prius inventory

It must be by region - LA is full of them- everywhere I went they have no room even for customer parking in some places- Prius as far as the eye can see.

 

I'll bet those 4 used units were priced at a pretty penny, eh? I suspect dealers don't mind too much that the cars are in short supply:

- New cars sell at MSRP or higher
- Used cars sell for top dollar
- IMO, all other high MPG competitors are inferior due to price, size, or reliability (It's hard for this former GM-bigot to type that.)
- Most Prius shoppers are willing to wait and participate in the goofy dealer waiting list antics.

It sounds like a recipe for profits.

 

Here in eastern North Carolina new Prius inventory seems to be catching up with what it was prior to the natural disaster in Japan. In the small town where I live they normally would have 8 to 10 new units on the lot and they have six now. I did notice all of the six on the lot now were Prius IIs. Just weeks ago the sales people and sales managers were telling customers it would be sometime into 2012 before new Prius inventory started to get back to normal. They were "pre-selling" new Prius units before they even arrived at the stealership, calling the customer when there car arrived. They were charging MSRP and adding many "fees" to drive up the price. I was trading in an 18 month old Tacoma for a Prius and my local dealership wanted $10,200. and the title to my truck (which was paid for) to get a new 2011 Prius III. I called around to the larger cities and found the exact same Prius III (same color and exactly the same options) and bought it for the title to my truck and $7,200. Both quotes were in writing - and only a couple of days apart. $3,000. savings will put a lot of gasoline in a Prius! Using Kelly Blue Book wholesale value for my trade in, I bought the Prius III for about $1,600. less than the MSRP on the window sticker - plus the deal included all taxes, title transfer, registration, license plate transfer - an "out the door" deal. I buy a lot of cars and I will never go back to the local dealership that was screwing everyone trying to buy a Prius when they were in short supply. I realize good ole fashioned economics, supply and demand, are at play here, but going well above what MSRP and legitimate add on cost are is not the way to build trust or return customers. I think buying a new vehicle is one of the most unpleasant things you do in life. I know there are a few good car sales people and a few good dealerships but overall it's a bad experience!

 

When LA didn't have them a few months back - once place- Keys Toyota in Van Nuys (And you'll see why I am naming them) wanted $29,000 for a Prius II, When I said that was $5k over sticker- they said "We know- but try getting them anywhere else" I walked out. I won't even use their service department now. Disgusting. And of course now I tell everyone to avoid them.

 

No inventory problems here in the bay area. I drove by a dealer yesterday and they had at least half a dozen on the front row of the lot, including 3 PLUS packages.

 

I believe the dealers do mind. You can't sell what you don't have. If a buyer walks there is no guarantee he returns. "Needy" buyers will buy something else. "Wanty" buyers can wait & may return.

Around here there is a good bit of space on the Toyota lots. Other manufacturers have full or overflowing Overflow Lots.

 

The dealers around here are loaded with Twos, some Threes, the occasional Four and one Five.

 

Good for you. Its not like they are the only game in town.