Oldest Order?

AFAIK, Jeff Kash has been waiting longer than anyone else on this board.....mid-Aug. But, I believe that had something to do with the package he ordered not being available in SoCal(??). Maybe he'll elaborate.

 

Ok, I'll do the best I can to elaborate. Mid-August is when I placed by down payment. It was not an order because there were no cars available in August. At that time I specified that I wanted the AI package. The months go on and cars start to slowly arrive in October. The first folks to get their cars were the Pioneers (previous Prius owners who had placed an Internet order). I November, I was notified that the AI package was no longer available for Southern California. I ordered at that time the AF or BI package. There were orders taken after me who got their car before me because I did not want the package BC package. As of early February, I made a decision to allow myself to spend the extra money and get the BC package if one came available. I was offered the BG package in early February but turned it down because it didn't make sense to me to spend so much money for a car that didn't have all of the safety package. (side curtain air bags).That takes us to this week. I have accepted a Tideland BC package to be delivered ??? :lol:

I don't know if all of the dates are correct, but they are as close as my memory allows. The lesson in all of this seems to me that the more options you are open to, the sooner you will get a car. I am sure I will not regret spending the extra money to get the extra goodies that come with BC. It is something I have never done before when buying a car. Perhaps I am learning something.

Jeff

 

Last week, I promised myself to stop posting about how tired I am of waiting...but since you ask:

I ordered a #9 (any color - 1st choice red) from Berkeley on Oct. 21. Last month, I was offered a #7, but refused. I think it is easier to talk yourself into accepting more than what you want than to settle for less. Was promised a call this Wed or Thurs and never got it, let alone a car.

As I, unfortunately, do not have the patience of Job, I am going to spend this Sunday test-driving other cars. If I find something else to buy and the dealer won't let me have back my deposit, I will be sure to post here and sell someone my spot on the waitlist at cost (I've supposedly been #2 for a red BC and #7 for any BC for a month now!)

 

N/A

 

I sent my "deposit" around August 26th, and I did want the BC package (one that was always available in Southern California). Currently, I am waiting for one color and one package, so it is unlikely I will get a car before November 2004 (9 blue BC cars on list/[12 cars per month*60% BC package*14.8% blue]) unless production increases, people drop out of line, or I open myself to any color or option package (which, to me, is analogous to people suggesting that I should accept anyone of my sexual preference for marriage--after all, my car has lasted longer than my marriage). Fortunately, I do not need a car yet. When the time comes that I need a car, I will be more flexible on color. Failing that, I will consider my foreign car buying experiment a failure and buy an American car. I have learned a lot following this board; I have no regrets.

Good luck on getting the car that you want.

 

How long have I waited for my new car? Well, that depends on when you start the clock:

2 months if you go by when my dealer originally thought she could deliver the car.

5 months if you go by how long the car has been ‘available’.

7 months if you go by when I dropped off my deposit check to the dealer.

1 year if you go by when by current 16 year old car with 300k miles started having enough problems that I decided it was time to finally get something to replace it.

30 years if you go by how long I wanted a car like this:
When I was ten years old, I remember sitting in our front yard with my younger brother watching cars drive by and asking each other-
“What kind of car do you want when you grow up?’
“A Blazer, a Bronco, a Corvette,†He asked.
“I don’t know†I replied. “Maybe a Brazer†and then
I addedâ€, “If they even still have Blazers when we grow up?

The Prius is something completely different. It is a paradigm shift in car design. It is a 21st century car. And, that is why, we wait. And waiting is hard in the land of good and plenty. We take flak from our friends and colleagues who don’t understand. The Prius is not just a new car, it’s a new paradigm. One which I am happy to wait a little bit longer for. After all, what’s a couple of months, when you’ve been waiting 30 years?

