First time car buyer questions

To get the federal tax credit, it can't be sold before. You have to be the first titled/registered owner to get the tax credit. You should negotiate the price accordingly because of that issue.

#1 in Easley,SC

 

Possibly the DMV if they will give that information.

#1 in Easley,SC

 

I feel for you, BUT, a few points:
You're buying the car; just accept the accessories since they can't/won't remove them. You might try getting them for free. Remember, you can't buy the car on the phone or via texting and the dealer will take you more seriously once you show up. You still can walk out if you don't like the deal!
You make no mention of $1000 Toyota Factory incentive which I got from Longo in Socal. That's a bit more money than the $600 dealer discount, and it's upfront, unlike Federal Tax rebate, which could evaporate at the wave of a wand by our Fairy Fuhrer.
Also California has the $1500+ rebate program for this car, depending on income; that one is the Homerun!!
Get the car, color etc. you want; you're gonna own it for a while!!
I got stuck with mats, which I wanted, and door edge guards which I hate, but the car is sooooo cool, once you get it, you'll be grinning ear to ear!! Good luck, and try not to be too adversarial; if the sales staff treat you badly, leave. It's just a car, after all!!

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My Prime was also a dealer trade, but from a dealer in Oregon to one in Washington. Regardless, I was the first purchaser. What is the mileage on the car? Mine had only 5 miles as it was trucked to the dealer. Concerning the extras: Obviously the wheel locks just screw on like any lug nut, but I assume the door edge guards are secured by some kind of glue. I received a $1000 Toyota rebate in March; thought all California buyers were eligible for that. Incidentally, I had to mention the rebate to the sales person, they were not going to tell me about it if I didn't already know about it. Keep in mind, unless you have good feelings about the dealer you purchase your car from that you can get it serviced at any Toyota dealer. I have no intention of returning to the dealer from whom I bought the car.

 

I negotiated for $1100 off list price, got the 0.5% financing, and also qualify for the tax credit and possibly the rebate. Call around and tell dealers you're shopping based on price. If you have a few dealers in your area there's a better chance to get a good deal.

 

That's easy. If it has the original factory price sticker on the window, it is new. "New" means never titled. Actually the title is from the factory to a finance outfit, then to the buyer (you) or lessor. Stroll through the used car lot and you'll see a different sticker on their windows.

About buying--
--The $1000 cash back rebate for Northern California is good until 7/31, and might be changed then. This is money that you can apply to the purchase price or take in cash. Sales tax rules vary by state, but don't be surprised if you're taxed on the car's price before the rebate is taken off. That's up to the state, not the dealer.
--There is also a choice of a discounted lease plan or financing at 1.9% for 72 months from Toyota Financial if the buyer qualifies.
--$500 military discount and $1000 college grad promotion...read the fine print. Check the Toyota web site for all these.
--The $600 discount by the dealer is good.
--Nobody at the dealership is your friend. The more money they take out of your pocket, the bigger their paycheck will be. They are professionals at throwing numbers at you so fast that you are overwhelmed. Take all the time you need to understand everything. Lots of good things to look at on line including youtube.

--Buy nothing extra. Whatever you want, you can get it cheaper elsewhere, maybe even from a different dealer on-line. Don't buy an extended warranty. Don't buy the wheel & tire warranty. Don't buy any high priced interior or exterior coating product. Don't buy anything. Everything they're offering is priced too high and often totally worthless.
--Wheel locks? Really? Where is the resale market for a thief to sell Prius wheels??? Don't buy them.
--Check your state's laws about how much the dealer can charge for the documentation fee. I think a California dealer may (MAY!, not must) charge up to $80 for the docs and up to $29 to transfer it to the state. Check that. If it says, "may," that means you can say, "I'm not paying that." Save this for the last minute when the so-called Finance Manager prints the first copy of the contract.
--Check every number on the contract. Be sure you understand every number. I've had dealers try to charge me the business tax. Just Say No. Check the addition. Some are so sleazy that they do phony addition to give a higher result. Some add costs that mean nothing, just raise the price. I've had a contract offered to me where the printed purchase price was magically higher than our negotiated price. (Why do they call this place a stealership?)
--If you finance for a long period and put a low down payment, you need gap insurance. That covers the gap between the value of the car at the time it's wrecked and totaled (we hope not, but just in case...) and what you owe on the loan. Do not buy the overpriced gap insurance from the dealer. Buy it as an add-on to your car insurance.
--In the end, get the car you want. If you have to put a little unnecessary money into the dealer's greedy hand, ...get the car you want. Sleep well without worrying that you didn't squeeze the dealer for every last penny. Enjoy your new car!

 

It won't be. Whatever he offers you to buy, just say, "nothing extra." Check every line on the contract, understand why it's there and that it's correct, and buy nothing additional. It won't be tedious. Keep in mind that the finance guy isn't salaried. He's paid on commission for what he sells you. If he sells you nothing, it isn't your problem, but he's gott'a try.

Ask your insurance agent how a 1st time buyer gets covered for car insurance as soon as they drive off the lot. Maybe you can make the arrangements in advance, then phone the car's VIN (vehicle identification number) to the agent before you drive away. I don't know, but the agent will know.

Find the best financing rate suitable for your credit rating. It doesn't matter who the lender is. Last year we bought a Mazda; Mazda Financial was offering 1.95%. The dealer wrote the deal at 1.9% with Chase Bank. Fine with me. (Except at the last minute they sold the loan to Capital One instead of Chase, same terms. Still OK with me, except the back office put the wrong bank, Chase, on the title when the loan was with Cap One. After multiple phone calls it was finally corrected.) Read all the fine print and understand everything. Ask about what you don't understand. Be very wary of bad loan deals. The dealership gets a kickback if they can do a loan an a higher than necessary interest rate. A very long term (6 or 7 years) gets very expensive in the interest paid over the course of the loan. Plus, you're paying off the loan balance very slowly, so if you don't own the car that long, you may have to pay cash to pay off the loan when you sell the car; your equity is less than the car's market value. The next dealer may offer to roll your negative balance on to the loan for your next car---terrible deal, a really deep hole to get into. Search for the lowest rate you qualify for, and get the shortest loan term that suits your budget. Check with local banks and credit unions for their financing rates.

Take someone with you to the dealership. Their job is to say nothing, look involved, and be there for you to bounce ideas off. It's part of a show. Act like you need their approval or ideas. Keep the salesperson guessing about just what their status is. Introduce them by name but not by their relationship to you. Any time you get overwhelmed, take a short walk. Tell the salesman you want to look at...anything that takes you away from the table for a few minutes. Clear your head. Buying a car is the biggest deal where we amateurs negotiate against a pro. Time is always on your side. There is no bonus for rushing through a deal. A negotiation always involves two or more factors. It can't be about just one factor. Just price can't work. Price vs. your possibility of walking out---that'll work. Or price vs. delivery day, or price vs. the color or model, or any combination of two or more factors works. You want to buy a car. They need to sell cars. Needs are more powerful than wants. You don't need to buy a car today. They do need to sell cars, or they don't get a paycheck. They work for you; you don't work for them. Good luck.

 

It will help to realize the approximate range you will be spending for the car and not get too focused on the absolute lowest number. The final figure may vary a little, probably up.

As was advised, just make them explain all of the numbers, which they will. If you don't get understand anything, stop them and make them go over it until you do.

The idea of bringing along a silent companion, is a great idea. The best I have read so far.