Pulled the trigger today... UPDTE- CANCELLED ORDER

I hate seeing the word plus at the end of that equasion, that price still isn't the amount coming out of your account.

The dealers here have a thing called "dealer delivery" This is basically putting on the hubcaps, checking the tyre pressures, fluid levels and washing the car. Normally about $1200 or more. The most expensive car wash you will ever get.

Good luck with your quest.

 

Take a deep breath, take your time, don't let yourself be pressured. If they're jerking you around, let them dangle while you get bids from other dealers.

No shield package, extra mile, or any other add-on junk. Just Say No.

No ad fee; they're just trying to make you think that it is not negotiable. But of course everything is negotiable. The final price is the only thing that matters no matter what goes into it and no matter what they call it.

I bought mine four years ago when no one had any idea whether Prius would be popular, so it was a little easier to get some leverage. I was also prepared to wait six months. If they think you're anxious to buy immediately then they've got you.

Really, go read the Consumer Reports stuff. It helped me a lot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brentmeister @ Oct 13 2007, 08:53 AM) [snapback]525064[/snapback]</div>

Hi Brent,

I think that your original thought was correct: That the extra fees (especially the Advertising Fee) were BS, and that instead of paying $300 over INVOICE, you were actually paying $1000 over INVOICE. I also agree with the sentiment that ultimately the only price that matters is the out the door price. So, if that's the best price you can get after much effort (which it appears that you've expended a lot of), so be it. You did good.

I think you can use MSRP and so-called INVOICE prices as references, but ulitimately you never know what the dealer's true "INVOICE" price is. The only thing you know for sure is that "INVOICE" does not equal the dealer's true cost. The car buying services try to figure out all the manufacturer to dealer kickbacks/incentives, but I think even they concede that they can't.

BTW, I'm not sure that anyone has answered your question about car mats. For carpeted car mats, I think there's only one to get --- the Toyota OEM mats. You can get them from PriusChat Accessories Shop for $166 total ($78 for front and back floor mats + $88 for cargo mat). Last year the MSRP for these mats plus a "First Aid Kit" (containing stuff worth less than $10) was $277. But I think that Toyota and other manufacturers frequently toss them into cars by mistake --- even if the customer did not order them or contract for them with the dealer. If that happens to you, then try to get your dealer to include them for free, and certainly for no more than the $166 price that PriusChat Accessories Shop charges.

Good luck. Sounds like you're doing pretty good if you manage to pay $1000 over "INVOICE". A lot of people here --- including me --- have paid a lot more than that.

 

Car sales people are paid a % of the net profit of the sale. This is after the dealer subtracts all kinds of BS from the deal to cut the amount they pay the salesman. It's hard to get motivated to sell sombody a car if you can't even make $200 for your time. $22800 is a good price.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brentmeister @ Oct 13 2007, 05:53 AM) [snapback]525064[/snapback]</div>

Brent, here is another way to evaluate the deal:

2008 Toyota Prius Base Model............20,558.......22,325
Package #2...........................................518...........575
Destination Fee......................................680...........680

Subtotal...........................................21,756.......23,580

Plus additional Invoice items:
Research Fee............................................8
Fuel Charge.............................................12
Advertising Fee......................................784

Subtotal................................................804

Plus Dealer Add-ons:
Dealer Mark-up Over Invoice..................200
Paint/Fabric Sealer..................................99.............99

Total Sell Price (Less Tax & License)...22,859......23,679

Sell Price vs. MSRP................................820
Sell Price vs. Invoice.............................469

Paying $820 less than MSRP for a fairly low-optioned car is probably not a bad deal. Edmunds had surcharges listed for Destination ($55) and Administration ($614), so I tend to think that the $804 you are being dinged is a 'normal' practice for your area (especially if the charges appear on the factory invoice for the car). In the S.F. Bay Area, Edmunds is showing that dealer sell price for a similarly optioned Prius is $23,500.

The only place you can make up some margin is the charge for paint and fabric sealer ($99). The general consensus is that the sealer is of limited value and represents a high profit item for the dealer (their cost is typically around $20 - $30). Maybe you can swap the sealer for a set of floor mats? If you can get a better price in Oklahoma, balance the better sale price against the cost of your trip to Oklahoma and back. Gas prices in the S.F. Bay area are non-trivial (even with a hybrid).

Hope this helps.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(richard schumacher @ Oct 13 2007, 08:55 AM) [snapback]525122[/snapback]</div>

Every point you are making is dependent on whether the dealer wants to sell the car for the lower price. If the cars are flying off the lot, then you will have to wait until gas prices drop and Prii stop selling before you are going to get the price you are willing to pay.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Oct 13 2007, 06:27 AM) [snapback]525071[/snapback]</div>

The plus Tax and License is a standard term in the U.S. Taxes and License fees go directly to the Department of Motor Vehicles and there is no avoiding them. It is an additional hit to the wallet, but is a permitted sales practice.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Oct 13 2007, 01:38 AM) [snapback]525029[/snapback]</div>

I didn't way anything about invoice. My dealership doesn't do "$300 over invoice" on the Prius. They do MSRP. They might do under MSRP. What I'm saying is they don't say "$300 over invoice, plus this, plus that, plus this other thing" and it ends up over MSRP. They don't add port crap you don't want, didn't ask for and then charge you and arm and a leg for.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Oct 13 2007, 05:01 PM) [snapback]525274[/snapback]</div>

Well, the advertising and fuel add-ons to invoice can be added by Toyota on regional basis. My region (Northern California) includes the port where the cars are offloaded, so it is rather hard to justify an added fuel charge. But go all the way to Texas (or Florida), and it is another story. I have purchased cars based on mark-ups from Invoice and discounts from MSRP. Either way, there is a number that the dealer will not go below, and that is the selling price. Edmunds.com tracks selling price by ZIP Code and if the price the dealer is willing to sell the car for is close to the Edmunds market price, then you have a reasonable deal. If the sell price is way off (higher) from Edmunds market price, then you may need to work a bit more to get the market price.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Oct 13 2007, 06:06 PM) [snapback]525261[/snapback]</div>

Well, sure; if they have a stream of people willing to pay a higher price then you're also stuck. But one should resist getting jerked around by oh-by-the-way add-ons.