12 Months . . . . (kinda long, but interesting)

[car96]

Well, after 12 months of trying to get into an H3, I guess I just might as well give up.

I started looking in Jan '07 for and H3 Lux Pkg, but really only wanted a Base with leather seats, sunroof and 6 disc Monsoon changer(not all the chrome on the door handles or wheels or gas cap) which I guess moves you into a LUXURY package, and it's now Dec and I am a several thousand dollars over what I want to pay.

I have dealt primarily with one dealership because it's the closest. Houston is a big town with a lot of traffic, it's difficult to visit the other dealerships.

I think they are getting tired of me, but they do seem to try and help. They don't really offer me anything all that good. They won't come off the MSRP more than about $2000 on a H3 that MSRP's at $36,260.

This dealership advertises that they bring in Truckloads of DEMOS from other states and never has these DEMO's when I go in. They know I want to buy and I go by often enough that you would think I would be able to find a DEMO, but they always have ONLY ONE, RED, TACTICAL....I hate RED.

Here's an interesting story. I will try and be brief. March 30,2007 (last day of first quarter in 2007) a friend/cowoker bought a H3 Lux Pkg from said dealer.

He called me from the dealership and said "I know you have been down here and have about 3-4 offers in a folder, but they just made me a heck of a deal." He went in looking for the advertised BASE model that MSRP'ed and advertised for what I remember to be around $25-$27.

He drove it , didn't like it. He started asking about an H3 with LUX PKG.

They went ahead and sold (GAVE) him a H3 Lux Pkg with leather, 6 cd monsoon and the rebates, which were NOT offered on the LUX PKG. All the rebates of about $4500, gave him the -$950 because it had no sunroof (which was the advertised deal at the time). So he got a LUX H3 MSRP of about $36,000 for under 30 grand after TT+L. He must have had some other rebates that I have forgotten about since March, but I do know it was a $35-$36 dollar car and after TTL he was under $30K.

I go down there no less than 2 hours later and all they would do for me would come down $1500 on the same H3. The only difference was mine had a sunroof (WHICH THEY WERE THROWING IN FREE ANYWAY AT THAT TIME). They wouldn't extend the same benefits to a customer who had been in there 2-3 times trying to make deal. I was not asking for $10,000 of MSRP either.... I was not asking to "sale me the car at invoice"....I was trying to "Bargain" like every smart consumer should do when buying a new car.

I even told my salesman that the guy (used his name even) they just sold an H3 to was a friend and coworker and I know the deal he got because he called me two hours ago and told me. I want the same deal. That is what you "have to do today to get a deal done." He came back after visiting with his Manager and said $1500 Rebate is all I can do. I told him at that point that I know better offers are being made and I used my buddies deal as an example. He said sternly that it was not possible on my car deal, but he went to check with his manager again and I got up and left I was so pissed off.

So, I had to buy a Chrysler (NOT A GM) car in August 2007. I have tried to trade this in on a 2007 H3. On the same day(yesterday-Satruday), a Chrysler car dealership said they would give me $16500 on trade....and GM Hummer said $14000. Chrysler was going to come off a 2008 model $5250 and HUMMER ONLY $2000 (with 0% mind you) on a 2007.

I can get in an H3 at $574/72 months but I will not do such a deal...that is no deal in my mind. 72 months is not a good idea and I do not care who you are.

I want in an H3 at no more than $415/month. ....it can be done, but I just cant get the dealership to offer me more on my trade (it has a Kelly Blue Book trade value of $17900...you can see why at $14000 I can be mad. They should also be more willing to come off the MSRP on a 2007 more than TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ANY one out there want to help me out. Look, I realize I probably don't have as much of a salary as H3 owners do on here, but I make a pretty good salary to be a high school teacher / coach (11 years) and I can afford $575 a month....I just refuse to pay that.