Houston Prius supply improving?

Please keep us posted. I'm hoping someone here in Texas will have a favorable story. I'm getting a little disillusioned by what I've read so far. Maybe I'll have to go out of state.

Thanks!

 

Fred Haas Toyota Country always seems to have Priuses in stock. We got both of ours there, no wait at all.... Interestingly enough we too were on Don McGill's waiting list for 10 months without even a nibble.

I guess it depends a lot on who's in good graces with Gulf States Toyota.

 

I just bought my Tideland Pearl Package 5 with Option A today from Ron Carter Toyota. It seems like several of the smaller dealerships (such as Alvin, El Paso, Odessa) do quite a bit of favor-exchanging and exchanging to help each other.

I went in today, and the sales manager was able to pull up every Tideland Pearl Package 5 (my choice) being released to the Gulf region for the remainder of this month. He recognized some of the dealer codes of his friends in other cities, and called them up asking to trade. After doing so, he was able to change the port options to my liking.

I should be getting the car in 1-2 weeks at most. Very pleasant experience... but I'll let you know once I have the car physically in my possession.

 

I am in Dallas and just bought an 05 Salsa BC from Ehrlich Toyota in Greeley, Colorado (MSRP). The Dallas/Ft Worth market is still largely hopeless, but in my calling around I was impressed with Red McCombs Toyota in San Antonio, which should be reasonably close to you. You can get on their list for MSRP or slightly less, according to what I was told, and they can delete the dreaded "port added options", i.e. added markup. They seemed very nice to deal with. Kenny Reyes is the Prius guy. I think it is helpful to get on several lists and just keep looking and you will find a reasonable deal somewhere (just not in Dallas)

Good luck!

 

Call around there are plenty of them out there. We found several in Houston and surrounding towns. I found the package and color I wanted yesterday with one call to a dealer about 200 miles from home. My wife had called a couple dozen dealers in Texas but did not find the exact combination we were looking for. This will be our second Prius and the local dealers still have a long wait. There are too many people like me here. In looking for a dealership, think about towns where people are not likely to flock to the car. Think GM country. Think .... oh never mind. I was about to say something I might regret. I found the car in the town I grew up in and couldn't wait to get away from. I suspected I could find it there with one call and sure enough, they had two unspoken for coming in within a week. We deleted the port installed options and bought it for MSRP. Now we will be a two Prius family. Her GM family can't believe it.

 

Thanks everyone for the tips. My parents live in Houston (near Fred Haas) so I think I'll investigate that angle. Won't be ready to buy till late summer anyway, but I want to do my research early.

Anybody have good service stories to tell from Texas? I haven't seen any positive feedback on the Austin area.

 

Champion Toyota has good Prius techs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ml194152\";p=\"73650)</div>

How did this turn out? Who did you deal with?

I am currently trying to buy a Prius from them. I went in yesterday, they told me they had a Black pkg 3 with option B at MSRP (I really only wanted pkg 3, but it's so hard to find them without anything added, so I thought this would be OK). I told them I wanted to see what I could get for my trade-in elsewhere. They tell me they will beat the any other guy's price to get my business, but would not give me a solid price for my trade until I was ready to make the deal then and there. So I come back the next day, ready to make a deal, but mysteriously the car I wanted is gone. "Fortunately", there are other cars available, but with much more options than I want, and not the color I want. So far a very frustrating experience.

 

After much online research, I decided I wanted to test drive a 2005 Prius and to buy one as my first new car if I liked it. I visited Champion Toyota in Austin and was told there was about an 8 month waiting list (they were selling at MSRP), but they had none available for test drives. This past weekend, I went to Houston to visit my parents. We met at Joe Meyers Toyota on Saturday where they were giving away Schlitterbaun tickets with a test drive promo. To my delight, there were were 2 Prii on the lot (a blue package 5 with leather and basic black with option B). I test drove the blue one and finally decided I wanted to buy one. I liked the options on the blue one but didn't want leather in TX heat. I was still deciding between the 2 when the salesman offered the black one at $500 below MSRP since they said it would be easier to sell the blue one, and I took it after test driving it. I also ended up buying the extended warranty because of all the computerized features but turned down the VIN etching and lojack. Also, the insurance cost difference between my old car ('97 Nissan Sentra) and my new Prius was only $62 for 6 months. Anyway, I do think the Houston supply is improving.^^

 

Congrats on the car and welcome to the site! It's too bad you purchased the warranty from Joe Myers since you can get it from this site for only $985.

