Just about every manufacturer has 0% or close to on all their vehicles. All have deep discounts.

 

The average manufacturer cost for stability control is only $300 in excess of simple ABS. When BMW and Mercedes made ESP standard, they were just making a small investment in safety. BMW took it one step further with optional DSC, which makes the limits of the stability control adjustable. You can turn it off, or raise or lower the activation threshold. In addition, it works hand in hand with the switchable modes of the SMG in the M3. Electronic handling aids don't have to be about killing the fun of driving.

I'm not surprised that GM doesn't want to make a $300 per vehicle investment in safety. After all, many domestic cars have cheap metal trunk hinges that rob cargo space - an amazing design sacrifice when you consider the gas struts cost only $3.00-4.00 more per vehicle. It probably doesn't make a difference to most buyers, but it does to me.

The whole issue of "nickle and diming" is why I'm so luke-warm on GM's current offerings. The two Chevys I own right now still amaze me with their depth of engineering, and depite the odd detail, the level of enduring quality. Of course, I own two cars that aren't produced anymore.

 

Unfortunately, we're talking about "discount" vs. "retail," the difference between starting at the sticker and having a $3,000 rebate.

The Cavalier is on of the better cars on the market for two particular segments - people with bad credit, and people with no credit. If a person is having a hard time getting financed on even a used car, a Cavalier can work just fine. Similarly, "first time buyers" who couldn't possibly qualify for something like a new Civic are another target market.

If we're talking about trying to plug a Cavalier at sticker (starting at $14,200), you've got to be joking. Considering the age, and extreme tinniness of the Cavalier, this car isn't a Civic/Corolla competitor. Sure, the coupe is still an awesome looking car, and the rear treatment gained a classy "Cadillac Catera" look back in 2002... But get real.

The Cavalier is the oldest, crudest and cheapest car in the current Chevy lineup, but its "retail" value problem is the same as other GM cars. Unless free AC is the main selling point, a Cavalier selling at sticker can hardly compare with a Civic DX. I like cold air as much as the next guy, but not that much.

When you can buy a Dodge Neon SXT with auto, AC, power windows and locks, keyless remote, alloy wheels, and a spoiler for $15,300 - plus a $3,000 rebate - the Cavalier hardly has an undiscounted chance.

 

What makes it harder for someone with bad or no credit to buy a Honda Civic as opposed to a Chevy Cavalier.

Anyone with bad credit can walk into any brand dealership and qualify for the same ridiculously high interest rate loan with a co-signer, and buy either car.

 

Amen...

Anyone can walk into any dealer with crappy credit, and almost any manufacturers finance arm will take them, if they have enough down. Not just GMAC. But what do I know...I just sell them...

 

Like it or not, domestics like the Neon, Focus and Cavalier have very aggressive "first-time-buyer" programs that foriegn makes like Honda don't have to have. In the real world, credit "ghosts" without co-signers and downpayments are more likely to get bought on a Cavalier than a new Civic or just about any used car. Those $3,000 rebates are often used in place of actual cash downpayments.

Jason E, for someone who sells cars, you seem very innocent in terms of automotive finance. I'm assuming you either have very little to do with the finance process, or you're selling in a rather affluent area. GMAC isn't always as aggressive as Chrysler Credit, but alot of people are getting financed on new J-cars who would otherwise have fallen under the category of "special finance." As a general rule of thumb, the beauty of low interest finance is that "good" people can get 0.9%, but "marginal" types can still score 6.9% at the subsidized rates - instead of the 12.9% they'd get in the real world. In any case, even if the manufacturer won't touch them with a ten-foot pole, rebates still help "special finance" buyers get bought.

The more I look at the car game, the more I'm convinved that GM is moving farther and farther toward being a "discount" brand. If they think they can sell non-incentivized cars as commercial finance rates rate, they've got another thing coming.

 

I know a two people (personally) with less than perfect credit who purchased brand new Honda Civics in the last 4 years.

I really don't know where you are going with this. A Civic is an entry level car just as much as a Cavalier is, and they want to sell them to anyone who walks through the door.