Prius Prime Death Spiral?

The Prime is a lower production 2017 model. Toyota is prepped to make 60k globally the first year, and there is still almost 7 weeks left in 2016. Once upon a time, you had to wait for next year to get next year's car model for all cars.

So it won't be available everywhere at the same time, and then there are some US dealers that want nothing to do with a plug in.

PHEVs no longer get a full ZEV credit under CARB's program, but they are counted for determining the size of a manufacturer's ZEV fleet. Then Toyota has sold fewer Mirai's than they had hoped.

While Europe has some big plugin markets, it also has ones that are like Japan in not having the infrastructure or simple access for home charging. The incentives in the US and Canada to push plug in sales are likely more generous than in Europe.

 

...that's where I got mine in 2006 (Miller).

Carson Toyota is represented by Dianne Whitmire here on Prius Chat, and she is very experienced with selling Toyotas out-of-state to the extent that is allowed by Toyota, which as far as I know Prime can be.

I would think the Wash DC Beltway dealers will have decent Prime stocks, especially MD with good incentives and low sales taxes. Wash DC has zero sales tax on anything over 40 MPG City so that includes regular Prius. Virginia helps to supply DC (no dealerships there) and Arlington has some tax breaks for hybrids/plug-ins, making for a general good Prime sales picture on the Beltway, one would think (have not asked).

I have long said the extension of Green HOV stickers in CA will be the basis for Prime sales in the USA, so I see no reason for negatism except supply may be slower than some are hoping. With all the improved state rebates for plug-ins, mostly blue states, but who cares, I would think demand will be there.

Man I must have waited 4 years for the Camry hybrid to become a reality in 2006, this is nothing yet.

 

I talked to Sam Lee at Miller Toyota in the DC area and he said they have not been allocated any Prime but can get them. I too would have thought the DC are would have got some Prime allocations.

BTW, Sam Lee is still driving a Gen 1 Prius.

 

I don't know Sam. I had Fred.
But I would not consider Miller in the geographic thick of things re: plug-ins...get right on the Beltway like Taylor Alexandria and Koons Tysons and Jack Fitzgerald Automall MD, Darcars etc.

 

for the DC region, sounds like Koons near tysons corner will get a couple in Dec. can't vouch for the sales folks over there as they tried to shove a Prius 2 down my throat when clearly I was inquiring about the prime.

 

Never got a car there, but they are certainly the apparent sales leader with access to new models. That's where I first looked at a new 2006 Hybrid Camry, somehow I realized Prius at that time, was better, and I somehow got over my inclination against Prius.

There is a top manager over there that is quite good, and helped me a lot in the hybrid fee issue, but I did not get his name unfort.

 

the saleman didn't want to share that DC doesn't charge tax for hybrids and knew nothing about the federal 4500 rebate....bunch of other mis information such are spare in 4.. anyhow, i know it's a lot of car info they have to deal with daily.. regardless, even if I were to go back to that dealer, i wouldn't go through him.

 

DC is good for Prius!

 

This does not surprise me I was not at all impressed with that dealership.

 

The answer is so simple, ask the right dealer:

Hello @DianneWhitmire,

How many Prius Prime do you have?
If I fly in from another state with a bank check for MSRP, can I get temp tags to drive it home?

FYI, I have relatives who live in California and would no doubt be happy to buy the Prius Prime. Then when you drive it home, register it as a 'used car' with the 'bill of sale' from my relative.<GRINS>​

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

I just posted this in another thread.

Guys, I have a few things to add.

With the vast amount of PlugIns I have sold over the years, as well as just regular Prii and Rav4 EV models, I have folks coming off lease returns weekly who are poised to replace their cars. They need HOV access, or just want the $4500 tax credit and the $1500 CVRP monies for CA before the calendar year ends.

I have to be responsible to those local to me in Southern California / Northern CA first. I could have sold every single car I have been allocated so far to someone in another state. Quick. BUT - that leaves my locals scrounging around for cars elsewhere and hearing about "market adjustments" and added dealer items blown out of proportion pricewise in the guise of being at fair market value.

