What Price Are you being quoted by the Dealer?

I asked my Sales Manager if he was excitied about this as I was. I've been telling him about all the info shared on this site with delivery dates, options, etc. I did tell him last night as I dropped off my Highlander Hybrid for service that in order to save face on Prius Chat I have to have a discount. He's in agreement with that as well as selling me the Platinum warrant at cost and throwing in my usual last minute deal closer of Toyota brand all weather mats.

I've dealt with him several times. he's been promoted to manager now and is in charge of the deals. I've sent him several customers as well as purchasing 10 Toyotas from him.

Dealing with a small dealer you know has it's advantages

 

Anything over MSRP is just the dealership taking advantage of you. However, I know some people have more money than God and don't care. Show your personal opinion with your wallet. I live 10 miles from Dublin Toyota- I tried to buy 2 different cars from them and both times went elsewhere because they were jerks and had a mark-up just because they could. I ended up going to Stockton to buy my Prius and got an excellent price. (about 1 hour drive)

 

Understanding and handling the MSRP matter is quite straightforward. I'd guess we'd all know this going into the deal and it's right on the Toyota sticker.

My concern will be the loading of the vehicles - either as ordered by the regions/dealers, strict package bundling on models, or dumping on port options. ie - leaves the consumer with little choice other than buy what's available as delivered...but loaded with more ($$$ profit) accessories than you want/need. Or wait till more shipments arrive, hoping as the frenzy subsides and they come in 'less loaded'.
Or link up with other dealers or regions.

I'm hoping the upcoming purchase process will be stress-free, but that may be overly optimistic...from what I'm hearing in many other posts, and previous years' major model change releases. The environment is different this year of course, but I'd have to believe many regions/dealers are banking to make as much as they possibly can during the initial frenzy....

 

Consumer Reports has good information about buying a car, how to get the most out of shopping around. But this time around I found that just being familiar with the information on PriusChat was most important. If you know that people all over the country are able to get at or just under MSRP, then you have the confidence to keep calling dealers until you find one who will do it without creating a hostile sales experience.

In my case I had three dealers in the Denver Metro area tell me that they can charge anything they like because "no one ever buys a Toyota at MSRP". One wanted $5000 over MSRP. But then a fourth one in Colorado Springs was happy to offer it at $100 under MSRP, so I went with them. I did this on the phone in the space of about an hour, and was happy to make the hour drive to go down there the next day and sign the deal.

You can use the "Build my car" tool on toyota.com to specify exactly what you want, and send the specification to the five dealers nearest you - it lists them with distance from your zip code. So just call them in order according to how far away they are until you find one who is offering under MSRP. If none of the five will, use Google Maps to find more dealers farther away.

It is possible that being satisfied with a little under MSRP is leaving some money on the table, though I haven't seen that reported on this forum yet. You can try using the Consumer Reports method to see if you can squeeze out even more of a discount. If you are successful, let us know.

 

Danny -
Did they happen to say when they are getting their 2010s?How long their waiting list is? Their demand? I have my heart set on a 2010 Prius & I live about 20 miles from them. Currently I am checking at the Anderson, SC store. THey said they don't even have a waiting list started. I am hoping that means I might be able to get it quickly. I cannot continue taking my 16 month old out in a car with no air (burgundy interior). UGH!!!

 

Bottom line is all vehicles are priced differently based on supply and demand. One should not get upset if they have to pay MSRP for a Prius (with a smaller markup than some brands) yet they can buy a GM product for $500 under invoice. Just can't compare the two deals.

If the Prius is selling across the country at $500 over MSRP then that is the market price. All I really expect is to get a deal as good as they are offering at other dealerships. If I don't like it I'll consider something else.

If I was simply looking for reliable cheap transportation then the 2009 Prius is a bargan. If gas prices rise you may never see, or at least not for a while, the opportunity to purchase on at thousands off MSRP.

In fact if I was not a car nut and just wanted an appliance and already liked my older Prius, I would be looking at an 09 while I could still get a decent trade but a great price on the outgoing model. That would have to be the bargan of the century.

