For those who have been on dealer waiting lists, how many waiting lists were you on? Were you on multiple lists waiting for a dealer to have a car within your timeframe before the others did? With being on different lists im sure there have been alot of calls coming in or emails, depending on what dealer is willing to come through on the order and such. Did some give you a hard time? Some dealers charge more for deposits than others. FOr instance in my area one dealer so far charge $500 for the deposit while the others I contacted charged $250. So what was your experience with the waiting lists?
In May of 2005, I put myself on 6 waiting lists. I waqs up to buy the first available though, so when the first dealer called, I was there. Worked out well for me.
I started my journey last October and put (2) $500 deposits and (1) $250 deposit. ALl dealers said it was refundable. No dealers ever called me, I had to keep calling. At all 3 dealerships, it was a miserable experience. I filed a complaint with the BBB for one dealership as they would not return my calls and I wanted my money back due to their poor customer service. (Got that back real quick once BBB was involved). In January 2006, I finally went to a dealer on eastern LI (more country like) and was treated well. Left a $500 deposit; he made no promises. Called him 2 weeks later, he said he had a seaside pearl coming in (I had requested barcelona red) and if I wanted it, to call him back with 2 hours to confirm and it was mine. Well, it was a done deal and I got my seaside pearl and have been happy as a clam ever since!
I had my name on "lists", usually with a fleet agent for the dealer. The I started going out to dealerships and talking to salespeople who wanted to make a sale. I left my info with about 5 sales people. I also kept contacting different dealers and found one with my car. Total serious shopping time, about 2 weeks. I eventually heard from all of the salespeople within a week of my purchase date with acceptable color choices (3 choices exterior, 1 interior (grey)).
I lived in Fargo, ND, and there's only one Toyota dealer there. I didn't want to travel out of town to buy my car, so I got on the list and placed a $500 refundable deposit in November, 2003. I was told the likely waiting time was 3 months. I got exactly the color and package I wanted in January, 2004, a month sooner than promised. It had taken me a week to decide not to wait a year to buy the car. My old Civic was working fine, and I'd often heard that you should not buy a car in its first year. But I decided I didn't want to wait a year for this coolest of all cars. I've never regretted my decision. A few months after I got mine, the waiting time had grown to six months, and eventually to a year, at that dealer, though even at the worst of it you could have gotten one sooner by shopping nationally..
In September 2004 I got on one list (no deposit) and was told the wait was so long it wouldn't be until February 2006! I did get about 3 or 4 calls from them starting in January 2005, but didn't buy from them. In fact when I got mine in April 2005, I got it online.
No list or deposit here. Just talked to the fleet manager and had my black baby 2 weeks later! I am so impressed with the patience some people have had!!! I feel so lucky!!
