I've been watching the GMAC Lease Pull Ahead offers probably from 3-4 years now.

They used to generally be a 6-month pull out (they waive the last 6 months of payments if you re-lease or but a new GM vehicle), that would vary sometimes down to 3, and sometimes up to 9, and maybe up to 12 months at one time.

Anyway, over the last year, the Lease Pull Ahead offers have dwindled to a max of 4 months... then to 3... now the current offer is a lousy 2 months.

IMO, Lease Pull Ahead is a very important thing to offer to make sure you have first shot at keeping your lease customer in one of your vehciles before they get a chance to shop around... 2 months really doesn't cut it, IMHO.

 

As a potential buyer (and thrifty shopper), I agree with you. But as a fan of GM and as an observer of the big picture, it makes perfect sense.

We all know GM has been steadily decreasing incentives going from the biggest spender of the big 3 in '05 to the lowest incentive spender in '06. This helps profitability, which GM needs.

The second component is great product which we are finally seeing. The lack of additional pull ahead money woul not keep me from buying a car at or near the top of its class like the GMT 900's, new CTS, Sol/Sky, Aura, new Malibu, Lambda crossovers, or upcoming Camaro and G8.

I think the pull ahead was originally concieved to stop the hemmoraging of market share in the 90's. GM is already on record saying they expect the market share slide to end this year and possibly even reverse. Its about the product.

"Gotta have" cars don't need a lot of incentives. The more of those GM has, the less they need this program.

 

Yeah at two months most everyone who actually gives a damn about what they drive next is already in the process of looking around a bit. If they're somebody like me they will probably already have a deal negotiated and just wait for the right day to turn the keys in on the old one.