Jody Rawles

 

Jody: You said it better than I. When I took my first test drive in a Prius, I had my life partner's 15 year old son with me (my son too for all intents and purposes). We loved it. I told him that this looked like the cars I used to see at "Motoramas" when I was his age...you know, the swoopy, curvy cars where the instrument panel had one big screen and seemed to emerge from the floor with no obstructing pillars, tranny humps, etc. We were amazed. I think this is truly a new paradigm; interesting to hear flak from GM supporters trivializing the Prius as a nicely crafted toy but nothing to take seriously. I waited two months; little time compared to most people on this chatline. Haven't taken delivery yet but I have a photocopy of the bill of sale and the VIN number.
If the Prius does turn out to be a bomb for reasons not apparent now, we can all cry on each other's shoulders, but I think we will have the last laugh as the American Big Three try to meet the new technology. This isnt the first time American car companies have been laggards.
Cheers,
B

 

I'm still waiting - placed order 10/23/03 in Tulsa. My dealer tells me I'm number 3 on the list, but that doesn't mean much to me at this point since sometimes his monthly allocation includes no Prius.

Based on the originally stated delivery schedule (end of 2003), I promised to sell the car I had. After I was informed that it would take "a few more weeks" to get my car in (insert bitter chuckle here), I still felt obligated to keep my promise to sell my Explorer....so now I'm borrowing cars and bumming rides until my Prius arrives.

I'm enjoying reading the posts here. I was in VA last Dec and took my brother's family to a Toyota dealership to show them a Prius. The dealership had two waiting to be picked up. The salesman crouched beside the car while I told my family about how it worked...after a couple of minutes he jokingly asked me if I wanted a job selling Prius. He said I knew things about the car that he didn't (i.e., that the "B" on the shift know did NOT stand for Battery). Thanks to you all for teaching me so much about my next car!

Beth

 

Beth,
That's funny that your salesman thought that "B" stood for battery - that's what our salesperson said they were told by one of the Prius experts that came for their training! Maybe the Prius expert needs to be one of us!

Anyway, good luck on getting your Prius soon.

 

In early November, 2003 Toyota brought the the Prius on tour into Washington, DC and offered free test rides and a $10 gift certificate to Whole Foods for the experience. I did the test drive on a damp day at a Whole Foods store near Dupont Circle and that's when I bit off the hook. I had already done my research on the car so the test drive confirmed what I had hoped. I had to get this car!
I went to the Toyota dealer nearest my home on November 11, 2003 and placed a $500 deposit on a package 7 in Salsa red at MSRP. I was told at the time that the turnaround time would be 3 months which would put delivery in early February. In mid January, (prior to my finding Priuschat) I was offered a package 7 in white, which I turned down, still not knowing the delays that were lurking. :| By early February, after a discussion with my salesperson, he informed me that I was first on the list for the next package 7 to arrive--now supposedly happening in mid to late March. :? Of course, he had no way to commit to knowing if it be Salsa red.
Prior to discovering Priuschat, I've ordered many cars over the years from GM and waited for delivery after being built to order. Initially, I assumed my ordering experience with Toyota would be similar to my GM ordering experience. It has only been since discovering Priuschat that this buying experience was evolving into being quite different from any other car purchase I had ever made before and there are a lot of other folks out there like myself who have been and are still getting strung along by their dealers and Toyota. :guns:
(...and still the Toyota national TV ads for the Prius are being aired. Go figure...)

 

I did notice this on craiglist...if you're waiting in the SF Bay Area.

http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/24864370.html

Interesting that they want it over the sticker and I bet they will also be taking that $1500-$2000 (depending on when they got it) tax deduction. Seems like some people are making profit off of Toyota's inventory shortage.

Good for them, I'm not interested in giving them the profit though.

 

Perhaps somewhat a "newbie" in this regard. We ordered December 1st and were told that we were No. 4 on the list. Three weeks later was offered a #2 package, but declined. Wanted a #5, but was soon forced to upgrade to a #9 when #5s were pronounced no more.

A few days ago, the dealer responded to my inquiry with a confident, "We get 1 or 2 in a month, and you are now No. 3 on our list!" They then had a little difficulty explaining how we moved up only one notch in 2.5 months...

Growing a little weary with the wait, and my current car situation (11 y.o.) doesn't allow much patience. If we do have to pick another car, it won't be a Toyota.

