Ordering new Prius Prime 2024

fair is in the mind of the beholder. all you can do is shop around and take the best deal you can get. it's a difficult market, but supposedly improving

 

I've been watching the Toyo Inventory site for awhile looking for a Prime. The Molle dealership in KC, MO seems to have a higher incoming prius count than any other dealership in that region (which includes Chicago). I called them in July about a Silver Prime that was going to be delivered and they said they had a 50+ person list for the standard prius and weren't even taking orders for Primes until 2024 at earliest. They might have just been telling a Floridian that to keep me away - so maybe the truth is more in your favor.
Shop around - I've seen dealer markup as low as $500 in North Dakota and as high as $12,000k in Tampa, FL. I didnt pay any markup at my dealership in Northeast FL, but did have to finance with Toyota for 6 months (I'll refi later).

 

If it's the car you want, no compromises, I would go for it! Your markup % sounds in line with what mine was, try to negotiate it down. I bet any money they keep the dealer markup where it is and just mark down the car itself.

I just hope you dont need to wait long... that would be my only concern. my car was on the lot when I negotiated.

 

Fortunately, I have a local dealer who does not sell above MSRP. I'm on the list so we'll see how long it takes. Another dealer 40 miles away whom I was listed with called me today and said they had the Prime XSE I wanted, but their asking price was $5,000 above MSRP. So I said thanks but no thanks.

 

The dealer wanted to make the sale for whatever reasons, probably sales numbers or financial, unrelated to it being a first year model. Maybe to get the sales person a deal they needed. Problems on cars pop up on the internet and are magnified like everyone has the problem.

 

Well so much for the local dealer. Out of curiosity, I contacted them to see where I was at on their list. Of the two Primes they had on their website, they told me one was dealer traded away, and the other was sold to a VIP Influencer who buys cars from them. So back to square one. On July 31, another dealer called me all excited, said they had the car I wanted but I needed to get down there before they sold to someone else. I drove out and found that it wasn't what I wanted. First it was white. My wife wants a white auto but since it will be my daily driver, I'm getting the color I want which is either Cutting Edge or Guardian Gray. It also had two other things I didn't want; the Digital Key Access and the fixed glass roof. Can't see paying for the Digital Key Access only to be forced to subscribe to use it. The fixed glass roof (in my mind) only serves to help heat up the interior in the summer. Their markup was in the form of a NW Protection package at $2,650.

Yesterday, I found a Prime listed at a dealership 50 miles south from where I live. Cutting Edge and no DIgital Key or fixed glass roof and no markup. I put a $500 deposit on it to reserve it. It's currently in freight status so it will still be a while before it arrives.

 

congrats!

every dealer i call is telling me 6-9 months

 

FWIW in July I got the 2023 Prime with the top Canadian trim which includes the glass roof, and it's well tinted against heat insolation. Wasn't an issue at all, and it's very easy to close the cover if it's too bright.