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Picking up my Prius on Saturday

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by s1059197, Jun 23, 2005.

  1. s1059197

    s1059197 Junior Member

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    I've been saving for a new car for several years, and early in '04, I decided that I would be buying a Prius. The waiting lists scared me off for a long time, though. I figured I'd wait until the initial hubbub died down, and then strike once the dealers were forced to take less than MSRP. A year and a half later, I don't see any signs of that happening, and since Toyota announced price hikes for next year, I figured that it was time to make a move. When I found the car I wanted in VA (black/grey package 6), I jumped on it. I didn't get it below MSRP, but I did get them to drop the "dealer processing fee," and I got a one-way airline ticket for $49 from OH. On Saturday, my wife and I will fly out to pick up the car and drive it home. I already printed out the pickup checklists, and I'll be relying on them heavily on Saturday. Needless to say, my anticipation has been building ever since I first read about the Prius, and these last few days have been agony. I think Red said it best in the Shawshank Redemption: "I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain."

    Phil
     
    #1 s1059197, Jun 23, 2005
  2. PaPrius

    PaPrius Member

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    I'm very happy for you!

    On Saturday, you're going to experience the first of many enjoyable rides you'll have in your Prius.

    Don't fret if your MPG isn't as high as you'd like at first. No matter how book smart (or PriusChat smart) you are, it takes some time to get use to the car, and to adjust your driving to maximize the MPG.

    My hat is off to anyone that waited 17 months, and purchased their Prius out of state. I suspect you'll find that your Prius was worth the wait.

    Enjoy
     
    #2 PaPrius, Jun 23, 2005
  3. s1059197

    s1059197 Junior Member

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    Thanks! It's funny--since I've been hanging around these boards for the last few months, I've been taking all of the advice about how to drive to maximize MPG on the Prius and practicing it in my current car (a Civic). Mostly, I've worked on anticipating stops earlier and coasting whenever possible. I have no delusions about being an instant expert, but it will be fun to learn and watch the MPG rise along with my skill.
     
    #3 s1059197, Jun 23, 2005
  4. ambrothe

    ambrothe Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
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    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    s1059197 - Where are you located, and where are you buying your car? I live in Columbus and had to fly to Bethesda, MD to get the exact Prius that I wanted. It's so worth the trip...enjoy your new car!
     
    #4 ambrothe, Jun 23, 2005
  5. dwhysong

    dwhysong Junior Member

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    Jun 13, 2005
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    Location:
    Santa Barbara, CA
    I'll be picking mine up on Saturday too! It's a Salsa Red #4 AM, from a dealership in Salinas (about 220 miles north of here). I can't wait!

    I might even take the PCH for the drive back... :)
     
    #5 dwhysong, Jun 23, 2005
  6. s1059197

    s1059197 Junior Member

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    I'm in Dayton, and I'm buying the car in Vienna, VA (Koons Tysons Toyota). Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's made the trip!

    Phil

    P.S. Go Bucks
     
    #6 s1059197, Jun 23, 2005
  7. dvdirv

    dvdirv Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2005
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    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I just picked up my Salsa Red Prius #4 LAST Saturday and so far have been very pleased.

    I wanted one last fall but was told to expect a 9-12 month waiting list. I bought another car instead. A month ago I checked with the same dealer and was told the wait was now 4-6 months. (Still too long!)

    Two weeke later the dealer called me to tell me they had 2 Prii in stock. When I went down to check 4 hours later, one was sold and the other did not have the package I wanted. So I seriously looked around using the Internet until I found one.

    I've been busy upgrading the Prius with better tires and XM Radio. Frankly, I am shocked that such a high-end technology car would not not offer XM as other dealers are doing. I had Terk's XM Commander installed and it works just fine.

    I do understand that will change with the '06 Prius.
     
    #7 dvdirv, Jun 25, 2005
  8. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    Seattle, WA
    Woo-hoo! :) I know how you feel, Phil.

    Hope the purchase is without a hitch, and that the trip back to OH is a very pleasant drive. West Virginia is a delightful place to drive through!
     
    #8 bookrats, Jun 25, 2005
  9. s1059197

    s1059197 Junior Member

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    Apr 22, 2005
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    The trip went great--I was in and out of the dealership in just over 2 hours. The only issue I found with the car was that the tires were overinflated (52 psi front/50 psi rear). I pointed it out, and they adjusted to spec. This particular dealership was he-uge, and had several other Priuses sitting on the lot. If anyone is interested in buying out-of-town, I can recommed Koon's Tyson Toyota in Vienna, VA. Send me a private message if you're interested in any details of the deal and the experience.

    The trip back was a lot of fun... I had no idea how to get home, but after inputing our address in the NAV computer, it took over and led us exactly where we needed to go. It was great to have 8 hours of drive time to play with all of the features and try to figure out what everything did. My wife and I decided that the navigation voice needed a name, and we eventually settled on NINA (Nonhuman Interactive Navigation Assistant).

    I love, love, love this car, even more than I expected to. The wait was worth it.

    Phil
     
    #9 s1059197, Jun 26, 2005
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