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Roger,
I live in Midland, MI and have lived in the Mid-Michigan area for the last 12 years. You and I live in a VERY abnormal part of the country. I was originally from Minneapolis. First thing I noticed, when I drove into Michigan on I94 (I can still remember that day in 1990), was number of GM/Ford/Chrysler cars coming the other way (And that most people drive REALLY FAST in MI). This was a stark contrast to Minnesota. But now, having lived in Michigan for the past 12+ years, I understand why. YOU CANNOT BEAT THE GM DISCOUNT! (Other OEM's give pretty hefty discounts too). GM gives discounts for just about anyone around here. Chances are, you can find someone in your family who is affiliated with GM or its suppliers and thus receive discount. People visiting Michigan will notice this and will also note that there are lot of newer cars. People change cars more often than other areas, probably because of the discounts. To give you an idea, I was able to purchase 'fully loaded' Pontiac Montana ($32k sticker), out the door for $22k (for my wife) with GM discounts and rebates. I tried to find a similar deal on Oddysee and Sienna. They couldn't touch this price within $6000, even for a stripped down version. Before I was married, I changed cars every year, only losing about $2k - $3k per transaction, which beats most vehicle depreciation schedule, unless you are planning to keep the vehicle forever...
But I see more and more imports. I see more and more Saabs around here as well... As far as Detroit waking up, they ARE awake. They know. But knowing and doing are two different issues... But I am going to give credit to the domestics brands for bringing out some well executed vehicles recently. (Saab being one of them).
posted by 68.20.1...
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