Opinions
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,601
From: Mentor, Ohio
To my knowledge all signatures/limited/pace car (basically anything beyond an SS or SS Supercharged) had a COA. I'm not an expert on that, but I recommend you look into it. If anything, if they don't have it, you could use it as a final bargaining chip to drop the price (as it would have came with the car new and as a collector car is part of the accessories that should be with it, especially since GM will NOT reproduce it).
Yes they did have a COA. But unless all the previous owners were willing to hand it over with the car when they sold it, the COA is probably sitting on someone's wall, or went in the garbage (they didn't realize the significance of it).
As much as you may want this car, try not to let the salesman think you want it in the worst way.
The car lot sees the name Dale Earnhardt, and the words "signature series" on the dash, and they automatically try to cash in on it. Hoping that some die-hard Earnhardt fan will buy it at any cost. If it was me, I would use a different strategy. I would mention that it's a 9 year old car, and it's a model that was discontinued for a lack of sales. Tell them it's simply a 9 year old Monte with an appearance package, and there are thousands of those Intimidators out there and they all look exactly the same as the one he's trying to sell. Tell them they pop up for sale all the time.
Not that I really feel this way. But you have to take that car off of the golden pedestal the car lot has put it on. They have it in their mind that they have a super rare, super expensive car. Your job as the buyer is to convince them their car isn't as special as they think it is. Your job is to try to convince them what they have isn't special at all, and that you're doing them a favor by buying from them.
Be prepared to make them a reasonable offer, and walk away telling them if they don't like your offer, you'll always be able to find another one exactly like it somewhere else.
Before any Intimidator edition owners jump on me...
I said I don't really believe all the negative things I said about Intimidator editions. It's all negotiating tactics that you sometimes need to use with car salesmen.
I did what i could but they would not budge from the 10,900. I did go ahead and buy it that way. I know i paid more than i really should have, but i felt it wasn't insanely over priced either, a few other nonsense things went on with financing im not that happy about, but everything is done and over with and i have the car.
congrats
Call General motors @ 1-800-222-1020 (U.S.A. Built)
Then ask them to connect you to the Heritage center and speak with
Mr. Veeko.... Hes in charge of COA's, Build sheets etc...(Have your vin# available)
If your Vehicle was built in CANADA....
Call 905-440-7697 For the canadian Heritage center...(Have your vin# available)
.