Six weeks ago I began interviewing for a new job that would have me driving 100 miles round trip a day, and since my 1996 F250 Diesel pickup with 35" mud tires wouldn't be the best for fuel economy in Houston rush hour, I decided to check out the Hybrids. I'm 6'2" and considered a big guy - so assignment #1 was to find one I could test drive. Not an easy thing to do when most dealerships are lucky to have any Prius's in stock at all... I found one I could at least sit in - it was sold, so no test drive -but I was surprised to find out I fit just fine. Ok, maybe I like to lean the seat back a little more than the next guy, but at least my legs weren't smashed up against the dash or center console like what happens in so many of the cars I rent on a weekly basis. (up until this point I've had a 100% travel job). As the go/no-go date approached for the job I was interviewing, I stayed n touch with the salesman at the local Toyota dealership. A week before I would know for sure he called to tell me he had a #6, Black, touring edition but that I would have to act fast. I left a $500 check just in case. That one slipped away (job took another week to confirm - yes, I got it!) so I returned two weeks later to see what they had on the lot. I wanted the #6 package only because I tend to overspend and get all the bells and whistles for whatever I am purchasing. A little research on here and I determine that I did not want the on-board navigation system (can't operate while moving, inaccuracies) - and besides I have my own $900 Garmin Nuvi 970 that I bought with Marriott Points and works like a dream with traffic alerts. The day I walked on the lot I found a #3 touring in Driftwood Pearl. They offered to do the leather seats for $500 and throw in free window tint, which pretty much took care of the options I really wanted. Problem was someone else was test driving it at the moment. The salesmen told me he figured they would buy it because they had drove a long way - but had not committed prior to the test drive. I said I would take it sight unseen. They returned five minutes later and were told it was sold, and at the same time another buyer stopped in that had seen it in stock on the web and wanted it sight unseen also. So in one five minute period, three couples were fighting over one Prius and I won only because I wrote the check first. Since then, I haven't seen a Prius on the lot in weeks. The aftermarket leather seats look great and my Garmin works just fine. I have not started my commute (begins tomorrow) - but driving around town I am getting 45-55 mPG depending on how I drive it, so I am all smiles. Can't wait to start my new job - but mainly because I get to navigate in my new Prius! Cheers, ~Steve
wow, that is a crazy story! Congrats on everything: winning the job, winning the Prius bidding, your intelligent choice, etc. Enjoy the ride! Be sure to let others experience your Prius so they, too can go hunt one down. Share the goodness.
Wow, That is a WILD story, Congrats on getting the car,, this is exactly the kind of stuff I mentioned in another post where someone thought you could still manage to get $1,000 off MSRP, I said NO way,, not with these cars flying off the lots like they are. It all depends on the area and the demand for the cars in that particular area. Maybe in some small out of the way town, where demand is low, people can't afford to buy new cars and they have alot of Prius in stock can someone still try to negotiate that much off MSRP. By the way,, what kind of deal did you get with that many people fighting over the car????
Steve, You are mistaken about not being able to operate and input address using the built-in Nav unit while driving. My wife and I do it all the time. There seems to be a misconception here on PC about not being able to do this while driving. Go to the Toyoto.com website, select Prius, select videos and options, select the Navigation video and select inputing addresses from the drop down menu. The desired location you want to drive to can be inputted verbally while driving by using the talk key on the steering wheel. This can also be done with POI's.
It's pretty uncool to sell car right from under someone else's nose. The dealer should have asked you to grab a ticket and get in line, but obviously they don't care about anything except the $$. Why don't you tell us the name of the dealer so we'll know never to give them our business.
No shortage here. New Cars In West Bend | Car Dealer | Russ Darrow Toyota West Bend, WI It may be a bit of a hike to get one though.
Congrats on the new car! you'll love it! & that is a crzy story! PC is a wealth of info! Hope you enjoy it here!
Interesting! too bad it only works for the newer nav systems... which is 06+ my 04 nav is sooo boring...
