Toyota Introduces March Deals on Prius, other models

2 years of free maintenance for new buyers??? What is Toyota doing for the EXISTING buyers who actually have to deal with the hassles of the recall? Doesn't seem right that I have to buy ANOTHER Toyota in order to be compensated for the defective one I currently own.

 

The defective one you already own is yesterday's news. Toyota wants to sell you another car. If you sign up for a new car, they will be your friend.

 

That's what I figured... just like my cell phone company, cable provider, etc.

 

But it looks like you can only get the two years of maintenance free if you already own a Toyota, Lexus, or Scion...... so they seem to be trying to get current owners to buy another car?

 

Doesn't seem like much of a deal to pull in buyers.

 

The 2 years free premium maintenance is just one aspect of the promotion. Others include 0% interest (but not on Prius) and low leasing rates. But yes, overall, the promotion is middling (and weak under the present circumstances).

 

Toyota has overstock on the Prius. Now that I work in San Diego (I live in Orange County), I drive the 5fwy from OC to SD every day. I see two 18-wheel trucks loaded with Priuses on their way down to SD EVERY day (the port is in Long Beach). Toyota has been shipping a large quantity of Priuses lately (based on my observations, anyhow). I'm assuming the inventory at dealers (at least in SD) has built up a lot (I should drive by a Toyota dealer down there on Monday, and see if the lot is full of Priuses. I'll do the same here in OC). This might explain the March promotion.

 

They sure don't do promotions when supply is tight. Remember when gas was north of $4.00/gallon in California? Prius cars were selling used at MSRP. Dealers were getting MSRP + $5,000 and customers were glad to pay the $5,000 mark-up. Once your car arrived, you had 24 hours to come in and pick it up. There weren't any promotions going on then.

 

It might pay to wait a month and let more cars pile up at dealers (or at the port in holding lots).

 

2 free years of maintenance? That amounted to a $20 tire rotation for me. I get free oil changes for life from the dealer--2 per year. I did pay for the yearly state emissions inspection, but that's cheap for a hybrid and probably wouldn't be covered by Toyota.

 

. . . . or, it could just be (based on increased February sales last month) you see Prius truck-loads entering SD county because they need last months depleted inventory replenished.

I must admit ... when some slacker at work gets a promotion, even though their output is one FOURTH below the next lowest slug on the productivity ladder ... I too get whine'y and bitchy, if/when someone treats others nicer than me. It's human nature. Hey, apart from 14th amendment/equal protection principals there's nothing illegal or immoral if a person wants to treat some folks nicer than others.

But you don't have to buy another Toyota if yours is broken. In fact many states have lemon laws, where (for example) if the dealer can't fix it in 3 tries ... you WILL get a shiny new one. I see by your avatar you are in CA ... so you're good to go. Or do you need even more of a remedy than that. (Warning: levity approaching) Well then? .... wait! There's more! I hear that the NEXT 0% loans, or 2yr free maintenance promo is for all of us whining crybabies, who got left out of February:



Hey! I'm not proud . . . I'll take it!

.

 

The only way to protect yourself from companies that refuse to treat all of their customers equally all the time is to never buy anything from anybody.

On the other hand, you NEVER get the deal you deserve, you get the deal you negotiate. Crying about how somebody else got a better deal is a waste of time.

Keith

 

Or, only buy things when you see an excellent promotion. Otherwise, you don't buy.
(that's not me, but hey, I did buy my 2004 Corolla brand new just after the 2005s hit the lot. As a result, I paid BELOW normal invoice (Toyota rebate to dealers).

Once Toyota figures out how to fix their safety problems (the media may be overhyping Toyota's safety issues, but I'm the type of person that always skips the first edition of anything and waits until the bugs are worked out), and the Plug-In Prius hits dealer lots, I should be in the market for a new car.

 

Ummm, you are a bit off the mark on lemon laws. All 50 states have a lemon law. They may call it by a different name, but each state adopted some form of protection for the consumer if a manufacturer is not able to fix a bonafide problem with the car after a reasonable number of attempts. Some states have a 3 failed repair attempt threshold, others have 4. The exception is for safety items. Those are subject to a 2 failed repair attempt threshold. The remedy for an owner that meets the threshold for seeking lemon law relief is usually a replacement car of similar specification or repurchase the defective car by the manufacturer. The repurchase price is the selling price of the car less allowance for fair use up to the point of the first failed repair attempt. Some states go further, with Michigan applying a penalty of 1x the original purchase price plus attorneys fees and interest. There was a recent award to a Michigan consumer of $480,000+

California requires 4 failed repair attempts for a specific defect or 30 days cumulative time in the shop for all repairs. Safety items are subject to 2 failed repair attempts. There is also a requirement for the consumer to have sent a written communication to the manufacturer advising them of the failed repair and requesting the manufacturer to provide assistance in resolving the repair failure.

I know about California's Lemon Law because I have been down that path with a Lemon Law repurchase. The 'lemon' was a convertible with a leaking hardtop. 4 failed repair attempts plus a written notice after the first failed repair attempt, and a quick telephone call from my attorney to the manufacturer resulted in a repurchase agreement being faxed to me by the manufacturer. The manufacturer's check had cleared my bank account in less than 30 days after my attorney made the telephone call. The California Lemon Law does work if you meet the threshold to qualify for the relief.

 

The current promotion drew me in. I really didn't need a 4th car, but with the money factor so low on the lease deal, I figured now was the time to get in on it. Thanks to Dianne at Manhattan Beach Toyota (CA), she made me an amazing deal which made it worth driving to the coast from Palm Springs (yes, even better then the national ad).
And I got the 2 years free maintenance as well.
I guess the Range Rover is going to sit for a while.

 

I resent the Prius being exempted from zero percent financing. This is simply unfair to Prius drivers.

 

The model year is still young. Be patient. You may see 0% financing in April. Especially if Prius sales start to tank. After the episode in San Diego, I would not be the least bit surprised to see Prius sales take a hit. The video of a Prius parked with a CHP cruiser parked in front of it to ensure it wasn't going anywhere tends to discourage people from wanting to go out and by a Prius.

 

Re: HELP - Toyota Introduces March Deals on Prius, other models

Per this topic, in our region, Toyota has a special lease rate offer on the Prius. It's on almost every dealer's website.

The Prius II on a 3-year lease is $199/month with $1999 due at signing (36,000 miles). And plus the maintenance deal too. It's for current owners/lessees. So far, so good.

Here's the problem.

I read somewhere authoritative [but didn't bookmark where] that there is also a lease package on the Prius III, though not on the Prius IV or V.

No one, but no one, seems to know what the Toyota-special leasing cost is for the Prius III Toyota-sponsored lease, the counterpart to the $199 on the II.

Tried several dealers -- in 4 of 6 cases, the salesman I got on the phone didn't even know of the Prius II program -- though it's on their website.

I tried Toyota corporate today without getting to the Finance arm which customer service told me would know the numbers for my region (apparently not the same everywhere).

Does anyone know the details of the Prius III lease? Can anyone find out? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

A couple more alleged runaway prii, and I will be getting a 0% Prius with free floormats thrown in.


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