My Gen 5 waiting list experience

Toyota's new business model is so weird... How is it good business sense to make someone wait so long to buy something and then put people in charge of making them available in this type of way? How do they expect to make money if they can't sell large numbers of vehicles like back in the Gen2 days when number of monthly sales of Prius were dominating the markets?

 

Why would they hold it for you when you are wishy washy about buying.
They sold it to someone who wanted it and was ready to buy it.

 

I would have jumped on it. Just like the next guy on the list did. I was at a dealer today. They had lots of hybrids on the lot ready to buy. Nice RAV4, Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Crown and Tundra hybrids. No market adjustments and 4.99% Toyota Financial financing up to 60 months, which represents a discount over credit unions at 6.09% for 36 months, higher for longer durations.

No Rav4 or Prius Primes here but another dealer in town has a Rav4 Prime at msrp. Prius Prime is still the unicorn.

Toyota’s total sales is record breaking and a very big percentage of sales are hybrids across their models. Their problem is counting the money.

 

Back when Toyota was selling 25K Prius a month in the US for years and years those numbers were readily available. But these days when people on Priuschat talk about buying new hybrids from Toyota they talk about waiting as long a year or more and I've yet to even once read of someone who was able to just show up and buy one on the same day like they did when Gen2 Prius was so popular.

And when you look for sales numbers from Toyota recently, they're way harder to find and seem inflated or misrepresented. Such as last time you tried to argue that their sales are "record breaking" you posted a reference to pre-pandemic numbers from 4 years ago. But I get, you're the type of guy from Texas who never lets facts and figures interfere with whatever delusional claims you make.

 

It's worse than that. We tried to buy a RAV4 Prime & while we were calling 2 long haul Trucking companies (FROM the toyota dealerships manager's OFFICE) to get delivered to our state, from its Riverside California location, the scumbag Stealership sold it to another customer - who stupidly paid $5,000 over msrp. We'd riven 2 hours to get there & haggled for another 2 hours. Seriously wanted to tell 'em to take their cars & plant 'em where the sun don't shine .... but I held my tongue.
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Nobody cares. You don't want to buy a Gen 5 anyway. If you take your name off the list for a car you'll never buy, you won't have to complain again about it. Unless you changed your mind again.

 

That's exactly what happened to me. Sales guy called and said they had one. Went there and bought it that day.

 

Toyota dealers here have inventory now. Just no Japanese made Prius Primes. Remember the US is not their only market. They sell worldwide.

 

Current situation at my nearby dealership, as usual an exotic or two, some pickups, and 20+ bz4x’s.

 

It appears the bz4x stacking up on lots now is due to its depreciation. Reports are that it's significant

The Toyota bZ4X Is Depreciating Massively. But Why?

 

When I was shopping for my Prime last summer, one dealer I visited had 30 BZ4X on the lot. Although the depreciation issue wasn't as apparent then, they were still having issues selling them even with discounts.

 

Range after using AC or heat sucks and a Tesla Model 3 or Y is a better car with acceptable range with AC. I see more Model 3s than remaining Prii Gen2 and 3s on the road.

 

I'll take a look at used when the price hits $25k.

 

I would just figure out 1) the models & options you would accept, and 2) the price you'd be willing to pay, before going onto a waiting list. Also if you hunt around, you can pretty easily find them at MSRP with maybe a week or two wait. I was able to do that. Adding yourself to a waiting list without thinking through what you really want, going to be a rough ride, and lots of buyers. That being said, you will love it compared to the crap Gen 3, 4 models, way better car, and worth the increase in $ if you can afford it. Also my $0.02, never take a loan out for a car, keep your current Gen whatever, save up, until you can put down cash. Those things will last forever if you take care of them.

 

All EVs are depreciating a lot.

Tesla is being aggressive with their price cuts, interest rates are up, EV infrastructure isn't matching what north Americans are used to in terms of range/freedom, and gas prices are way down from mid pandemic and right after the invasion of Ukraine.

Financially , the high price for BEVs and the cost of gas going down plus inflation in other areas and borrowing costs being high means a lot of folks don't save going BEV, and if they do want to make the switch Tesla is more proven with range and infrastructure at a better price point all things considered for those that do want to make the switch and can afford it.

The bz4x in particular is also terrible for range, and features for the price. And in the US with fewer EV incentives it makes sense that it will depreciate when supply is stacking up.

Toyota didn't make a competitive BEV, and it shows, plus they're following the trend of BEV price collapses on depreciation especially. The tech is advancing fast enough that a BEV generation jump is a huge leap not a small revision.

That's my perspective on that.

As for Gokhan, my dude, you are all over the g5 forum saying the gen5 isn't a worthwhile upgrade so why be mad when you wanted a week to decide on a high demand low supply car? The list is for ppl who want it. You've been on the list for how long and wanted another week? You'd think you'd know by now no?

 

That's a good point. Due to their improvements in production Tech - they are able to still make a profit knocking $20,000 off of the model Y recently. That necessarily kills all other Teslas .... & the trickle-down effect is all other electric cars take a huge value degration as well

 

My local dealer had a XSE Premium on the lot this month. I was not on a list. I drove it home within hours of first laying eyes on it.

The dealer in Roseburg Oregon had 4 Prius on the lot two days ago, ready for sale. 3 hybrid and one Prime. No special markups that I noticed in a quick stop and gawk.

They are available. Just a matter of where you are and how flexible you want to be.

 

Ha, get your 2024, then come back. Reliable, efficient car though.