package 6 vs leather "faced"

Must be the Georgia style here. We're holding out for Leather of some sort and I don't want the GPS. That means a # 3 Touring with Leather if we can hold out long enough. I going in for a conference with the dealer this weekend to see what the real chances are.

 

Hi Rcaine! we're waiting for a Seaside Pearl so no conflicts in SE Toyota region. Last guesstimate was October! That;s O.K. with us. It should be a 2009. One less year at trade-in. Good luck. Thanks for the post.

 

You're not going to listen to him, are you? If a package 6 is what you want then a package 6 is what you should get. Where does he get off telling you to forget about it?!

 

rcaine, does this mean that there "is no factory leather" available on a package #3... and that you will accept "dealer installed leather" ?

I can't seem to get a straight answer out of my Toyota dealer as to true factory (not port installed) leather availablity w/regard to the different package designations. Naturally I want a Touring #3 with true factory leather. People in hell want.... well, you know the drill.

However I did hear John McElroy (no longer on Speed Channel with a show called AutoLine Detroit) interview the top Toyota design guy out in California in July who said Toyota would be "substantially ramping up" leather and other goodies for the 2009 model in the US.

Does anybody really know - what is the lowest package designation with true factory leather availablity? If it's restricted to another part of the country on a #3, for instance - such as Seattle - please say so. I have family all over the country - and I'm good waiting on ANY dealer's waiting list - if I need to get away from Southeast Toyota... our death-grip Toyota distributor for the southeast.

Rancho Girl said, "You're not going to listen to him, are you? If a package 6 is what you want then a package 6 is what you should get. Where does he get off telling you to forget about it?!"

No - You're absolutely right RanchoGirl - I'm holding out for a 2009 Touring Pkg3. I'm driving an '08 Pkg2 Barcelona Red now - loving every moment - but I'm on the road - a ton - and just feel like I should treat myself to a Touring which all the car mags have proved has substantially shorter stopping distances and tighter steering.

Again - my particular dilemma - is true factory leather "ever" put into anything less than a package #6 Prius.

I can't get a yes or no answer from my dealership because he says a pkg #6 Navi is the only way to get true Japaneese factory leather - but I am pretty sure that's wrong - seems like it shows up on the availablity chart beginning with a 3 ??? But there are no availablity charts OR Prius brochures... to go along with NO PRII.... appropriate - isn't it ?

THANKS !!

 

Do you know if true factory (not port) leather is available on a pkg#3? thx!

 

Get yourself a pair of sheepskins for the front seats for about $200 and save yourself a lot of money. Avoid extras which pad the price by thousands, which makes your gas savings meaningless. Option #2 for $600 or so was the only one that made any sense to me.

 

I addressed this in another post, but not in this detail!
That's what Toyota.com let me build. That's what I printed out and used as a document of understanding between me and the dealer as to what my $500 down is waiting for.
Go to Toyota.com
click on "Shopping tools"
click on "Build your own"
Enter zip code, click on "GO". BTW I'm in SE Region. I haven't tryied it in a different Toyota Region.
click on "Prius"
click on your model
You have to trust me here. This is not a mistake!
click on "Build your own" not "Inventory"
click on "Prius"
You will now see a different set of "Build your own screens that do not seem to be restricted to "Inventory"
click on "Ext/Int color"
click on your Ext color
click on "Leather" Notice the $1499 for Leather.
You may or may not have an Int/color choice depending on Ext color.
click on your color
click on Access/Pkgs
Click/select Pkg# Notice that it will not allow your to select Pkg#6 if you selected leather.
You should be O.K. on your own from here.
I used to play "Adventure" for those who may remember the cave rooms!
Happy Building! :bolt:

 

Attaboy
FACTORY leather is only available on pkg 6, period. If you want leather otherwise, it will be port or dealer installed. That is my only regret with my pkg 4, I really love leather, but didn't want to have to pay for the bad navi to get to the leather. Maybe one day a leather recover will be a Christmas present for me??? Hint to dh.

Fernsmom

 

Attaboy, Pmanza is correct. The ONLY way to get "FACTORY" installed leather is to go for PKG#6. I'm in Toyota SE Region, here you can order a leather option for $1499, it's in the Build-your-own, on-line. Between what comes stantard on the Touring and PKG#3 you will have POE installed leather and everything else a PKG#6, would give you, except the $800 GPS, but including the 16" wheels and a better suspension.