Good job [in both respects, landing the job, getting the car]. Tip: Here in San Francisco there are a lot of window smash burglaries of cars. I see broken glass all over the City, on the sidewalks. They said on the news a couple night ago that what thieves are doing is looking at car windshields for signs of suction cups. They see the marks and assume the car owner has simply put the nav device into the glove box. What I have done for years is to keep the glove box completely empty. When I park anywhere I leave the glovebox open so that thieves can see there is nothing in the car to steal. [None of my cars in 25 years have ever been broken into. do not know if it's because of my glovebox trick, but I assume it helps.] Just a tip.
Sticker - but the salesman did mention that he heard some dealerships were tacking on a $400 premium for these Hybrids - but he may have just been trying to soften me up for the warranty.. I did overpay for the plat-100k warranty - by a few hundred dollars, at the time of purchase I had it in my head the one I could get online was only the Gold level.
I don't feel like it was uncool - only because each of the other people were undecided until they heard I put money down. The couple that were test driving (and became very upset) - were sitting in the other guys office acting like they were going to drive around Houston some more to see if they could find one in a different color. In my mind, it was entirely possible that everyone could have walked out without buying anything... so I do not blame them for taking my money. The third buyer opted for a Camry Hybrid because she needed more room. I think it all comes down to being ready and knowing what you want. I bought the car because I needed it: The parking garage where I work is 6'7" - and my truck is 6'8", so right there I had a problem. Throw in diesel is selling for $4.40/gallon and all signs pointed to the Prius.
I agree with you, there is no obligation to wait for the other prospective buyers to decide whether they want a car or not. Those people who lost out deserved to not get the car, you snooze you lose. At dealerships the salesmen are very protective of their customers and a sale. If that couple was going to buy the car that salesman would not have told your salesperson it was OK to sell it to you. Why on earth would another salesman lose a potential commission on a sale unless his customer was hesitating. So too bad for that couple. I am sure they would like to have had dibs and said hands off while they made up their minds, dickered on price, tried to bluff the salesperson that they were going to shop unless they got their price, etc., but that's not how it works. The salesperson did not fall for their bluff and they lost the deal. And what if they said no, they did not want it. And you left too because your salesperson said they were probably going to buy it. In that case neither salesman would have made the sale and that couple would have left and said "So, what do we care you lost the sale, it's not our problem." Whoever says "I want it" and produces the check gets the deal. That's how things work in the real world of car buying. You know the old saying "Money talks, bullsheet walks."
Just got mine Saturday. Drove into a Used Toyota car lot to find they had around 8 Prius B's w/10k on them. Had no intention of buying a Hybrid, but had to ditch my Dodge 1500 15mpg Truck. 600 miles per week = $$$. Getting 53mph on readout, and put my first 81/2 gallons in yesterday. Laughed for 15 minutes.
Congratulations, Blind2all, welcome to PriusChat! :welcome: You found a used 2008 B? Cool! What color, how many miles, etc?
Congrats landing a great car. You did good getting it, business is business so selling it to you was fine. If the test drivers had paid a deposit, different story but if they had not made a commitment, you snooze you lose.
Would you really like to be treated this way? Keep in mind the original story: The potential customers were on a test drive. How can any reasonable person commit to buying something as expensive as a car without being offered the courtesy of a test drive? I'll bet the OP had already driven a Prius somewhere else and so of course buying the car is just a formality. I've been in the exact same situation when buying our Prius. We got a call from a dealer saying they had a car we could drive, and so we packed up our kids and went down there. We were just about to open the door and drive the car when one of the salesmen runs out and says "stop, that car just got sold!" Anyone with small kids will understand it's no small matter to drag them around town on errands. And yes, we had filled out a "credit application" first as a token of good will (we weren't asked for a deposit.) We'll never go to that dealer again (BTW, it's Kearny Mesa Toyota in San Diego.) Courtesy is not a way of life any more, and many of you are living proof of that. I have no problem with someone knowing what they want and being able to make a quick decision and it's not the fault of the OP things played out like this. If someone is on a test drive it automatically implies that they intend to buy the vehicle if they like it and the dealer should not entertain offers from anyone else until the buyer declares they don't want it. This isn't about fighting, "winning" or losing, it's about respecting an individual enough to let them make a rational decision.
