Hello. We're considering buying a 2006 Prius, and would like to find a good dealer in the Seattle area. Your experiences would be most appreciated! We're obviously not only interested in price, but in support & service as well.
I bought my Pirus, and my 4th Toyota, from Michaels Toyota in Bellevue. The service people are what keep me coming back, some of the nicest around. Expect to pay over MSRP. I will send you a private message with referral info if you would be so kind, ask for Joe Walery and tell him I referred you.
I'd recommend checking the Washington State PriusChat forum -- there's a thread where people swapped experiences with buying a Prius in the area. That said, Michaels has a pretty good reputation. Also, a couple of reports from people who bought in Olympia or Moses Lake.
I bought my 2005 Prius, option #6, from Foothills Toyota in Burlington. They didn't have a car there and asked if I wanted to be put on the waiting list. I told them I would pay cash for the car I wanted (we had been saving up car payments for 5 years, making the payments to ourselves in an interest bearing account). They called around the area and found the car we wanted at Lake City Toyota and asked if I wanted it. We said yes and the salesman drove to Lake City and picked up the car. The next morning we returned and bought it for MSRP. In the glove compartment was a tag from Lake City specifying over $1,000 markup over MSRP for sale at Lake City. Our total waiting time after walking in the door was 18 hours. We had checked at Wilson Toyota in Bellingham. They also had a policy of only charging MSRP but had a very lengthy waiting line. Our cash offer, however, bumped us to the head of the line at Foothills. We also have taken the car to Foothhills (a 30 min. drive) for the first two services (oil/filter change and tire rotation) and they have been good. No matter where you buy it, any Toyota dealer should provide service. Suggestion: Look around, call around, don't pay over MSRP.
I have ordered an 06 from Lake City Toyota, a small dealership in North Seattle that is WIMBY owned and staffed. The sales people have been helpful and informed. Look at the post regarding paying for an extended warantee before you commit to the dealer offer. I gotta glimpse of the new silver-pine-mica color which is a much lighter green that what's been offered on the 05. Good luck to you!
Thanks to everybody for their comments and suggestions. Based on the suggestions from this forum, we went to Lake City Toyota. We were very happy with Kim, our salesperson, and we've signed up for a 2006 Prius. Kim was very helpful and honest and knew quite a bit about Priuses. The price that we are paying is over MSRP -- you can probably get a cheaper car at some other dealers. But, if you're concerned about the quality of service and support as we were and can afford to pay for it, Lake City Toyota seems to be a good place to go. And, as mentioned in the last post, it's a woman owned business with lots of people of color working there -- which happen to be important issues to us.
I got MSRP at the Everett dealership. Service, to me, is unrelated to purchasing the car. I called Couer D'Alene who sounded like they'd go under MSRP.
I would avoid Toyota of Puyallup. I went to them before Thanksgiving and got on the list and I told them that I won't buy until 2006. I would still get phone calls and emails during the weekend telling me that xxx package arrived and if I would be interested in it. Now we are into 2006 and not a peep from them. I emailed them and left 2 messages for my sales guy and nada. Am I even on a list? I have no idea. :angry: So I ended up getting onto the list at Bob Bridge Toyota in Renton. I got an email confirmation yesterday on the color choice and she (Danna, the internet manager) said that it might be March when the Seaside with grey comes in.
