In early November I got on the list for a Pkg 8 that I wanted to take delivery of in January. I received a call from the dealer in late December that my car was ready for pickup. The first problem is that I didn't want the car in 2005. I wanted it in 2006 for tax credit reasons. The second problem is that the car did not have pkg 8, it had pkg 7 with dealer-added leather. Now that that car is gone (sold to someone else), I am being told that April is when I can get a pkg 8. Why is it that the largest Toyota dealer in Michigan can't get a pkg 8 before April? I wanted this car, but difficulty like this leads me to believe that Toyota and the dealership really don't care enough to make this sale (at MSRP even). An additional issue was the dealer saying in '05 that the '06's would "have heated seats if they have leather." He was probably taking an educated guess because it was clear that Toyota had given him no information on the car. I think PriusChat knew more about the '06 than this dealership did. Is the handling of this by Toyota et al as big of a screw up as it appears? Thanks
Have you tried other dealers? Maybe they can get it to you faster. I first got on the list at San Diego Toyota (nee Rose Toyota) which was the first Toyota dealership in the US. They only got 1 or 2 Prii at a time. I ended getting mine at another dealer.
Toyota does cars in "allocations", so the dealer receives cars based on sales, regional preferences, popular packages and colors... yeah, it kinda sux. I wholeheartedly agree with aaf709 - start calling dealerships within 100 miles of your house - SOMEONE will be able to help you.
The dealer isn't as closely connected with Toyota as you may think. The people responsible for your situation would be the dealer. Toyota and its dealers work independently of each other. That's why some dealerships can get away with charging mark ups.
I am sure the dealership does not care. So what if they are the largest dealer of Toyota cars in the world for that matter. You may have to drive a few hours to pick up your car (as I am) to find a dealer which will sell to you at MSRP (or lower if you are lucky) WITHOUT any add ons like rust proofing and paint sealant (think the movie Fargo). I will be picking up my car from a dealer clear across the state to avoid the dealers getting above MSRP in my local area. MANY posters to this board are doing the same. You just have to do a little homework. Buying a new car is a major purchase and it is not as easy a buying a gallon of milk at the local supermarket. And don't get me wrong, I think the dealer should be able to charge any amount they want for any car in THEIR inventory. Every dealer has his/her own strategy to maximize profits. Your request for a Prius on your terms just didn't fit with them at the time. No big deal. Just find one who will accommodate you on your terms. We live in relatively free market economy compared to many other countries. You would be surprised at the number of threads with many posters condemning dealers for mark ups over MSRP. So one may question why do dealers ask more than MSRP? Because they get it day in and day out. Pure and simple. I suppose the other alternative is we could have a large government bureaucracy that would set prices for all consumer goods. UH huh.... that would be fun... Rick Hopefully to get delivery on an 06 #4 silver in a week or so...
Which Toyota dealership are you talking about? Toyota of Bloomfield is the one that I buy my Toyotas and they've always been above board with me. It's one of Roger Penske's dealerships and they're great. You can't be talking about them.
Toyota being one of the premier Just-in-Time manufacturers should be able to do true custom orders from the American market, however they do not, which I consider a huge weakness in terms of being able to fulfill customer needs and having a good idea of what customers really want to buy in their vehicles. But that is beside the point. Yes, Toyota dealers do operate on an allocation basis. Basically, the car carrier pulls up, unloads what is for that dealership and leaves. Dealers that run larger volume of certain cars or certain packages in certain cars tend to get more of that car or car/package combination than another dealer who sells less in that manner. Many dealerships are totally uninterested in doing anything but selling what comes to them in allocation. So, if the region they are operating in is not bringing in package 8 (the one with leather) then the dealership is either just going to shrug off your request, or they can go through region management and try to find your vehicle out of region and do a vehicle swap with an out of region dealer. To do an out of region swap requires work. And some dealers and their managers aren't intersted in doing work. It is now time to find another dealer that understands that money isn't made unless there is work, completed services, associated with it. Go ahead and try another dealer that operates in your region. You might get lucky and find one that is more than willing to do a swap with another dealer with the assistance of the region management. Or you might have to purchase outside of your region if you can find no dealers in your region that are willing to work with you. Start with this idea, find 10 dealers that are inside a driving distance that you are willing to go to get the car. Then get phone numbers, fax numbers and the email address of their fleet/internet sales dealer. Create a spec sheet and request bids. Those that respond are probably serious and want your business. Go for them.
I agree with the posts above, you must hunt down a dealer which you consider fair and responsible. Furthermore, your purchase is only half the equasion (spell check anyone?) the rest is the service department who you will be using for a long time so make sure you find one who, again you think is reasonable.
Equation. You don't have to buy your Prius where you plan to get it serviced; you can buy it anywhere, even out of state. I suggest you use the internet contact dealers within however wide a radius you're willing to travel, even out of state. Tell them you want nothing less than a #8 and tell them what color(s) exterior/interior you prefer. (The less picky on color you are the better). AND tell them you won't pay anything over MSRP. The first one to contact you with "your" car gets your business. There are owners here who have flown to another state to buy their car and then driven back home. You shouldn't have to wait more than a week or two, depending on how far you're willing to travel and how flexible you are on color.
Welcome to the world of car dealers, when demand outsrips supply. Game the system, and follow Godiva's advice. Good Luck !
Great advice! Thank you all. By the way, the dealer is Suburban Toyota in Troy. Not that I want to vilify them, but someone asked. Finding my Pkg 8 in less that 4 months for MSRP probably isn't worth it to them personally. Thanks
Call, Call, Call, I was suprissed when I found an unclaimed white package #8 in Lancaster, CA this last weekend. It didn't last long though as I drove it home Sunday.
I am in NY. They said that they don't sell the Package 8 in my region. It sounds like BS, but that's the only difference in features. I'm not sure if it's a screw up.
I'm in New York. They don't offer the Package #8 here either, and they told me that it would be at least 6 months before I could get a car. I have a place down in the Carolinas, so I contacted a dealer down there and was placed on the list at the end of November. Had a call in December offering me an '06 with package 7, but it was the red, and I had a red car for many years so I wanted something different. Requested a silver with bisque leather, and they called to say that they aren't being allocated any leather right now, and offered a silver with package #7 which I took, as the leather wasn't a bid deal for me. I recall reading on this forum about someone in New York whose dealer arranged for a trade with a dealer out west and was getting the '06 with package 8 though. Don't know what dealer it was.
