buying a prius, need help with the pricing.

When people say they're paying MSRP, they usually mean MSRP before tax, title and registration. I think it makes the comparison easier since sales tax varies a lot depending on the area you're in. For example: Oregon has no sales tax whereas it's 9.25% in San Jose, CA.

As for buying in another state and getting it shipped there, you should check w/your DMV or equivalent to see if they'll sock you w/the difference in tax once you get it registered in your state. When I lived in WA, I'd heard that going to Oregon (where sales tax is 0) to avoid sales tax was pointless since WA would make you pay sales tax.

 

Welcome to the site. Read through www.carbuyingtips.com. Buying out of state makes sense if you can get a lower price or the car you want. Good luck. You WON'T escape your state's sales tax.

 

This site will tell you what MSRP is:
Build Your Toyota

 

In Florida different counties have different sales taxes (.5-1.5% or so higher in more touristy areas) and the dealers charge the tax based on your county of residence. So you can't escape that way either! I imagine most states have similar requirements.

 

I can never get the NAV package to come up for model III.

 

It's working this morning LoraJ, Nav only adds $1800 to a Prius III, Solar Roof with Nav adds $3600. Solar Roof without Nav is apparently not available. I have had problems with the site as well but then a few hours later it usually works OK again.

 

Looks like it actually depends on the zip code that you give it!

For instance, when I give it MY zip code (95616), I only get options for nothing ($0) or NAV ($1,800) on the Prius III. The solar roof option is not there!

But when clicking the link in this thread, which uses the zip code 97838, the solar roof option shows up all of a sudden.

 

Wow, that's interesting. Others have posted that options depend on the region and that proves it. Apparently some regions have decided not to offer certain option packages, can't imagine why? Maybe they think if they don't offer the Solar Roof in the III people will say "Oh my, I guess I'll pay extra and buy a IV". I hope people go outside that region to get and get cars equipped the way they want them.

 

MSRP does not include tax/tags

The reason i then the MSRP varies from state to state. It also does not include dealer processing fees, which can range from $95 to $595 in Virginia, and they can not negotiate on that. Best best is just look at the bottom line number -- what it will cost you. In my case (with my 3G Prius III), I traded a low mile 2005 Forester -- I still owed $6840 on it. I said, 20K+my forester, out the door(you pay off the loan) and I would buy it today. While they did not match the price, they came up $500 on the trade (10,000 to 10500) and dropped $500 from the sticker price.

I did not worry about the other items. Dealer tried to seperate tax, saying...look before tax I can .... I said, 20K is what I pay. If the check is $20001, no go (for buying today).

we came to terms, and I bout the next days (for 21,400)

 

Check out truecar.com, it will generate a nice pricing graph.

I paid $400 under MSRP for mine, although my dealer has a $398 "unwaivable" fee for car prep/paperwork/etc, so I guess you could say I had that waived

 

None of the dealers I have talked to in this area have any kind of dealer preparation fee. You pay the MSRP figure listed on the Toyota web site and that's it. There is also licensing and title transfer but that money goes to the State, $238 for Oregon residents and gets you a 4 year license plate in your choice of 3 designs. No sales tax but if your from another state they will get you when you register it there.

Preparation and paperwork are costs of doing business and the dealer should pay them, especially when they are charging MSRP for the car.

 

Yes hotgrass, it sounds reasonable. The base MSRP on a III is 22,750. Add floormats and you are at $23,950. If you add anything else, you break the 24k mark. From there, I can't say what other fees they are adding in. 24k plus $200 for misc fees plus a 7% tax is under $26k. Sounds like there are other options on it, or your state/dealer fees are higher.

 

I have one of my customers in Tennessee.. I can always add another, if you like

 

Your original question said PriusII/II. Which is it?

As mentioned, go to the Toyota site and spec out your car. Add destination and that;'s the basis from which to work (MSRP + delivery). They have to add title and taxes and in the closing you may have some fees. In WV they only run abut $100. Can you get them dropped? Probably not on paper as the finance guys get their cut from that, but they may cut the price or allow more trade in. Bottom line, they have a price in mind that they are willing to deal to.

$22,750 is a base Prius II delivered and you should be able to buy one at that PLUS title, and taxes and possibly a small documentation fee.

 

WVguy.. your dealers are allowed to markup the DMV fees? I have never heard of that. We would get fined through the nose if we tried that.

 

Not sure what you mean by mark up. They don't inflate them but they are on the papers as "extras" during the closing. Taxes & title are what the state charges but typically every deal I've seen in WV has some processing fees (less than $100).

 

So floormats add $1,200?