Just got back from excellent test drive on level IV in Blizzard Pearl. Beautiful. Didn't expect to find it there. First one on lot, and even the sales guy had not driven as yet. He knew the 09's very well but he and I both enjoyed the new features of '10. Agreed on price and left deposit for my level III w/o nav. Unfortunately, all the cars allocated to SET dealers here seem to come with that infamous Toyoguard. Also, he stated the reason for the "special color" charge was due to GM owning the patent on the pearlized paint process used by Toyota, on which GM collects royalties. Evidently not enough $$ income there to prevent Chapter 11 for GM, day after tomorrow.
Smells like BS to me. If there is any one universal constant, it is that car salesmen can be counted upon to say **anything** to justify a higher price or a quick sale.
If Toyota is paying a royalty to GM for the pearlized paint, then maybe after GM goes bankrupt, the fee will be dropped. I bet it really has more to do with extra painting steps involving the pearlescent coat.
Oooooo.....just for fun, ask your salesguy or gal what the patent number is so we can look it up.....not that I don't believe him/her (actually it must be a him, women wouldn't make something like this up).
Pearl paint from Toyota is cheap compared to some manufacturers. For a pearl pain on a Fiat in Australia add $1400 to the price! First car I ever saw with pearl paint was a Mitsubishi and after that Lexus. I doubt GM own any rights to it, if they did wouldn't they offer it more on their cars?
He was likely confused in the fact that your sales tax you'll pay on the car will go to the federal government which in turn will give it to our new national auto company, General Motors.
