2009 Cash-Back Deals You Can Still Find

As the 2010 models push out nearly all of the old 2009s on dealer lots, a lot of buyers become annoyed by valid, advertised cash-back offers on 2009 cars that basically aren’t available anymore.

We tracked down some interesting offers on 2009s that are:
a.)    Cars we wouldn’t mind buying
b.)    Have a significant cash-back offer
c.)    Readily available, according to Cars.com’s new-car inventory

Check out our list below. And if you want to search our inventory scroll to the end of the post for handy links for each model.

GM Plant Closures Signal Product Shift

Now that it’s operating under bankruptcy protection, GM has ramped up the scheduled plant closures it had previously announced. Four assembly plants will be closed this year, impacting current products.

The least surprising closure is the Wilmington, Del., plant that produces the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice roadsters and coupes. It's also the most immediate, shutting down in July of this year. The 2010 Pontiac Solstice coupe just went into production at the plant, and company officials have said only 1,000 will be produced. One is already sold to GM executive Bob Lutz, meaning there are only 999 available.

The other three assembly plants and what they build are listed below.

Recall Alert: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse

GM has issued a recall of 15,393 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles from the 2009 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The issue is with the parking brake, which doesn’t comply with federal safety requirements. The parking brake cable link isn’t to specification, and the connector may fracture when the parking brake pedal is depressed. This could lead the vehicle to move when parked, especially if parked on a hill.

Dealers will replace the cable link for the parking brake free of charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 800-630-2438 or the NHTSA hotline at 888-327-4236.

Car Buyer Q&A: 2009 Chevy Traverse

A month ago, 33-year-old Vince Ferrari posted on his personal blog about a bad experience he had trying to buy a new Chevy Malibu. The tale caught fire among consumer blogs, reinforcing many people’s negative feelings toward car dealers. We contacted Vince via Twitter to see if he’d be interested in telling us how his car shopping went after that experience. The Bronx IT professional ended up purchasing a new 2009 Chevy Traverse — that's it pictured above — but from a different dealer.

KickingTires: Why did you decide to buy a new car in this economy?

Vince: Recently, my company merged with another company, and my daily commute doubled.  I wanted something I could depend on a little more than my eight-year-old 2001 Malibu LS (which was, for the most part, a very reliable car for me). The economy didn't really come into it, honestly. My company is stable and I knew I wasn't leaving my job. I've been at the same place for almost 13 years now, so it wasn't a real concern for me. Plus, the deals in general on new cars are pretty good right now. It isn't a fire sale like people exaggerate it to be, but it does seem like a good time to buy.

Recall Alert: 276,729 GM Vehicles From 2009 Model Year

GM has issued a wide-ranging recall for several brands and models from the 2009 model year, all affected by a potential malfunction in the transmission shift cable, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected models include the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet HHR, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Pontiac G5, Pontiac G6, Saturn Aura and Saturn Outlook.

The problem has to do with a clip to the transmission cable, which may not lock into place. Therefore, the lever on the transmission may seem like it’s in the proper position when in Park, but the car might still roll away.

Dealerships will inspect the cable and replace the clip if necessary, free of charge. Owners can contact Buick at 866-608-8080, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463, Pontiac at 800-620-7668 and Saturn at 800-972-8876. They can also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.