Your Price for Your Prius?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Aug 23 2006, 09:48 AM) [snapback]308277[/snapback]</div>

I heard similar things from others (not from my dealer though) about E-loans. I financed thru Capital 1 Auto via Costco (if ypu have a Costco card www.costco.com~click on Services then Auto Loans~lowest % I could find other than a few credit unions I didn't qualify for due to employer). My dealer did try to match my rate but ended up coming up a few % points higher than my low Capital 1 rate. They sent me a blank check for xxxxx.xx amount as the limit and I filled it out and used that as payment when I purchased the car. No complaints about them!

My brother in law, who works for a VW dealership in the area, ahem, "advised" that I take out a home equity loan to pay for the car. I don't think so!! I'd rather leave our equity where it is and NOT risk losing our home should ANYthing happen in the next few years to the point where the loan is defaulted on. I'd much rather lose a $30K car than a $500K home if it were to come down to that. But maybe I'm just funny that way.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Aug 23 2006, 08:56 AM) [snapback]308156[/snapback]</div>

Barcelona red is a black Prius that hasn't ripened.

Tom

 

we got ours in early 05, when waitlists were still months long. we paid msrp plus a high doc fee (common around here) and $619 for the standard screw-over that southeast toyota gives you, and about $1300 for TT+L in WI.

total cost was $24500+ the TT+L. this is a pkg 5, which in the 05 models is the second from the top (everything but nav and hid+fog lights i think)

and we got like $200something at the end of the year with the clean-fuel deduction that was replaced by the new tax credit in 06.

 

Paid just over $27K last week for my Magnetic Gray Pkg#6, floor mats, bumper applique, tt&l. This amount also includes an extra $92 for clean air license plates and the inital fee for them (allows me to drive in the car-pool lane alone). I was able to get them to take $300 off MSRP; however, they also took my trade for $1K more than any other dealer was offering. I think I could've paid less had I not had a trade. I waited 3 weeks after placing my $500 non-refundable deposit. I love my Prius although I am lost when reading a lot of the forum postings. Guess I'm just a newbie.

P.S. Don't pay the dealers window etch fee ($298 here in SLC). I've heard you can register the number on your own, although I haven't researched it much yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rancid13 @ Aug 23 2006, 12:35 PM) [snapback]308309[/snapback]</div>

oooh didn't know this about eloans. i'll check out the costco- capital 1 option instead. thanks!

as for the window etching fee - i heard u can buy your own window etching kit at any of those car places for $20?

 

None of the Toyota dealers in this area were willing to accept E-Loan. I have a guess as to why - in order to "cash" the check, the dealer has to fill out and submit a bunch of paperwork to them to get the funds. I ended up applying for Capital One and being approved; then E-Loan offered a "Memorial Day sale" for 0.25% less which I applied for and was approved; and then I went back to Capital One and took them up on their low rate guarantee. Except for a little hassle getting the initial rate right due to that, the payment has been pulling automatically and on schedule and I have had no problems.

Regarding credit checks - and somebody correct me if I'm wrong - your FICO score is affected by credit checks. However there is a period (14 days?) where all credit checks in that period count as one, assuming you're shopping around. So if you applied for the dealer financing, E-Loan, Capital One, and your credit union all within that period, it doesn't kill your credit score as the dealer would lead you to believe.

 

I had a pretty successful shopping experience - all based on info I culled from PruisChat (many thanks to all!)

I wanted a Package #2 and I wanted to pay less than MSRP. I looked on line and found a place about 5 hours from my home in NJ that charges $1000 under MSRP for all their Prii. Laurel Toyota (I found them on carmax.com).

But I didn't really want to drive 5 hours to get the car. So instead, armed with this quote, I called every Toyota dealer in my area and said I wanted a #2 in one of four possible colors, wanted to pay $1000 under msrp, and wanted it within a month. I added that I would be willing to drive the 5 hours to save $1000, but would rather buy locally, as I will be doing my servicing locally, so if they could get it for me I would buy it from them, but if not then so be it.

One dealer immediately said no way, but several dealers looked for cars for me at that rate, and two ended up finding me cars that fit my criteria. I bought the first one that came in, and absolutely love it. The only thing it had that I didn't want was the rear bumper applique and the preffered accessory package (I wanted only floor mats), but I accepted that as a pretty minor thing.

Final price: $22,459
($21,725 base + $825 pckg#2 + $264 accesory pckg + $65 rear bumper applique + $580 delivery - $1000)

One other thing I did was to -not- mention that I qualified for the recent college grad program that gives you $300 off if you finance with Toyota. Instead, I first asked about financing, and they quoted me something like 8 or 9%. Then I got one of the lose blank check eloans for 5.75% and when I told Toyota about it they suddenly were able to offer me 5.65% Only after I agreed to that did I tell them about the college grad, so then they had to take another $300 off. I think their loan rate would have met but not beaten the eloan if I had told them this earlier.

