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Buying your first-choice Prius or "settling"

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005.

?

When I finally signed the papers, I bought

  1. 1. exactly the combo desired, but had to wait 2 mo. or more

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  2. 2. exactly the combo desired, by luck, "walking in" to dealer

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  3. 3. the pkg desired, but not the color-after being on waitlist

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  4. 4. the pkg desired, but not the color-walk-in

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  5. 5. the color desired, but not the pkg-after being on waitlist

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  6. 6. the color desired, but not the pkg-walk-in

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  7. 7. NEITHER color/pkg desired but wanted one NOW (walk-in)

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  8. 8. NEITHER color/pkg desired and STILL waited 2 mo or more

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  9. 9. was flexible on both, thus satisfied after walking-in

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  10. 10 was flexible on both but STILL waited 2 mo or more

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  1. attenergy

    attenergy New Member

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    yeah....i didnt wanna bring it up, i got exactly what i wanted in two weeks. my dealer just happened to have my vehicle coming into the port. :)
     
    #21 attenergy, Nov 18, 2005
  2. KathyY

    KathyY Member

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    I voted that I got the exact color/combo and had to wait 2 months but that isn't really accurate. I ordered my '04 when they started with the pioneer order. I wasn't a pioneer but got mine at the end of November. I don't really consider that a wait since it wasn't even available.
     
    #22 KathyY, Nov 18, 2005
  3. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    So far the poll results are about what I thought (feared): half got exactly what they wanted OR were flexible; everyone else compromised.

    Toyota can do better than this.

    Perhaps if and when we get 100 or so responses, someone could write Toyota a letter.
     
    #23 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  4. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    Jack, keep in mind this is a low-supply high-demand car.

    People are going to have to settle, until they can ramp up production enough to meet demand. Until then, people can and will settle just to have the car.

    No insult intended and please don't take it that way, just trying to point that out :)
     
    #24 galaxee, Nov 18, 2005
  5. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    No offense taken.

    Try looking at it this way. Let's say that for '06, using last year's sales figures as a guide (9,000+ Priuses sold the last few months), they sell 10K x 12 mo. =
    120,000 Priuses in the US. 120K will be made, equipped and painted; 120K here will buy them. What's the best way to match up as many of them, say at least 100K (83%), as possible? Who's in the best position to do this matching-up?

    A relative handful of people ("regions"), scattered in a dozen locations around the country? People who, under the present system, have an INTEREST in limiting the number of packages (discussed elsewhere)? Hell, I'd rather they limited COLORS by region (say, for the sake of argument, three), but carried ALL packages (at least in the proportion they're manufactured). For one thing, it would be much easier for regions to trade cars for us, taking as a given that Toyota is equipping cars in roughly the proportion that we want them (and under the current system, how would Toyota ever even KNOW?)

    Toyota itself? Could they outguess the regional honchos?

    If roughly half of us are getting what we want, could Toyota do much worse than the regions?

    Other considerations aside, the obvious answer is that WE and Toyota can most accurately settle between us what should be produced.

    Some members here say they decided what they wanted and got on a list in August. Suppose Toyota let it be known in June that they'd start taking orders in August. They'd also have to announce their colors, packages and pricing by, say, July 25-30. How hard would that be to do?

    So, if they started making them on the same cockamamie schedule as this year, after taking orders for three months they'd know almost EXACTLY how they should build their first, say, 10-15 K cars. (Note: wild guess on my part.) And, whatever the number, wouldn't these "pre-orders" also give them a leg up in also determining what the rest of them throughout the production schedule should be?

    I may be whistling in the dark. If someone here can think of a better way to distribute Priuses, I'd sure like to hear it.
     
    #25 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ahh, you missed the one big downfall of big corporations: the marketing research department. :lol:

    they're the ones that determine how many of each color/package should be made and don't account for regional distributorships in doing so. pre-orders should give a good idea of what they should do... but pre-orders don't go directly to the factory, they sit in a file cabinet at the dealership.

    i believe the system is flawed, but i can't imagine what kind of ruckus it would take to make them change it. :rolleyes:
     
    #26 galaxee, Nov 18, 2005
  7. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    My pre-orders would be online, direct with the corporate HQ.
     
    #27 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  8. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    so how do you deal with 'casual' pre-orderers? say they're interested but change their mind or aren't willing to wait. require a deposit before pre-ordering? unfortunately there are lots of people who can't make and stick with a decision nowadays...
     