There is also the law. DMV and CA sales tax laws that are clear and concise. You do not live here but wish to drive the car away from my dealership as opposed to sending a transporter for it to take it from my door to your home? If you drive the car away, you pay CA baseline sales tax for the state, which is 7.5%.
BOE (Board of Equalization in CA) form 447 is a statement pursuant to section 6247 of the CA sales tax and use tax law. We do form 448 if WE deliver the car to the border ourselves. I'm telling you, on a car with a few hundred profit in the deal, that won;t happen. The border of any other state connected to us is HOURS away.

Good Example: you reside in Oregon, where there's no sales tax. I am - what - 1100 miles away? Oregon has 0 sales tax. It costs $750+ to ship a car from me to the Eugene area. Shipping is about distance. If you reside in Oregon, it makes ZERO sense to drive my car away from here and pay 7.5% sales tax on a $30,000 vehicle because transporter shipping for $750 is cheaper. Way cheaper. And, won't involve plane flight to get here.

Next: if you reside out of state, it's complicated to use any form of financing at all. Why? Because once I take a lender's money, I am obligated by FEDERAL LAW to provide your lender with title. As a dealer, I received the money for the car. I have to guarantee your lender (or my lender) title.
Well, how can I? If you do not live in CA, I am not titling your car - or registering it. I have to rely on YOU to do the docs right and make sure the state you live in does the title work RIGHT and your state's DMV sends the title to the right lender, the right address, etc. If the lender is Toyota, my dealership agreement states I have to do this OR they will simply take the money back from us since we do things with TFS electronically. This means there's a chance that if you mess up at DMV or someone messes up at your DMV and they send the title to you, TFS will not care. They will simply suck that money back from us and close the car loan. To the dealership, it's not worth the risk. I sell 1800+ cars annually and boy have I seen everything. And, been on the unpleasant end of a few different CU's and banks wondering where their title is. All I am able to do is point them towards their own customer and pray it doesn't escalate worse even tho it has. And, God help us if your lender's in Texas because their lending banks are very hard to work with. Very hard.

Anyway... there's so much hassle surrounding an out of state sale on all models, and very little plus side to it. I will do it when it makes sense. Right now, on Prime, it doesn't unless I run across a situation where it does. Every single decision is based on circumstance. If I said NO, it's for very good reason.

 

...so much for the "death spiral"..

We had a lot of folks buying new PiPs in MD in 2012, from reading Dianne's note above, sounds like they might have been paying cash.

 

How does this save sales tax?

FYI, I have relatives who live in California and would no doubt be happy to buy the Prius Prime. Then when you drive it home, register it as a 'used car' with the 'bill of sale' from my relative.<GRINS>​

Thanks,
Bob Wilson[/QUOTE]

 

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Not only that, but to my understanding, only the original purchaser can get the tax credit. It gets UN-economical very fast.

 

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my understand of this is that your relatives would of already paid the 7.5% CA tax. you'd be hit with your home state tax again. Unless mark a "bill of sale" for $1 which is blatant tax fraud and is a federal crime for both you and relative. not sure if it's worth that

edit: i'm not an accountant or tax attorney. I looked into this years ago to transfer a car title and was told by DMV I can not have new car sold to me for a dollar. It'd be have to filed as a gift from said relative... blah blah..

 

Sales tax is paid once. BY the initial new car buyer.
If you SELL the car to someone, the state you are in will determine the sales tax. If the car is transferred between close relatives, there is a form for that. In CA it's called a statement of facts. And, you have to sign it. If you get caught lying about the new owner being a relative when they are not, the sales tax + a very large percentage in penalty has to be paid.

 

in NJ, I was told that close relative is parent/child so it's a auto no go for 3rd/4th cousin by marriage.

also to add the gift limit is something like 13k? so even if you get away with a gift, you are still looking at paying the difference.. so not worth it. just wait.. or wait for prime to die out like the title of this thread suggests.

 

My old car still have unpaid loan on it so I don't have the pink slip. Can I still do the trade in? How's the outstanding loan after the trade in?