Car has been wonderful ever since!!

 

I paid 500 below MSRP for a package 6 off the lot, but my dealer tried to push add-ons like undercoating, rust preventative, paint sealant, interior protectant and an over-priced extended warranty. It left a bad taste in my mouth - have others had similar experiences?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Taco Mel @ Aug 24 2006, 11:27 AM) [snapback]308895[/snapback]</div>

That is true, as far as I know. If you get multiple credit checks when applying for an auto loan or home mortgage within a certain time frame (I'm pretty sure it's the 14 days you mention) they're considered 1 inquiry on your credit report and doesn't lower your credit score. I think the credit co's know you're shopping around for a low rate and give you some leeway with regards to the inquiries.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(davidb @ Aug 24 2006, 01:01 PM) [snapback]308966[/snapback]</div>

Add-ons weren't pushed by my dealer (Longo Toyota) who do straight-MSRP deals with no hassles/stress at any time of the transaction (this coming from a first-time car buyer gal). When I sat down with the finance guy he did mention some add-ons (some of the items you mentioned above) that were available, but I told him outright that I wasn't interested in adding anything and nothing further was said about them...all I had to say was "No thanks" and that was that. No pushiness, no bad taste left in my mouth...just me getting precisely what I wanted, no more no less.

 

I live in North West Indiana, about 30 miles east of Chicago IL. and the dealer I used will knock off $1000 off the MSRP.
Without making this a sale pitch or advertising pitch, pm or e-mail me for details.
I just picked up my 2006 package #4, 2 weeks ago, and with little fanfare I was able to get that price with the understanding that any friends that I send would also receive the same price. Unfortunatly,like other dealerships, there is the waiting list, but for a grand off, I waited, and it was only 5/6 weeks, WHICH, that being said, I can't say that will be the same for everybody, just my experience.
SO< if interested, let me, plus they even gave me a discount on ordering parts out of the "parts department " example, I ordered a bra for my car, listed for like $199.00, got it for $149.00 and the cargo net,$52.50 list and bought it for $35.00, not the greatest discount, but most places sell strictly list.....

 

I paid MSRP for our 2005 Prius (in October 2004), waited something like 2-3 months, and bought out of state (being in the Gulf States Toyota region).

We unexpectedly decided to look into buying a new Prius earlier this month (involves selling our old Prius to my husband's parents after his brother totalled the VW wagon he gave them when we knew we were moving to DC and would only need one car). I was researching the Prius market in both the DC area and Nashville (where I bought the first Prius and where his parents live) and found a 96 hour sale from a dealer in VA. We couldn't pass up $1500 off of MSRP on a Prius, so we bought the 2006 Prius kind of unexpectedly. We haven't paid TT+L yet (the dealer couldn't title the car for us in DC because we didn't have DC liscenses; we'll pay all those fees when we register and title the car in DC), but we paid just over $27,000 for a #7 (just a tiny bit more than the original Prius, which also has Nav) including floor mats and wheel locks. It definitely seems easier to get a Prius now and even get a bit off of MSRP, but it definitely depends on the region of the country you are shopping in and how picky you are about colors and package (we were flexible on color, but wanted the Nav and no leather).

 

I purchased my Prius April 30. The Prius market was already beginning to spiral in strange directions with dealerships (in Chicago). I was very fortunate. My dealer marked mine up with all the bells and whistles but kept the MSRP as the base price. I paid 28.5K for the package 6. I later learned some of the dealerships I talked to already were hiking up prices on the MSRP.
If your in the market now, please hear this warning, my experience will be different from yours, just like the Prius buyers who were able to buy at or below MSRP in February 2008 had a different experience than me.
We are all in the gas crisis for the long haul. Do your best to negotiate the best price but keep in mind its a sellers market. None of us geniuses know what will occur with the gas price fluctuations, except in the long run, the prices will go higher. If I paid more than the guy before me in February I tip my hat to her/him. I only know I love my car and Toyota has never let me down in over 25 years on the quality of each unit they sell.
You will love the car for a variety of very positive reasons. It felt good to decide on it, buy it and own it. If you don't get the color or package you want you still have a Prius, the only true Hybrid on the road today.
Goodd luck to everyone and take homage in the fact Toyota plans to increase 2008 production from 280K units to 400k in 2009.
You might still be waiting but in many ways your way ahead of the curve...Terry

 

Msrp

 

We got our 08 Package 6 in early May, paying about $1,500 under MSRP. I don't expect the salesman to last long at the dealership - he wasn't a skillful negotiator; I was willing to pay at least $500 more for the car than I dld.