Unsavory Car Dealers

Yes a lot of dealerships in the maryland, virginia area are selling the prius about 2000 over msrp. They get away with it because of the demand, heck even used prius's at some dealerships are selling around the msrp of the new ones. If oil ever goes down to a acceptable level and everyone goes back to their old ways of wasting fuel, then the demand for the prius will drop, and with that demand the prices will drop.

 

Similar stories in Ga.

 

From my experience of buying cars and looking into dealerships, many dealerships like to be really unspecific so you don't know what's coming. I guess I try to avoid this by asking really detailed questions, and if I don't get a specific answer, I will ask again and again until I do get an honest answer, and I always confirm everything (again) with the salesman before making a decision.

For example, a dealership here in Washington told me that they would sell me the Prius at the best price available when I first contacted them. (No mention of how great the price is). I emailed them back asking what the price would be. He told me that he sells the Prius at MSRP. (Still no mention of the price). So I emailed him back once again asking what the MSRP would be for my order, although it is already on Toyota.com. The real truth came out, as he said that his dealership orders all Priuses with all these extra accessories, like 3M rock chip protector and nitrogen in tires (Wth?), etc.

This adds $600 to the MSRP. I didn't want any of these extras and asked if I could just have a normal Prius without additions at MSRP. He said no. I asked again. He said that it was impossible. So yes, it was true that he sells the Prius at MSRP, but he never mentioned the add-on that could not be deleted with the purchase of the vehicle.

As you can see, I had to ask 3 questions before I got an actual honest answer. If he had given me a price at MSRP, I would confirm it again by asking: "no higher or lower, correct?"

After all that work (I contacted several dealerships in my area), I finally found a dealer in Seattle that gave me a great first-impression. I even negotiated them into giving us free tinting. I will definitely recommend this dealership later on on PriusChat if they (actually) deliver me a vehicle and promise their word of honoring me free tinting when it arrives.

 

Mark,
Most dealers are doing the add-on trick ($1000 extra mile, floor mats, etc often adding at least $2k). Some in Texas are selling new Prii on their used car lots at higher prices ($2k-$3k higher for basic cars). I get two or three emails a month from a few dealers ready to "move me up" if I move fast (and pay more). In addition to the used car zero mile trick, I see zero mile "lease returns" from the lease places on ebay.

Bottom line, supply and demand rules even at "MSRP" dealers. Last winter you could get a Prius of your choice off the lot with a discount and a federal tax break. Not today.

 

I don't know, I'd have to consider that. I have high morals but a low income. Hmm

 

You are not very good at negotiating. Never put any hard earned money down on an open ended deal. An "open ended" deal is one where the terms and conditions are not defined in writing. (Terms and conditions are things like all pricing items and expected delivery, colors, options, etc.)

Furthermore, in your opening line you state "We were very excited about purchasing a Prius." Never get emotionally involved and in a hurry in any business deal, because you will usually lose.

Keith

 

abcdefgary: I agree with everything that you said. However, I would like to point out one thing that you may want to concider as after market. It is my understanding that the paint or painting process on the Prius is greener than on standard vehicles. It is not hard, as chip resistant, and combined with the sloping hood, the Prius is a "rock chip magnet", as I beleive that it was stated in another thread. The 3m protection and/or front hood deflector is highly recommended by many members and can be found in other threads. Both can be a DIY project. Totally agree about the dealer and the Nitrogen BS, but I'm planning to go with both a deflector and the 3M, since Atlanta, due to buget deficits, is not keeping it's interstates clean. It's a problem on regular paint let alone the Prius'. Just though I'd pass it on. Don't want to :deadhorse:.

 

What's with the obsession with the MSRP? You people act as if it's based on something more than an arbitrary number some suit dreamed up at head office. Sorry, but if you are paying MSRP you're getting ripped off. It's not some magic number!

Get a couple grand below MSRP and you're doing OK.

 

First! You obiously have no idea of the currect Prius market. And if someone wants one and can afford one that's their decision.
Secondly! MSRP is just a reference point, for a certain configuration, that anyone anywhere can look up online, and in conversations or dealings, use it as a reference point, just like you did in your post, in the sentence that I highlighted. Many SUV's and non-hybrid gas guzzlers are going for well under MSRP. That's a reference point good to know if you're in the market for an SUV. You can deal. In the current Prius market, you can feel fairly comfortable, and stop shopping if you can find a deal @ MSRP w/o unwanted dealer add-ons. That's good to know if you're in that market.

