Prius Plug in Deal

How much are you discounting below MSRP for the purchase option, since you are a "PC certified" dealer?

Are you giving the same MSRP discount on the lease option, and what is the 36month residual on a base Prius?

 

I'm sure it is legit, but if you don't post the residual, then we have no idea if this is a good deal or not. Don't even post the $299 per month because this number is useless without the residual. By posting the monthly payment, you are pretending to give us pricing information, which you haven't done. Getting "half" information from dealers is one of the reasons I avoid them like the plague and only buy through buying services like Costco or AAA. You might have simply said, I have some deals on PiPs. Email me for more information.

 

Do you mean you don't have to pay any more money when you turn the car in?

 

The residual would help here. It's going to be subvented - that is, it's artificially inflated - but that would be helpful info. Who will take it in the shorts at lease-end is one question, and who needs to make a deal today is another question, but I think we already know the answer to that. Mileage structure is another important question. (8K, 10K, 12K, 15K?). I don't see anything about the lease factor, either. Is it the same as your deal for buyers? 0%? (I bet is isn't…)

It's still early in July, but it feels like (based on my very small sample size of two dealers who are willing to share some of their data here on PC) the Toyota PHEV model is not selling like hotcakes.

And so the bigger issue is what I'm seeing as lot languishers, now at several locations. Dealers have already paid for these units. Depending on their financial structure, they're paying last month's prices or they loaned themselves the money on this month's sales.

Bottom line that even a first week Econ 101 major should see is that the price being asked for these units is too high, and that buyer demand right now is too low. Interesting to see how different dealers are trying to narrow that gap.

 

When out of pocket is mentioned, if I have to pay something after 3 yrs at turn-in time, then if that money is coming out of my pocket, I consider that out-of-pocket. To think in terms of immediate monthly payments only, is "Poor Dad" mentality, which too many dealers assume their customers think in these terms. I'll bet that most of the people on Prius Chat have a "Rich Dad" mentality. Thus if a dealer only gives me half of the amount that comes out of my pocket and thinks that he has given me the full amount, or thinks I will be satisfied with only knowing half the amount, then I don't want to work with that dealer.

 

I am shopping noe for a pip advanced. Found 2000$ off msrp. Best out there so far. Will buy next week.

 

You have no idea how many cars I pass in my Prius Plug-in. I save half an hour on my commute each way.

 

What do you guys think about leasing vs buying a pip. I know people have their theory's and ideas about why they think one is better than the other in general but Im not talking about that. Im talking about this car in particular. The pip is pretty advanced however in a few years it could be yesterdays laundry. Does it make more sense to lease a pip to get you through the next few years then buy whatever the new hot ev is that has 1000 mile range?

 

if your driving will be within the parameters of the lease terms, i think you're better of leasing when the price is right. it all depends on whether you prefer to trade in or sell. if you sell it yourself, it's probably a better deal to buy. but if you trade in, they won't give you squat and leasing is a better way to go. walk away and make your next deal. if you might want to buy it at the end of the lease, that's a whole different story.

 

The evolution of EV and batteries will definitely be worth considering. But with money so cheap (1.49% for new car loans here) it makes more sense to purchase than to lease right now. Unless your budget is tight, that is. In that case, go for the lower payment, and hope that something better exists in 3 years - and that the price at that time isn't considerably higher.

Personally, it'll take a hybrid with a much higher EV range for me to consider anything else. The EVs are not for me at this time. Just don't want the tie-down of always needing to recharge in order to run, and the current range is too low for it to make sense for my needs. An EV with 250 miles of range? Maybe. But it'll take towing a small trailer full of today's batteries to achieve that.

So for now, my hope is that Toyota works towards higher EV ranges in their PHEVs. If that happens, we'll all be trading in. For me, it would take a range of at least 75 miles, which is at least 5x the current range. To me, the ability to drive in HV at high MPG when EV range is depleted is the key.

