DO NOT buy from Tustin Toyota or North Hollywood Toyota

ald2006,

I had a post all typed out for you but it didn't go through & is unrecoverable, so briefly I don't think you made a good move paying $1595 for Longo's extended warranty which you knew you could get here [from Warranty Shack or Troy of Toyota of Greenfield (Mass)] for around $1,000. I paid Troy $990 for my 7-yr/100,000 mile/$0 deductible one which IS the official Toyota Financial Services platinum extended warranty. I believe you have one month to cancel the one from Longo. Troy's warranty is NOT an aftermarket one, so you have until your factory warranty expires at 36,000 miles or 3 years [from the "in-service" date your dealer recorded with Toyota (not necessarily your delivery date)] to pick up Toyota's official extened warranty.

After you cancel Longo's extended warranty & pick up one from Troy (if you do that it will basicly put $600 back into your pocket---unless you financed the warranty cost in with the car's purchase price), wait a while before getting Troy's so that you can more accurately estimate the annual mileage you will put on your Prius. Don't go by what you normally drive in a year because you may soon find you're taking the Prius more often [since it gets better MPG than your other car (if you still have another one)]. Troy offered me a 6-yr/100,000 mile/$0 deductible one for only either $865 or $685 (I don't remember which) that I turned down (against his advice) because I thought my total mileage at that point was higher than normal because of some long trips I don't usually make.

I would soon see the error of that wrong choice (remember the warranty expires by miles or years, whichever comes 1st). I'm now coming up on 60,000 miles this week & my Prius is only 3 years & 2 weeks old. So I will probably hit the 100,000 mile mark by the time the car is 5 years old & will have paid for 2 more years that I won't be able to use. Call Troy & discuss with him the other options that are available (mix of years, miles, & deductibles). Once you've had the car long enough to evaluate which option is best for you, then pick it up from Troy (you may even save more than $600).

Just remember not to wait too long (don't let your factory 3-yr/36,000 mile warranty expire or you can't get Toyota's official extended warranty) because with Toyota's official extended one, that comes with free roadside assistance & free rental car any time the dealer has to keep your Prius for longer than a day. That coverage starts the day your extended warranty is bought & lasts for the duration of the length/miles you choose. Since 2006 the Prius no longer comes with roadside assistance or free rental car under the factory warranty period from Toyota (unless your dealer happens to offer that as an incentive to purchase your Prius from them).

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

thanks ken! that is an awesome tip.

 

thanks for the tip!

 

What, if any, is the advantage of getting the EW up front. Or perhaps I should ask, Are there any advantages to waiting. I don't mean from the dealer, I mean thru PC but upon purchasing the car. Weren't there some additional features that went along with it? I know myself, and there is, however remote, the possibility I would forget and miss the deadline. On the other hand, things can happen in 3yr or 36k miles, and if totaled, I'm sure the insurance would not replace it. I wonder if you could have it written in, hmmmm? Anyway, I definitely plan to get the EW thru PC. I'm just trying to get a feel for the timing, pros and cons of up front on vs waiting. I guess a pro for the waiting would be that you would have a better feel for the years.
Thank you in advance for any comments.

 

Hi ald2006--congrats, that's great..Did you pay no more than MSRP?

Not to take away from your excitement, but I'm frankly concerned now because I'm entering week 10 at Longo awaiting a Silver Pine Mica package #2....Could it be that this is just a more popular color/ package?

Or should I switch to another salesperson? (Don't know if I even can..)This one has been good about keeping me posted, but I feel like he keeps stringing me along--indeed he told me it will probably be another 3 weeks or possibly more. He said 12 weeks is the average wait time--yet adds there is no truck coming in that he knows of...yet you just got one--and you got yours in under six weeks?

Hmm...something seems not right here...

He did give me a "number", which he said hasn't changed for three weeks now...

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm wondering if I picked the wrong guy...

Thanks in advance...

