'03 or '04?

[Greg]

My son is very interested in buying my Avalanche and I'd replace it with a Silverado 1500 extended cab, 2wd, LS, 5.3. I see that there a lot of leftover '03s and $5K in incentives on top of GMS pricing. Very tempting. What are the major differences between the '03 and '04?

[Guest loneranger]

I have an 03 1500 LT, and it's fabulous! Due to special circumstances, I couldn't wait for an 04, but if you have time I definitely recommend that you wait for an 04. Here's why: I REALLY wanted a crew cab 1/2 ton, but it was only available in the 1500 HD, with the required 6.0 liter engine. I don't need that big engine, certainly don't wanna suffer the poor mpg. Starting in 2004, a crewcab can be had with the 5.3 engine, and in a 1/2 ton truck! Why GM stayed stupid for so loooooong while competitors have had a crew cab for a few years now, I can't explain. Also, the 5.3 will get 10 more horsepower (285 --> 295) and over 300 lbs/ft torque. But then again, with 2004 models you probably won't get the big discount, but since you can get GMS that should help alot. Well, those are the 2 most significant changes I've noticed.

 

Good luck!

[Greg]

Here's a new twist: I could get an '03 Avalanche 2wd WBH with GMS and $6500 off if I take the rebates. This makes the Av about the same price as a Silverado. If I finance through the credit union, I could get a brand new, nearly identical vehicle for about $100 less a month and take my bed slide with me. Tempting. But in the meantime I brought home an '04 CTS to test drive and my wife loved it. Unfortunately it's about $10K more with no incentives.

[Guest loneranger]

Here's another twist: I considered the BWH Avalanche (love the 4 full size doors), but the thing doesn't fit in my "standard" size garage. The Av has only 1 size bed, whereas the Silvi has either short or long bed. With the 2004 crewcab, selected with short bed (which is shorter than 03 short bed btw) the whole truck will fit. That CTS is sweet, but we all know the V is where it's at!

[ebod]

What's "GMS" pricing? I assume that it's some sort of GM insider/employee/supplier discount. How does the GMS price relate to the invoice price?

 

Is the GMS thing a certificate that you can buy (or that the dealer may give/sell to you if he likes you)?

 

Thanks

[Greg]

How is the Av too big? I think the 2500 crewcab is about 3 inches taller and 17 inches longer than the Av. As for the bed, I've used the midgate a number of times to carry long stuff, which essentially gave me 2 bed lengths. My wife has a disability, so getting up and in the Av is sometimes tough for us. This is the main reason for considering a change. A 2wd Silverado is about 3 inches lower than the Av and the CTS provides no real access problem. All can easily handle her wheelchair in the bed / trunk.

[Greg]

What's "GMS" pricing?  I assume that it's some sort of GM insider/employee/supplier discount.  How does the GMS price relate to the invoice price?

 

Is the GMS thing a certificate that you can buy (or that the dealer may give/sell to you if he likes you)? 

 

Thanks

GMS is employee and employee family pricing. (It originally stood for General Motors Stock - the price we'd get for a unit from dealer stock. There used to be a better discount, GMO, if you'd order a unit and wait for it to arrive at the dealer.) The discount ranges from about 11 - 15%+ depending on the vehicle and is supposed to be about the dealer cost. I think on full size trucks the discount is a bit over 15%. GM supplier is 4% above GMS price. You get the authorization for GMS from a GM employee or retiree (my dad in my case) from a GM website. I think GM supplier forms come from your employer if they qualify. There is no haggling on price, except your trade-in, and rebates are in addition to the GMS discount. However, some dealers won't offer GMS pricing on some vehicles like Corvette, GTO, Silverado SS, SSR, or CTS-V. However, their decisions often change over time. My Chevy dealer is now allowing GMS on Silverado SS because they aren't moving. Some dealers in the Detroit area offer GMS or supplier discounts to everyone, but they hedge on whether they also will tack on the rebates for John Q. Public.

[Tucson_02Silverado]

Don't forget to look at Quadrasteer, it'll make that truck turn as tight as the CTS (in parking lots anyways)

[mdub]

I wouldn't worry about losing incentives on the '04s. The '04s still look like the '03s..., so GM will certainly have to maintain incentives to keep selling against the new Phords and Dodg's. Even if you lose a little $ in the jump to the '04, the minor gain in resale value should even things out. Just watch, in a few months after the new F-150s are out, the '04 GM prices will be at the present '03 GM prices. That's their only defense at this point.

 

-Mdub