The Wait

:cussing: I went to my local dealer today to order my Prius and was told there is a 10 month delivery date. 10 MONTHS!!!!

 

Two months??? I don't know of many non-pioneer orders placed before mine and it's been 4 months for me so far... It's gotten so I'm almost afraid to call the dealer; afraid of becoming a PIA and afraid of hearing the same mantra ("It's not on this allocation")

Oh, well. I know this car is worth the wait. It's just SO hard to continue waiting.

 

The wait, etc

Jeff, I have to make a correction here -- and be logical about it.

I have folks who mailed me deposits back in April and May. That doesn;t mean that they waited 9 months at this point, because the point of their interest colliding with a deposit doesn't make a car available or a car one could buy at the time. In my case as a dealer, I was supplying Pioneers with their cars in October, and November. My true line did not start moving till December... and it's been a slow move due to the fact that supply was limited in Dec and it's worse now in January.

I put down a deposit with a friend of mine on a new 2005 Mustang convertible (that racy new retro one they are coming out with!) and and that car doesn't even go to production for months! (BTW: that car is for my son, I should have it broken in pretty well for when he starts driving soon) Does that mean I wait 14 months? Nope. If they start production next September, and I get the first one in November, then I feel as if I have waited a month or so. How can one count the time that your dealer had no cars to sell?

Dianne

 

Hey Jeff!

Jeff, do not take that personally. I wanted to clarify things for those who are unaware of the difficulty of getting these. That's all. There are still people who added themselves to my list in December, were told 4-5 months, and still call me every week "to get an update" and with 200+ people now on that list, this is unproductive and they still want to see "if there are any "refused" or dropped cars lying around, LOL!

 

still waiting

Okay, who wants to explain to my wife why I call out in my sleep "Diane, please call".

But seriously, Diane made it clear to me, that I was not ordering a car, but placing my name on a waiting list for the opportunity to purchase a car when it becomes available.

I can't call her anymore, I just like hundreds of other guys: Gee Diane, we're you this poplar in high school?

waiting somewhat patiently in Long Beach,
-Jody Rawles

 

Ummm Jody!

I do not know. I have no idea what I call out in my sleep... I probably chant "Prius, send more Prius"...

Jody, I just wish everyone would realize that I would call when/if I have a car. I mean, why would I not? How else could I get your tail end in to get it, get it sold, and get the unit out of the door so I can earn more? :?

Tell your wife I said to jump your bones when you chant my name. That will take care of any impatience in ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

::looking for an angelic-faced incon!:::

 

I wonder if there is one for getting jumped...at midnight... hmmmm :naughty:

 

Whew boy! I'm-a no touch-a this one, that's-a for shoo!

 

Re: Hey Jeff!

I talked to my dealer today, inquiring about a valet card. He knew nothing about them but agreed it was a good idea. I also inquired about my refund since I had turned my Extended Warranty policy in for a refund. It was supposed to take 6 weeks but it has now been10 weeks. He has not received it and is making a second request for it. It seems EVERYTHING is delayed. He has not received any of his allocated cars for November and December and told me that here in the midwest, there are only 13 cars to divide up among 78 dealers. The answer is to move to Dianne's area if you want a 2004. I got the first car in the midwest (Kansas City area) because I had ordered it in June or July, when first announced and when I saw that the first 10,000 were reserved for previous Prius leases, I wrote Toyota, telling them my history of purchasing 19 cars from same dealer and that I thought they should give priority to us old time repeat customers. Evidentally that's why I got the first car in the Kansas City area. :idea: :idea: :flame:

 

Valet cards

Did you not get the valet cards?

 

Re: Hey Jeff!

I don't think that's quite true. I wouldn't want to place an order today ... I don't think I could stand to wait that long. As it was, I placed my order as soon as I found Dianne early last fall. My wait was exactly 90 days, from the day I wrote the deposit check to the day I took delivery. (I stupidly thought it would take 45 days ... that's not Dianne's fault, I was just really optomistic.)

I talked with a co-worker today. He's on a list here in Los Angeles since November and probably won't get it until March, if then. His father put in an order just after Christmas in South Carolina and it looks like he'll get his by late February.