 

To Confused; We got on the list of last week in May also. Haven't checked lately on are status. However, we were specific as to what we wanted and said we were willing and able to wait for what we want, even if it means a 2009. So even though we may be at the top of the list, they're not calling us with alternate offers. Pkg option availability varies by region. It could be that it's a less manufactured pkg. I've heard they were loading them up with the higher packages since they would sell, no proof, just hearsay. By the way, we are waiting for a Touring in Seaside Pearl, with factory installed leather and Pkg#3. That basically gives us everything except the kitchen sink and the non-removeable $800 GPS. You case don't seem unreasonable, but I don't know your dealer's reputation. You might try asking other PC members if they have had any experience with your dealer. I think these short wait periods have a number of contributing factors mostly honest, some not-so honest. We're sort of hoping at this point it will be a 2009. But then we aren't in any hurry, anxious yes, hurry no.

Good luck! If nothing else, I've helped pass some of your waiting time with my verbose post. I'm sure I won't spend quite as much time on PC when we can finally "unsubscribe" from the WAIT LIST forum. Then again perhaps maybe even more. Hee! Hee!

 

I have to agree with the OP and the title of this thread: DO NOT BUY FROM TUSTIN TOYOTA. While I did get bids from othere dealers, Tustin Toyota is my local dealer so I bought from them (in Feb. @ sticker, with my choice of packages and colors). What a mistake that was. Clueless salesperson, and even more clueless sales management. Here's an example: after asking many times if satellite radio was included in the purchase price, I was told by management that it was. When it came time to activate XM radio, I found out I had to pay them another $300 for the "kit".

Needless to say, I was furious that they had purposely lied to me just to quiet me down, get my money, and make room for the next "mark". I asked the manger on duty if they were willing to lose a customer over a $300 radio and his reply was "there is no more money in the deal to work with, otherwise we could give it to you". My response was, "thanks for the car, me, my family, and everyone I know will NEVER buy from this dealership again - Good Bye"

Thats the last time I've ever been on the lot - I refuse to go back. Basic services can be done outside the dealer channel, and the more extensive services (30,000, 60,000, etc.) can be done at another dealership.

These people walked away from many other deals (family and friends) and created so much "bad-will" that I can not and will not ever go back.

TUSTIN TOYOTA SUCKS!!!

 

Yes, I couldn't agree more - Avoid Tustin Toyota!

Back in 2005 when I was shopping for my Prius, they wanted $2000 over MSRP! (I later bought my Prius at sticker from Carson Toyota).

Also, as they are near one of my client's offices, I used them for the "Steering Linkage" Recall/Technical Service Bulletin repair. My Prius was returned to me with significant sheet metal damage; they managed to scrape/crease the right side of the car from the back door to the rear bumper! Plus, when I took the car in, it was clean; when it was returned there were black stains on the carpet, center console, seats, and door panels.

Of course they claimed, "the car was like that when you brought it in..."

After much hassle and threats, they took responsibility for the damage, and eventually my Prius was repaired by them at no cost to me. This experience was not a positive one!

 

Hi Confused,
Dwreed3rd is probably right- I was pretty flexible with what color and package I wanted and just lucked out to get Spectra Blue #5. A bunch of dealers called me with alternative offers (as did Anaheim, and Tustin- although I told Tustin about 6 times never to bother calling me again) between 5 and 6 weeks- I got like 3 calls a day from dealers all over SoCal offering me Spectra Blue package 5 and 6's above MSRP, but I held out for MSRP and declined all of those offers. My understanding is that the SoCal dealers got a huge influx of Spectra Blue cars, because almost every dealer that called me between weeks 5 and 6 had one sitting on their lot that had "just come in."

I don't know for sure but your long time on the wait list could be attributable to your color and package preference. If you are getting antsy for the car, you might want to call the dealer back and say that you are flexible. That being said, as someone who held out for their first choice, I am really happy and I think that holding out is worth it, if you can afford to do so. I think that most of the dealers are receiving mostly 5's and 6's :-/ so getting a 2 could take longer. Good luck!!! I really hope you get something soon!