 

Package 6 is the only package to offer factory leather.

HOWEVER - you (or your dealer) can easily install it aftermarket. I just did this for my dh's Prius (in 2005, leather was not offered at all). I went to Katskin.com and through them, found the closest local installer. I paid just over $1000 to have the Katskin leather installed. This is the leather that most dealers use to offer leather on packages that don't normally offer leather, not just on Priuses, but all cars. While I was there during the installation, I was the only "private" customer - dealers cars with the window stickers still on made up all of the other cars there having leather installed.

They did a great job and it looks JUST like my factory leather in my 2008. They did the center console and the door panels as well - the only difference is the steering wheel.

If I were you, I'd take the package you want and then go have Katskin leather installed on your own - it will most likely be cheaper than the price the dealer is offering you for leather and you'll be getting the same thing.

Katzkin Leather Interiors (click on "installer search" on the bottom, or use the regional sales map in the "contact us" screen)

Hope that helps!

 

I paid $1177 for non perforated leather. The perforated stuff was 2 or 3 hundred more. That was in Feb of 2008.

 

I think one drawback of aftermarket leather is the lack of leather steering wheel. I really love the leather steering wheel on the package 6, it makes the driving experience a little more luxurious, and it's nice to have a soft leather surface to grip rather than the hard plastic on non-leather Prius. Personally, I feel the leather steering wheel is just as important as the leather seats because you're always in contact with it while driving. One thing that really bothered me when I test drove a non-package 6 Prius was the hard and rough feel of the steering wheel. Maybe it's the texture, but there are a lot of synthetic leather or plastic materials used on other cars that feel a lot nicer. The leather steering wheel, if purchased from a dealer, is very expensive. One can get aftermarket leather steering covers, but they seem to always be lose and don't have the genuine feel of a factory leather steering wheel.

BTW, I have another car with dealer installed leather, but no leather steering wheel. When I drive that car I'm always reminded that the leather was an added on.

 

leather without heat?

I wanted leather but for the $1400 between a pak 5 & 6 i stayed with the package 5. For $1400 I have a place that will give u Katskin and HEATED seats and he does a great job. I lost the leather steering wheel but I would rather heated seats in the dead of winter.

 

Re: leather without heat?

Please! I'm only asking because I always thought aftermarket leather would be more and at the time ordered I thought selecting leather during built was OEM. I may remove the leather requirement on my order. Are the non Toyota after market leather installers certified. I wouldn't want to do anything that may void any warranties or insurance claims, with the air bags in the front seats. They have all kind of warnings and disclaimer labels. Again, I'm only asking for me. Someboby has to know out there. I suppose I could call around Atlanta and check it out. Then again, what's the chances of a Pkg#3 Touring showing up on the allocations list w/o leather? I'm beginning to wear down and may even eat the $800 it would cost to go from PKG#3 to the PKG#6.

:hurt:

I'm O.K. now. I just needed that.

 

Re: leather without heat?

The Katskin leather is side airbag certified (I inquired about that since my dh's car has the side airbags). There is a page on the Katskin site I believe about it. But, if it's only $800 to upgrade to the factory leather, that's less than the aftermarket leather, so you should definitely do that, plus you get the navigation system too.

 

Re: leather without heat?

Thanks ranchogirl: Just to be clear The difference between a Touring with(Southeast Toyota's POE leather($1499) and Pkg3#), and Pkg#6's factory leather is $800. So were talking $2300 for leather over cloth which could go toward aftermarket leather. Hmmm! :decision: Thanks again for your reply.

 

My wife's Prius is a package 5 with dealer after market leather. The sales guy said it would be exactly the same as package 6. Of course it didn't turn out that way as the steering wheel was not leather wrapped, which just killed her. She eventually got over it when winter hit and she started enjoying the heated seats that they also added when putting the leather in. I opted to go with package 6 on mine which will be delivered this week [I hope]. I wouldn't use the heated seats as I have plenty of natural insulation...

 

Re: leather without heat?

I'm from Long Island also. Whats the name of the person/business who can do this for you ? Appreciate the location and phone number if you have it. Thanks in advance for your help.