24 Month Leases on Prius Plug-In?

On the topic of selling your vehicle....

Just sold my truck yesterday. I went to a few dealers and the best I could get from them would have been $6,000. Just sold it private party yesterday for $8,000.

It takes a bit of work but is is a pretty good hourly rate to sell it yourself.

 

Some logic in what you say. Seems like a lot, but we'll have to see what a 2012 Prius Plug In (on average) is worth after three years. Worst buying scenario, "just tell me what my monthly payments will be".

 

Buying or leasing, there's no right or wrong way of obtaining the car. If you want services or luxury, you'll have to pay. I could have gotten someone to mow my lawn for the season at $1200, or I could buy the mower for $400 and mow it myself. I selected the second option but there's nothing wrong with the first one either.

The dealers aren't your friend. They are there to make money. In fact, they don't make much from selling new cars. They rely on their customers returning to pay for services. I have a feeling that they are making cars more complicated these days because they want you to take the cars to dealers to get services. If one don't mind paying for the lease, then go for it.

 

Cars are more complicated now because technology is progressing. Toyota doesn't care how much individual dealerships make. In fact, Toyota will sell more cars if they need to go into the shop less.

 

Saying Toyota doesn't care about their dealers is like saying a company doesn't care about their sales people. If Toyota sold cars directly to the public, then I would agree what you just said.

I used to be able to change my headlights without much of an effort. I noticed that over the years, it's getting more difficult to do with newer cars. Are you going to tell me that it's because of technology, now it's more difficult to change headlights?

 

I guess if fixing stuff by yourself is an issue the Prius probably isn't the car for you. Then again, the Prius hardly ever has to go into the shop on average so it's kind of a moot point.

 

copeland toyota is advertising 24 month lease, $3,000. down, $150./mo.

 

Decades ago I used to have to and been able to change my own headlights as well. With the new technology (and custom shapes of headlights) I haven't needed to change one in 15 or 20 years.

Mike

 

Be careful about the lease agreement handed to you by a dealership. I'm a lawyer, former Judge, but AM NOT RENDERING LEGAL ADVICE by what I write here. It's just my opinion (albeit informed) one about the agreement that I've read after approaching a dealership to lease for 24 months a PIP.

The contract, they want you to sign does not reflect the reality of the situation, and that leaves you without your rights. For example, although the national advertising from Toyota about the lease (ie., $2,899 down), the contract shows $9374.53 down." It's called on their contract the "capitalized cost reduction." When I brought this to the attention of the F&I manager, he politely explained that Toyota will contribute, to me, $6,500 of that amount leaving me with the balance to pay. Well, perhaps, that's what will happen, but you don't sign a contract based on what might happen nor on what someone says, when the contract describes "all the terms of the agreement." Caveat Emptor - remember.

And, someone said earlier in this post, to be careful of your state's excise or "use" taxes on a leased vehicle. Just be sure that you understand, somewhere, sometime, during the two years of the lease, you'll get a monthly invoice for the $149 lease payment plus your annual excise or "use" tax bill.

The dealership, that I negotiated with, also tagged on $350 to be paid by me at the time of the lease expiration. I asked what's that for? The answer: "penalty" if you don't buy the car or lease or buy another one from us." How about that for gall. So, Toyota wants to move PIPs from the dealer lots and a dealership wants to make it less attractive to accomplish that. I counter-offered that I'm unwilling to pay that fee. No penalty. No how.

And, finally, for this post, the Toyota contract calls for arbitration if there's ever a dispute over the agreement. Although I'm a non-practicing lawyer, and formerly a Judge, I'm not going to agree to arbitration. I want all of my rights preserved, and that means allowing me to hire a lawyer - one who is still practicing and in good repute, to defend my rights and interests and, if need be, to negotiate with Toyota or file a suit in protection of those rights. Signing an arbitration clause waives those rights.

So, unless the dealership is willing to come to my terms, I'll walk away and go elsewhere or think about buying one down the road. Or, maybe, I'll reconsider a Volt, or win the lottery and place my order for a Tesla S.