicle from GM. There is no point in negotiating.

The supplier price is generally what "car buying" services all over price with because that's what they pay to get access to.
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SpringMan
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Re: GM Friends and Family [Auto purchase discount]

Post by SpringMan »

Be sure to ask about dealers "doc fee", it is one thing that is still negotiable.
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