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Low-to-No-Markup Dealers in “Texas Triangle”

Discussion in 'Prime Plug-in Charging' started by mr88cet, Jul 13, 2024.

  1. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    (Technically, I guess this is a little off-topic, since it’s about the RAV4 Prime, but I bet a lot of you here have experience with that RAV, soo…)

    Short Version:

    Do any of know of a dealer in the Austin/Houston/San Antonio/DFW vicinity that sells the RAV4 Prime with little or no dealer markup?

    More detail:

    Our 2009 Prius Touring’s battery died at just under 140K. While I could probably have found a reconditioned battery for cheaper than the nearly-$5800 the dealer wanted to replace it, we decided that it was time to just move on!

    Move on to the RAV4 Prime (or perhaps a Mach-E or Ioniq 5/EV6). However our usual O’Toyta dealer, Round Rock Toyota, being part of the Penske Automotive Group, apparently has a hard policy of $10K dealer markup over the RAV4 Prime’s already-pretty-high price.

    So, any low-dealer-markup experiences you’d like to share, especially (but not necessarily) in the Austin/Houston/San Antonio/DFW vicinity?
     
    #1 mr88cet, Jul 13, 2024
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2024
  2. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    Location:
    NY
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Just looking, here's what I found locally. Let me know if you'd like me to ask about out of state transactions or such.
    RavPrime SE s web page says they are in stock.
    https://www.hoselton.com/inventory/new-2024-toyota-rav4-prime-se-awd-4d-sport-utility-jtmab3fv6rd205220/

    https://www.hoselton.com/inventory/new-2024-toyota-rav4-prime-se-awd-4d-sport-utility-jtmab3fv9rd193533/
    and one SE estimated Aug 26, looks and priced just like both above.
    https://www.westherrtoyotarochester.com/inventory/new-2024-toyota-rav4-prime-se-all-wheel-drive-se-awd-suv-jtmab3fv7rd216100/
    and an XSE at 50 available Aug 18
    https://www.westherrtoyotarochester.com/inventory/new-2024-toyota-rav4-prime-xse-all-wheel-drive-xse-awd-suv-jtmeb3fv7rd214039/

    alll above look much the same : Exterior: Magnetic Gray Metallic/Midnight Black Metallic Roof
    Interior: Black Mixed Media

    a blue one - gotta be an SE at this price . Looks like a contact to order thing ? with a starting at price.
    2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime SUV in Rochester | Bob Johnson Toyota serves Henrietta & East Rochester
    and below on the same page are 5 more - web page says are inventory - priced from 47.8 to 52,4
    some in red too.
     
    #2 vvillovv, Jul 13, 2024
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2024
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    wow, even their battery replacement price is about double anything i've seen posted here!
     
  4. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    There aren't many that would pay much over 2,.5 k to put a new OEM hybrid pack in a used car.
    Would you have sprung for a 10 K part price for your old PiP?
    Last time I looked a few years ago, each of the 5 stacks in the gen 4 Prime were listed at 10k each.
     
  5. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Prime Advanced
    Interesting. I hadn’t been watching pricing. I probably wouldn’t have paid more than $1K or so. Again, time to move on to a more-interesting car!
     
    bisco likes this.
  6. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    (Hmmm… (?) I haven’t owned a PiP. Well, anyway…)

    The dealer gave us $500 for the proverbial carcass of the 2009. Again, time to just move on…
     
  7. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I may have over-qualified my Google searches; not much came up… Then again, Texas may not be the best place to try to buy a fuel-efficient vehicle, if you catch my drift…

    Cool! Thanks, I’ll check ‘em out!
     
    vvillovv likes this.
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Plug-in Base
    drive some bevs, i traded for a bolt and it's a hoot!
     
    mr88cet likes this.
  9. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Prime Advanced
    Ioniq 5 would be high on my list, but my wife doesn’t like its styling.

    I know a couple folks who own Bolts, and it strikes me as a really straightforward, reasonably-priced, practical car, and kinda peppy too. Really easy to get into and out of, and excellent forward visibility.
     
    bisco likes this.
  10. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    I've heard stories.... not that I was thinking about any of them while I was looking at local inventory.