 

Figured I join in as well. My wife and I placed our order on October 11th and we are still waiting. Apparantly our color/options package is hard to come by. We wanted a Salsa AM package but we would also go for a Tideland or Seaside (in that order) given the chance. Last allocation we were offered a Silver AM but turned it down. Now we have been offered a Salsa BC. Considering that one now. Have to admit the wait is getting to us especially as my present car continues to make like "interesting" daily.

 

Jeff, check your personal email.

 

Ordered and put down refundable dedposit Sept 6, '03. Wanted Salsa AM.

Got *THE CALL* Feb 8 '04 that a Salsa BC was coming into port allocated to the dealer and it had my name on it if I wanted it.

OF COURSE I WANT IT! (even tho I was not sold on the Nav package - who needs Navigaton in Chicago?)

Car finally arrived Feb 19 but salesman was off til Saturday. Sales manager said we could pick up the car but our salesman would not get the commission if he didn't deliver it(?). :?

So we waited til Saturday to take delivery. (I can't believe I had the patience... Although I did manage to "visit" the car Thursday and Friday. :wink: )

Also met and chatted with the 2 Prius techs at the dealership to get a level of comfort with their knowledge of the vehicle. (I think this is an important, often overlooked item for anyone's "delivery checklist")

FINALLY took delivery Saturday Feb 21, '04. (168 days, but who's counting..................)

To all still waiting: don't allow the frustration or anxiety get to you. The car is awesome. Worth the wait. And, if offered the Nav package that you did not originally want, "Go for it". It's really a gas, especially the voice command stuff.

Use the time constructively to learn more about the car and the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology; meet the service personnel at the dealership; deposit your anticipated monthly mortgage payment into your "Prius Fund" and increase your down payment (and reduce your monthly payment); make a decision about what your vanity plate will be (c'mon, you know you're going to get new plates that say something special about your new baby); start cleaning the junk out of the beater you're going to trade in for the Prius; clean your garage so the Prius has some place nice to call home, etc, etc, etc.

Gotta run. It's been 45 minutes since I drove our new car. I need to get back on the road again.

Peace,
Matt

 

Finally got a call....... We finally have a car with our name on it.

We've got our serial number and delivery is scheduled for March 25th
at 08h00.

I've read the posts here and I must say that our purchase experience was very different than what I've read.

First of all, all Montréal Area Toyota dealers are "Accès Toyota" dealers. Meaning that there was no negotiation possible (not for price and not for options) for any car (Prius or other) at any dealer. The price was exactly $ 29990 CAD at every place. In Quebec, I don't think (but I'm only 90 % certain) that dealers CAN accept deposits. This means that we had to sign the contract without really seeing the car. Of course this means the price is set in stone, but it also means that until the set date of delivery (we put it at April 15th), there is no more shopping around (except maybe to do our dealer's job and try to find a car in another dealer and ask OUR dealer to go and get it).

When I started getting worried that I might not be getting a car, I called our dealer to find what position I was on "The List". He said (and when I looked and asked at other dealers they said exactly the same thing) that there was no list. They send the sales contract to Toyota Canada (Québec section) and they allocate cars from there to each dealers. What I also found out is that every dealer in the Montréal area were allocated 5 cars and the rest would be on special order. That was for both large and small dealers. It's pretty much as if we were buying directly from Toyota instead of a dealer.

To make a long story short, our shopping experience with Toyota was much more pleasant and trouble free than what most posts I've seen. We got to a dealer, asked for a sales person and told him we wanted a Prius. He got us all the information he got and told us that when they receive the first Prius, he would ask permission to the customer who bought it if we could try it. Never tried to sell more options (well... there ARE no useful options and only 2 packages), never pushed us (we actually took 3 months to decide.....). Not only that, but (not trying to rub it in but still....) we got exactly what we ordered (color and package) and it didn't take that long (11 weeks).

If all car purchases were like that, I would buy a new car each year.........

 

I, too, have been waiting since August. I found out about the car in June, but didn't place my deposit until the first week of August for a seaside BC. I was told in August that i was #3 on the list. It is now almost March and I'm still waiting. Now I'm told I'm #1 for the seaside BC. I have no idea when my car will get here. In a state where 1 of every 4 cars purchased is a truck, it is hard to get a Prius.