Unfortunately there are areas like California (I remember this when I bought my TCH as well) where dealers due to the high demand will indeed charge $1000+ over MSRP. Can't really blame them. There is a limited suppy, at least in relation to the current demand. This does impact the rest of the country initially as east coast dealers want to tell their customers about this. However after a month of cars on the lots the east coast dealers realize they can't sustain the premium and they too start discounting cars that are hot on the west coast.

people willing to travel, and not that many really are, can go several hundred miles away, perhaps thousands of miles away and pick up a car cheaper.

Seems unfair, but then again why can't the Holiday Inn at the beach charge me $75 per night like the one I can stay in here close to home? heck, if they want to do good business they could be 100% occupied at $75 a night in Myrtle beach. However I'm sure they know it's a better deal for them to be 90% occupied and charge $150 per night just because they are at the beach. They can get by with it because of demand.

 

Edmunds.com and other sites will show you the invoice price. There are also discussions on invoice vs. true dealor cost on this site. I believe Jabber explained it well in another thread. In all my previous times of buying a new vehicle, I negotiated based up invoice price. For those cars, I knew many were being sold at or close to invoice. So that was their true market price. However, in the case of the 2010 Prius, I believe MSRP is the true market price not invoice. In the case of a 2009 Honda Accord, the market price is way under invoice. In years to come, I believe the resale value is a function of actual market value when new, and not MSRP.

Sorry for the long-winded answer. For the reasons stated above, I didn't even ask to see the invoice. We discussed package level, any port added options, and pricing relative to MSRP. I made sure that he knew that I was a serious buyer (told him of my pre-approved loan). I also accepted another color (Winter Gray vs. Silver). I didn't want to chance having to wait any longer, possibly months.

This is completely off-topic. But, I'm also concerned with the steadily rising price of oil and don't want to be caught in the same situation that existed last summer.

Good luck on finding your Prius. Enjoy cruising on PC.

 

I've been told MSRP at a few Southern California dealerships. The port added accessories will be difficult to avoid during the first few months though.

 

I'm paying MSRP, with no port add-ons.

 

My car is coming with Rear Bumper Applique and Premium Accessory Package - Z1 (floor and cargo mats, cargo net, first aid kit). I'm happy with those items.

 

I have been quoted $500 below MSRP by my dealer in NoVA, Koons Tyson's Toyota. I believe they are still charging the $750 destination charge on top of that, though.

This was for whatever package you wanted, if you put down a $1000 refundable deposit. I don't know if it is still available. From what I understand, though, I am #7 on their list, and my car will probably be on the 1st shipment they get.

 

Hey Rebel,

Thanks for the plug, I appreciate it. Yes we are still giving $500.00 off MSRP for people that still place orders for their 2010 Prius. And yes yours is going to be in the first shipment we get in. Also if prices that were quoted to you before end up coming in as those having destination already included, then you are $750.00 richer

 

Jabber,

What would be a good price on an 09 Touring, package 2 or 3?

 

Mine is msrp with $750 destination charge. They are adding carpeted mats at $200 but I am ok with that to get the car next week. I added the back applique on the bumper for $69 since I have a dog and cases of wine going in and out.

 

Surely one of the best uses of a Prius I have heard!

 

The following Southern California dealers are planning on marking up the Gen III by as much as $5,000. (At least for the initial batch.)

Wondries Toyota

Carson Toyota

Tustin Toyota

Toyota of Santa Monica

 

Ouch, I can't believe that some dealers are going to try that tactic. It seems that most dealers are going with MSRP which seems fair for the new model.

 

Don't do it! There are dealers in SoCal offering MSRP + $750 destination charge!

 

Oh believe me, I won't.

Toyota of North Hollywood is claiming there are people on their waiting lists willing to pay $2,000 over MSRP. I smell bull crap.

 

If Toyota makes 180,000 to 500,000 of these (not sure which number is correct, but both are large) then they will not be scarce after the flush buying. NO WAY I'd want to pay over MSRP. When that happens on a regional basis it won't help with resale value a couple of years out and you just wasted $1K to $5K. That does though help the economy in this recession and you dealer will appreciate it I'm sure.