Yes, there are more cars here in Southern California, but the demand is also huge (we've got a lot of people here, folks!). So the proportion of those wanting the car to the number of cars available is probably greater than in other areas of the country. We're also very close to the port of entry so it's easier to find out when your car is arriving so there's a shorter wait when the allocation is finally made.

 

Re: Valet cards

Thats correct. They said it's probably because I got the first car here. They said they would inquire about it. Any other way to get one? I printed the one in the file library but its too big to attach to my fob.

 

the line

I actually put folks in my line based on their earliest emails to me. I have folks from April, May, June, way before I started even taking deposits that I contacted. You contacted me in August, Cybele, but just did not drop a deposit to me for a couple of months after that. I always went with first date of contact, as many can attest to. I never thought that a deposit would have to mean "put your money where your mouth is" but as the fervor started happening in August and September, I decided to make sure everyone who wanted a car sent me a deposit so that I could start requesting cars of the region, and soon after that, that ordering avenue was cancelled. They will not take special orders at all on Prius like they will on other Japan built cars. At that point, wanted to make sure that folks had deposits with me so that my dealership line was not being used as a placeholder while other actively went out to find other cars. (who knew how impossible that would be for many) A fleeting interest in July was not going to come ahead of a serious "I'll send that check right away", so I made it clear to folks in the fall that I'd cancel them off the list with no $, and I personally lined off about 40 people... half of which popped up later wanting their place in line back. I don't theeenk so, Stimpy!

Cybele was totally open to any car with any package, and she was the first one in my line to have the right to accept a tideland BI car. Our beloved teacher, JeffK is next now for that car in that color and model. There are 314 others on my list waiting for cars, in all different colors, packages, etc. It's such a total "who knows" anymore with what's coming, and sent. But, I gotta say, with allocations being so weak in january, there is a light at the end of this slim tunnel in late Feb and into March and April and May. :>

Clearly, this is a seller's market, with many stores in the upper LA and Valley areas getting quite a premium for the cars. The only way you can say what you think about that is not to buy their car. But, that's the market, and the dealers are making hay while the sun shines. They have to. The pickings are slim and you cannot insist that anyone in business do things your way just because you think that it ought to be the case. Just walk on by.

My first guy in line for a blue AF car came for it (it was his 1st color choice, and perfect package) but the car was dropped to me with the Z1 package -- it was allocated so close to the freight date, I couldn't stop the process but that's one of a few cars that has happened on. He did not want the Z1 - wanted only mats, but that was how the car came in and I told him via the phone that the first aid kit and cargo net were minimal things, and he'd have to take the car as it was. He's been waiting 6+ months! IT was all OK over the phone, but when he got there to get the car, he started with the "I think you ought to throw that Z1 in, Dianne..." and I am certain that the look I gave him was not in need of more words.

I would mention here that with the cars here and there being so limited, I'll give you advice.

If the car you wanted was an AF and you are offered a BI, the same package but with smart entry - take the car! If you are offered anything close to the car you wanted, take it. If there are items on the car that are factory added, like Z1 or CF or GN or 3Z etc, do not split hairs with your dealer. If you are paying MSRP or below, take the car regardless. If there are extras that you prefer not to have but you can balance the value of the item versus what the dealer wants for it, TAKE THE CAR. My store doesn't cram LoJack or paint seals or fabric guard or anything like that down folks' throats. We do not offer the snake oil products them at all. I can tell you that with tempers and tensions high, I am not willing to confront, professionally, any more grief than is needed to sell a car that sells it self many times over. I am not waiting 2 weeks for someone to have their money. I am not going to fight over trade value when you are wrong. I am not going to throw things in. For every person who drops off my list for one reason or another, there are 5 more to take their place. Some days, I add 10. I have made it very clear now that folks wanting cars right now are going to wait till possibly April, but more likely May, and into June and July. I left March on my online order form for those wanting BG cars --- I have not got a lot of orders for BG cars and my line of orders for BI cars is also a little short compared to how many I might get. My line for cars with BC is 200+ long. IN all color combinations one might imagine!