 

no freebies- although, we didn't think to ask! :-/
yes, i am very much enjoying the car. i love it so much!
jay/anaheim was $1,000 over MRSP if you order it from them. if you try to buy something that they already have on the lot (for example, if it is sitting on their lot while they call people on the wait list), they will do a mark-up. that is why i strongly encourage people to get on lists and wait it out, if they can. good luck!!

 

sticker prices are all the same. the varying factor would be different port installed options. we have no control over those options. I am about 45 min N of Los Angeles. I have 4 Prius' in stock right now selling for MSRP. not a penny more, not a penny less. If interested, please give me a call. My name is Zack. (661) 435-2546

 

I most cases you are correct and that is the way it is supposed to work. The confusion comes when, not supposed to but it happens, dealer's add their own stickers; you even in some cases remove the factory sticker and replace it with there own. This is against the federal Monroney Sticker Law, but is rarely enforced. And I would have to geuss that most buyers wouldn't know the difference if they hadn't done their homework for their particular market.
I guess the point that I am trying to make is that while there are standards, rules, laws, policies, etc.; they vary widely from state to state and dealer to dealer. And, if you don't do your homework before buying a vehicle, you are at the mercy of the salesperson, who BTW is on commission. The buyer has little protection in some states or municiplalities. This isn't new. I've been buying cars for over 50 years. Not much has changed. Buyer beware. Do your due diligence when your spending this kind of money. And ask around. There are good, reputable dealers out there.
:sorry: Don't mean to :deadhorse:

 

When we gave our deposit ($500) in May I also gave the salesperson a printout from the Toyota website (Build your Prius)which listed color, package, etc. and a price (MSRP - $24,170). When we picked the car up we paid MSRP minus the deposit plus taxes, title, and tags -- Brown Toyota in Charlottesville, VA. No additional stickers, no silly add-ons. The sticker read $24,170. We were offered the extended warranty for $1895 (no thanks) and the maintenance plan (again, no thanks).

Sitting right next to our car was an '07 with 20K miles. On the windshield it read -- Manager's special, $29,995. ound:This car was gone in two days!

Not sure anyone wants to fly to our coast and drive back across the country though!

 

:cheer2:Congratulations!!! Sounds like you did your homework. We'll be watching for pictures.

 

I did most of my homework based on the excellent advice from folks on this site. I suggest it to anyone who owns a Prius or is even thinking about purchasing.

 

thanx Subydude i got mine from Power in Cerritos, no wait, no mark up in 3/08

 

I can confirm the high prices at North Hollywood Toyota.

2008 Prius Package 5, Metallic Grey: $35,500.

Sticker was $27,200.

Lots of other local dealerships seem to have waitlists right now, so it's either pay through the nose or wait for a while.

Has anyone else found a Prius in SoCal this month for anything close to the MSRP??

 

WOW thats amazing, I got the same thing in March, except Red, for 30k out the door! Inc tax, Lic, Ext Warranty the whole nine yards!! From NoHo Toyota!

Just saw a post were the person paid 800 below MSRP!!! Lets hope that trend continues!!!

Good Luck All

de Pat KK6PD

 

Toyota of Tustin was one of the dealers that wanted to sell to me at $3995 over MSRP. All the dealers in So. Orange County Calif were selling for $3000-5000 over MSRP. This was in July of this year. I did my homework and found that Carlsbad Toyota in North San Diego County was selling for MSRP. One of the members on the site asked me to let the other dealers know they lost the sale which I did but of course did not hear back. The sad thing was I could not keep the tax base in my own community/county and now for service I refuse to allow someone who wanted to take advantage of me, the service and or product sales that may have been purchased at their dealer. Perhaps things are better this month. I know its capitalism as we have been reminded on other pages but .......

 

on waiting list at longo toyota since june 24. over 2 months and still nothing. at this rate, i may hold out for the new gen.