According to a post today over at HiHyChat the online ordering system for the HiHy (Highlander Hybrid) is up and running as of today! According to Evan's post "...they will be able to track every step of the way...from build date to est. deliver, when it goes on the boat, gets into port, etc. Your order is the car they build for you! I think this is great news." http://www.hihychat.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42 For all of those who have been thinking about placing an order, this is great news!
Very cool feature, Danny. Do they have such a system for the Prius? I'd like to know how many months I still have to wait <g>
No such system for Prius...you don't actually order one, they put you on an allocation list and after cars arrive they sort of distribute them as the allocation list best fits.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco\";p=\"83392)</div> Hey, I ordered exactly what I wanted, package level, color etc. from a dealer who promised delivery of exactly that within 90 days and they actually beat that 90 days! I did go 610 miles to take delivery. And yes, I spoke with a roster of dealers to find that one who ordered what I wanted at MSRP. Local dealer here still charges 3,500 over MSRP and gets it. Whatever happened with your ordered Highlander?
The computer order for the HiHy was placed by my dealer yesterday with the exact features I wanted. Although you think you placed an 'order' and the dealer may have led you to believe you placed an 'order'...you didn't. You placed a request and the dealer was gambling, a little, that he'd be allocated what you wanted within that 90 day period. Your order did go to the regional distribution center and probably helped assure the allocation your dealer requested, but no order ever made it to Japan, or even to the US ports. My HiHy order goes directly to Japan...I assume to the factory and my car will be trackable from build day to delivery. Don't even think about trying that with Prius! Lexus is using a similar ordering system with the 400h. I think Toyota learned a lot from the Prius debacle.
