First Gen 5 2023 Toyota Prius cars show up at the dealers!

I have no choice, I'm paying ~$50/day for my daughter's rental so I bite the crazy (good $5K) markup. It's killing me every day the car not here yet.

 

the goog says 1500 totota/Lexus dealerships - so that's ~23 each per dealership?
÷ by 12 months? almost 2 per.
if the 35,000 numbers come up short Ah-la Mirai - then that per month will go down... but how much more can you go down below 1.9 per month.
& if 35K sales is worldwide?
(SIGH)
well .... sales HAVE been slowing over the past decade at least for their standard HEV.
.

 

Still managed to sell over 36K Prius and Primes last year, in the US alone, despite supply issues. Last year I found for Japan was 2016 with 248k for the liftback. Assume the same decline rate, and last year would be around 90k.

 

Called my local dealer to inquire about a 23 Prime...They sent email back and said don't call us, we will call you....maybe hear from them in August if Im lucky but dont hold my breath.

I dont think auto buying will ever return to historical "normal" ....Its jacked beyond repair and the backlog of buyer will never again be satisfied

 

I just called him, sales manager, an hour ago and after checking his computer he told me it should be at the dealer next week. Hope he’s right.

 

wow, all the best!

 

Post pics and videos!

 

Oh dang. You in SoCal?

 

I will detract from the norm by saying that in time car buying WILL actually return to normal. It seems terrible but it is slowly turning around. The main difference is that MSRPs will go up. OEMs are selling every single car they make...they have zero incentive to artificially lower volume once everything is back up to normal and global car production is back to higher than pre-pandemic times.Despite some anecdotal reports...which I think can be true since OEMs MAY limit how much of each model they make. With Toytota they may for example not produce as much Prius Prime LE trims....

The dealership middlemen are making a killing with markups and tons of PIOs and DIOs and the OEMs are seeing this (hence MSRP increases...where OEMs are going to take their cut). Once new car volume goes back to normal, dealerships won't be able to survive doing what they've been doing since a customer can drive 1-30min to the next franchise dealer and get the exact same car/color/trim for less and on the lot.

This is simply a function of low supply and high demand.

As supply catches up to demand, there WILL be a time where you routinely negotiate a deal for UNDER MSRP.

Now certain models/trims are going to be much rarer to come by (ie, base trim LEs for example...) as OEMs will build trims that makes the most money (XLEs, etc.) which will suck. SO the new normal will be that there may be certain specific trims/models that are going to be a bit harder to negotiate on. But overall under MSRP deals will become routine again. They are already happening now (though with very undesirable vehicles like Stellantis products)

Yeah 2024 is still a bit early. I remember reading about an industry think tank report (Cox automotive IIRC) that said that they expect volumes to start getting back to normal range by 2025...it's already starting this year. But with how things are, it will be a slow but steady ramp up in volume. Hence it will be likely 3 calendar years from now before its truly back to "normal." So 2023 ramp up, 2024 will have increased speed ramp up, and potentialy in 2025 (maybe mid or late 2025) where it's close to normal.

If we want to wait for true return to normal....I'd say 2026 likely is a good bet for new car shopping if you don't absolutely need a car right now. Since 2025 will likely need most of that year's time to continue increase volume.

 

I hope you are right but Ill believe it when I see a lot full of "desirable" new cars again. I just feels like so much paper money and credit in the system every American is flush with cash or easy credit. It seems there is at least 3 years of pent up demand if not longer and by the time thats satisfied 6 years will be waiting in the wings. The dealer system is broke and needs a total revamp from top to dismantled.

 

i also read that dealers are not happy about low inventory, so it could be a power struggle

 

They’re all used car lots ‘round here.

 

i have to think they were making more money when they had plenty to offer vs trying to mark up a dribble of cars

 

Yes, Orange county SoCal.

 

It's a balancing act. Low supply lets you get more revenue per unit when there is demand. Too low, and the profit goes to increased overhead per unit.

 

And the sales weasels can’t be happy with low inventory

 

Holy crap, I thought I drove by a new Prius today....if there was a spot, i would've turned around and chased after it! I can't wait to check one out.