Who was your salesperson? I think you got the car they initially offered me. The first time I was there they offered me a black pkg 3 with option B for $22,474 which they said was MSRP. I wish I had brought all my online research with me because I later figured out that that was the MSRP for only the option B. :cussing: They had mistakenly told me the car had pkg 3 when in fact it did not. That's why the car magically disappeared the next day. Instead of telling me the truth about their mistake they just lied and said "Another dealer got it from the port before we did"

BS! Since they are allocated to dealers before they ever arrive.

I'm glad you got your car, but I'd be wary of the salespeople and especially the managers there. They will say/do anything to get your $ (At least in my experience)

Their Scion division on the other hand was/is great...

 

I just read about the warranty offered here after my first post; I think I'll call to cancel it tomorrow which I'm sure they'll probably give me a hard time for it. My salesperson there was Alex Argueta, an internet manager. I'm sorry that they misled you there though. I think I also heard that package 3 was no longer offered, but I'm not sure.

 

Here are my experiences from 3 other dealers. I was looking for a black pkg 3 with nothing else.

I highly recommend Fred Haas Toyota World (the one on I-45 N by Spring HS). Talked to Chris Sterling. His email is [email protected] Dealing with Chris was awesome. He very quickly asked what color/pkg I wanted, searched his incoming inventory, found a match with extra stuff (leather, etc) but he was willing to delete the accessories that were port installed so I got my black Prius with only pkg 3 at MSRP ($22,660). I even negotiated free floor mats when dealing with my trade-in (05 Scion tC).

I would recommend Sterling McCall Toyota. Talked to Senad. Tried to upsell me on a pkg 3 with a mirror, pkg B, CD changer, etc. However after he found out I had a better offer from Fred Haas, he kicked into high gear. Found 3 Prii he could get for me with pkg 3, but not black. Driftwood, Salsa Red and Tideland for $200 below MSRP However, I think part of the reason he was willing to give me such a good deal is that Sterling McCall would have gotten a great deal on my trade (Although he did offer more than Fred Haas TW).

I would *not * recommend Fred Haas Toyota Country on 249. They offered me ~$1500 less on my trade, wanted $695 for tint, and were very inflexible (would not remove options I did not want).

Funny thing is, I decided not to get Prius just yet. I can't justify the cost of trading in my tC to get a Prius. If only the Prius had this kind of availability 8 months ago, I'd be a Prius owner instead of a tC owner.

 

I'm about to become a Prius owner. Visited Sterling McCall last weekend on the way to visit relatives, as in our small town the dealership couldn't even begin to get one. They had lots, and we drove one and loved it. They didn't have a package 6 on the lot, but had one coming in in 13 days, so my Prius should be in on Friday. They had lots on inventory! the salesman was great, and I got it for under MSRP.

 

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Care to share how much under MSRP or who your salesman was?

 

Care to share how much under MSRP or who your salesman was?[/b][/quote]Sure - it was $500 under MSRP, not fantastic, but not too bad. Our salesman was Victor Ugoh, and he was very efficient. The finance guy didn't give us the hard sell, so we got out of there without buying anything extra, we'll get the extended warranty and maintenance plan from Troy (see other thread). We were told that Sterling McCall gets the most Prius's in the SE region because the allotment is linked to the amount of Camry's and Avalons they sell. All in all it was a fairly pleasant experience.

 

Philpott Motors - Nederland Tx., they deal straight up and get the Prius on a regular basis. See Scott Kelley (refer I. Altmann)., right know 2 on lot one Sea Side Green, with PCKGE #2 + other port goodies $23,900 and one Pear Green with Leather, everything except the NAV, for about $27,000. They sell a lot over the internet, to Houston and Austin and Corpus., small town dealer honest and always at MSRP or your best deal. I am a satisfied customer, if you say you got it from me, I get a $50 finders fee, and it won't effect your deal. Also if you want a specific one, get with me, and Scott Kelley with the dealership will get you one, they require a deposit, but when they shake on a deal, they deliver.

Regards I Altmann
2005 Silver PCKG B
720 Miles !! + VERY satisfied customer

 

Actually I tried to deal with Philpott, even talked with the sales manager. They couldn't get a Prius for me to even test drive, even though they had a lot full of fleet cars. After a month I got discouraged and bought in Houston. However, the folks at Philpott have been very nice and I'll probably get my service done there.