 

Found this on build a toyota for Maryland and Virginia more up front cost than the Coleman deal, but lower payment):

Lease a new 2012 Prius Plug In for 269 per month

• $269 per month for 36 months with $2999 due at signing*

Offer Ends 7/31/2012LEASE FOR $269 PER MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS WITH $2,999 DUE AT SIGNING. DUE AT SIGNING INCLUDES $2,730 DOWN (AFTER APPLICATION OF $3,150 TOYOTA LEASE SUBVENTION CASH INCENTIVE FROM TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES), FIRST $269 PAYMENT, AND NO SECURITY DEPOSIT. TAX, REGISTRATION, INSURANCE, AND DEALER FEES ARE EXTRA. CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR AND EXCESS MILEAGE CHARGES OF $.15 PER MILE IN EXCESS OF 36,000 MILES. YOUR PAYMENT MAY VARY BASED ON FINAL NEGOTIATED PRICE. NOT ALL CUSTOMERS WILL QUALIFY. 2012 PRIUS PLUG-IN MODEL #1235, MSRP $32,760. OFFER ONLY VALID IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.

 

I believe these lease and purchase incentives are available through all the Toyota dealerships, not just Maryland and Virginia, according to a dealership here in Oregon. There is also a very similar package for 15,000 miles a year which is what I got. It wasn't much different in monthly payments and much better than paying $.15 more per mile in excess of 12,000 miles. There are 3 options at the end of the lease period: 1) walking away from the car with no residuals 2) selling it if it is worth more that what is owing (BTW, because of the practically 0% interest, all your payments goes toward the purchase price) or 3) trading it in.

Because of the unbelievably lower monthly payments of leasing vs. purchasing and because I, too, suspect there will be better EV range in 3 years, I decided to lease. A couple of down sides might be the price of the better range plug in in 3 years and the probability that interest rates will be higher in 3 years, though that is mitigated by the savings you realize by leasing. You can pretty much apply the extra cash you save toward the lease and have it paid off in 3 years! No kidding, it sounds too good to be true. If you have been thinking at all plug-in, you seriously need to check it out. Don't think you can get this deal on a regular Prius but not sure.

I, too, wondered if 12 EV miles would really make a difference. So far, I've driven almost 200 miles and only used one gallon of gas. My overall MPG is 220+. I do country road driving, some small hills. Usually I can make my round trip with all EV miles plus 5 HV miles. I had to go into the big city to purchase the plug-in. When I brought it home, my average MPG was 57. I went into the next largest town yesterday, requiring 35 miles round trip, but because the last leg was a long downward incline, gained a couple of EV miles. So after plugging in at my destination, ended up only using a few HV miles. Things will probably change once they start charging for the electricity at the charge stations, but I am very surprised what a difference a few EV miles can make overall.

 

that's an interesting theory. i bought an 04 and it took 6 years to come out with the genIII. and at that, it was only minimally better. i'd be surprised if there is a higher capacity battery in 3 years, but stranger things have happened.

 

I may be wrong, but I thought that I read some place that Toyota was expecting to have new battery technology that would be much better by 2015, if every thing went as they expected. Please correct me if I am wrong!

 

you may be right, i hadn't heard about it. let's hope it stays on track if true!

 

For a person who wants to lease only and return the car after 3 years your question is meaningless.
The most important aspect then it is all the upfront costs and the sum of the monthly payments and how much it would cost to turn the car in. (usually $350). If you think you may really want to buy after 3 years then you missed the chance of actually getting a better deal purchasing the car upfront. It is not the case of Toyota, but most car brands I have seen that the difference in the monthly payments is not much between buying or leasing.
In any case the main point is that you are asking for a manager of a dealership to spill the beams and broadcast the deals that he may be offering his actual customers. It may not be the best.I am sure that even if it was it would stop being as a competitor would only need to beat it by 1 dollar on the trade in price and you would be glad for your great efforts in haggling. If you really care and your logic is valid then call the dealer or visit his place. Be prepared to know what others may be offering you and I am sure as any business man they won't normally let the business go elsewhere. You cannot just be seated on your Lazyman chair and hope to get people to go way beyond what would be reasonable to discuss in an open forum such as this. I am a customer of Patrick's dealership and know that they are serious business people who can be trusted to want my business each time I walk in with a price or deal in mind seen elsewhere for them to match. Their service lanes also move very fast when I take my cars for service and they do a good job. So if you do one of the things he told you to do you should get what you keep asking for. It is just that I don't think they are going to give it to you on a platter with peanut butter sandwich.