    #28 galaxee, Nov 18, 2005
  9. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    Yes, I guess you missed my earlier rant. Pre-orders would require more than a token deposit (say, $500-750). Wafflers need not apply.

    Yeah, it'd cost them more on their end. But they'd gain some things, too, the biggie being, yes, customer satisfaction (and loyalty). Isn't that what "branding" is all about?
     
    #29 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  10. MNPrius

    MNPrius New Member

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    Choice # 3 - package, not color after on wait list: I settled on color not package. But I found I really like Driftwood Pearl, have yet to see Seaside Pearl which was my first option. 6 weeks, start to finish.
     
    #30 MNPrius, Nov 18, 2005
  11. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ahh, yeah i must have missed that rant. makes sense. but then what about people who want to just go into the dealer and discuss? or take a look at one? they have to have salespeople there for that, and i can guarantee they're not about to start paying those guys hourly wages.
     
    #31 galaxee, Nov 18, 2005
  12. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    Au contraire, mademoiselle.

    Critters are paid a minimum base salary (if they sell at least X number of cars/mo, and they're usually fired if they don't, anyway), with commissions atop that.

    Have you EVER seen all critters at a dealership occupied at the same time? It happens rarely. There's usually someone available for a demo or explanation.

    I tried selling cars---Toyotas---a few years ago. (Lasted 3 weeks before quitting due to dealer's dishonesty.) A substantial portion of critters' time is wasted, even if they telephone all their leads and recent customers, as they're supposed to.
     
    #32 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  13. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    hmm. then this is certainly an interesting train of thought, Jack.

    critters. :lol: that got me!
     
    #33 galaxee, Nov 18, 2005
  14. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    I put in $500 for my order at my local dealer and got my car 900 +- miles away in Helena Montana, my son found me a car win the wait list was > 6 months. They had my $500 for 4 months. Presumably the earned interest on it. I do not feel guilty at all. When I told them I got a car elsewhere they returned my deposit promptly. I hope no bad feelings either way. I at least have none, but I was not going to wait for 6-7 months if I could get a car sooner.
     
    #34 hdrygas, Nov 18, 2005
  15. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    You probably bought the only Prius sold in Montana. :)
     
    #35 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  16. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    Wow, almost 40 poll responses in half a day---thanks to those participating. Interesting results, too.

    Still holding steady at just over 50% who got what they wanted.
     
    #36 Jack 06, Nov 18, 2005
  17. Schmika

    Schmika New Member

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    We were easy. We wanted a Pckg 4 or Pkg 6 in any color except white or black. Our wait was "over-nght". Got called, went in and bought it.
     
    #37 Schmika, Nov 19, 2005
  18. VaPrius

    VaPrius New Member

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    I got the exact package and color I wanted. I called one dealer who said it would take two months to get one, at two months I called him and he said he'd call next week (when they got their allotment) and didn't. This went on for three weeks, then I called around and found a dealer that said they had their allotement and one was coming into the states in a week and a half. I signed the papers with that dealer the next day. When I went in to sign the paperwork, there was one just like what I was purchasing that the dealer was delivering to another buyer. As it turns out, that buyer was having it shipped to CA so he took my Prius that was coming into NY and had it direct shipped to CA, and I took his Prius two weeks early, two days after signing the initial paperwork. :)
     
    #38 VaPrius, Nov 19, 2005
  19. PhotoLady

    PhotoLady New Member

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    I 'ordered ' my Prius at the beginning of Sept - right when the price of gas skyrocketed. I handed over my $500 and was put on the 'build list', and advised that it could take up to 6 months to get my car.

    I was called by this dealer and another one I had spoken to several times about other colors and packages, but decided that I wanted to wait for the one I had my heart set on and had ordered.

    It came in exactly 2 months to the day I ordered it, and I just love it!! I didn't want to 'settle' for one just to get it sooner. I order the Seaside because I like blue, and didn't want a Salsa (don't like the color) or a Silver (too common).

    I am very happy that I waited, and would have waited the whole 6 months for it!! :D
     
    #39 PhotoLady, Nov 19, 2005
  20. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    That's quite a story! Did you have to conmpensate the CA buyer any extra shipping charges?

    Can't think of any poll choices I could have constructed to cover that one. :rolleyes:
     
    #40 Jack 06, Nov 19, 2005
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