Dealer change

After a lot of talking and a lot of looking, I pulled the trigger Thursday and changed dealers. I did not have any problem cancelling my order with Harrelson Toyota. I also found out they had not even processed the deposit I had authorized. Don't know what happened there, but it turned out ok for me. I decided to check elsewhere when I found out my salesman had left the dealership. Fine, no problem there, but the man who got my account really did not seem that interested in helping me find the vehicle I wanted. He was more interested in selling me what they had coming to them rather than trying to locate what I had requested. I went elsewhere.

I WAS able to get the help I was searching for at Scott Clark's Toyota City. The salesman I spoke with was very pleasant to talk with. He was able to find what I am looking for and guaranteed me, in writing (don't know what good that does but it did help with my decision), that he would have it by 10/13. I already have a price and it is better than the price I had been given from Harrelson. The car I will be getting includes Toyoguard (I did not want it, but I can live with it), while the quote I received before did not. I was really stunned, but after adding everything up I realised the initial offer I was given was actually below MSRP. That is the FIRST quote I have received under MSRP from any dealership, and I have gotten probably ten quotes by now. I got three at MSRP while the rest were above it. All I can say is that I am happy with the price I was given, not too happy about the Toyoguard, but it beats the heck out of still waiting to even hear about the possibility of a vehicle.

 

I was originally told about two months. After a month, I kinda figured they would have some clue about the timeline, plus I was next in line. What really caused me to decide to change dealerships was when the new salesman began trying to talk me into taking a Barcelona Red package 2 they were getting in. I hate red. I don't ever want to own another red car for the rest of my life. I got pulled over more times in my red car than I ever did in any other that I have owned, and it was a Festiva. (I miss that little car. I had it tweeked up by a friend, it had a carb, and that car would get 45 mpg.)
Anyway, when he tried to sell me the red car I said I had no interest in it. He then hemmed and hawed a little and said he would have to see what they could do, but he would have to talk to his manager. He did say that he thought they could get the car, but that it would take a while. He then asked me if there wasn't another color I was interested in besides the Silver Pine and Spectra Blue, maybe the Barcelona Red? I declined and said we wanted the Pine or Blue, nothing more. That evening I went to Scott Clark to see what they could offer, thinking that having two dealers looking was better than one. The rest is history, and if I don't get my car by the 13th, I will be VERY upset.

 

That's what I thought as well Jim, but I actually got a better offer by going back to a salesman I had spoken with a few weeks earlier. He had given me a quote before, and it was more than we were willing to pay. I walked when he said that was the best he could do. And that quote was actually AT MSRP, but the OTD was higher because of NC's higher sales taxes. The quote that I agreed to with Scott Clark now is below MSRP plus they are still charging me SC sales tax rate.

 

I got my car today, a full week before it was promised. Everyone was very nice and very helpful except the girl who was supposed to give me the rundown on the vehicle. She was not informative at all. We did purchase the service plan they sold, but in truth, I was planning on having them do the servicing anyway because I have neither the tools, the yard space, or the automitive knowledge to feel comfortable doing any kind of work on my new Prius. If I were working with gunpowder, I'd be fine, but this ain't gunpowder and I never took auto mechanics in school. All told we paid $26800 for the vehicle, and I don't feel any buyer's remorse nor do I feel like we were robbed by the dealership. We got a fair price and knew what we were paying for upfront. Nothing changed from the day I made the deal.

All in all, I had a great experience with Scott Clark Toyota in Stallings, NC (in the Charlotte area). Clark Bush was my salesman and he did do me right. I never felt like I was being treated poorly in any manner. I suggest that if you live anywhere near Charlotte, NC give Scott Clark Toyota a very hard look. I am glad I went back to them and looked again.