OK, enough rambling. I just wanted to tell you all waiting that you should grab cars if they are offered to you. The market is crazy, almost frenzied. An extra few bucks will be a fleeting memory once you have the cara nd have had it a while, and are doing other things like fielding questions about it, driving it, parking it, waxing it, and just saving gas every mile you roll!

Dianne

 

waiting my whole life

True, I'll admit that I was kinda squeamish about doing a deposit on a car before they even had a list of the colors and packages ... let alone the fact that I hadn't seen one in person yet. My husband saw one at a dealer meeting in Philly in early September and his testimonials pretty much sealed the deal for me and I was ready to take the plunge. That and the frenzy I was seeing on the YG and the number of cars already on Dianne's "inventory list" of orders.

It is really amazing how many of us "bought" the car sight unseen. It wasn't until the month after my deposit that I actually got to see one in person, and it was still another month before I drove one.

But the whole "how long did you wait" thing is kind of screwy. I've been waiting for this car since I first learned about engine mechanics in fifth grade and was obsessed with the Wankel engine. (Yes, it's an odd image to think of a 10 year old girl fascinated with rotary engines.) I've been waiting for this car since I learned how to drive ... I was on the waiting list to be in the first "test group" out of Irvine back in '99 when they were shipping the Japanese models over here ... the classic just didn't hit my timing right, I wasn't working and not driving so it didn't make sense, but when the new job & commute started and and when the news of the new model came out, I was ready to wait again (I was about to buy a Subaru Outback station wagon) but even when I thought I had waited long enough it took me two months to find a dealer that would even take my name down (in late June) and another before I found Dianne ... so just when did the waiting begin? On my first phone call? Or when Pioneer orders were over with? It's hard to know ... some dealers took checks before anyone even knew what the packages were going to be. But until the cars started being made and shipped, did the waiting really begin?

It is the best advice I can give ... be ready to go. I had my car sold (to a nice fellow who was willing to wait for my car to come in until he took mine off my hands) so the trade-in was no issue. I had my financing in order and I cleared my schedule so that Dianne would not have to keep that car in inventory a day longer than necessary! Make it as easy as possible for any dealer you've talked to to call you and offer you a car.

That's where I was. I wanted the airbags, that was the one thing I knew for sure and anything else was icing. The fact that I got the color I wanted was the cherry on top!

I'm just hoping that this frenzy is not repeated with the newer hybrids and next year's model. I hope they go to a more regimented order process where you put down your deposit and the order is placed for "your car" and they make it for you. Then it wouldn't matter if you are ordering at a dealer that had never sold a Prius before. No more "port installed options" that you didn't want (not the case with Dianne, of course) and no haggling. You just put your money down and get exactly what you paid for. It's a dream, I know.

I have to say, this is the nicest car I have ever owned. Sure, it's only my third car in my life, but I couldn't be happier.

So it's worth the wait. Any wait.

 

Re: waiting my whole life

I too hope they go to a more regimented ordering process. The new Highlander will be very well equipped, be a 4WD with third rear seat, and the 3.3 V6 hybrid. I have quite a few details as it is. I also have a list already, and for the record, all will be sold at MSRP with no added markups. If anyone wants to get to the first few rows of the Highlander hybrid list for ordering, it's here:

http://carsontoyota.com/html/highlanderhybridform.html

Dianne

quote: I'm just hoping that this frenzy is not repeated with the newer hybrids and next year's model. I hope they go to a more regimented order process where you put down your deposit and the order is placed for "your car" and they make it for you. Then it wouldn't matter if you are ordering at a dealer that had never sold a Prius before. No more "port installed options" that you didn't want (not the case with Dianne, of course) and no haggling. You just put your money down and get exactly what you paid for. It's a dream, I know.

 

Re: waiting my whole life

Dianne,

Just out of curiosity, would you happen to know approximately what MSRP will be on the 2005 HH? I recall reading around $29k but I can't quite comprehend how that could possibly be for a "very well-equipped", 4WD, Highlander Hybrid. I mean, the MSRP on a loaded 4WD 2004 Highlander pushes $40k.