 

First mistake is buying any new Toyota from a dealer in Texas. You are likely to get ripped off for several thousand because it has to go through Gulf States Toyota as the distributor. There is all sorts of BS added into their "packages" and availability of what you want is typically poor to non-existent. When I lived in Texas I had no luck working out a deal on what I wanted in a Toyota. (This happened every five years or so when it was time to buy a new vehicle and retire one of the old ones--always ended up buying Nissan or Honda instead.) Finally, disgusted with the regionals I called a Toyota dealer in Missouri where I was heading for a planned vacation. He had exactly what I wanted for the price I wanted. I couldn't believe it after spending months looking around Texas and putting up with all the dealer BS. Brought a check and picked up the truck on vacation, no hassle, problem solved.

I don't see any advantage of having a parasitic distributor like Gulf States siphoning off customer cash...or driving off customers altogether.

 

I guessed the 'pay a premium and move to the head of the waiting list' game had to be going on. We aren't all entitled to a Prius at MSRP though.

 

Dave PH: I though I've seen several posts re: Florida dealer's selling at MSRP. Long waits though. Did you try a search on PC? Or were the posts bogus?

 

Shawn Clark; It looks like Texas has the same dealer friendly, buyer beware, laws re: auto sales, as Georgia. That's why I ended up on a dealer's allocation list in Florida.

 

That made a lot of sense (??). Whatever arbitrary reference point you want -- knock yourself out. :deadhorse:

 

ah, this is good to know. I didn't know this before and I did search around and found many threads. By the way, super white is one of my top choices, haha, so I don't know how big of an impact that problem is going to be for me.

I found the email, and it wasn't just the 3M rock chip protectant, but there were 2 packages that had to be included if I purchased from them (Lake City Toyota in Washington):

I was looking to pay less, not more.

Actually, I contacted a lot of dealerships (nearly all) in the Washington state, and none of them would budge for lower than MSRP so it is not as easy as you think.

 

There were (and still are) reports of dealers in Virginia adding on those expensive cargo nets ($1800) and additional "surcharges" above the MSRP. The dealer where we purchased has just started this practice according to the sales staff -- we got "in-line" last May so we missed the opportunity for those extras.

 

When I ordered in May it was at MSRP plus a $500 "Dealer Fee". Two other dealers were charging slightly higher "Dealer Fees". I ordered in mid May and it took 7 weeks. I don't know what the situation is like now.

I wasn't offered a 'move up the list for $$' opportunity but I figured it would evolve to that.

 

When we purchased our first prius last october, we got to pick exactly what we wanted and negotiated a price. It was great, we had a good time and really liked our salesman.

Now we are on the waiting list, he gave us a sheet to pick our packages and items that we would like and there were several things that were pre-selected. The same salesman we had last time said that those items MUST come with the car because that's how they get them. So we HAVE to get them and pay for them if we wanted a car. UGH. One of them was the paint sealent and under the car noise reduction stuff for like $395. They even had a thing on that paper that said something to the effect of "Dealership services" for $9XX" !! .... but.... as a favor for a return customer and our situation, he had that bit taken off.... *coughs* yeah ok.. thanks. I know that fee wasn't on there last time. We didn't get a real firm price yet either because it was an "order" for the '09, which Toyota hasnt released the prices yet. (the kicker, the salesman tried to sell us on a used '07 corolla for the "mean-time wait" for our Prius)

It'll probably cost us 5-6k or so more than our previous prius. (my general estimate, I hope I am wrong)

I was very shocked and pretty depressed by the whole trip to the dealership to get on the waiting list for another Prius after our first one was (murdered) totaled. I really do not want to settle for a different car.

 

abcdefgary: Evidently it varies by state. Whether the state laws are buyer or dealer friendly and to what degree they are enforced. Also, to what degree a state or municipality makes their dealers comply with the federal Monroney Law, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroney_sticker. Which by the way the Monroney Sticker law also uses that useless, arbitrary, MSRP, as a reference. I remember at least one post were a PC member was able to go back to the dealer and got restitution. Dealer had removed stricker, added their own with padded charges. Buyer went back after purchasing the car, pointed out that the dealer had illegally removed the sticker and threaten to report the practice. If I remember, they came to an agreement. Perhaps I should add a post on one of the wait list threads. I'm beginning to get the feeling there are a lot of people that are not awrae of the Monroney sticker law. I tries to clarify window stickers in another post, but I didn;t reference the Monroney law specifically. I just read a post were someone, in Utah, is paying $800.00 to have his Prius shipped 1200 miles from a midwest dealer, was a better deal than he could find locally.
Good luck whichever path you choose to explore.